Good day one all.
Europa League 2019/20 is kicking off this evening with Arsenal in Germany up against Eintracht Frankfurt at their Commerzbank-Arena.
Both clubs had impressive Europa runs in this competition last season, only to lose to winners Chelsea in the semi-final and final respectively. Such pedigree put them amongst the favourites to go deep this campaign.
The Gunners are currently in the midst of a rough patch. Following narrow wins vs Newcastle and Burnley we are winless now in our last three games – resulting in head coach Unai Emery receiving a bit of flak.
If you look at our team, there’s little doubt it is one of exceptional talent designed to not only play the free-flowing good attacking stuff, but also a side quite capable of setting the tone. That said, we also got the tendency to self-destruct at crucial stages during games. If Emery has hopes of turning our fortunes around, this is something that needs to be reined in to bring about obduracy.
That is not something that will just happen if a defender successfully complete a pass or make a clean tackle. There has to be actual chemistry and not confusion between the defenders and the midfielders just in front of them, to effectively produce play that will open up space for our flair and attacking players to exploit. But whether we are using the right players in central midfield with a particular skill set to execute such strategy… raises the question in current debate.
Tonight will be the first time these two teams meet and with both tipped to qualify out of group F, it could be an exciting one. Considering both had ordinary starts their respective league campaigns – two wins each and scoring as many as they’re conceding. Making this a fixture both coaches are looking at to find form and consistency to use as a launchpad for games to come.
The Germans, driven on by their home crowd, will undoubtedly feel that they can tap into the same mental foibles that saw us capitulated from a semblance of control at Vicarage Road, to claim a memorable victory in their first ever match against the Gunners.
With Emery likely to make a few changes to his line-up the, we may see a different approach than recently, and hopefully one with more heart and better organisation because the Germans, if they studied our previous fixtures, are sure to “press” by committing players to disrupt any passing at the back.
With both Eintracht Frankfurt and Arsenal aiming to get their season back on track this could turn out a lively end-to-end encounter.
@LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Good news for us is that all of their formidable front three from last year- Jovic, Haller and Rebic- have departed.
Quite a few recognisable names in their squad- big Bas Dost, ex Swan De Guzman, ex City Fernandes, Andre Silva, Austria cb Hinteregger and veteran Japanese midfielder Hasebe who I’ve always thought is class.
No idea what to expect from them mind with the front three gone. As usual, more optimistic we’ll perform away in Europe than in prem.
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Nice work Labo, difficult to be so balanced at this time.
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Thanks Labo,, showing us the whole picture, the facts and figures as we go into the game. Always good to have a new article as it takes us onto another chapter. Despite all I feel positive about this one.
Cheers!
COYG!
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Well done LG, COYG.
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Nice one. Hoping we see our Bolton Baresi at some point for this game
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OT (apologies), heard something funny today:
“master, please help me to stop putting people down”
“why?”
“So I can be better!”
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COYG!
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Willockkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 1-0 to the Arsenal
a massive deflection and the ball goes in off the underside of the crossbar
there has been several good chances to both sides but its the Gooners that take the lead
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phew. Theyve had about 15 shots so far. Anyway 1-0 to the Gunners.
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Half Time: Frankfurt 0-1 Arsenal
a big deflection on the Joe Willock goal to give us the lead, probably a deserved leas as we’ve had about 4 really good chances to their 2 or 3.
Saka very direct, and had a hand in our opener, Martinez with a couple of very good saves, one right at the end to keep us ahead.
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Well glad that we got HT with a clean sheet.
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Frankfurt down to ten men, second yellow for thier player
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AMN on for Kolasinac
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Sakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa with a wonderful strike from outside the area, 2-0 to the Arsenal
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3-0 Aubameyang, ball won back from their defender by Saka 30 yards from goal, played in PEA who steadied himself before slotting home
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full time 3-0 to the Arsenal
Saka with a goal and an assist, a well deserved win but when I say a contender for our man of the match was our keeper Martinez then you get a different picture of the game.
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Still wide open in mid and def. 24 shots against us. Luckily they were mostly crap.
However those late goals made it looked like we bossed it, I think Frankfurt will feel a bit bewildered that they didnt get something from this? End to end game. Amazing noise from Frankfurt.
Its tough to get excited about the EL, but glad we won.
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a word or two on our CB’s
1. not sure why we brought Holding to Germany when he was not included in the match day 18
2. we bring Mustafi back into the starting 11 and we get a clean sheet, same goes for Chambers
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Two starts for chambo two clean sheets!
24 shots against 16 for.
Fortunately Frankfurt sold their best finishers in the summer!
And hopefully Auba will now get a rest in this comp.
But here is the simple innocent question for each and all:
How is Matteo who we all rate for the future a PL starter for the Arsenal ahead of Ramsey last year and Torreira this?
Is his agent a master of football relations?
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i with a contribution to all three goals.
Perhaps the opponents are not as good as Watford after all those sales but this is significant performance from the highly rated rookie.
Wonderful occasion for the kid and his family.
COYG
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Saka with a contribution to all three goals
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Very good result and credit to Unai for playing the youth ahead of more experience upfront.
Whole team was good but Saka, Chambers, Martinez was excellent and Willock. Good result, clean sheet well done.
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Finsbury, is not the answer because he does what he is told and does not use his initiative?
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New post is up
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How right stillarich was at the start of these comments, last year’s front three would have hurried us.
Fortunately we weathered the storm and came into the game in the last 15 minutes of the first half.
Again in the second half we were on the back foot for long periods just when we seemed to be doing well Unai made some strange subs. I know he was trying to get the breakaway but it very nearly backfired and if they hadn’t had a player sent off by a very lenient ref I think we would have struggled to come away with the win.
It was a great result for the youngsters and although Saka will get the plaudits, Willock was excellent and in my opinion shouldn’t have come off. He is so strong and getting better and better. With such a young side it was understandable that decision making was a problem early but it was a great experience for them all.
Once again the deadwood and anti ARSENAL ARSENAL hate figures played really well, again proving our following is riddled with wankers.
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Shit didn’t read that the new post was up
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Thank goodness for the yutes! Glad for a confidence boosting win, which will hopefully bear fruit against Villa.
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I think we played a better game last night than getting credit for. Up til the 40th minute it was even stevens with both sides having chances. They had quite a few shots at goal, but from that last 5 minutes in the 1st half to the end they lived off scraps as we gained the upperhand, culminating in them not able to live w us that last 10-15 minutes.
Good win to take into the game this Sunday at the Emirates.
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