Arsenal were just “unlucky with the scoreline”

That is a great quote that perhaps Arsenal fans could have been using all this season. It’s the usual story; Arsenal play well and create lots of chances, but our strikers fail to put them away, then our inferior opponents nick a couple of goals and take the points.

I’m not sure if we could actually use the whole of that excuse after losing to Barcelona in the Nou Camp, but the fact remains that we did not fare too badly, and could possibly have come away with a result. That is not just my opinion, but the words of Arsenal’s youngest new star Alex Iwobi.

I was certain Alex was going to play against Watford at the weekend, especially when Wenger singled him out for praise before the game, but it seems that Wenger was saving him to play against Barca! Iwobi was obviously excited about the biggest game of his life, but he didn’t seem overawed by the occasion although he was definitely “buzzing”! “It’s crazy, playing against the best players in the world,” he said after the game. “It’s a young man’s dream. Especially at the age of 19, I never thought I would be here playing against the likes of Messi, Neymar and Suarez. I’m just happy to be here.

“I didn’t know how to feel, I was buzzing, I just wanted to go and prove to the world what I would do. I wanted to see if I could match up to the best in the world. I was buzzing when I saw the starting line up, I couldn’t wait to touch the pitch.

“I never thought I would get this far. Honestly I thought I was going to go on loan at the start of the season, but the manager has shown faith in me and I’m trying to repay that faith and prove him right every time I play.

“I am pleased with how I did, but it’s a team game. I just wish that the team won the game and got through. Nonetheless, I am happy with my performance. In the dressing room we are a bit disappointed but not too down because we thought we did very well, we were just unlucky at the end.

“If we took our chances you’d probably say we could have won but we were playing against the best in the world. I think we did very well in the circumstances, we were just unlucky with the scoreline.”

I guess the important thing is that the defeat hasn’t dented the team’s confidence, and if they truly believe they could have won the game then it should actually give them a boost. Surely facing Everton at Goodison Park can’t be as scary as going away to Barcelona?

Tags Barcelona Iwobi

32 Comments

  1. Team’s confidence?this team has no confidence they’ve lost to a terrible Man United,lost twice to Barcelona,lost to Swansea and Watford so our season is finished end of story!

    1. That’s exactly the type of players Arsene wants. The kind that give him all the power he wants. If we aim to be a top club (which becomes increasingly harder to believe) we shouldn’t be happy with losing any game, even Barcelona.

    2. It’s almost a good thing were out of all competitions early. the reason is that the board or wenger cant come out at the end of the season and say look how close we were and that this team is strong enough to compete with a fully fit squad. The last few seasons we’ve improved in the later stage if the season and giving a false hope and confidence thinking we look good for next season

    3. Unlucky my Ar::s we just ain’t good enough with the big boys he bought, Sanches is like Walcott lot of pace but no skill,he plays like a schoolboy in the play ground head down and chace back. Does he look at how he plays because he certinaly doesn’t change his game. Look he has heart but so does a lot of players but you need to play a bit too. Maybe he should be given a chance up as Striker because he certinaly can’t play on the flanks that might suit his game, as the strikers we have are no better. Oh for an English Messi then we would win CB

  2. We need some more signings. More than we needed last summer

    Last summer we needed a top striker and top DM

    This summer we still need them but I would add a top CB and RB
    Gabriel has a bright future but needs a season or two to mature so does Chambers. Mertsacker isn’t getting younger. I expect Debuchy to leave so bellerin needs cover.

    The performances of Giroud and Walcott this season shows they aren’t enough quality for CF position. Giroud should remain as a supersub. He does score around 15 goals a season but we need someone similar to Kane, vardy, aguero, Lukaku at least.

    With Flamini and Arteta leaving this summer (maybe) we will def need a DM cover for Coquelin. Again unless Wenger gives Arteta and Flamini a one year extension or makes Chambers DM

    1. Agree with the majority of your sentiments, my piggyback 2 cents.

      OG should only feature in FA, Mickey Mouse Cup or fixtures against bottom League clubs, unless brought on late as situational sub. Or sold

      One of Hernandez, Lukaku, Morata, Lacazette should be brought in to complement Welbeck.

      The emergence and hopefully continued evolution of Iwobi, Campbell and El Neny in my opinion could and probably should result in the parting of ways with Ox and Theo. Its time frabkly. The sale of these two players could find most of the above mentioned strikers.
      If Santi returns to optimal health and form. add Ramsey to that sales list as well, El Neny is already better

      The Frances Coquelin story has been an incredible journey, but sadly his play since returning from injury should be the final chapter on his 1st team inclusion. A valuable back up yes, but an upgrade or 2 is once again necessary.

      One of Krychowiak, Carvalho, Bender, Wanyama, Rabiot

      BFG has been an adequate servant to the club but his best years are way behind him. Chambers has the potential, but isn’t a RB and needs valuable game time on loan @ the CB position. I like the tenacity and borderline nastiness of Gabriel and see a bright future @ the Emirates just ot sure if he’s an everyday starter @ the moment. Boss ain’t getting any younger and has been injury prone year after year.

      Need 1 of Stones, Laporte, Van Djyk, Lyon youngster whose name escapes, Rugani.

      Dream world starting 11 next season
      Lukaku
      Sanchez…Ozil…Iwobi
      Krychowiak….El Neny(Santi)
      Nacho…Boss..Laporte… Hector
      Cech

  3. For me that Welbeck chance to make it 1 – 2 when Mascherano pulled something in his last ditch slide tackle, well for me I think Danny should have dummied the shot. When I seen him pull the trigger back I immediately thought go on fake it and your in to slot home. It is what Messi would have done, and Neymar also Suarez. How many times did Mascherano make a recovering slide tackle over the two legs, and you would think we would have one striker who knew how to stay calm. They should have known this to often happen from this player, he is not a CB, he goes to ground very easily.

    1. Hahaha. .. Don’t expect Welbeck to think and do, like the Messi crew! ??

      We had more goal attempts than Barcelona in both games,
      The problem is simple and it is one that every fan and his pet knew, that we needed a Quality out an Out Striker!
      Which Wenger denied in the summer.

      What makes things worse, is that there is obviously no shooting practice being done during training! ?

  4. We played against a poor Barcelona side. Remove MSN, and they’re not much better than we are. Barcelona gave us plenty opportunity to play (and score) but our lack of a RVP replacement haunted us. With better strikers we had the potential of winning both legs. This is what made yesterday’s result even more annoying. I personally feel the Watford and 4-0 Southampton games were harder. The real test for Iwobi and co would be this Saturday, when we’ll be afforded very little time on the ball.

  5. Stop with the delusion and just accept we’re a mediocre side compared to Barca. They weren’t even trying their hardest against us, they were playing 3rd gear at best. I’ve never seen a team so wasteful and hesitant as Arsenal when it comes to attacking in the final third. No matter how many chances Sanchez and Ozil will create we have no one who will convert them or take opportunity to pressure the opposition GK. And if you’re blaming Sanchez for having a poor game then shame on you, he was carrying us for more than an entire season before he got injured, expecting him to win us games everytime is keeping you from paying attention to the facts, Sanchez and Ozil are NOT ENOUGH, we need 5-6 WC players in the 1st team and excellent quality as back up if we ever want to stand a chance in CL. Look at the impact subs Bayern used against Juve, their 2nd string team is good enough to walk into our first XI. That’s the gulf in quality between Arsenal and the elite teams our board tries to convince we’re on the same level as. If you want Ozil and Sanchez to remain consistent then motivate them by surrounding them with WC talent and proving that we’re willing to aim for the highest accolades. At this rate they’ll end up leaving like RVP because we’re showing no form of ambition.

  6. LUCK has to do with gambling and SUCCESS has to do with hardwork,proper preparation and planning.our manager is gambling too much with alot of average players and thus our dependency on LUCK always!

    1. Exactly!
      He is more a gambler than a coach these days.
      He used to be a great coach and a really good gambler… but now, he is just a reckless gambler… gambling with the striker situation since 2013.

      Hence coach, players and fans attribute too much to luck.

  7. I blame AW for this take TW he comes on scores 2 great goles then he drops him for that mug. A S And TW play very well together by AW makes them take the SHI- for him and that’s just not on. As a manager you make the choice and AS needs to be dropped as he is just not wanting to be there. We are not going to win the EPL so why not put some kids on that want to play and give him and others a rest. Ozill has just been brilliant this season and could do with a few games off for the summer. New back room staff new number 2 to take over from mr AW next year lets sat TH for the job. AW could do a great job finding players. Bould well great player but no clue what he is doing. Go get stones for 50 million and give them CC and MF in part X. A very big clean out needed and some hard players in

    1. £50 million could get the whole of the UK stoned mate! ?
      ??
      I would rather we spend that kind of money on Lukaku instead!… We need a beast of a striker!

      1. @Fatboy.

        You speak my mind.

        Get rid of Walcott. Offer £50M for Lukaku, put him on Walcott’s wages(140K).. if that is what it would take to get him.

        1. @Fatboy.

          Dude is worth it. He’s proven to be a seasoned EPL goal scoring center forward. Theo is not.

          He is still only 22 years of age!
          So much upside means.. he can still be molded and he has got a lot room to improve.

          Physically, I’ll say he is a faster, agile and more aggressive version of Giroud. So we don’t lose anything from playing him as a lone CF.

          Yes it might be a risk. But I’ll say he represents a more calculated risk than e.g Welbeck… with far better odds of success.

          Replace Theo, Arteta, Rosicky, and Flamini with Lukaku & Gundogan.. I’ll say that pretty sets us up for next season personnel-wise.

          1. Walcott will never leave, would you pass on 140 grand a week to sign for a smaller club were most likely youll get between 75 to 100 grand a week. Not only that but you will have to put a shift in every week or risk falling further, and you could be responsible if the team ends up in relegation battle. Not a chance of this happening, more chance of Wenger losing faith and Theo seeing out his contract. Which I doubt will happen. This is an area were I have to agree with one or two people I don’t particularly like in here, stubborn, Wenger can be stubborn when it comes to throwing the towel in on players. Its his biggest flaw, but also a characteristic those/ex players love about him, probably for obvious reason. It is mind-boggling that Theo looks the very same player from when he first arrived. I did use to back him, I believe supporters are supposed to do that til the very end, but now I believe we deserve much better, so therefor – this is the end.

    2. 2 goals against a Hull team that was already down??? WOW. If Walcott is your starter, you are as deluded as our manageer

  8. When Arsenal wins – we have solidity, belief, quality, blablabla

    When Arsenal loses – we were unlikely

    Heard it all, some old story.

  9. For my sins, I still have 2 teenage children at home. It is funny how there answers seem to mirror Arsene Wenger’s nowadays. “I’m bored” or me … “why didn’t you do better” them … ” I was unlucky”.

    1. Sins? ?. ..
      It seems as if you have something in common with Wenger aswell. ?

      Better get yourself off to church mate…
      And get your blessings from father Ted!! ?

      1. “Ted, do’ya believe in that Jesus bloke”. “For Christ’s sake Dougal your a Priest” love it lol

  10. next yr, all 4 big clubs who sucked this year will wake up w their hair on fire, and great players will be hard to come by, every single 20 gps stiker will be under a microscope during the transfer window,

  11. These comments sum up our problems. We raise a culture of players to whom the performance ranks ahead of the result. Not his fault but the result of a manager who is always finding excuses
    for bad results seldom having to do with the players performance or his own performance.

    “In the dressing room we are a bit disappointed but not too down because we thought we did very well, we were just unlucky at the end.” Can you imagine Messi or Robben of Ibra saying something like that following early CL elimination?

    These players should be raised in a way that losing games and being eliminated from cups should be near unacceptable and cause sleepless nights. Not feeling of “hey we are not too down”

  12. Unlucky! Unlucky? Arsenal are not unlucky. …………they are just not good enough and it’s annoying to admit it.

  13. Lately after a bad Arsenal game, I watch a classic game with the likes of Ian, Kanu, The King, etc… just to relax me and forget about the troubles that are consuming our beautiful Arsenal.

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