So we all know the background as to our injuries and the fact that Arsenal need to beat Zagreb while Munich are destroying Olympiakos (we hope!). The fact that we will be without Francis Coquelin and Mikel Arteta is hardly materiel in what should be a routine win for the Gunners under normal circumstances.
What can go wrong? Well a repeat show of petulance from Olivier Giroud could put a spanner in the works, but we have no other choice for centre-forward so hopefully he will have learnt his lesson. As Wenger said: “I believe that we were absolutely unlucky in our first game there because we played with 10 against 11 and we were a bit unlucky with Olivier Giroud’s sending off.
“We are now in a mission which is not impossible, but a mission that does not allow you any margin for error. That is one advantage as the task is very clear, let’s go and win our games.”
Okay let’s look at the team that lost in the Croatian capital:
Ospina
Gibbs
Gabriel
Koscielny
Debuchy
Cazorla
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexis
Arteta
Ozil
Giroud
Obviously Cech is a big plus from the original team, I must admit I was worried that he may revert back to Ospina as he is now fit, but even Wenger knows there is no room for error at all.
So here is todays confirmed team:
Giroud
Sanchez Ozil Campbell
Flamini Cazorla
Monreal Koscielny Mertesacker Bellerin
Cech
As you can see Coquelin didn’t play in the first game either. Neither did Monreal, Mertesacker and Bellerin. Campbell still replaces the Ox and I’m not going to complain about that. He must come good sometime….
Anyway IMO this team is much stronger than the first one, especially defensively. Barring crazy accidents I believe we will win this 2-0…..
Debate
Win 2-0 tonight and progress to quarter finals to get beaten 8-0 on aggregate by Barcelona (thumbs up)
Draw 1-1 tonight, exit the UCL, and go on to win the Europa league (thumbs down)
Winning the Europa League is not as easy as you make it out to be..
You must be so fun to be around!!
Who says we will draw barcelôna? If we avoid them in the next round we can toe to toe with any other team we draw.
According to FlashScore it’s Koscielny instead of Gabriel, who’s starting.
For weeks now we’ve had FOUR defenders on the bench of 7. Adelaide and Ramsey are the only attacking options and they are both midfielders. This really needs to change.
Anyways, I will be watching this match without pressure because there isn’t much for us left in the Champions League. Good luck boys.
So where did you see Gabriel instead of Koscielny? ?
He did see it. I mde a mistake and changed it….
Hahaha well done that man
I would have preferred Gabriel to mertesacker ?
Our admin is a magician….
Cazorla owes us a 9/10 performance today. He has been really underwhelming in recent weeks. When Cazorla plays well, the team generally plays well.
It’s a shame that wenger didn’t take the first two champions league games more seriously!
And now,he is on board the dead donkey, Flogging away,
trying to finish second in a race thats virtually over!
I’m sure that the results will go our way tonight,
But i have my doubts for the last group game !
My prediction for tonight. .. 5 nil to the Arsenal ?
That’s a pretty bold prediction because we don’t have plenty of goal scorers in form right now. Only Giroud otherwise any random player who gets to end of an Ozil pass.
Hope Sanchez or Cazorla score a goal.
If we don’t smash them tonight… I promise not to moan… for a week. … oh wait… make it a day, aweek is pushing it.
?
I can feel it in my Fat Gut, we will smash them 5nil,
I’m sure it has nothing to do with what I ate lol ?
For that, the defence has to be on their best. Otherwise he will be busy defending all day long.
Cazorla is stellar for months and then a perceived downturn (one of the games he was ill) and suddenly he OWES us??? This is a TEAM game!
Let us not forget he was asked to do the deeper role out of need. It was not necessarily his prior/natural position but he was able to do it well. I am just thankful we have a player of his caliber.
Okay not bad for this evening, if this team cant turn over Zagreb at Home then we deserve to go into the Europa League which is by no means a cert that we are going to win if we go into it through 3rd place. Its out of our hands in a way as long a we do the business tonight. See what happens when we take teams to lightly… we put ourselves in god awful situations. We should be top and easing into the last 16 tonight tbh, never should of lost the 1st 2games its these last 2 you mess around with the team when u have 9/12pts!
Anyways im not getting pissed off at this game tonight whatever the outcome as hoping leads to disappointment and at Arsenal its continious!
COYG at least if we are going out, go out fighting!!
Listen baby please
We will win tonight
That’s all
why would we want to play in the europa league on thursday? we need to win the league at any cost, screw the europa league.
Wenger made arsenal the biggest fourth place brand in the world you all know what we play for
Joel campbell is not a threat
Joel Campbell doesn’t know how to get behind defenders.. absolutely frustrating to watch and predictable because you know he’ll cut in when he gets the ball instead of providing width.
GOOAAAAAALLLL!
Costa, 1-0
COYG
Is everybody playing while being drunk?
Bayern leads 3-0 afte 20 mins.. That one is over LOL
Now we need to do our part.
We’ve done some good stuff but never comfortable viewing. Zagreb are a real threat on the break so we must be VERY careful and get some GOALS!
bayern are doing their bit (2 nil up). Can we?
Bayern are doing their job, it’s up to us to do ours!!! COME ON!!!!!!!
Good to see Giroud trying to get his misses out of the way early…couple more and he should be on the score sheet!
Not a fan of Giroud but that ball was too high for him.
Don’t get it
Who says Ozil doesn’t scores?
gooooooooooooooooooooqalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Fantastic counter attack! Great goal but look at Giroud running and taking a defender with him!
Goal!!!!!!! On a negative mertesacker – cant run cant turn and cant even tackle when an oposition player runs into him. He terrifies me every occasion they look to come forward. Now back to goal!!!!!!!!
and another oneeee
Sanchez 2nd, coyg
Monreal! What a defender!
Alexis… Arsenal are back to business
Great play by Nacho
Ozil and Alexis baby pleeeeese
My two favourite players
Two world class players
2-0
mesut ozil is a rolls royce of a player
i just shake my head an what he does
beautiful
You saw his dribbles moments ago? MAGNIFICENT
he is amazing, simply sublime
Great assist from monreal. Icing on the cake a goal for Campbell and ot giroud.
This campbell is so lazy, gawd
Sorry to say campbell offers no threat down the right, oh for gnabry to be with us. Reine adeliade anyone?
I would love to see Adelaide playing. He was outstanding against Wolfsburg (well that’s the only time I’ve seen him play)
@Ronny331
Joel is doing just fine…
huh?
Jekyl and hide arsenal, thank goodness the arsenal we love has turned up tonight. Ozil is on fire.
Ozil playing really well.
Is Campbell playing?
Campbell has been decent as Giroud, Sanchez stepping up his game as the game followed, Ozil mind blowing, Flamini doing a decent job as well.
Beautiful, high-intensity football. Exactly what was needed. Mesut putting on an absolute clinic!!
I’ve been liking what I’ve been seeing from Flam and Campbell as well. Don’t know what a few of the above comments are moaning about…
im unsure about campbell josh,
flamini is doin well here- but its as a team collectively were pressing high up- so were not getting a good look at flamini
monreal is one of our breakout players this year
an mesut …well what can i say without gushing like a 12 year old at a one direction concert
Oh I definitely get the uncertainty.. And I think it’s by no means any form of sure thing he’ll be here next season. But as our 3rd, 4th choice at RW I think he’s been doing all the right things as a squad player for this season.
makes you wonder …
the original yoyo team
has petr cech done anything tonight?
im pretty sure he took a goal kick…not 100% but if he did…it was quality!
we are blitzing them
looks like last game . win away at mount olympus
Mesut ozil’s passing and vision is just awesome to watch! Coyg!
Honestly WTF are some of you watching?
Campbell has been a menace down the right side so far and has connected well with Ozil and Bellerin on some intricate one touch passing.
Christ he put one on a platter for Sanchez who needed 3 more touches as norm to squander a great chance.
Bring in the 17 year old who impressed during the Emirates Exhibtion for the biggest game of the season
Just Brilliant
Aye, and don’t forget mate that Campbell is a huge asset to our defence. ALWAYS tracking back.
Ozil is playing like a man possessed!
if we had a striker to match ozils class and sanchez’s effort we would be comfortably atop the epl…cheapness of club is depressing…if we are not careful ozil will be moving on too…the guy is just amazing at times
When Arsenal play this beautiful brand of one touch, free flowing soccer OG is simply a passenger most of the time. AS @ MO rarely look for him and often when they do the passage of play predictably breaks down.
The guy is a royal Dbag but Benzema or his type would be mouth watering in front of Ozil and company
@nygunner. Not sure I agree, i suppose if your happy with fine? He’s an outlet, is trying and working but has littl pace or threat for a winger. Guess I shouldnt compare him to walcott or ox. Don’t get me wrong I really like his attitude and would love nothing more than for him to get a goal tonight.
Now that was great from campbell 🙂
@Ronny331
He put in a good shift and kept the clock tickin smoothly. Thats good enough for me…
open goal joel, a swing and a miss… suarez scored beautifully on that same shot today…
dude dont.
stop mentioning suarez lol
just comparing quality, saw the goal at half time, however i would take suarez on this squad anytime, anyday,
nothing wrong with giroud or campbell as bench players but they should not be starters for a top flight team
Beautiful assist great play joel 🙂
why is giroud bein swapped for ramsey?
ozzy is card away from missing olympiakos
take off mesut now
pleaseeeeee
I love the fact ozil is constantly organising and communicating 🙂 great save cech.
Wow! Top draw save from cech!
and that is why sanchez should be playing CF and Walcott on the wing. Buy a LW like draxler if you have to but Sanchez belongs in the CF role.