Arsenal WILL reach final with touch of Liverpool and Real Madrid luck

Some Arsenal fans and football pundits will look harshly on those like the former Gunners defender Martin Keown who say that Arsenal just need a bit of luck to progress to the Europa League final at the expense of Atletico Madrid tonight, but that is just the way it is.

We are not saying that Arsenal are not good enough, but if you want to see just how important luck can be, even to sides playing at the highest level, you only need to look at hos the two semi-finals of the Champions League p[anned out this year.

Real Madrid were especially fortunate to get past a much better Bayern Munich. A huge defensive error in each leg were not the only things to9 go the way of the Spanish giants. The ball just did not run well from the Germans whose striker Robert Lewandowski must have broken a mirror while walking under a ladder recently.

Liverpool also rode their luck, especially in the return leg in Rome last night but that is often what makes the difference in tight games. Arsenal could easily have scored more goals against Atletico last week with just a hint of the luck that Liverpool and Real have enjoyed, and I expect us to create a fair few chances this evening.

Is it just a matter of luck as to whether Arsenal will be in the final?

Sam P.

21 Comments

  1. Luck is a big factor, but Arsenal players must find spaces to shoot more often

    A single isolated striker would have more difficulties to shoot in front of a bunch of defenders. So it would be better if Arsenal use wide forwards or wingers to cut inside and shoot with their strongest legs

    Unfortunately it has been a very long time since Wenger used two wide forwards, because he likes to dominate the midfield with playmakers like Ozil and Wilshere. It worked well against weaker teams like AC Milan and Everton, but I feel we need to break Atletico’s defense with our speed demons

    1. Amusing to read that LFC were somehow fortunate last night when one considers Roma’s first goal was the equivalent of a lottery win that brought them back into the game immediately after Liverpool scored.

      1. well they also had two clear penalties ruled out. The one that actually got called was actually not a penalty. I’d say Liverpool got more of the luck than Roma did. And 99/100 times Nainggolan doesn’t make that terrible pass for LFC’s first goal.

        1. I don’t believe in luck, create clear cut chances and score that’s all. anyway penalties can be missed.

  2. 2-2. 3-3 aggregate. Arsenal to go through
    We are scoring first, then they will lead. We the equalize, the will then put us under pressure till the end. At the dying minutes many Arsenal fans’ heart beats will be abnormal but we will survive. Be forewarned.

  3. They say you make your own luck Gunners.

    Take a chance Arsenal, take long range shots, incisive passes, balls over the top, crosses, etc. I think Athletico will set out to score an early goal and sit back after that knowing Arsenal will keep spraying around the ball aimlessly. Time for our boys to turn into men tonight, the whole football community has written us off but we the fans (some of us anyway) stand firm until then final whistle, COYG!!!

    1. OT: Keep the running comments coming during the games guys, due to unfortunate circumstances sometimes its hard for some of us to watch the game live or on tele, plus I am bias to Arsenal so no need to follow games on a site that posts on both teams.

      You can moan all you like during games but Justarsenal is still the best site to follow a match for me so keep them coming.

      Thank you in advance.

    2. Yeah, too many times I just want Arsenal to shoot the ball instead of walking it in. Deflections, GK goofs happen. Xhaka did try but was just terrible at it last week.

  4. Keeping 11 players on the pitch is crucial. Xhaka worries me and is sure to start. Also it’s about time Ozil turned up and put a shift in.

  5. Feel bad for Mustaphi tbh the amount of criticism he gets is unreal. Rewatch all the mistakes hes made and its pretty clear hes either been trying to cover Kos, Monreal or Xhaka in almost every occasion. The games he played with Chambers he was excellent and then chambers gets dropped for Kos who should actually just retire at the end of the season, never in my life have I seen a player decline so fast. Im not saying Musti is exempt from critism as he can be rash with the challenge and sometimes miss times them but his aggression is something we need tonight to match Diego

    Ospina
    Bellerin Chambers Musti Monreal
    Xhaka Ramsey AMN
    Ozil Mki
    Laca

  6. Sam P , bless your naive little cotton socks, I want to point out the facts of football life to you , as you clearly need to hear them. Luck indeed does play a minor role in many games but nowhere near as much of a role as sheer talent and lack of talent play. Our porous, hopeless, so called “defence” has to stand up against such as Greizmann and Costa,both universally recognised top strikers. Also against a host of other top players in a team that has left the “mighty” Real Madrid far behind in La Liga. And against a team that has conceded just four goals at home all season. I know that you, as a man who wanted Wenger to stay, are not a lover of football reality but, even for you, this hope is a triumph of quite unfounded hope over experience. In further news for you, ALL Gooners hope we get LUCKY and get through tonight but most are fully aware , at least in their private thoughts, that this is extremely unlikely. To pretend otherwise is to fool yourself. Personally, I always prefer reality and truth. Lastly , why are so many of your articles based on unlikely occurences , rather than more likely ones?

  7. Sam – you say that ” we are not saying that Arsenal is not good enough” But that is exactly what we are saying. Because that is a fact. We are not good enough to beat Atletico, We might beat them on the day with loads of luck. Let’s all hope today is that day. Under normal circumstances a team that has allowed only 4 goals all season at home is not likely to loose this tie. We can always hope for the best.

    1. Precisely. It is irritating how Sam P purports to speak for all Gooners when he says “we are not saying Arsene is not good enough”. I am so pleased you pointed out the plain truth to this man who does not like hearing thnplain truth. He seems to prefer blind hope. Annoying , isn’t it, when one is a realist. It is we realists who made the club sack Wenger by staying away in droves, not the “fools paradise” dwellers like Sam P. WE, not him, paved the way for the necessary improvement once Wenger is finally gone.

  8. I believe we will go through tonight. One lousy goal, flukey or calculated, handball, own goal, lucky rebound, undeserved penalty, pinball corner goal..we are through! Guys, we have the advantage, we limited their away goal to only one..now just a goal we win, 1-1 its penalties and any other kind of draw we are through. I can’t believe the negativity around here… or are we behind by 3 goals?

  9. Well we had a HUGE amount of luck in that first leg, and unsurprisingly, Wenger couldn’t take it! So even luck won’t help us!

  10. Aletitco was lucky first leg, we could have detroyed them.
    As long as our defense stayed focus, we don’t need luck, we can beat them straight up.
    Go gunners!

    1. Looks a hell of a stadium! Please no more mistakes from dumb & dumber… I hope everyone is focused & really go for it! Come on guys… 1 game away from the final. Please make us proud COYG

    2. agreed, athletico’s goal was extremely lucky and we were unlucky not to score more in the first leg. the red card was an easy call– but i honestly dreaded them going to 10 men once the first yellow came as that only emphasized their gameplan and improved their focus. their outstanding defender Thomas actually said after the game that Simeone had made the first team play man-down all week to prepare for arsenal’s passing and a potential red card.

      we will need to shoot from distance early, and once this happens we must then dribble 1v1 in order to draw fouls and create space. interested to see if mhkitarian will start for welbeck or jack. crossing to lacazette for 90 minutes will produce very little, as that is not his game and athletico is built to sustain that type of pressure. COME ON YOU GUNNERSSS

  11. Luck to me is by accident. I want Arsenal to beat them square and fair. We can do it. Comon Laca you can save us.

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