Arsenal’s tactics WERE RUBBISH but Monaco were clinical!

Analysis of Monaco game by Big Gun

To say that Arsenal were extremely poor is taking it a bit far. We had three or four excellent opportunities on goal, two of which under any other circumstances (or striker) should have been in the back of the net. I am talking about the one that hit Walcott’s leg from Welbeck shot and the one Giroud scuffed over the bar. Those two goals could have done wonders and perhaps even change the whole direction of the game. Giroud also had another open header he should have done much better with. We were trailing, so Wenger went more offensive which is actually why we conceded a third. If we had scored those goals though, it would have been a completely different outcome. Remember, Monaco’s first goal was a lucky deflection. Besides the two goals they scored, how many decent chances did they actually have on goal? The difference between them and us was that they were clinical in front of goal, and we were not.

But some players definitely need to be taken aside. Ozil needs a good talking to, I cannot take his blase attitude anymore. He is gifted and at times brilliant, but his lack of energy is not good enough. I get so mad when I see Alexis running his socks off and Ozil jogging/walking around like he is better than everyone else. We still need to splash out on the world class striker, one that would have buried those shots. Giroud has his place, but he is not good enough to be our Number One striker, nor is Welbeck.

Tactics wise, they were one step ahead. The played a very tight diamond formation which we failed to counter by utilizing the width of the pitch. I cannot understand why we have Giroud up front, but no one making runs down the wings to cross in or cut back. I also do not see why it is up to our full backs to have to keep doing this and then when they lose possession we are exposed at the back. It is basically the same flaws we suffered last season against Chelsea, Liverpool and City. Why can’t Wenger just play Walcott and Chamberlain as wingers? They have the pace and ability to beat players and get those crosses in. They also can cut in when needed. But yet we see Ozil as a left winger and needless to say the heat signature down the left flank was next to none, we had absolutely no movement down that side, unless Gibbs was attacking. If you are going to play a CF with good aerial ability, you need wingers who flank and cross. Our full backs need to stop racing forward like they do and be more disciplined in defense and leave the attacking duties to our midfielders and strikers.

I really feel the score line was not a true reflection of the game. We were extremely unlucky not to put those goals away, where as the chances Monaco got, they took and scored. In the history of the CL, there have only been three occasions of a team turning a 3 goal deficit in the second leg of the knockout stages to advance in the tournament. This gives us a 1.5% chance of progressing, needless to say it will be a miracle if we make it through. Even if we do not make it, we need to go down fighting, like we did against Bayern. Our players need to show some pride and dignity on the pitch. Who knows, perhaps we just might be the fourth team to beat the odds.

Do any of you think this is possible?

Big Gun

Tags Monaco Ozil Walcott

30 Comments

  1. We need massive changes Vs Everton on sunday:
    Monreal IN gibbs OUT
    Gabriel. IN Per OUT
    Rosicky IN ozil OUT
    Walcott IN Welbeck OUT
    Chambo IN Alexis OUT
    And I am not joking, they all deserve to be benched.

    1. Plus if Akpom is ready he should take Giroud’s place, I don’t give a damn weather he’s 5 years old in experience.

      1. @arsenalover, I know he’s alexis (our best player) but that alone should not be enough reason for him to keep his place, he was clearly wasteful and directly at fault for the 2nd goal, he lost it unnecessarily while a simple pass can do. #ArsenalFirst #Players2nd

    2. Ozil Sold
      Wellbeck Sold
      Wenger Paid Off
      per sold
      Flaming Sold
      diaby Sold

      Two hopes of scoring 3 and not conceeding against Monaco.

      1. Bob
      2. No

      #FoundOutAgain
      #BreakTheCycle

  2. I do not understand why most guys are acting as if our season concluded on wednesday. Most of us would have selected the same team maybe with one or two changes, cheer up we have another chance for progression and the team really has to show up and step up their game 5 steps higher in monaco
    Good day

    1. Mate you can’t keep burying your head in the sand, yes there’s football left to be played this season but results and performances like that one vs Monaco are valid cause for outrage. They’re not anomalies. We consistently get trumped by decent teams who have a game plan.

      And while many of us would have picked the same team that played, none are being paid 8mil to do a bit more than just pick an 11.

  3. There is a chance that old Arsene may have looked in the mirror on Thursday morning and seen the light.There will be no need to hound him out.He’ll do what’s right at the end of this season.Wherever we finish or win.

    1. Even if he wins £10 on the lottery and leaves I will be happy. As long as he leaves AFC can move forward.

      This farce has gone on far too long.

      Now, thumb me down if you like mediocrity
      And 4th place is a result for you!

        1. @ NY_Gunner great playground retort my friend! Really a great effort matched only by Ozil’s craft and application:)

          I just know you love that mediocrity and 4th place. Thanks for the thumbs down.

  4. Um it’s a two goal deficit? Also, arsenal know what they have to do in the next leg… I believe we hve the quality to pull it off, if we get a bit more lucky, you never know… #we musnt give up

  5. You know you are doing it wrong when Berbatov (very slow player) scored a goal from COUNTER ATTACK against you! That’s sum up our defense on that night, more especially Gibbs, Per and Le coq.

  6. ‘Financial stability’ my friend. The new Arsenal Mantra..

    Isn’t it exciting. 30 odd million £ for UCL entry helps line the boards pockets and occasionally we will invest in World Class like Alexis and other times piss it down the drain on kitty Class players like Ozil.

  7. If d 2nd leg were at home,I would be more optimistic but seeing that we are away makes it more difficult. …we still have to try though….let us give it our all and see wat happens….not over till it’s over

  8. The biggest problem with Wenger right now is that he does not show the guts to bench players based on the performance or tactics. The classic example is Ozil. Since he is our most expensive signing ever, Wenger is always reluctant to bench him, substitute early or rotate him. This needs to change!! If we are trying to aim BIG, we need to start behaving like BIG. Make the players feel, they are not a superstar inside the team. Each one of them need to fight to earn their place.

  9. Regarding Walcott starting over Welback again and again, one of my gooner friend had a very interesting theory regarding this.

    The rise of Harry Kane!!

    Wenger might be trying to save Welback’s career in England since he wants to have full English internationals in the team thus creating an English spine. Welback is already behind the Rooney and Sturidge in the selection preference and one more addition in the form of red hot Harry Kane would wipe out his English career. Walcott anyways would always have a very solid case in England at least in the short term due to lack of competition in that spot and Walcott’s unique ablity of speed in the England squad. So he wants to keep Welback on Hodgson’s radar at least untill the next international matches. When you apply this theory to persistence of Wenger with playing Wilshere again again, you are like “Damn! this might be true”

    What do you think Gooners ?

  10. Indeed. The score was a massive flattery seeing how they created bugger all going forward. They had 1 shot that deflected and 2 suicidal bits of defending. If Per actually defended in that game it would have been 1-1. If half the team had turned up we’d have won.

    Ozil cannot play if it pushes Cazorla into the B2B role. He is not a B2B player – we had NO cover in the middle. Ozil can be used but only if our midfield 2 is gonna be bossing it. Otherwise he is a spear tip attached to a scimitar – i.e. he’s rarely gonna be useful because you ain’t gonna be using him and you make your whole damn team unbalanced to fit him in. I don’t even care that he’s “blase” because that’s how he plays – I care that it breaks up the team. Same reason Welbeck shouldn’t play wide right. He spent more time central then wide. Alexis was guilty too but he at least started on the wing and cut in – more often then not Welbeck started inside. They had week full backs and we played inside them. How beyond stupid can you get? I blame Wenger for this but I also blame Welbeck. As soon as Theo came on he stayed wide. Was this due to being told or just cos he has a brain? I presume the latter.

  11. Since Ozil has come back he has played excellent football. All of a sudden he has a bad game (everybody did even Cazorla) and people want him out.

    The first 3 games since he returned he scored 3 goals (goal each game) and an assist. The following game we won 2-0 and he contributed to both goals.

    Since Ozil came back, Ozil has had 1 bad game and Cazorla has had 2 bad games, yet we should get rid of Ozil.

    I hate to break it to you fickle fans, but every player (perhaps except Ox) played poorly including Cazorla, Alexis, Giroud and Coquelin.

    Enough with this nonsense

    1. I apologise because I’ve been busy during two of the games you quote as Ozil having played well for but I watched highlights and he looked good at times. I say at times because what Ozil adds to the team must be balanced with what he removes. He plays CAM – you can only have him or Cazorla there. If Cazorla plays b2b then we are unbalanced as a team and is why we’ve been playing not great as a team the last few games. If we played a different b2b this may change, but Ozil offers far less press up top too. What I mean to say is – if we play high press, Ozil doesn’t do enough. On defence, Ozil doesn’t drop in well and unbalances the four across the middle. What does this mean? Ozil is good for some games, bad for others. We HAVE to adjust the team according to what works for the team, not the individual. This seems to be a problem Wenger has these days – too focused on happy players. Certainly wouldn’t say “Ozil out” but I wouldn’t say “Ozil in” either. Best team, not best individuals please; pick the team that reflects form and the game.

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