Arsenal 2-2 Real Madrid (2-3 Pen) Review and Highlights – Arsenal blow a 2-0 lead

So Arsenal were hoping to carry on their good form in the International Champions Cup against Real Madrid last night, and Emery started with most of his top players against the Spanish giants. The line up for Arsenal was as follows…..

Arsenal XI: Emiliano Martinez; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Sead Kolasinac; Joe Willock, Granit Xhaka, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mesut Ozil; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Alexandre Lacazette

Bench: Bernd Leno. Shkodran Mustafi, Carl Jenkinson, James Olayinka, Reiss Nelson, Robbie Burton, Nacho Monreal, Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Matt Macey, Gabriel Martinelli, Tyreece John-Jules, Dominic Thompson, Zech Medley

Madrid also had some top players on show in Bale, Kroos, Hazard, Benzema and Sergio Ramos, but it was the Gunners that got off to a flying start when Nacho handled a Lacazette shot after a brilliant dribble in the box after 9 minutes and got himself sent off, while Laca himself stepped up and buried the resulting penalty. 1-0 up and one man up so we should really take advantage of this situation.

Sure enough just 15 minutes later that man Aubameyang scored a belter to double our lead and we were cruising, until our favourite wrestler Sokratis somehow managed to pick up two unnecessary yellow cards in the space of three minutes to even up the sides. But we still went into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Emery brought on Monreal for Willock at the start of the second half, but after just 15 minutes Gareth Bale pulled one back for Madrid and the Spaniards were back in the game and pushing for the equalizer, which was what happened only 3 minutes through Ascensio. As the game progressed Emery brought on a young attack force to try and get the winner, with Nketiah, Saka, Nelson and Burton coming on for Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil and Mkhitaryan. Nketiah did have a couple of chances to put the game to bed, but it ended a a draw and off we go to the penalty shootout.

Nelson takes the first and he coolly drives it into the left-hand side of the goal past Courtois, and when Bale shot straight at Martinez we were back in prime position to take the points. I’ll let you see the rest of them in the highlights so I don’t spoil it for you….

Enjoy!

68 Comments

  1. Sadly with the sale of Ospina and the money coming from Bennacer, we have made money this summer. Elneny’s departure will definitely mean we are making money. Saliba is loan back and pay later, Ceballos wages only. We have been duped. Sold down the river by Satan Kroenke and Son of Satan. How cleverly they played us. You have to admire how we took in all the lies. Our defence is shite and our creativity non existant. So we are about to challenge for a major trophy. The ‘how far down the league trophy’ which pays a big dividend into Satan Kroenk’s Portfolio pot. We have the same loser players as last year….and we are accepting it. Is Emery blind? Aren’t you angry? What now???? Do you sit and take it? Are you looking forward to watching groundhog day AGAIN?

    1. I believed nothing as I tend not to do until I see it. With our recent history with an absent landlord of an owner who cares only for his portfolio.

      I do not go to games anymore and I will not exit through the gift shop (buy merch) until something at this club changes.

      Join supporters groups, protest outside the stadium is about all you can do.

    2. I agree with you Sean ,Watching arsenal trying to negotiate in the transfer market is like Theresa may trying to get a Brexit deal ,it’s like there saying to each other “how incompetent can we be this season”
      Again last night it’s plain for everyone to see where are problems lie .
      16 days left till start of season !!!!
      Emery needs to set up or step aside

      1. Dan, how is the failure to sign decent defenders Emery’s fault; he is the head coach, paid to coach the players provided to him?
        What do you want Arsenal to do; address the real issues of lack of investment and financial mismanagement or just keep placating fans by dumping on coaches and having a revolving door of ins and outs?
        What can you expect when you don’t have “the cattle”?

        1. Is it not Emery’s fault for the same boring football we are going to have to watch all season again ?or did that get you out of your seat last season ?or are you going to come out with the injury excuse for him again .
          We will see at the end of the season but quite frankly I can’t see anything different from last season ,let’s just hope I’m proved wrong and you and a few others won’t be using the same excuses at the end of next season that we’ve had all summer .

          1. Dan, how are you enjoying the school holidays mate. You need to spend some of them researching about being a real supporter. The clue is in the name. A supporter “supports” the club. You know nothing about what goes on in the transfer market because the club don’t share that sort of information with the media. Stop believing everything you read in the papers and in blogs written by other kids who know jacksh1t about anything.

          2. Cool story Mikey your the man ok here have you been the last 5 years regarding Arsenal in the transfer market mr expert ?
            I’ve been surpporting since 88 mate don’t chat like you know me cause you know jack shit ,now if you wanna have a grown conversation without being a cock I’m more than happy but until then close your mouth .

  2. I don’t know what I was more afraid of – the storm or Xhaka & Monreal stepping up to take their penalties..
    Saka took his well!!

  3. As I have said on numerous occasions,Socratis is a complete liability and should be moved on along with the equally mediocre Mustafi asap.Our younger CBs Holding, Chambers ,Mavroponas and above all, Beilik should be given the season to prove they have what it takes.It saddens me to say this but Monreal is finished and defensively we are shambolic.

    1. We simply can’t go into next season with Mustafi and Monreal as CB. Surely giving Bielik a chance would be a better option. Look at chambers who has already proven better than both.

      Xhaka is to slow and immobile. Will be replaced by Willock and Cellabos by end of the year

      1. End of the year? Mate, make it by the end of this month! Xhaka has been nothing but a liability for 3 years now! 3 years!

      2. Bielik, chambers, Mavrapanos, even Holding isn’t the answer either. They are either too inexperienced or not good enough or both

        We need 2 solid experienced CBs like the Top 4 and United have. Simple as that!

        We need to spend money on CB(s) or we have Zero.Zero chance of making the Top 4

  4. if ffing ts elliot was still around he`d have to write a new poem for us called the hollow team … same ending though with a whimper not a bang … if emery kroenke combo cant see we need at least 2 quality defenders then whatever they are doing its not about winning stuff for the club or the fans … someone needs to tell the greedy yank that FC stands for football club not financial collateral …

    1. He told us he wasn’t in the business to win things. Should come as no surprise.

      Just another one of his sports franchises a k.a cash cows.

  5. Arsenal is surely heading for doom if the fans do not increase their pressure that will see that insensitive Stan and his son Josh leave the club thereby allowing a more ambitious man to buy this club that will see us buying great players like Neymar, Kante, Mabappe,Koulibaley and etc thus getting us back to the invisible era. The writings are on the wall that we are heading for doom. Rather than focusing on kolscieny’s statement, let’s focus on Stan’s removal to save the club.Wake up fellow gunners to the reality and don’t be misled by Stan. God bless arsenal.

    1. “…getting us back to the invisible era.”

      I think the invisible era has been reentered quite some time ago.

  6. Have been following Nelson performance through this pre-season and the boy looks too average to me, that’s my opinion though, when you compare him to the likes of hudoi and sancho. Martinez is a top goalie and should be our Europa cup keeper, aubamayang what more can I say him the commentator has said it all, he said “I love watching aubamayang play”. To all those who keep saying emery should do something or move on what more can the coach do with this players, a team as big as arsenal can’t spend money to fix our defense and you think the coach should do what exactly? Man city paid 60million for Rodri man utd paid 50million for that palace boy and we can’t even pay 25million for tieny and you want the coach to perform some kind of magic? I love monreal he’s been a great servant to the club but he’s finished kolasinac should be playing in the French league mustafi is mustafi but all those players are still with us because nobody will buy them from us and you expect the coach to do what exactly.

    1. Glad most of y’all are catching up to Nelson now, something I’ve been pointing out while he was on loan.
      Seems we’re the ones over hyping the boy, he’s not even considered the brightest among the youths in the club, according to D.O the one the whole club consider as brightest is Saka. I’m yet to see anything to show Nelson is ready for us

    2. Emery picks the team, buck stops with him ,if he can’t get the players he wants he should leave the club ,that would show what kind of a manager he was, but he seems happy to go along with the boards plans even though we can see it’s going to be deja vu ,watching us play last night was like watching us last season all over again.

      1. I will add 7th richest football club in world football ,confirmed by Forbes ,and we are trying to loan players ?

        1. In terms of “Club value” yes we are very rich. Wonky Kronke could sell the club tomorrow and be richer than when he bought it!

          The does not mean the club have lots of money to spend or, to be exact, Wonky Kronke will give that much to spend. The trouble with having a “sports enterprise” means that every team or club under that umbrella is balanced in such a way that investment is divided between them as one unit. Arsenal, as part of that unit are managed by the Kronke family in such a way that investment is based on how much cash is available after all teams and clubs have had an “allowable” share of any profit made. You would think that the profits would be massive, right?

          So, where in the grand scheme of things are all the profits going you might ask? Simple, towards buying the next club that the Kronke family intends to add to the ever increasing “sports franchise”!!!!!

          Investment is Arsenal is complete for as long as they club are increasing in wold value. The bottom would have to fall out of the club for the Kronke family to do anything drastic. Like spend more money!!

          Trust me, the Americans could give a sh*it about Arsenal fans as long as there are $$$$$$$$ to be made!!!!!!!!

      2. By that logic, we would have no manager. The team needs a thorough rebuilding. That’s why Emery was hired. Investing in youth and offering them a path to the first team. I don’t believe another manager would have any more success so I’m fully behind the project, even if we drop to 6th this season.

          1. Dan, don’t worry you only have to wait until the end of the 2019/20 season, when Unai Emery’s contract is completed.

          2. Thank fck for that ?but I’m sure the board will give him a new 2 year contract for some of the drabbest football I’ve seen in a while.

    3. I expect the coach to do what Zidane did at Real Madrid when they sold Ronaldo and weren’t going to buy a proper replacement; RESIGN AND LEAVE. That way the board will know you’re serious and not just some “yes man”

  7. When Socrates, Xhaka or Mustafi are on the team sheet, we can expect being a goal down even before kick off. Add Niles or Kolas, and that makes 0-2 by the end of the game irrespective whether we score or not.
    Saliba deal is of no use this season, Rob and Hector injured, Jenko/Socrates/Mustafi/Kolas/Mavro/Niles unfit for the job Nacho/Laurent too old,is this a plan not to renew Emery’s contract?

  8. Real got a red card we scored two, we got red card we conceded two. What does that say about the two coaches? Well this has confirmed my observations about Emery, he is as poor defensively as Wenger if not more. If he doesn’t get money to buy defenders why can he find a better way to organize them or use some of the academy defenders we have. We can’t buy a new back line in a single season even if we have money to do so. How we managed to add Sokratis to those dross at the back is beyond me. We added a poor defender to a collection of dross we have. We are supposed to improve that department some how we made it worse because of few millions. Who choose Socratis over Diallo because I read at a time Sven preferred him. That person should be sacked immediately.

    1. No one should tell me Emery deserves my patience because his conduct during this transfer season reek that of ambition-less coach. He knows what his problems was last season and he is okay going to another season without fixing them. He does make demands from the club. While others have bought players and integrated before the season starts he is okay doing the opposite.

      1. Did it occur to you that even if Emery demands for all the players in the world, as long as Mr Kroenke doesn’t release funds, his hands are tied. So many people here keep shouting Emery out but fail to realise that he is just an employee of Mr Kroenke. Perhaps you expect emery to use his personal salary and perharps take a loan from the bank in order to buy players to make you happy? As far as I know, Emery is blameless. He can only work with the players available to him. Furthermore, so many fans are agitating for the sale of deadwood but fail to realise that for every sale to take place, there must be a seller and a buyer. No club seems interested in our players and that’s it. If it were so easy to get rid of players, Bale wouldn’t be at madrid at this time.

        1. Then he should walk away. He took he job despite knowing exactly what he is getting into. Other credible coaches rejected it. If you were a coach would take arsenal job knowing fully well you will be handicapped by the owner

          1. If every coach refused the arsenal job because they knew they would basically be handicapped in the transfer market, who then would coach us? Already, arsenal is not attractive to the top coaches (guardiola, klopp etc) because they realise that it is impossible to win without money (plenty of it I must say). If anything, I’d say we’re lucky to have a coach of Emery’s standing. Mr kroenke’s penny pinching deserves a coach like steve bruce or sam allardyce. Imagine this for a start before proceeding to make negative comments. Thank you.

      2. Silly comment on the two coaches.

        Not saying Emery’s doing his best, but if he had Real’s squad and Zidane had ours, Real would win around 5-1.

        Just look at the substitutes bench – Real: Varane, Bale, Marcelo, Asensio, Isco. Arsenal: Monreal, Mustafi, Reiss Nelson, Jenkinson, Nketiah, Burton etc

        1. Do you know sometimes it not about the the qualities of the players but coaches tactics and game plan. If you have been watching Arsenal for long you will remember how arsenal team of the past were being dealt with defensively by Stokes, Bolton, Birmingham and the others. It is clearly obvious Emery cannot coach defense. You are 2 goals up and a player down the right thing to do from there is to keep things safe. No need to expose yourself to danger by keeping attacking. Like Ken said this is just an inconsequential match no need for all this condemnations.

      3. You’ve got it right Mobella, I heard a pundit said every teams Emery coached conceded around 45-50 goals a season. He’s just not renowned for his defensive coaching.

        1. Don’t worry people Emery will only be at the Emirates until the end of this coming season, unless he agrees to Arsenal’s extension option.
          Then you can all look forward to the next coach, management is able to attract through the revolving door.

  9. Socratics committed two unecessary fouls and got red carded, arsenal was in the game before this calamity red, with free flowing ball, and two goals came as a result. Immediately d red card entered, the hunt became d hunted, everything became calamitous, until our young ones came on at the die minutes. Anyway, that team need great adjustment I wish Emry knows what to do, but sad enough we can’t spent money on good players

    1. We can Ade we just to know how. Diallo fee was 4m more, he is younger, taller and have greater sell on value. PSG just bought him for 40m and we will not getting for Sokratis in two years time.

  10. First it’s a friendly. Sanogo hit a hat trick in a friendly. Also Real Madrid were far far superior in quality to us so a Draw after Fulltime is an excellent result

    We don’t have world beaters on our team. It’s a team of average players. We are doomed this season especially with United spending loads of money. I rate Savic highly

    Xhaka, Ozil, Sokratis, Mustafi, Wilock, Mkhitaryan, Niles is nothing to write home about (Lacazette and Aubameyang excluded).

    The only players who should start this season are Lacazette, Aubameyang, Torreira, Leno and maybe Bellerin. So we need 6-7 New starters. This won’t happen in one summer. Probably 2-3 seasons

    We ideally should sign a Quality CB and a Quality Winger this summer. Get rid of Mustafi at least

  11. Anyone should know by now what happens when Ozil’s instructed to defend ?
    Better use a player to his strength and Emery clearly cannot.

  12. We were playing RM, a team with no financial problems and full of top class players.
    We went in at halftime with a well deserved lead and DESPITE the obvious defensive problems that we all can see.

    UE changed the system, quite rightly, because this was a friendly and he took the opportunity to use all his permitted subs and we lost on penalties.

    NOW when we won the previous three games, fans were saying it doesn’t count because it’s only a friendly…Ozil and the likes will fade away once the “proper” games begin.

    Suddenly, this friendly game means so much more…WHY…because we LOST and out come the knives once again.

    We all know what is needed at the club, we are all getting completely pi**ed off with kronkie and we can hold them to their word when the transfer window closes.

    Until the two stooges stop trying to get price cut deals on players and putting CL stipulations into contract negotiations, what can UE do?

    He used the players he had, he held a 2-0 lead at half time and he bled the younger players.
    He choose the right starting 11 and we were on top even with this defence.
    However, it does seems both UE and AW have trouble buying a real defensive hardman with brains (soks and mustafi)!!!

    Don’t get me wrong, I can see exactly the same things as others are and as equally frustrated, but until the window closes, we have to hope something happens in the market.

    Let’s not move the goalposts during a friendly tournament, just to make a point, surely we are better than that as a fanbase?
    We won three…lost one on penalties end off:
    Now let’s see if they put their money where their mouths are!!!

    1. But Ken don’t you see the same boring football with the same boring tactics with the same boring players as last season ?
      Yes it’s a friendly but we are 16 days away for our 1st game ,where are the new excitement players we are signing ?surely they need time to adapt ,or when he said exciting players did he mean a loan player and a player we won’t see for 12 months .

      1. Ken and Dan, anyone would think Real Madrid is a “pub team” that Arsenal were playing.

      2. Dan, I did see the football you describe at home games and I am not making excuses, because I actually believe that UE was the reason we are not in the CL next season with his tactics and style of football.
        So the tranfer budget is down to him in my opinion.

        However, this was a friendly game against the richest football club in the world, who paraded their best players and only beat us on penalties!!!

        What I see on here is mass hysteria, following a game that we lost on penalties with a defence that, basically, was the reason that the greatest manager we have ever had, needed to resign from his position.

        This in a tournament that was described by our own fans as “meaningless”.
        We can’t have it both ways, either it was important or it wasn’t, not just change tack because we happen to lose on penalties surely?

        As far as I am aware, UE identifies the players he wants…ie Tierney and this new and wonderful two men go out and negotiate for the player.
        Ubtil they manage to “actually negotiate” properly, UE’s hands are tied…with the boring players he inherited and the boring players he identified and brought in.

        We had kronkie jun. and UE stating that they will bring in three to four players before the window closes, we can only wait and see if that happens.

        We have only spent £3,000,000 so far (ospina cost £3,000,000), lost three players salaries and can’t even negotiate a £25,000,000 deal with a club who are not being unreasonable and, in fact, are behaving with more professionalism and dignity that our club.

        To date, we are being conned and shafted by this new regime and owner, but, just as was the case with AW, this is not down to one man.but UE has to take responsibility as well.

        All I am saying is, let’s now see if they back up their promises with actions…eighteen days to hold them to account.

    2. No Ken, we don’t see any problem losing this friendly game, but more on what happened when we were leading by two goals. Typical Arsenal, they were scoring goals but bottled it in the end.
      We’re just not ready for next season with this defensive setup.

      1. 350oz, but why are we surprised and astounded?
        This happened last season and the two before that didn’t it?

        I’m actually astounded that, with this “dross group of players”, against a full RM team, we went in half time 2-0 up!!

        The richest football club in the world beat us on penalties, we should build from that positive and THAT’S WHERE the promised new players come into play.

        In my opinion, we don’t need wholesale changes, we just need to buy the right players for the right position…that is surely where Raul etc come into play, along with UE’s recommendations. If it doesn’t happen, then heads willsurely roll, because our fanbase will have been lied to…as someone else said “groundhog day” – different people!!

  13. Bad news: The injury to Asensio could mean we don’t get Ceballos.
    Good news: Emery rested Mustafi so he’s ready for the season opener against Newcastle………?

  14. Why is Arsenal finding it difficult to pay #25m for a player they need? Where is the Adidas and TV money… #Sighs

  15. Deary me, it was a friendly game that we drew with Real Madrid. This fans melt down is absolutely ridiculous.

    There’s still time left in the transfer window and but all reports we are still working on several deals. Everyone relax…

    1. Will, tell me what happened with a man and 2 goals advantage.
      Yeah the jury is still out on our transfer business, we shall see.

      1. It was a pre-season friendly. A game of zero consequence…

        Yes, there is still business to be done this summer

  16. Agree with the comments above that Nelson looks average. Honestly, I thought he was our golden boy but judging from his performances so far, he is not gonna cut it at the top level. I was wondering why he resulted to the bench in the second part of the season at Hoffenheim and now I know why. I would like to know who Freddie rates highest out of our youngsters. As for me, I think Saka and ESR can turn out to be stars if nurtured well. The jury is still out on Willock and Nketiah….Having said that, I would fancy this team in the oncoming season. The system is 4231

    Leno

    Bellerin Holding Papa Tierney

    Torreira Willock

    Auba Ceballos Zaha

    Laca

  17. Boring football you say? Arsenal wasn’t boring in the first half, we dominated the game in the first half up until the wwe superstar Socratis got that red card, but like oziegunner said don’t worry emery will be gone and we will get arteta who can do a better job than emery.

    1. Shouldn’t be to hard to do a better job really should it ,I mean David moyes could have given more entertainment last season .

  18. Actually the result is not the issue since it is only a friendly match. The issue is the same defensive frailties witnessed last season. They cannot be running around like headless chicken

  19. Just to give some perspective fellow ‘fans

    I write this point after going through all the comments written above and 95% of these are all negative.

    So and so out.. UE is boring… board are useless… price of pie is too high…

    On the game, I was lucky enough to watch it all.
    Eddie had 2 very good chances to score. A header 6 yards out and one when he was in on goal.
    Nelson Eddie and Saka all looked lively when they came on, they shown the type of energy we need. Though I suspect, and rightly so that Saka will go back to the reserves. He is 17 and gaining valuable experience atm. Nothing more.
    But what talent we do have.

    Final point on nelson. I am already hearing negative points about a kid who has a handful of games under his belt. Get a grip people. Nelson is not meant to be our savior so dont treat him like one. Stop crictising a kid who has not even started his true footballing career. I hear too much – he is average, he has no skill, he cant…

    Would you turn around to your 19yr kid and say – I know you haven’t had your chance yet fully but I make up my mind that you are useless, you are over rated and no good!!!!

    It’s just madness where we are as football fans, dare I say as people!!

    Willock, other then losing the ball a few times (because they targeted to press him) actually looked like a new signing. He offered something different for arsenal. And with Gendouzi and Torriera due back, this is valuable game time amongst 1st team peers for Willock which will benefit him and arsenal.

    Chambers looks tidy, kosalinac was as expected. Jenkinson also was reliable today. Sokratis old fashion professional fouls need to be excluded from the game now, its changed alot in a short time. You cant man handle a player anywhere on the pitch now.

    Xhaka looked tired by 70mins. Energy is not his strength, and it’s why we question him. He has ability, he just doesnt have the energy to execute it for 90mins and then we see sloppy Xhaka.

    Overall, arsenal showed fragile behaviour when it went to 10 vs 10, maybe in a real match UE doesnt take of Willock and maybe takes off an attacker (being 2 nil up) and continues to dominate midfield battles.
    But again, arsenal also showed we can press high, bully the opponents and create chances, like we need to make it 2-0. Additions will help us improve on these foundations.

    Let’s see…

    1. I would say you are too optimistic. Real Madrid dominated for most parts of the game, especially the 2nd half, and we were actually lucky to get a draw. As for Nelson, he is not young anymore. Mbappe and Rashford were already doing it at 19. I guess Sancho is 19 or 20 and look at the influence he is already had in the Bundesliga. Of course, I would like Nelson to prove me wrong and cement a place in the first line up. But so far, he has not done enough to stake a claim. On the bright side, I think Willock has been pretty good and I would pick him any day over Xhaka as our B2B. Anyway, time will tell. Unlike you, I am not holding my hopes high for next season.

      1. But not every 19 year old has had the same path to first team football. So not every player can be compared to m’bappe or Rashford.

        A kid needs the chance to develop and needs an environment to be encouraged. He has more then 10 years left in the game, why such high demands already? Just let him learn.

        Hes not even played a league game yet and already he is under pressure to be better then he is.

        Nelson should be left alone imo.

        Maybe I am an optimist but so many of our players get stuck from fans. Some is granted but to start questioning Nelson at this stage of his career is baffling.

        I think maybe alot of hype about him before we got to see him caused alot of the mis-expectations of what he can and can not do.

        Just my 2 cents

  20. Moaning fans!!! Complaining all the time. You guys thoughts Real Madrid would be a walkover? Bayern lost to Arsenal, did they stone their coach and players? One loss and everyone is back moaning as usual. The manager promised active transfer why not shut the f*ck up and wait? Pathetic!

  21. Saka, John Jules and Martinelli are real talents but like others I am not convinced by Nelson.Subject to bring fit ,Holding and Chambers should be our CBs against Newcastle.Mustafi and Socrat is and sadly Monreal should be moved on asap.I sincerely hope Beilik, who I believe is back from his short holiday next week gets an opportunity in the Emirates tournament,otherwise lots of Arsenal fans ,myself included,will change our attitude towards Emery who must surely recognise the progress the young Pole has made during the past 12 months.

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