Arsenal boss claims Monaco were LUCKY to go through!

Arsene Wenger was never going to be happy to see his Arsenal side go out of the Champions League at the hands of his former club Monaco. If they had been the better team over the two legs, however, I sense that he would have found it easier to take.

As it is, the Frenchman says that, even though the Gunners were our own worst enemy for the way we played in the first leg at the Emirates, Monaco did not really do enough to go through and rode their luck in both legs. As his post match interview on the Arsenal website explains, he pointed out that the home side did not have single shot on target last night.

The boss said, “I felt the performance was enough tonight, but it was a very difficult task. At half-time, the game could have been over with the chances we created, overall we pay that in the first game we did not produce the performance we wanted. Monaco played at home, have zero shots on target and yet go to the quarter-final.”

In fact they only had three shots in total compared to our 17, with seven on target and the stats from the first leg are much more even as well. They only registered three more shots on target in that game and when you consider that not one of Giroud’s attempts made their keeper work, while their opening goal came from a wicked deflection, you can see Wenger’s point.

I can certainly understand his frustration, which included being very unimpressed with the referee last night, but the fact remains that we opened the door for Monaco to get lucky and they made the most of it. We showed in Monaco just what we thought, that Arsenal are the better team. Unfortunately we just did not do it at home for whatever reason.

Wenger continued, “We had a good game tonight, but no luck. Congratulations to them, but we are having quite a positive series going on. People over analysed the match in a positive way, because if you look at the stats again they did not dominate the game, but played really well on the counter and were not cautious enough. After the first goal we were not patient enough.

“Football is not a fairytale, it is a matter of being realistic and being clinical, maybe a bit lucky as well, maybe that is part of the game. If you go out after the group stages, you have no chances after to play again (at this level), like you do in the Europa League.”

The stats also show that Arsenal should be challenging for the Premier League title, but stats butter no parsnips. So is Wenger right to say that Monaco were lucky?

Tags Monaco Wenger

46 Comments

  1. Wenger : “Perhaps it would be better not to go out like this and make the Europa League, we would be more likely to win”.

    I hope this was a sarcasm old man! Otherwise you are an embarrassment for this great club.

    PS: It still hurts.

    1. I see the frustration. I was always of the opinion that Arsenal would better finish 3rd in the group than 2nd. It is either 1st or 3rd for me if we want a chance, any chance, to win an European trophy. On the other hand I don’t think Wenger understands that EL is just as hard in the knock out phase even if the teams are somehow belonging to the second string.

  2. Yes. They were lucky. We had a terrible game in the first leg and had bad luck with it. In the second game we had a great game and still did not get any luck go our way particularly. The result is Monaco go through. They were not the better team, we gave them the tie. That’s on us, not down to them. They’ve gone through on the basis we gave them the tie, not on the basis they were the more deserving team. That’s why they’re lucky. Doesn’t mean we weren’t utter idiots though…

  3. Nope, this is no luck. Them scoring 3 goals away is an achievement. What Wenger has done in the past 18 years in this competition is underperforming. A team with Arsenal calibre of players should not lose to the likes of Monaco. Against Bayern or Barca i would understand but not against them. Wenger is no men for big games. His record against strong teams is shocking. So no Cl trophy for Arsenal ever under Wenger.

    1. Of course it is an achievement and this is why they had way more luck than we. Even last night we were unlucky in at least two occasions (not counting bad ref calls) where as they didn’t even counted. So yes, luck (or the lack thereof) is one of things we badly need.

      1. If you think of your self as stronger then you simple dont rely on luck but in ability. We are no Strock City neither Monaco. So Arsenal deserves to be out for bing sh*t. Simple as that.

        1. And why not? Look at Chelsea, PSG, Madrid and even Manure or Liverpool. They are quite relying on luck this season. Hard to say these are small teams.

          1. Idiots like you spoil our clubs name. We have recieved our share of luck many times. We were lucky to get past Man United, so what. We utilised our chances and knocked them. Thats what top teams do. I have never seen MU fans, Real madrid fans or Barca fans crying about luck and here we are for past 10 years crying for luck. Stop crying , admit your faults then maybe we may have a chance.

            1. That’s my point as well should you bother to read what I was saying. Sometimes you have luck and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes even if you have luck you will not win. Sometimes you win against all odds.
              It looks to me that you are the one crying, I just admit the defeat and move on. My thoughts are already in Newcastle.

      2. Luck is merely an illusion, trusted by the ignorant and chased by the foolish.

        It is also probability taken personally.

        And as for everyone saying we were and are the ‘better’ team. In which way we’re and are we better? Is it our history, the relative fullness of our trophy cabinet, the names we have on our team sheet or perhaps our bank roll?

        Because we certainly weren’t the better team over two legs. They hit us hard at home with away goals in the first and then defended their advantage in the second. They literally played us and we’re the better team!

        1. Amen to that comment mate. The day we (fans) and our manager accept our faults we will move forward and beat top clubs. Did you see Van gaal cry about luck when they lost to us this month, Have you seen Sir alex every cried about luck. I still remember FA 2005 final, the game where MU literally tore us apart but couldnt score and then lost in Penalties. We never desereved that win but sir alex said something like this ” It doesnt matter how well you play , if you cant score then dont cry about losing”. Difference is there to be seen. Has wenger ever appreciated other teams and criticised his players. I cant remember.

          1. The team did well yesterday. I am proud of the display, I feel no need to berate anyone for yesterday’s effort.

            What I do blame Wenger for is lack of pragmatism. I can’t understand how a manager who has managed 18 seasons in the CL not get the grasp that it is a 180 min tie. He knew we were having a terrible game. Just defend deep and keep the score 2-1?

            Wenger is brilliant with playing the most beautiful football, great at developing players and actually quite good with tactics when he does bother to be pragmatic. I don’t think we are stagnating however. This is the second season we haven’t sold a key player. Last was the first one and we won a cup. If we continue our good run in the league and win the FA cup, it would be the best season since 2005. Removing Arsene now as some people are clamoring for would just send us backward in my opinion. This is his squad, his way of playing and everything is to his specifications. Any new manager who would come in however good he is would take 2 seasons to be title challenging considering how strong Chelsea and City’s squads are.

    1. Poor kickar$efan he had to wait from february 25th A WIN (mind you, not a loss) so that he can bash Wenger a bit more. If anything, you should be the one to shut yer hole.

        1. To have you as enemy would actually mean to perceive you as a threat of some kind. Even my own standards aren’t so low. And believe me, they are pretty low.
          Glad I made you smile. Now, fu ck off.

  4. what a sad , sore , bitter and deluded old manager wenger is . he is most ungracious in defeat , he embarasses our fantastic club when he comes out with statements such as this one . we have become a very unsporting club with him in charge . there was once a great saying in british football …”the arsenal way” , wenger has killed this off down through the years . he is now as unsporting as some on the readers on this page . next thing he will be doing is publically rejoicing when some of our opponents go in jured , just like one or two so called true fans on here .

      1. okk so who do you want us to play in Quaters. I prefer Porto as that would be an easy tie for us. Ohh wait, we are not in the draw, ohh gosh we are knocked out.

        Yes come to reality son, our team has been knocked out. You celebrate that victory meanwhile fans like me live in reality.

          1. Keep on celebrating the mediocrity while fans like me live in reality era and hope to see our club in much better position.

  5. DISAPPOINMENTS! We need just Scnheiderlen and if possible RUES, then maybe we have better chances.

    1. Where does this guy Rues plays? Have some youtube videos with him? Not saying he’s not good but we better check first so that we don’t buy yet another Bielik.

  6. Heads up Gunners. I am proud of the team.. they did very well at Monaco i think. Were very disciplined, and Monaco didnt have a chance.. we blew it in the first leg, but still almost got trough. This is the meanest defence in the CL right now, an w to e could’ve scored 3 or 4. I personally dont care about CL this season, because we obviosly wouldnt win it, but on the FA cup we are favourites to defend our title. In the PL we will finish in the top 4 ill guarantee it. We will probably finsh 3rd, so straight to CL. Even we have a good shot to be 2nd, that and and FA cup win will surely attract top players. Dont talk about we also can win PL, but need a very bad form from Chelsea at the and.. So Gunners, i think things are going well, and will be better year to year from now on. And i didnt said that 10 years ago. Bright days are coming, just wait a little bit more…COYG

  7. if thats the case where is our slice of luck surely there is enough to go around for everyone.
    but on the point wenger wants to watch what he says next time or he will end up making himself and the club looking silly.

    the reality is they won because they had a game plan(counter away and sit back at home and they executed it correctly classic European tactic never fails) for away from home and we didn’t take them seriously enough at home, and they defended for there lives at home and we couldn’t find the decisive goal to finish them off this is very typical c/l trend nowadays how many of the modern teams like athletico madird and the like get through with a game plan and hard graft at the back.

    its the modern tactic in Europe atm look at shalke they nearly embarrassed real with a game plan and hard work its just that monaco succeeded with the same idea. shame really but wenger need to modernize or go if he wins f.a cup and 2nd spot that is good enough season for him to leave on in my book the room for fancy football is getting smaller and smaller as teams defend tighter and tighter it about directness and pace plus width these days

  8. Silence is golden Wenger,It’s your team, your tactics. Accept defeat and wish Monaco good luck.
    Back to the bread and butter stuff on Saturday and try not to F*** that up.

    1. And the tactics pretty much worked, isn’t it? We actually leveled the score and actually scored more goals in Monaco that every opponents they had in UCL this season. Your point being?

  9. I hate this time of the year especially when it should be exciting for us arsenal fans across the globe to challenge for the holy grail it’s unacceptable to bow out like this year after year ,I know it’s not an easy job but employ someone who will take us to the next level………..

    “Aussie gunner for life and the next”

  10. we want to watch that wenger arrogance doesn’t rub of on the clubs/fans thinking we deserve to beat everyone in our path.
    the team that deserve to win is the one that want it the most over two legs and put there full effort in to both legs and puts there bodies on the line to win, (good example the c/h who put his body in the way of welbecks shot he knew what was at stake for his team and acted accordingly) we only wanted to win and turn up when it suited us, not in both games very typical of this team under wenger lately.

    only start to realize what we need to do when everything is almost gone never from the start the manager need to drum on to the players the importance of playing for the shirt in every game not just the ones they decide to turn up in. there are a few players in this arsenal team that really seems to care and only a few with the killer winning mentality. we need to support those players and add to them class that wants to win.

  11. Well! At least next year and the year after the next will be there for the boss and his Gunners to make amend to their flaures to claim the UCL trophy for us and themselves for the first time in Arsenal FC history. Let me not only be punditting on this website of the Gooners, the JustArsenal.com without my greetings to the boss and the Gunners for their prolific efforts yesterday in France to qualify for UCL Q/final. Boss and the Gunners, I am sorry for that yesterday night disappointment at Stade Louis II at on the pitch we were collectively disappointed not to have qualified. Boss sorry! Let’s put that unfavourable outcome of that game behind us and start to look forward to a brighter futures that are ahead of you and the Gunners to pursue and catch them. I know we have lost the biggest price in club football this year. But we cannot because of that loss forget that we still domestically pursuing some 2 other bigger price. Which if we succeed in winning them we will become a treble winners this season having won one already – the Charity Shied. The winning of the treble will certainly be like a comforter that comforts us till next season when we shall try our hands on the fiveqruable. For now, boss, please motivate the Gunners adequately to collect all the 3 points that are going to be at stake at the St James Park as the Gunners contest for the 3 points against the Toon Army of Newcastle FC on this Saturday afternoon. Please boss, the Gunners and we the Gooners, let’s take heart and focus on the Newcastle game now.

  12. we might have the best players on paper but they had the best TEAM in reality and thats how it goes,
    wenger out klopp in to inspire the team with high paced brand of relentless pressing attacking width based football and master motivational skills we looked slow and one paced last night we need to inject with major pace this side in attacking 1/3 and stretch teams like the old days we try to play through the middle where they were waiting for us over and over again.
    only the fact giroud got lucky with the bounce of the ball going back in his direction(did take the goal well though) he missed chance after chance again, he dont do very well against organized defenses because he doesn’t have the pace to stretch them in behind. and move the c/h about cause panic at least welbeck try to go at them, but hay ho lets move on and win f.a cup and get 2nd. coyg

  13. You guys are ridiculous, we were better, but we werent destined to go in quarters, so even if we did, we wouldnt win it, being second doesnt matter anything, wenger will stay in Arsenal for 2 years more, you can stop waisting your emotions on him, we simply cant do nothing, so sit and enjoy the ride, cuz what can you do more? I truly belive next year we will have title winning team, we could have it this year, but still it doesnt mean anything, what will happened, will happened. Look at untd, they spent 200 m and they wont qualify for ucl, so there is much more to it than just pure spending !!!

  14. disappointment excuses 4th place promises disappointment excuses 4th place promises…. how many times will the man get away with this cycle …. is the last ten years the most barren decade in the club`s history? even it its isnt have had enough of this sh** its embarassing… time to say merci, bon chance et bon voyage to the delusional french git

  15. Few months back I considered myself a rabid AOB sort of a Piers Morgan type, after some time I came to terms with myself that nothing was going to change, it did not matter my tirades or how many comments would post, things at ARSENAL would not change, our destiny is intertwine with AW till the day he decides is enough for him or his Contract is over, for sure not before that, SO there is no point anymore in pointing AW deficiencies nor trashing the Man, he reached the top of his abilities and is consistent with that, making the top 4 reaching the last 16 at the CL and as a BONUS last year maybe this one the FA Cup, reality is he will not reach anything more and we just have to settle and accept (as he has done) our STATUS QUO a good team but not good enough……..looking forward to better times

  16. Everytime Arsenal loses this great gentlemen terms other team lucky. Ohh for starters why not accept that you are a bottler. Some fans or should I say many fans have instilled the same philosophy that Wenger possesses. Always see us as the unluckiest side eventhough we have been the most protected club compared to the hatred that clubs like MU and Chelsea get.

    We have to change this mentality, I have been hearing this lucky crap for past decade. This man should respect other clubs and In the process admit our own flaws.

  17. In a sense he is right.

    After the second goal, Giroud had an awesome chance.

    But really he isn’t. Monaco deserved to go through.

    Wenger sometimes is a really sore loser. Other times he is a gentleman but sometimes after losing he will refuse to shake hands or blame referee, opponents for bad behavior, pitch etc, anyone but himself and team.

    Wenger is in his late 60’s. He isn’t going to change.

  18. so is this what giroud calls paying us back for all of his misses . he promised us , befor last nights game , that he would make up for all of the misses that he is famous for !. indeed , he scored one exceptional goal, but i dont think this loud mouth has kept his promise . perhaps if he spent more time on his shooting skills , and less time on his hair do skills he might be a half decent player . the man is a poser of the highest degree with nothing going for him in front of goal . granted he does score the odd goal , just to keep us all happy , as it were , but he is not premier league class , let alone arsenal class . clearly wenger likes to have boys with nice hair dos in his team , and being french helps too i bet .

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