Enough has been said about yesterday’s debacle at Everton and, for all our sanity, it is time to move on and look forward to the Europa League quarter-final clash with Napoli.
This is actually the perfect game for us, it is against one of the two best teams in Italian football, it is at home, and a win would certainly lift morale after what happened yesterday. Not just for the players but for us, the fans as well.
No one is saying it will be an easy game, of course, it will not be, but we know we are a different beast at the Emirates and that the level of Italian football below Juventus is not what it once was. In better words, this is a game we have a great chance of winning.
It also sets the stage for some of the players to put right what happened in the Everton game, players like Ozil, who has come in for some fierce criticism for his performance, can get the fans back on side but only if we win of course.
There is a risk here, we lose and then a rut starts to set in, especially when you consider we are away to Watford the following Monday, the last thing we need going into that game is to have lost at home in the Europa League and to find ourselves outside the top four (as we most likely will be) at that stage.
The game against Napoli is our chance to reboot our end of season campaign, this could be the week that defines our entire season, get it right and we are beautifully set up for the last few games, get it wrong and, well, that is not even worth thinking about.
I think all focus should be placed on the Europa league to secure a champions league spot. It is clear we won’t make it through based on league position, given the majority of our remaining games being away fixtures.
I am actually happy though, the first leg will be played at the Emirates. Enough ties we have been getting pasted in the first away leg then we have to go home all tensed up trying to catch up. If we can beat Napoli 2-0 and lose in Italy 0-1 we will be through.
I surely hope Chelsea will be eliminated at some point before we play them as having to go through them to win Europa will be a massive complication in my eyes.
For whatever reason Arsenal is the black sheep of English football. This again is as clear as daylight after Everton. Yes they did not play well But such histerical and negative reaction from all over! If a team like United miss a key the reaction usually is balanced or even “soft”. But Arsenal, oh boy! We supportes must not be naive. We must understand that we had to play most of the time 20% harder than other team for a positive result. We must accept this and learn from this. We have to controle our emotions and just shoulder on to the best of our ability. That dusnt mean we must be blind to our mistakes or weaknesses. No, acnowledge them and work on them. But dont blew it up out of perportion. UP THE ARSENAL!
Stop Napoli from getting an away goal, and I reckon we’ll be at an advantage…
But knowing our defence, a camel is more likely to pass through the eye of a needle… especially as we have Çech in goal…
COYG
When we play 3 4 1 2,it’s down to many aspects:
The wing backs must keep running up the flanks,stretching the opponent defence,creating the spaces to be exploited by our box 2 box, play maker & clinical strikers.Meanwhile the 3 center backs and our anchor man have to defend the back of the wing backs and bridge the gaps vaccated.That day it was a mess,not a single player had played his role.I guess it’s down to how we approach the game & our psychological fitness when we play away rather than physical one.I hope we overcome such mistakes vs Napoli.
Anyone could lose to Everton away. This is not the end of the road. We are still in control with relatively easier game to follow. Man Uts, Chelsea and the Tots are still to play each other or play the top 2 Liverpool and Man City. Gunners will finish 3rd.Mark my word!!! GUNNER 4 LIFE!!!!
I predict Arsenal would be strong at home as usual, but languish at the next away game
I know Napoli won’t be easy, but the whole team had better put in a hell of a performance… I do not want to see another poor display like Sunday!
No more excuses, no more we’ll put things right… just fight please, show some determination, some passion, just look like winners please!
Another poor showing at this stage of the season is totally unacceptable! Every game SHOULD be like a cup final! Come on Arsenal do you want to be in the CL next season or not??
I want to see men on Thursday, not wimps!
Ok Sue (in German accent) I will personally try my very best to hustle this time. I will defend and tackle, I will even shoot just for you.
?? brilliant!! ?
Now what about AMN, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Elneny, Monreal etc etc etc ?
I don’t know about the rest but AMN has promised to throw throw-ins INSIDE the pitch next time ?
?? love it QD ?
But then you are a liar! You have had dozens of chances to have done so previously and failed to do so.
Hi Gotanidea,I do agree,Emerites is a fortress.But If we replicated the same form when we played away,we could’ve been title challanger by now.I do believe in Emery to raise our physical,tactical & pysichological fitness next
season to recover our dream team.
I will still insist there is no curse for Arsenal away from home. Let us suppose that we started the Everton game the way we played the second half we wouldn’t have lost. It is Emery to blame for poor team selection. Emery should forget all about playing Elneny except as a substitute when the game is won. Similarly playing Ozil and Mkhitaryan at the same time doesn’t work. I hope the next game we shall have Koscielny, Xhaka and Torreira which will make a lot of difference. That away phobia will be banished once once our good players are back. We held Man U and Spurs away and actually we could have beaten Spurs if Aubameyang didn’t fail to convert the penalty. So I insist we still have a good chance of winning our remaining games. The only requirement for winning away games is for Emery to select a team that will take the game to the opponent and be agile both on and off the ball. Once we do this we shall be unstoppable. All is not lost yet.
Plus the offside goal against Spurs which may come to bite Arsenal big time.
More likely Aubas missed penalty will make a key difference between being fourth and being fifth. I believe it will, in fact.