Favourable EL draw, but Arsenal must perform at their best by Konstantin Mitov
Well lads, what better medicine after losing a game, than seeing Spurs go all spursy with Jose Mourinho at the helm, to drop out of the Europa League? That guy Orsic is already an Arsenal legend, without playing a game for the club! In all seriousness that was one of the best European hat-tricks I’ve ever seen.
Anyway, we also played yesterday and lost 0-1. It was an off-pace performance in a game that was basically won in Greece. Aubameyang was really poor. I think he needs to earn his place and I hope we stick to Lacazette up front or perhaps give Gabi M a chance for once? Don’t know why Arteta doesn’t pick him.
Anyway, after all the drama, one North London club was in the draw, and Arsenal got Slavia Prague. On paper, you can’t argue with the draw, but if there is anything to be learnt from what them lot down the road did, it is you can’t switch off against any opposition in Europe. Yesterday we had more than enough chances to win, yet we lost.
We’ve been missing a lot of chances and that has to improve. And before people start thinking of the potential final with Man Utd, because the semis draw was also done, Slavia Prague is no joke. They knocked out Leicester and Rangers. To be honest that kind of passed by me, but now that we’ve drawn them I hope we take them with all seriousness.
We’re at home for the first tie and again, Tottenham won 2-0 at home and yet in the last 30 minutes of the second leg they lost their lead and eventually the game. And let’s get it one game at a time, before we think about Villarreal or Dynamo Zagreb.
That said, although I hardly believe in superstitions or faith, with the way we tried our best to self-destruct in the Europa, and somehow managed to get past Benfica and then pull it together against Olympiacos and now the draw we’ve got? Despite the fact that we’re 10th and having a poor season, we do have a squad that, on it’s day, is good enough to beat any of the remaining EL sides, even United, who we did manage to beat at OT for the first time since forever.
Another thing is that we’ve been alright in cup competitions lately. We’ve seen this set of players bomb the league for a number of seasons now, but in individual games where nobody thinks we can do it, even like Sunday against Spurs, we can come out fighting. We’ve done it in the FA cup too. When there was a trophy on the line and it’s decided on a few games, we’ve pulled it together against the odds.
We beat Man City in the semis and Chelsea in the final, both better teams than what we have in front of us. If you are an Arsenal player right now and you aren’t 110% up for those EL games, you shouldn’t be here next season. We don’t have any major injuries and we have momentum despite yesterday’s result.
The chance to get to a potential European final should be motivation enough, especially, when you know it could be United waiting. And also doing it by beating the conquerors of Leicester and those of Spurs or Unai Emery’s team? The Europa league is much more valuable than it once was. There’s a CL spot at the end and as you can see, not just in England, you are never safe from missing out. We’ve done it, so have United, Liverpool and Chelsea down the years. There are too many good teams in England and only 4 CL spots.
The path is set and it’s doable. Having CL football will affect the type of players we can attract and there are still quite a few places where upgrades would be very welcome. I just hope the players and the manager understand this and we are focused in every game, cut out the mistakes and then see where we end up. We aren’t entitled to win anything, but I believe we can do it, do you?
Konstantin
But on the other hand some of those players will be thinking ‘win the cup so we can attract better players and I will be replaced’
Arteta had very little choice but to prioritise the Europa Cup bearing in mind he has somehow managed a Top 6 minimum squad of players to Tenth place in the league. He MUST win this Cup to even have a remote chance of keeping his job for next season. It’s about time our manager is held accountable as Emery was.
Phil
If Arsenal have any ambition to compete, they will have to replace Arteta. Who’s available though? Allegri will probably want a lot of money and a decent transfer kitty. If we want to take a punt on a young coach, it has to be Steven Gerrard. But he’s likely the heir to Klopp, so not going to happen. Nagelsman, Rogers etc won’t leave their current gigs. Rene or Sarri maybe?
If we are all true Arsenal fans we ought to
1. Know that Arsenal is in transition from another era of many things
2. A club in transition is a project and a project is a plan with one Manager
3. So Arteta need to be prioritized before results and cups for the project to complete in all departments
4. No sense in bringing in a coach who will win a cup and one day leave the club with players in huge contacts and on their wrong sides of age
Some of those players will be replaced regardless of the result, the players in question simply are not good enough to carry Arsenal forward
Imagine Mikel winning this Europa League this year.
1st 18months in Management;
FA Cup (6months)
Community Shield (8months)
Europa League (18months)
Champions League Qualification.
Not a bad start when Arsenal were I turmoil when he arrived.
I’ll be happy enough if we can reach EL final and finish above 8 in EPL
I really think of you my favorite manager❤
well we have a young and talented squad but lack experience and the determination to win it
If Arteta’s system is really great, Arsenal will be able to win against the likes of Slavia Prague/ Villareal/ Dinamo Zagreb and proceed to the final. Otherwise Arteta would need many pre-season games and some big signings before the next season starts
Now that the euphoria of the Spurs calamity has sunk in we can have a serious reflection on how bad Arsenal were the other day. Could any of you stand to watch a replay from start to finish. Our players were all out of synch with each other, including the usual reliable pairing of Tierney and ESR. The manager needs to have a good look at his tactics and the mindset with which he sent out his players. Also the least said about the engine room of Xhaka and Elneny the better. Everything stopped with them. I’m expecting a much better performance against West ham, and looking forward to further progress in the Europa but Arsenal are such an inconsistent bunch. Mo. from AFT spoke for many of us after the Olympiacos game that It’s hard to know if Arsenal are a good team or just poor, and the same can be said for the manager.
On the other hand, Arsenal’s terrible record in Europe doesn’t give us much hope.
TMJW, you are right; Arsenal’s most successful manager in Europe was George Graham.
Last time Arsenal made a final in Baku under Unai Emery we got smacked 4-1, when the players didn’t turn up FOR A FINAL!
Slavia Prague will not be easy home and away, nor would any of the clubs left in this competition.
Konstantin has mentioned winning form, yet should Arsenal be successful in the semi final, we may meet Villarreal in the semi final, with a manager in Unai Emery who has made 4 Europa League finals and won 3.
To be successful, Arsenal has to turn up in every game as if it is a final.
“successful in the quarter final”
spot on OG…Unai is the winningest Europa Cup manager ever(tied with Trapattoni, mind you Emery won an unprecedented 3 consecutive Cups) and hadn’t lost a finals until arriving in North London…there’s no easy path for us to the finals, let alone winning it, but I do like our potential to make the finals following what appears to be a somewhat favourable draw considering the alternatives…all that wishful thinking will be for not if we turn in another performance or two like the one on Thursday
those days only the champ of the league qualifies for Europe
These days the top 4 in the top leagues qualifies
I want Arsenal to win europa league and real to win champions league which will make my 2 favourite teams face each other in the super cup.Which will also mean i can cheer both sides in a single game for the very first time❤💯😅
Is it possible to love two teams that equal?
Yep
And to not like spurs and barca equally😅✌💯
Shakir… Ramos and Salah round 2 😄
I imagine Sid and Mohsan would be happy with Arsenal and RM also!!
Looking forward to it 💯😉
It’s true that in the second game against Olympiacos Arsenal were absolutely awful. In front of goal they were total rubbish. The midfield wasn’t much better, and the defending started off OK in the first half then deteriorated to the same low standard as the rest by the 2nd half. I guess they figured “Job done” after the first game which is a worry! But despite all that, the EL quarter finals are on and a win against West Ham is certainly possible if they wake up in time for that game so COYG!
Not possible for me HH
I will like it if ArTeta and the Gunners including us Gooners too to a take a little break from the temptation of our thinking of Arsenal winning the Europa League Cup at this juncture in the season.
When Arsenal have not yet reached the final match. But are in the quarterfinals stage of the competition to play against Slavia Prague for a place in the semifinals.
Therefore, let us focus on our next PL away match against West Ham Utd that is coming up tomorrow Saturday at the London Stadium. And offer our advising and suggestions to Arteta and the Gooners on what us think they should do to beat WH in the match to bounce back from their unwelcomed 0-1 home loss against Olympiakos in the Europa League last Thursday’s night.
Let us therefore not lose our focus but focus on the important 3 points collection in the West Ham game. For, it is important for Arsenal to collect all the 3 points that are going to be put at stake in the match for collection. So that us will keep our chance to finish in the PL top-four places this season alive. With Mikel Arteta and the Gunners working round the clock studiously to actualize this objective for AFC unfailingly.
Which of course is still a possibility that an be achieved. Because if this is time and many games still left to play, there is the hope, chance and opportunity to seize to achieve an improvement to get a top-four place finish and win a European title to play in the UCL next season either by through the PL placing or winning the Europa League Cup or by both to double qualify (Hilarious!) which us all know.
I will be the most happy and delightful Arsenal fan on the Earth planet this season if our club Arsenal win the Europa League Cup and also finish in the PL top-four places this season. But achieving these duo achievements aren’t going to come to Arsenal on plate to achieve them.
So, let all us who are concerning ourselves with Arsenal to start praying in our prayers for M Arteta and the Gunners to get a break from Arsenal not getting a top-four place finish after they’ve not been finishing in it for the past couple of seasons.
And also us should keep praying for Arteta and the Gunners to not stumble to fall or collapse on their ways to win the ELC this season. But have the good fortune to them in their possible remaining 5 matches in the competition to win all the 5 matches to win the prestigious Cup this season.
I’m not so sure it’s a favourable EL draw Konstantinos. Slavia Prague are running away with the Czech league and play strong aggressive attacking football. They also knocked out both Leicester and Rangers in previous rounds. They are a far stronger team than Olympiacos .
Six finals lost, one final won, not exactly a good record, we have one of the worst records in European finals for an English club, so it would be great if Arteta could do what Wenger couldn’t and GG did, win an European trophy
Let’s hope if we get there we don’t get absolutely embarrassed like last time ,will go down as one off he most pathetic nights of football I’ve witnessed .
👍I walked out of the room once Giroud scored.. that performance/result still gives me nightmares.
If we stay focus and the boys are committed avoiding unnecessary errors, I’m certain we can win the EL this time.
Of the *
One single European cup in 60 years. That seem to be indicitve of no chance and fat chance.
No chance 🙄