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