Arsenal are set to travel to the Ukraine tonight for tomorrow’s match against minnows Vorskla, but there are many reasons for the Gunners to just miss the plane and stay safely at home. Ukraine is currently under Marshall Law due to increased tension with Russia and who really knows what threats the Arsenal players may be subject to in the capital Kiev, where UEFA have decided to move the game as Poltova is very close to the Russian border.
Arsenal announced the change last ……
The match will now take place at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev on Thursday, November 29, with kick-off at 5.55pm UK time (7.55pm local time).
We are currently working closely with UEFA and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and welfare of all our supporters who have, and will be travelling to Ukraine for this match.
Even the Foreign and Commonwealth office have been offering advice to supporters who are crazy enough to travel to watch the Gunners tomorrow night. They said: “Events in Ukraine are fast moving. You should remain vigilant throughout Ukraine, monitor the media and this travel advice regularly.”
“Be aware of the current political situation (in particular the tension between Ukraine and Russia) and avoid any action or chanting that could provoke a hostile reaction from home fans.”
Personally I think we should not even go there. We have the crucial North London Derby to play on Sunday and if Emery is forced to go then he should only take a squad of reserves and youths and leave our stars at home. I dread to think how much the insurance is going to cost even if we only send our kids, and why would we even consider putting them in danger either. And it will be even more risky for the travelling fans.
It is simply not worth the risk when we know we only have to beat Qarabag at home to top the Group anyway. Give Vorskla the points if we have to.
What do you think?
I’d rather we just nuke the bastar*s (putin and his gangsters) take out trump would be good also
What sort of Neanderthal thinking was behind this ludicrous post? You should not lightly joke about nuclear war, even in frustration. BTW, I fully share your personal intense dislike of both Putin and Trump BUT your sort of comment is what decent folk would expect from so called “headbangers”, the very sort who support such as Trump! Please engage your brain next time you post.
I applaud your distaste in nukes, they are not the answer unless we want a MAD outcome (Mutually Assured Destruction incase some don’t know that acronym).
@deejay,
This kind of comment can create trouble between fans. Think twice next time please, and admin should delete it.
Thanks
Mr. Admin, Hope you are reading this comment which echoes my own and others on here. You really OUGHT to be more vigilant in not allowing hate posts and preventing political unrest posts being used. That would be the responsible thing for an Admin to do. Agree or not?
Yes, please no political unrest posts! Such as, “I fully share your personal intense dislike of both Putin and Trump…your sort of comment is what decent folk would expect from so-called headbangers, the very sort who support such as Trump!”
Consider me in a state of unrest at this attack on Trump and his supporters. Admin, please censor the moronic nuke comment and the hypocritical, political reply to it.
Yes! Nuke Putin and end the world ????
We must travel but drop key/vital players at home not because of security risk but because of the London derby. The unbeaten run must continue tomorrow and well over the Sunday match.
we need to test and give some players a chance.
This is a great opertunity for our youth players mixed in with bench players so Ozil will get a game ?
If it’s risky, let’s forfeit anyway…it’s not really worth it especially when one considers our comfortable position on the group…NLD on Sunday is way more important.
Ukraine has football league. If they don’t stop playing because of the crises why the fuse over the Europa league match?
That baffles me as well. If it is not safe for Arsenal to travel let alone to play uefa would have known and informed us. OT is epl still the most competitive and the best league in Europe. Watching how Lyon dealt with epl league leader yesterday ,though the match ended in draw, made me think otherwise. Also Barca having less point than Arsenal having play the same number of match but 2nd on the table with 26 points and the leader on 27 points shows that laliga is drifting away from the usual 2 horse race as it usually called and becoming more competitive.
@ Mobella
Lyon v Man City should be an eye opener to EPL coaches. City seemed to be invisible in EPL.
Coaches should watch videos of how Lyon played them (home and away) in UCL to find out City’s weaknesses. The obvious tactics I noticed from Lyon is high pressing with pace.
Prince, the most important thing towards fotball performance is confidence. Because of all the garbage thrown out week after week by the media telling us how great City are gives them incredible confidence. Every time they emerge from the tunnel they feel ten foot tall and teams that play against them are beaten before the game starts. It was similar when the Invincibles faced the opposition. Fortunately Lyon never had that problem, their heads we’re not filled with the bulls*it from the English media, to them it was just eleven against eleven, a game of football, anyone could win and for what highlights I saw, should have.
Unless advised by the Foreign Office not to go, we MUST fulfill this fixture. Not to do so would be to cease being a proper and PROFESSIONAL football club. I would plea for posts only from those who engage their brain first as we need fewer silly folk on here and more who have a proper point of thought out view to put forward. UNLESS there is real danger , we would be called cowards and become a laughing stock in football including with Spuds, Chelski etc. Do any of you daft panicking folk who want to duck out truly want that?
I have to agree with you, we should fulfill our obligation, and I reckon it’s been a bit blown up by the media in any case.
Of course the game will go ahead, according to reports Vorskla are already in Kiev. I bet Phil’s pleased, he won’t have to make the long train journey to the Russian border. Also better for us, less travelling, less home fans unless Dynamo fans get behind Vorskla, can’t see it mind you.
Yes and I believe we would be sanctioned by Eufa if we tried to forfeit the game apart from trashing our reputation.
Me thinking the consequences of Arsenal forfeiting that match. 1, Disqualification from the competition. 2, Disqualification from all uefa competitions say for the next 2/3 years. 3, Missing our from uefa money ( hand-out to the quailed clubs ) for the duration of the ban. 4, Won’t be able to attract any player of note for the duration of the ban. All these I can think of now.
You’re aloud forfeit, the points go to the other side. As far as I’m aware that is the case, though it has been a long time since I heard of it happening.
If a club refuses to play or is responsible for a match not taking place or not being played in full, the Control and Disciplinary Body declares the match forfeited and/or disqualifies the club concerned in combination with the following fines
The fines range up to 1 million euro for doing so before the final.
Well I hope the team and all the travelling gooners are alright while out there & return home safely
Let us all pray for that, Sue.
They wouldn’t allow them to travel if it wasn’t safe, this is just people trying to cover their ass in case things do turn for the worse. I reckon the fans will be just as safe as at any other time over there, probably safer because who would want to piss about in a country ruled by martial law. Laws over that way seem very like martial law anyway, the way Putin runs Russia, Ukraine my guess is it’s very similar to Russia. I agree we should keep our first team at home and send youths and a few squad players. I don’t think it would be fair to cancel the game, our opponents have been looking forward to it and the money likely means allot to them. I don’t understand fans complaining about the switch, I thought that would have helped travel arrangements, having it in Kiev’s Olympic stadium seems preferable.
I believe Admin should start practising due diligence in deciding what to publish. This is in very bad taste. There is a looming crisis on the international stage and someone is making fun of it! Incredible! This shows the calibre of some of our contributors. How does Trump come into this? Is he the President of Ukraine? Whatever feelings anyone has against Trump he is the leader of the most powerful nation on earth and an ally of Britain. Why would anyone ridicule him? Back to the game, there are regulations that govern competitions. If Arsenal arbitrarily pulled out of this game it could suffer several repercussions. Besides UEFA is in very good position to gauge if there is likely to be an escalation of the conflict in the immediate run. In such a case it would not risk the lives of players and fans alike. We should always analyse issues from a mature angle and not behave in an emotional manner.
Here here! Agree with everything you said David.