Valencia promised to go straight on the offensive from the start and they certainly did. The first ten minutes the team in white were all over us, although we seemed to be containing them very well. Then disaster as the ball somehow goes right through the middle of Cech and Monreal into the path of Gameiro’s sliding legs.
It was the last thing we needed to give us the jitters and the 44,000 crowd went crazy with real hope of pulling off a great comeback, but they were soon quietened by an incredible curling goal from Aubameyand from a speculative long ball forward from Cech.
Suddenly all was calm again, and Valencia didn’t seem quite so dangerous, but Guedes was tormenting Maitland-Niles down the left which Emery will have to do something about at some point. But both sides managed to get to half-time without scoring although Aubz and Laca are looking in very dangerous mood. WE were definotely not sitting back to hold on to our lead.
Coming back out at 1-1 seemed to make Arsenal relaxed and looked totally in control. When our pressure gave Lacazette the chance to show his close quarters quality, as he danced around the Valencian defence and produced a sublime finish to give Arsenal a virtually unassailable lead with 40 minutes to go. And immediately after we get the news that Frankfurt have equalised against Chelsea making their game wide open again. This could be a VERY good night after all!
Valencia were determined to go down fighting and that man Gameiro finishes a lucky tussle with Cech created by awful Arsenal defending. Could they score another three in the last half an hour? They certainly went for it and Arsenal were camped in their own half trying to weather the storm in numbers, but suddenly Aubameyang was on the end of another breakaway and made another brilliant finish. Surely Valencia…. etc, etc!
Los Che carried on making the game exciting for their fans but you could see Arsenal were totally unworried and were happy to coast to the end of the game. A great chance again nearly fell to Aubz but a defender just slid in to divert the ball.
He did finally get it when he was slipped through by Mhki and yet another sublime finish to polish off a star performance.
A great night for Arsenal and especially the 2000 travelling fans over in Spain tonight. And so onto the final. The dream is still alive…
Admin
PS The Chelsea games looks set for extra time….
aubameyang yeah my man
I’m still watching my stream lol
Excellent effort from all players tonight, it must be because of the prestige of this big European match. Finally the two strikers understand the importance of playing wider and they unselfishly became wingers to support the team
Aubameyang is on steroid today, showed by his dribbles and defending on the right side. Once Maitland-Niles finally plucked up his courage to beat his marker, the king of tap-ins showed his blistering speed and finish the great cross
I wish they always go the extra mile like this in all matches, including the lesser ones like the Brighton game. But reaching EL final is a commendable effort and Emery can fix the motivation issue next season
Well I will eat my words. Well done lads and a great performance
10/10 for Auba. Worked like a horse, hattrick,everything we expect of a top striker. Onto the final!!!
Maybe Aubameyang watched the crazy movements of Liverpool’s and Tottenham’s heroes, then got inspired? He is absolutely nuts today
Now come on Frankfurt
Yes gotanidea, I don’t want Chelsea to win
He looked really good on that right wing. 10/10 performance I agree. Our strikers are looking really deadly of late, I’m so proud of them 🙂
yipe-e!
Absolute superb performance from our 2 front men tonight. Laca on it……but Auba absolutely immense tonight. Best performance in an Arsenal shirt. Best away performance of the season. And yes, we didn’t bottle it tonight. Bring on Baku!
Both are big game players
Now we need better fullbacks/ wingbacks to create more crosses for them and push Kolasinac/ Bellerin next season
I like the idea of having Maitland-Niles as Bellerin’s competitor, but he is still too inconsistent to be the first choice RB/ RWB
This is the form we need to carry into next season away games. Oh, and get rid of Bould.
How he survived the mass exodus last season is beyond me. Must have dirt on Kroenke cause he’s been useless.
Chelsea seem beatable… I hope we can finish the job at Baku , whoever we face….
whosoever wrongfully accuses unai emery of being a clown – it’s now time to eat humble pie?
Don’t mind dem
EL final + 5th position is an improvement to me
Maybe Emery is not the best one to take Arsenal forward, but the impatient fans had better keep their moans for the next season
Nah…. winning the europa league plus fifth is what should be considered an improvement…….. we all would be hurt if we didn’t win it…. and I do hope Emery is not teasing like he did with our top four hopes…… that being said, all the players did a good job today, hats off to Aubameyang….. good luck to us in the final….. I hope we bring our A game.
Well said but they won,t sadly,says a lot about them!
Speechless!!!feel like a happy supporter again!!great performance
OT: just seen that when Mkhi+Auba were Dortmund players that beat us at the Emirates… They weren’t on the pitch together. And Sokratis was also a sub in that game.
I am a happy gunner tonight, 10 for Aubameyang
Still not sure about Emery but Au bam ayang, boom bang a bang.
Great result Arsenal,pity we can’t defend better,but perhaps he can solve it next season
Alexandre le Great is his name,looks like a bargain, now,COYG,y he people who criticised unai are the ones who know nothing,to do what he did in his first year with a mediocre team he inherited is to be admired!!
???
Best single perf in our shirt by any player since God knows when. If you need to ask me who I mean then you are not a GOONER!
Is it coquelin?I,m joking man but what about Alexandre le Great his partner in crime??
Alexandre who! Never heard of him! The joke is that usually I much prefer LACA AS HE WORKS HARDER. HE WAS TERRIFIC TONIGHT ; JUST THAT AUBA WAS GREATER STILL!
I would have to agree with you,last night he did everything,hat trick,pressing,tracking back,can’t do more than that,COYG!!
I said we will get to final but don’t know how. Now I do. Well done boys. Please Emery get rid of this shadow marking. A better team would have punished us tonight with yard of space we gave them. On to final, el is coming to Emirate. How good is Frankfurt.
Frankfurt has their final League match four days before EL final if they’re through
Ooh to
Ooh to be
Ooh to be a gooner ❤
???
Keep Auba, Laca, Leno, Sokratis, Torriera, Guendouzi..
Now we need to find very high energy Midfielders and wingers..
The problem is that this team is squad is so inconsistent..
I am looking forward to new blood and faces next season..
Come Arsenal, let’s win the Europa now. 😉
Our first European final in 13 years, and with that, we have surpassed all of last season’s marks.
Congratulations to Unai Emery, the players and we super fans.
Let us end this season on a high, and win our first European trophy since 1994
Fantastic game – Red hot forwards, committed defenders, ok midfield, just can’t understand why Ozil can’t lift himself to the same heights. Just doesn’t make the impact and effort of others, but what a great performance and the best striker combination, what a week for football!
That’s it. I like away fans. At least something to cheer and hope of something. That was Auba I knew. Front two are good but we need to overhaul our back.
Tinkerman got his team selection right. Our best attacking players were on the pitch. We outscored them.
If you knew anything about the game you would know that most teams especially the ones fighting on 4 fronts,rotation is part and parcel of the game,you are still stuck in 00’s and ranieri man!
Auba was excellent on the right wing tonight. Why has he not shown that work rate all season when played there. Was deadly! And his dribbles were fantastic!
Ozil disappointing again, I hope both he and Miki leave in the summer and we bring in Rabiot on free and an attacking midfielder. Also winger, left back and possibly CB.
Leno
Bellerin Holding Sokratis (New LB)
Rabiot Torreira
Auba (New CAM) (New LW)
Laca
Maddison and Zaha in the blanks…
Perfect team
How could Chelsea use four substitutions in EL?? I thought the maximum substitutions are three, as in Valencia vs Arsenal
I think there was a rule change that ET allows a fourth.
So why didn’t Emery and Valencia’s manager use the fourth one? It could be beneficial to them
You can use an One extra sub in extra time ,our game did not go into extra time
You,re allowed an extra one for extra time in Europe
Auba and Lacazette are right up there with the very best.We still have defensive issues, but hey tonight let’s forget them until another day.
…could well be frankfurt that we’ll have to face – chelski are about to enter squeeky bum time…
Chelsea have one penalty saved. Looks like it won’t be a full English in Baku
Actually it will be a full English because kepa just saved two penalties. Hope the final doesn’t go to pens lol
Saved 2 poor penalties
Imagine losing the Europa league Final to Chelsea who kicked us out of a top four berth…Football will kill Us one day
Might as well rename it the England league with an English only finals. I don’t think it ever happened before, Spain had 3 if I remember well but never 4 finalists.
Best league on the planet that premiereship
Chelsea it is. Kante might be out for it by the way. I’d say this is an even affair and could go either way. We have more to lose and I hope the team is ready to play the game of their lives.
Kante injured then? I didn’t watch it… I really hope so too, RSH… can’t ever stomach losing to them!
Our first European final in 13 years, but clearly Emery is a clown, and there has been no progress!
???
Aubameyang aubameyang aubameyang aubameyang aubameyang yes sue yes ?
Woohoo!! What a night, Paul!! Amazing ?
Seriously pal ? He knows a lot more than you do!
He’s being sarcastic, Kev! That’s why I laughed/thumbed it!
Assuming Chelsea wins the Europa League, do we still qualify? Nice job tonight but not getting my hopes up just yet.
Congratulations Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs.
But a special Congratulations to our Team Arsenal. To go and win this game, just goes to show when the team is up to the task in hand, they can play for the shirt. Of cause this desire and concentration for a EPL season is a discussion for another day..
I dont fear Chelsea and I dont feel it matters they have top 4 or not…its about winning a Cup for the trophy cabinet.
Again with the 3 4 3 at times we had 5 2 3 and Auba and Laca had to drop and come and so again credit to the 2 forwards for this – we talk about the goals but their work rate is second to none.
I still have concerns about how we are playing the 3 4 3 but I will give this seasons endeavours a pass because with injuries and not having the right players for the system it’s all a working progress…. one of which has got us a final! Well done AFC
See all those doom mongers later night but I dont think Emery win that just aubameyang laca and some heart really.
Damn though why oh why must we play Chelsea on the final going to weird for Cech even as professional as he is.
Last ever game against those 2, suppose at least hes won plenty with the blues 🙁
Aubameyang tonight though always nice to see Emery almost saying dont score any more out of respect ball ocks to that.
Weve beaten Chelsea before obviously bit well have to be on our game and ask ozil to turn up for that one. We also had bellerin before so going to be a long night for AMN with Hazard coming at him.
Nils should hold his position he is better than bellerin and he has good foot work than bellerin…am enjoying his game love u son
Ozil left the field sending silence to the fans and with a tremendous anger Mesut has stalled and his football with him. He was going for a series and now he plays for playing………
see you in Baku…….
Congratulations AFC for showing balls and getting to the final.
1 wanna say congratulations my fellow gooners
2 let’s get to the point Emery was appointed as head coach as a stepping stone our board needed someone who had a proven record at EL level that will get the job done.
Yes Emery has a great record in this commotion but as far as will go to moving AFC forwards this is it.
Our greedy bored need the money from.the CL so give us for transfer funds and whatever of our greedy yank.
We should not actually be disapointed this season when Emery first took the job and if he said gonna get us 5th and land us EL final then most of would’ve been over the moon.
As the season has passed we had countless opportunities but like the season L City won it we failed to capitalise on other teams failures.
Emery doesn’t want a Wenger trophy of top four it’s his first season he wants to write his own history and make his own stamp on us. AFC fell short this season because of the reasons above.
Emery has no choice now but to win the final as the specailIst he is in the EL comp or then be deemed a fail and be sacked no top four no CLI compatible them you walk. MR Emery you haD top four in your hands you have gone for full glory us gunners will be with you.
Xhaka was cat tonight him and Ozil cant remember Leno making to many saves was good all round except those two.
Arsenal must fix their problem due to their concede the goal first in their last two games against Valencia, it means they must be ready from very beginning to start properly.
Final will be Arsenal vs Chelsea, we already knew about our opponent, so we have to prepare very carefully, try to investigate what strategy Chelsea will be and how we should set our strategy, put the correct players correctly whether which ones that start and on the bench. IMO, if we have the ball first, we must start attacking mode very quickly to give them surprise. We also have to play wings actively to give passing into the box. And be ready for their counter-attack, their fast attacking players like Hazard, Willian, Pedro…
Do not play Iwobi and Elneny. Ozil is okay to play first, but he should be supported by the others like Torreira or Xhaka.
The only blessing with a Baku final is that Mikhitarian CANNOT play. Most games he starts means loss of points. Now we need a replacement for Xhaka , notice how he was trying to regularly give the ball away to Valencia.
Maybe that’s why Klopp left, a nightmare with Xhaka and Mikhi playing together….
The partnership. When Laca gets the ball and he’s not likely to score he looks for Auba to do the business. If Auba gets the ball and he’s not likely to score, he looks for Lacazette. This is the unselfish display that’ll win us this title.
OT:who thinks it is unfair thst the cl place goes to a different league when the winner of the europea is already qualified for the cl,I know there is a max of 7 teams by country in both European competitions?isn’t it punishment for being the best league in the world or am I biased because it,s us who could be losing ouy?