Vitoria 1-1 Arsenal – Arsenal give up yet another winning lead

Arsenal blows yet another winning lead on a rainy afternoon in Portugal.

There is a serious sense of deja vu here with Arsenal but the truth is, I am not surprised.

Shkodran Mustafi put Arsenal into the lead in the 80th minute with a nicely taken header, a feat that will no doubt boost his shattered confidence but as per usual, the lads threw it away.

The game was a bit of a dull affair but the conditions were hardly ideal and Arsenal was efficient for the most part.

Vitoria started off brightly and came close with a couple of long shots but Arsenal weathered the storm and gradually got themselves back into the match.

I was slightly surprised by the lack of urgency from the Portuguese, this was a game they had to win.

There are some negatives, no more than the inability to hang on to a lead and while this will not increase the pressure on Unai Emery, it will not relieve it either.

In fact, by the end of the game Arsenal were lucky to get away with the draw. Vitoria came very close to grabbing a late winner and only have themselves to blame for not putting in more effort earlier on.

The truth of the matter is the feeling from this result is more resignation than disappointment. One does get used to seeing your team give up leads.

Next for Emery and his men is the game against Leicester City and while they will get away with this result they will not if the same happens against the Foxes.

86 Comments

      1. I want us to loose. Emery and his men deserve to loose. I hate the fashion in which all these draws keep coming. We need to loose so emery gets the f. Out of the club.

        He shouldn’t even be allowed back to England prepare his appointment termination letter and fly it to him right there in Portugal

      2. We should lose please, if that will save us from this heartache. We know where this season is heading already.

  1. Also a disgrace what Emery did to Xhaka – he should receive an apology from the disgusting arsenal fans who said what they did about his family!! Not true arsenal fans

    1. What have we not done this season? Not dominating games, bottling up, not scoring, not defending. I mean we are done. Finito. Not conceding goals is like a curse for Arsenal. These days, am just relaxed and watching the movie as I wait for Emery to leave

  2. We have played all the game with one More defender and one less midfielder…but judging for the substituon of willock for torreira when we were draw with a lesser tema, i guess emery Is happy with the draw…all according to emerys plan i guess ๐Ÿ˜‘

  3. ALL FAKE FANS COMPLAINING LIKE SPOILT BRATS, ARSENAL ONLY LOST TWICE ALL SEASON SO FAR GO CHECK OUT OTHER BIG CLUBS THEY LOST MORE THAN US. OK SACK EVERYBODY.

      1. Eddie, so much for freedom of speech and being allowed an opinion. I am disappointed in you lowering yourself to this level; I expect better from you.

      2. Well Eddie we all know what you think to different opinion to yours. Theres respect and then there is you. People can have different opinions but you obviously dont like it.

    1. Lol and how many games we won?
      Especially you cannot think winning in Europa league with teams in the group stage an achievment.

    2. Thank you for the observation. We ain’t LIV or City right now. CHE, TOT, ManU are all struggling too, but we raise our noise decibel to the highest level. Yes, there are challenges but no world class coach can even make our present team play to our expectations at this moment.

      1. Chelsea are not struggling. So if spurs and man utd are struggling we should also struggle? Where is the logic in that?

  4. Emeryโ€™s football is so complicated, he like square pegs round holes. Every game we are becoming worse and worse.

      1. ๐Ÿ˜ Eddie, I didn’t watch all of the 2nd half – preferred cooking the dinner and I didn’t miss a thing…. except for our only shot on target ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

        1. Good for you Sue๐Ÿ‘.. A few more minutes sitting and watching that game and I bet you’d have gotten dinner all burnt looking like a chocolate bar๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

          1. Just a boring pasta bake ๐Ÿ˜‚ I don’t eat meat… if only you’d said earlier, Pat, I’d have made more! Although, Arsenal put me off it… 2 mouthfuls and I was done ๐Ÿ˜ƒ Couldn’t stomach anymore!! Bit like Arsenal right now…….

          2. ๐Ÿ˜‹, thanks dear. We will soon get rid of Emery and everything will be alright. Hopefully ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

  5. Where are the guardians of Emery Galaxy? innit, ozzigunner,gotanidea where are your 2 brethren? Defend our clown of a coach

    1. ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚ Wes I didn’t give you the permission to plagiarize my โ€œEmery’s Guardians of the Galaxyโ€ did I?
      Wait a few minutes, they’ll be here soon with full force analyzing how one player didn’t do this or that

      1. Wes and Eddie, I just support Arsenal – the Club, the coach, the players. All have their strengths and weaknesses. Also there is a time difference where I live!
        Eddie you and I have seen much worse times than this, so why get so negative?

  6. We are winless in our last four games in all competition. Yet again, we couldn’t keep a lead. Martin Keown said worrying times at Arsenal and I totally agree with Him. I ain’t looking forward to the Leicester game. The players look confused simply because we keep changing formation every now and then. Against a team that sounds like Victoria (with all due respect),we only had one shot on target… Phew

  7. I’m just tired of it all. I don’t even know what to say. How could the same thing happen to you four times in a row. Where is my arsenal?

  8. Forget everything else we have been giving out about, even with no DMs starting we are still septic boring to watch. Boring boring arsenal is back except we concede bucket loads. Get emery out if for no other reason

  9. I just read first half
    Vitoria 10 shots
    Arsenal 1 shot๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚
    Really I’m enjoying my break from the Europa league, it’s not as if our performances are better in the league though, but maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan this is so much worse than Wenger’s worst season๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’.

    Yea well, Madhatter please come update us on today’s positive๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

    AdMartin’s positive will probably be tomorrow๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

    1. Your really having a laugh mate. All those disrespecting for not seeing this clown of a manager earlier.

      1. Yea well Jah Son I ain’t gon kill myself will I? Remember we were labelled plastic fans and glory hunters last season, yea well to stop being plastic, I needed to start enjoying and supporting this nightmare others wants us to accept

    2. Well today’s positives are in short supply Eddie ๐Ÿ˜‚
      – Tierney was looking good again and was always looking to push us forwards.
      – Martinelli despite the lack of service still showed some nice moments
      – Pepe is becoming something of a set piece specialist.

      Other than that it was a terrible performance ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ
      There was just no connectivity between the midfield and our forwards, did improve slightly with the subs but still nowhere near enough – the only players showing any hunger were Tierney and Martinelli.
      Aside from the very obvious player errors that were in abundance tonight, I finally believe Emery has lost the dressing room, and if that’s the case he needs to go, because nothing will win it back and we will just go from bad to worse ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ

  10. The distances between our players in the opponent’s half is huge, its like they are hiding behind the opponents instead of availing themselves for the pass, we cant connect the passes when we counter. Poor movement

  11. It’s gotten to be boring. Didn’t bother watching second half because what’s the point? Just sack this guy already.

  12. Against Victoria we have achieved 1 shot on goal for the whole 95+ min

    yet Unai feels he won the tactical affair๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ

  13. The only good news tonight is that we are now one day nearer Emerys certain sacking. Next week is my prediction. THIS week is my hope. Tonight is my prayer.

  14. Emery match reaction : we were solid, played a good game with intensity, not lucky to conceid, deserve win, but I’m happy with result, Victoria is good team, they needed to win and played well. But e got a good point, have all chance to finish first. We can focus on EPL game, rest well tonight….

    Haha! What a coach! Tactics genius! Haha!

  15. I was having a migraine before the match started . So I watched UFC. Glad I didnโ€™t watch it.
    Actually wanted to watch it but somehow knew it would definitely make my head explode.
    Innit said youโ€™re not a proper fan if you donโ€™t care when your team is playing, tell me how did the match make you feel?

    1. Really? He said so didn’t he? He’s the leader of The Guardians of Emery’s Galaxy so well he would’ve said so.

  16. I know the conditions were’nt good, but that was a very poor performance.We have lost our way big time and are now a very average side.During the past 4 weeks ,with one of two exceptions our players have lost their confidence which is a sure sign that all is not well in the dressing room.Mid table mediocrity awaits us at best this season I’m afraid.

  17. Damn, those changes were just genius, we at 0-0, sub Ceballos,Saka for Gendouzi & torreira!

    Yep, he needed to defend, as of second half, not lose, he got it right tho, we kept that great draw, almost lost, but he is a genius, he dictates this game for sure! Haha. Dude just can’t put right team on! What was that crazy new system he tried first?

    I feel sorry for him, because Kroenke keeps him there to take blame, Unai is passionate and does all his best, you see how sad he is… He does his very best, just a terrible casting from kroeke ,& co.

    I bet you will give a 5 to Martinelli now, but it is not players, but the formation of our courageous poor lost coach. He will resign I think when he loses in Europa, Kroenke won’t sack him! But it should be done weeks ago and never actually sign him.

  18. Chain….Arsenal have turn to a comic club. What is all this? Emery is now the best comedian in the world.

  19. Ridiculous Kroenke and board, not coach, he does all he can with what he has to offer! They came get him, to win Europa in order to qualify for CL. We done in EPL already! He LL be with us till end of season, qurter final are in March, we will make it. He ain’t going anywhere mates.

    1. I don’t blame the Kroenkes, I blame, his mate and compatriot, Raul because he must have recommended him in the first place.

  20. Fake fans? Are you serious? I have followed our club since 1969-70, this man is dragging our Arsenal down into the gutter. It is you sir, and your like, that are happy to see him do it.

  21. Cheer up folks. We clearly won the tactical battle (if the tactical battle is which team can draw the most games in a row from winning positions)

    Emery will have to be at his tactical best to keep the streak alive against Leicester…

  22. Some games you expect the odd 1 or 2 to have an off night, but not the whole bleeding team! Although, I guess at least Mustafi scored. I’m getting so frustrated watching Pepe, he really is doing my head in…
    We really have forgotten how to win!

    1. Sue Pepe needs proper coaching.For example why is he just stuck on that right flank when he could switch to Sakas side and see if he could do something even just cross the ball using his stronger foot.He is so one footed and he can’t do anything on that right wing in games where he is tightly marked like today.I guess it is the managers work to give such guidance as the game unfolds.

  23. Today we played like a Europa league team which is what we are under Emery. look at the goal we conceded & you realize there is absolutely no communication among our players when all it needed was someone to shout orders to the rest to man mark the opponents.We had almost all our players in our penalty box but we still conceded. No leadership at all.I wonder if these players speak the same language, and by the way which language does Emery speak?I always struggle listening to what he mumbles which probably is why the team is in shambles.
    Now my worry is on which team he will field on Saturday. I just hope someone puts an end to this misery soon.Where is Stan?

  24. For me a boring game just because arsenal in the group are in a position they have no need to do anymore than they did. But the anti mob will alaways pick holes in this, even though we may qualify after tomorrows round of results. We are going to qualify from this group, stop your incessant unnecessary moaning. It just get boring and loses its credence when you moan about every little thing. It wasn’t great but we will win the group, get a life.

    1. It was in torrential rain, it was with 8 changes, we had no need for a win. The result was ok the performance not so but it still wasn’t a defeat and it changes nothing in the group.

        1. Wez, because i look at things in perspective and dont join the beying rabble everytime a post goes up and just incessantly write Emery out as a post, dont be an idiot. The league campaign is a different issue but our Europa league campaign is not worth the boring, beying mob rule posts because first of all it is a different team and second it is a campaign we actually are and have done ok in. The toxic fans at this club are going to ruin any chance of success we have or haven’t got of getting anywhere. We was toxic with wenger, now Emery and so when the next guy comes in and doesn’t meet their expectations do the same. Some of you are not arsenal fans (a bit rich calling me a spud) and are im ashamed by some of the perpetual garbage they repeat day after day. Im a fan through thick and thin mate, people like you are good time Henry’s and dont know how to support your football team.

  25. This team plays as if there is no coach, which is probably true since the word does not describe Emery by any stretch of the imagination. They play as if they are just 11 players selected at random and told to play.

    -Formation is questionable
    -running off the ball in midfield to create space is non-existent
    -communication in defence is seriously lacking
    -the back pass is the default once again
    -not one of the players seems to know what he is going to do when he receives the ball, it takes far too long for the thought processes to convert to action
    -far too many passes straight to an opposing player

    Need we say more? This same team would have ripped Vitoria to shreds if they had a coach like Pep or Jรผrgen Klopp, or even Pochettino.

    1. And these same players claim to be professional footballers, yet don’t understand the fundamentals of the game?

    1. Our fans bite every time, Emery out of his depth in the Europa league, only won it three times, yes out of his depth. And the Sun tomorrow will tell you, Wenger in at Bayern, first choice, great manager but they were at pains to tell us, wenger isn’t good enough for arsenal anymore because he turned us from a champions league team to a Europa league team. Maybe Bayern are fed up of the Champions league. Anyone who reads the Sun needs to look at themselves anyway but thats another story.

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