Arsenal are desperate for a two-goal victory over BATE tomorrow night, and, as Unai Emery keeps telling us, it is the vociferous support from the home fans that has helped the players to raise their game when they are at the Emirates.
But apparently that may not be the case tomorrow, as the Sun reported today…
ARSENAL fear they could be playing at a half-empty Emirates against BATE Borisov on Thursday.
And that could seriously hit their hopes of overturning a 1-0 deficit from last week’s Europa League last-32 first leg in Belarus.
Yet boss Unai Emery is banking on Gunners fans to inspire his team in a must-win tie.
He said: “I trust in our players and in our stadium with our supporters and I am sure the result is going to be different.”
But Uefa chiefs’ insistence on the match kicking off at 5.55pm means that thousands of supporters are likely to miss the game.
Although Thursday’s tie is officially a sell-out, Emirates bosses have no idea how many will actually turn up for the early start.
Last season when we played BATE the tie was officially a sell out, but it looked like the stadium was half empty in reality. And with many fans wanting to protest about the teams recent performances there will be a lot of complacency around, never mind the quality of Arsenal or their opponents.
To make it even worse, the kick-off time of 5.55 will make it even harder for fans, most of whom don’t even get home from work by that time. How many will just think it’s easier to just flop down and watch it in front of the telly?
So will the lack of vocal support make it even harder for the players to pick themselves up? On top of all the other problems at the club?
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A half full stadium will affect the team’s performance, but they still have higher quality than BATE’s squad
Because Ozil would most likely play, I bet many would try their best to come to the stadium to see him perform again. Unless Emery decides not to use 4-2-3-1, but this would be improbable
Not worried in the slightest about this game, but Southampton and Bournemouth have been familiar with Arsenal players
OT.. so Gnabry starts for Bayern regularly now but couldn’t cut it for us ?
Wenger gave him a a starting role in 2013/14 season that is like 5 years ago,,at 17 team year old starting matches for a club like arsenal don’t come easily ,it showed his quality, before the terrible knee ligament injury which cut his season short and took him out for about a year and six months,after his recovery he was sent on loan to west brown to have playing time ,Tony pulis refused to play him which made aesena to breach the loan and brought him back to the emirates,he was asked to prove his fitness before bn handed a new seal,boom come the Olympics dude shone and had an amazing tournament scoring like 5 goals,then come Bayern using weder Bremen as a coy ,dude refuse to extend his deal which forced AFC to cash in than to lose him for free in six months time,gnabry has always bn highly rated by Wenger!
I think he came through when Wenger had that unhealthy obsession with Walcott, and Ramsey on RW, so got limited chances, I think injuries played a part as well.
I remember at the time thinking he had great potential, but there was no chance when it came to Wengers favourites.
Oh you mean abit like emerys favourites now ?
It shows the difference between how Arsenal/ WBA assess their players and how Bayern do it
The past achievement of a senior player usually makes him start ahead of the young ones, unless the youngster has exceptional talent like Messi
This happens in big companies as well, where the high education level and shiny CV of an employee usually put him in a good position
I wont be going and i will carry on boycotting the games until Kroenke sells, he’s good at selling the fans out but the only way to get him to sell the club is empty seats. as i said yesterday they soon got shot of Wenger when the gates were falling.
I admire your selflessness pal. Fans like you are cut from a very rare fine piece of cloth as it takes immense courage to art home and boycott games. Don’t relent
I did ask my son if he wanted to go, he said no… and if I’m honest, after watching that rubbish last week, I’m not sure I could have sat through it!!
These awful games don’t give you anything to get excited about & they’re becoming more regular – something we really need to snap out of!
Having said that, I hope we win, but I certainly won’t be holding my breath
I pray it’s a decent watch, because I’m over in Aus, meaning a 5am kickoff. Haha!
Aha, you’re okay it a 2am start in Oz mate. Oops sorry thats Perth…
Ooh 5am… let’s hope it is decent then TMJW, even if it does mean Mesut scoring & assisting ??
I’m in NSW at the mo, so I think 11 hours ahead? I actually don’t mind Ozil playing in this one Haha!
Ooh that sounds nice! Bet it’s lovely & warm!
Bloody hell I’m shocked ?
Many fans will stay away from tomorrow game, owing largely to Emery’s recent tactics and his quarrel with stubbornness .Right now our problem is lack of creativity at the center .That first half leg result was scandalous to say the least. Imagine losing to a team like Bate, a team Wenger dismissed last season 10-2 with a second stream side. Now Emery must make sure we qualify tomorrow, otherwise the effects will be disastrous .But I hope we overcome Bate tomorrow for honours sake.
How typical of how football is run that fans are expected to leave work early or miss a day to make a stupid 5.55 kick off time. Forget the Arsenal angle, as this UEFA hostiity to our decent suporters is the REAL story and horror show in todays football world. Ask not is the Arsenal defence fit for purpose and ask instead, is UEFA fit for purpose. As if anyone NEEDS to ask! Of course attendance will be down, even though the usual attendance lie will be put out to naive people who have no idea how WE ALL are being shafted by these corrupt and self centred sh*ts!
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Oooh Ozzie!! How are you feeling? Hope the op went well. Nice to see you back on here ?