YES!! Arsenal get GREAT draw with Monaco in Champions League

Finally Arsenal got a bit of luck in a draw for a cup competition, following regular groans every time our name was pulled out of the hat. In fact, this time we could not have asked for better, with the French club Monaco our opponents in the first knockout round of the Champions League this season.

It was not even that stressful to watch for Arsenal fans, as all the big teams were picked against other group runners up, leaving Porto and Monaco with our name still to be drawn. It is a return to his former club for Arsene Wenger, who managed them before heading off to Japan for a bit.

There are no easy games at this stage in the UCL but this was as good as we could have got. Monaco last season were full of stars but they have since lost the likes of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez and should not give the Gunners too many problems.

Struggling in the French Ligue 1 and with Dimitar Berbatov their top scorer with just four goals, Monaco should not be able to cope with the likes of Alexis, Giroud, Ozil and Ramsey and it really is looking good for Arsenal to progress at least a little further in Europe this season.

Who knows, if we are on a roll by then anve a better looking injury list, could the Gunners go all the way?

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71 Comments

    1. Dear Universe,

      I want to sincerely thank you for the huge favour, I’m very grateful for the UEFA Champions’ League draw; with your help we’ve been drawn against Monaco (a side that poses little or no threat at all).

      Now, I want to make one final request (this might be very difficult for you but I do hope you won’t mind): please touch the stony heart of Arsene Wenger and make him do the right things from henceforth. He is a terribly stubborn and very enlightened ignorant man, but just ignore his shortcomings. I hope he changes for good, but if the stone cannot be turned into bread then let it be thrown away.

      Yours colossaly,

      KickAssFan

      1. May i remind you Monaco beat us at home in Emirates cup. Yes, it’s a good draw but please don’t say it “little or no threat at all”. It’s even harder than to win Anderlecht.

        1. May i remind you that Falcao doesnt play for Monaco this season. I dont think they have the option to recall him, altough he would be eligible to play cuz Manure aint playing CL.

          I think we have a big chance of winning. We should win at home 2/3-0 and at Monaco we shouldnt be attacking too much and we should control the game

    2. Whilst drawing Monaco is a far better prospect then the likes of Bayern, Real or Barcelona, they are still no push overs. They’ve conceded just the 1 goal in the CL group stages, they have a mean looking defence. Luckily for us that tough look doesn’t quite translate to them scoring many goals, but we still shouldn’t underestimate them in that department, Berbatov could come back to haunt us (sarcasm).

      People have gone on about how it doesn’t matter who we face in the first knockout stage because eventually you will have to face the best… but getting through a round can act as a catalyst and boost a player’s morale. If we can get through to the Semi’s of CL, retain the FA cup and come 3rd in the PL – I’d consider that an improvement. Borussia on the other hand got Juventus… maybe it was just as well we came second.

    3. I guess we are supposed to be a big team right!
      however much Monaco would do for us at that stage, what happens next????
      Are we going to face the same team again?
      Man we need to get to those levels of being feared and not the other way round.
      Because we have more chances of meeting barca, madrid, bayern. atletico or even chelsea….shall we still be excited???????????????????

    4. Round of 16
      Arsenal vs Monaco

      QF
      Arsenal vs Porto
      SM
      Arsenal vs A. Madrid
      Finals
      Arsenal vs R. Madrid
      You know what? There is no team which ever won back to back UCL and this year is no different.

  1. Great draw and we should certainly now expect to reach the next round. Decent premier run, no fcuk ups in the fa cup and all is to play for again this season. COYG’s!!!!!

  2. I went to a chelsea forum just to troll them on the Ucl draw
    But I swear to god they are more happy than we are

    Only 1-2 moaners here and there otherwise all of them happy with PSG

    Why?

    1. Actually you are right and am surprised at how so many think Chelsea will bowl down to PSG.

      Personally I would have preferred Chelsea to draw Juve as there more technically harder to beat. PSG have looked lost in most games this season and Chelsea struggles against a good defensive team, physical and can hit on the break. PSG will be a good contest though, and I suspect this will be low scoring match.

      Ofcourse I might be wrong!!!

    2. Just their way of pretending everything is fine, more like the calm before the storm. PSG on paper are the most difficult and would have topped most of the other groups.

    3. I’d suspect a large proportion of those so called ‘happy’ fans are delighted to see the face of Sideshow Bob once more, a ‘legend’ of theirs if you will.

    4. because they knew they have a fighting team with a fighting manager, so they’ll be as happy even if its Madrid they draw.
      what can you say about Arsenal: we’re happy because so far this season Monaco are as shitty as we’re but still more dangerous as their league stat against ours suggests.
      My only prayer is something should touch Wenger’s heart and reduce his stubbornness in the transfer market if not, fatigue alone is going to ruin our season squarely.

  3. No sure why you are celebrating ‘YES!’ like some shit supporter. You want to go to the quarter finals and get knocked out and you’ll be happy? We will face the big boys regardless so it doesn’t matter whether it is in the ro16 or qf’s. Anyway, we better thrash Monaco home and away since they are the worst side we could’ve gotten (Only scored 4 goals this season LOL).

    1. UCL is the tournament only mega rich win. Check last 10 years winners.

      And drawing againsg Monaco gets us a step closer and break the monotonous “February ends our hopes.”

      This draw gives us belief and hope thag it may be “that” year.

      With all our injuried players slowly coming back and we have a shot with some luck. So i encourage you to cheer as well.

      1. I look at our injury list and I feel optimistic. Look at the quality of the players who are out. With them back and no further injuries (especially Sanchez), we should be able to have a very strong run towards the end of the season. At the minimum 3rd place in PL,FA cup and quarter finals at the UCL

  4. I don’t want to jump the gun here, but hypothetically, if we do beat Monaco and go through, is there a way to predict who we might play in the next round? The winner of Basel vs Porto would be ideal!

    1. Haha I suppose I’m being slightly optimistic… But hey, it can’t hurt to hope!
      I was actually expecting to draw Bayern, just so that I wouldn’t be disappointed if we did!

  5. PSG 3 vs Chelsea 1
    City 2 vs Barca 1
    Leverkusen 1 vs Atletico 2
    Juve 3 vs BVB 1
    Schalke 1 vs Real 5
    Shakhtar 1 vs Bayern 3
    Arsenal 3 vs Monaco 1
    Basel 0 vs Porto 2

    COYG

      1. Its football mate, you never know. I might be wrong on the score line but mind you those are first leg predictions only, over the 2 match’s I don’t know.

        Anyway JDodge my brother I challenge you to a bet on this day 15 – 12 – 2014 that PSG will qualify ahead of Chelsea. Are you in mate?

        And guys why just thumb down without you guiding me, put up your predictions too. Would love to see your views.

          1. Great stuff. We have enough witnesses out here. If the universe allows us to meet someday whoever wins deserves a pint and a show around our home city’s, am in Lusaka by the way, fancy a visit.

      1. And you were just saying earlier that we have run out of luck and we will never draw porto/basel! Looks who’s the optimist now! haha

  6. Good draw but let’s not get complacent. A lower opposition means greater expectations, and didn’t we lose to Monaco in the Emirates Cup after a pathetic display?

    Let’s focus on spanking Poopers now.

      1. And that wish would be a CB/DM and a team determined and committed to go all the way to the CL final.

  7. Our attacking players will need to step up their game, Monaco received only 1 GOAL! They did have a kind, but solid group, nevertheless they’re no cupcake. They also only scored 4, so we can tell they will try to go for a 0-0. We should defeat them, but not take them for granted. And you know what? If we go through, I would LOVE Chelsea! I despise them so much, and even if we’ll probably get knocked out, eliminating them would be a fantastic feeling. But oh well, that’s just me loving a little electricity on games. Realistically would love the kindest draws, but CL is about beating the big teams.

  8. Dear Universe,

    I want to sincerely thank you for the huge favour, I’m very grateful for the UEFA Champions’ League draw; with your help we’ve been drawn against Monaco (a side that poses little or no threat at all).

    Now, I want to make one final request (this might be very difficult for you but I do hope you won’t mind): please touch the stony heart of Arsene Wenger and make him do the right things from henceforth. He is a terribly stubborn and very enlightened ignorant man, but just ignore his shortcomings. I hope he changes for good, but if the stone cannot be turned into bread then let it be thrown away.

    Yours colossaly,

    KickAssFan

  9. Give him a break, a man can dream. I’ll be happy for City to go through but I want to see Chelsea get thrashed.

  10. That last comment makes no sense, it was meant to be a reply to JDodge at 11:42. Chelsea probably won’t lose but I for one will be hoping that they do.

  11. If they play like they did on Saturday they can match anyone although you wouldn’t say they were solid at the back. One player short of world beaters. Here’s a stat, Giroud has scored a goal every 82mins that he’s played in the EPL this season and only Aguero has a better record. Wellbeck not so good, just 3 goals but he’s settling in. Point is that Giroud is a much better finisher than Wellbeck and having him back will make a huge difference. He’s also not played 90 minutes this season so he’s never been fully fit.

      1. Good for OG to be back though he has no impact on the Monaco game, his not eligible to play in the CL. Hope Theo is so he helps out Welbeck and the crew.

        1. Not true, 2 changes are permitted for the knockout stages which is why he was left out of the original squad.

            1. Small correction, actually it’s three changes, one of which may have been registered for a UEFA competition by another club previously that season.

  12. Yep, let us consider this an easy win and a no threat fixture because them being group winners vs us, a group runner-up, is a foregone conclusion.

    Monaco are a stronger side than Anderlecht who held us to a draw, Swansea and Southampton who knocked us out another cup.

    Wenger is not delighted with the draw because he considers them easy, it is because he managed Monaco.

  13. Yes. If we fans are delighted with the draw, the players too should. If there will be no complacancy on the part of, first, Wenger (by fielding favourite players instead of inform players) and also the players, we should be through to the next round. Then anything can happen as most of our players injured will be back. I prefer being 5th on the table in January and 1st in the last week of May unlike last season topping the (PL) table longer than the first two teams at the last day and yet coming 4th. This season could be different in the fronts (PL & CL). I will believe till the end irrespective of Wenger’s irresponsibility (he may not buy a CB and DM which even Sp*d fans know we need this January). Arsenal is my team.

    1. You say “we” but you speak like a Chelsea fan. Fans like you might as well be supporting the opposition.

  14. be careful what you wish for boys , there are many banana skins on the wway to the final of the champions league .

  15. Thank God am finally back after a whole one and half season unable to access my account. i was about to hunt for Bob’s head! missed the conversation, was tired of reading and not commenting. All i can say about this draw, cant wait to see Walcott, Ozil and Alexix play together, i predict this will be the game…….

  16. Hooray! A good draw for once! Let’s not mess this up now. Play them like they are Bayern Munich, give it our all, and I think we can get by them. I don’t like taking teams lightly at this point in the competition because you never know what can happen. We are favorites though for once, so let’s progress. COYG

  17. We got Atletico Madrid for Youth League in case anyone was wondering.

    Anyways, happy we got Monaco, but its bad to underestimate any team at this point. If we dont give 100% we’ll struggle to get through. We’re favorites though, so lets do this and finally get back to quarter-finals COYG!

  18. We have been extremely lucky
    Wenger MUST take advantage of that and put out a sensible squad. No Ozil on the left business or Monreal as CB, etc. Just put out our best players available in the correct positions. That isn’t really a lot to ask.

    If everyone is available

    ………………….Podolski
    Walcott………….Ozil………….Sanchez
    …………Arteta……..Ramsey
    Debuchy….Mertsacker…Koscielny…Gibbs
    …………………..Szczesny

  19. Finally a refreshing breath of luck . I sincerely believe a full strength Arsenal squad can progress to the quarter finals. I can now dream of semi finals in CL this season.

  20. Can imagine the smile on Wenger’s face today…………………………………….
    Wenger be like,,,, I told you, toping your group does not always guarantee a favourable draw..
    Look what Dortmund got…..
    Thank God we drew a Monarch…. Wenger stop being stubborn,,, this is our chance…..

  21. If we can manage to have a full squad we can compete with any team in Europe. So, here’s to hoping 2015 will field the best XI we have to offer as a club.

  22. Just reading the comments…
    It seems that we have already qualified even before playing the game…!!!

    I know it is Monaco, but you should better… Forgot about the 3-0 against Anderlecht??
    (or even Bradford in the cup with a full squad??)

    You guys should be very careful.

    We did not get Bayern M or Real Madrid (it would have been over before even started), but I would advise extreme caution…

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