UCL – Arsenal vs AC Milan – 7:45pm – 06/03/12 - SS2

[halfvolley]

Third match day in a row that the site has gone down. I call shenanigans!

What a performance - the first half was absolutely legendary. I'm not even dissapointed today, just feel proud of the team, the manager, the players and for the second home game in a row - The Grove. It sounded like Highbury again!

Everyone looked dead on their feet in the last 20, and it became apparent that it would take a miracle to get that last goal, let alone another one after that.

When Wenger had to resort to Chamakh and Park, you just knew for sure we'd had our fun already.

 

[halfvolley]

Theo was as thick as rock too in attack.

Ox had ONE run at their wotless LB and got close enough to him to force a pen. Theo kept running away from him and simply had no craft or clue how to exploit a defender that was on his ******* knees begging to be bummed.

I thougth Theo looked dangerous and pumped in the first half. I also noticed him pressing like crazy and constantly hussling for the ball - very refreshing!

However, I lost count of the times he (this is Theo who cannot pull off a 1 on 1 at the best of times) cut in to the left outside box, often diagonally backwards, and running into a dead end of 4 Milan defenders. Why keep making decisions like that? He doesn't even have a left foot! Just run the ****ing ball down to the line and look for someone in front of goal, how hard can it be?

 

[Arsenal_Soldier]

Lack of options from the bench hurt us, can't fault the effort of the players and the fans, they played with a pride and passion that encapsulate our club.

Special mentions to the Ox and Rosicky.

With regards to the site being down these last 3 games, it's been a bit of a good luck charm!

 

[fabo]

The subs unbalanced the whole side - just shows that bringing on loads of strikers can be counter-productive at times. Not that Wenger could do much, we had little choice really.

I'm not asking for Cavani as a Robin back-up, can we at least have a half-decent forward on the bench, someone who can shoot and wants to score goals. The bench really killed us last night.

 

[fabo]

Goal.com ( ) gave TV an 8 and Koscielny a 7. I personally thought TV was shaky as hell again, and that Koscielny carried him at times.

 

[1macca1]

Very proud of the team. Finishing the season on a high, as we are looking to do, and finishing it on a low, as we have done in previous seasons, makes all the difference, even if the end result is the same (fourth place, no trophy). I want to see the team raring to go next season.

I thought the defence was magnificent. People underestimate just how easy Szczensy made everything look. Having someone who dominates their area like he does is such a bonus, and the centre-halves were rock solid. Sagna was decent, and I've got to say I don't get the Gibbs hate. He was solid enough, and he'll improve.

However, we've been shown up by a lack of attacking options off the bench. Chamakh and Park really are completely useless. That needs to be recitified as soon as possible. Gervinho isn't good enough to start yet for me, but I think he'll get better.

His positioning was absolutely terrible throughout the entire match, I thought Vermaelen did a good job covering him but Milan's best chances came from our left (El Shaarawy and cross for Nocerino's chance).

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

gibbs at first half he was no good at 2nd half he was not bad, but he need to work more.

really we needed arshavin yesterday our bench was really awful chamakh and park cant offer f**king nothing.

 

[AFCG7]

We badly missed a midfielder in the last 20 minutes. Our injury situation is so terrible.. despite us slagging off Arshavin i would have been more confident with him coming on on 75 minutes than Chamakh or Park.

 

[dysphoria]

did anyone else notice that one of the seats in our dugout looked like it had puke on it? Think it was the seat behind pat rice's, anyone know what that was about?

 

[Hunta]

Goal.com ( ) gave TV an 8 and Koscielny a 7. I personally thought TV was shaky as hell again, and that Koscielny carried him at times.

Koscielny if a different animal in the CL. Even in the 0-4 at the San Siro he was our best player, he thrives in big games, against the best.

 

[Beksl]

did anyone else notice that one of the seats in our dugout looked like it had puke on it? Think it was the seat behind pat rice's, anyone know what that was about?

I thought someone spilled his coffee.

 

[KY]

I kept wondering why Ozyakup didn't come on instead of Chamakh. Despite never seeing him play, I still think he would have been a better, more mobile option than Chamakh. Will help strengthen our midfield, as that was where we were struggling to keep possession.

 

[Airknight]

I kept wondering why Ozyakup didn't come on instead of Chamakh. Despite never seeing him play, I still think he would have been a better, more mobile option than Chamakh. Will help strengthen our midfield, as that was where we were struggling to keep possession.

Wenger would never do that, and it's perfectly understandable, given it's too much pressure for him and might destroy his confidence if he doesn't perform.

That's why we missed Arshavin, an experienced option in midfield.

 

[Anzac]

Pleased with the response from the team although that in it's self raises other questions that I won't persue here.

Also a great response from the crowd = why can't it be like that for any & every match?

 

[David Smith]

I kept wondering why Ozyakup didn't come on instead of Chamakh. Despite never seeing him play, I still think he would have been a better, more mobile option than Chamakh. Will help strengthen our midfield, as that was where we were struggling to keep possession.

Wenger would never do that, and it's perfectly understandable, given it's too much pressure for him and might destroy his confidence if he doesn't perform.

That's why we missed Arshavin, an experienced option in midfield.

It's easy to point to Arshavin but we had all of Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Diaby, Benayoun injured. Arshavin is as forgone as any one of them.

 

[Spork]

Did anyone else see for Kos' goal how Gervhead and Song (Awesome new hair cut) lead the defenders away from the near post, which gave Kos heaps of space to run into so he could head the ball? The only defender left there ( don't know much about AC Milan ) didn't know what to do as he looked overwhelmed with what he needed to be doing.

 

[awooga83]

Great response from the team and a good result for restoring pride. However I am tinged with regret that we didn't get more them that as the tie was there to be won and having gone 3-0 up by half time I felt we would have given a better offensive display. The thing that would worry me is this is symptomatic of us the last 5 years. Come from a place of low expectation, get into a fantastic position but lack that little bit of something to finish the job. We need that extra investment for another 2-3 big players but we have for a while. Anyway still a great night for Arsenal.

 

[Muharraqawi]

Goal.com ( ) gave TV an 8 and Koscielny a 7. I personally thought TV was shaky as hell again, and that Koscielny carried him at times.

Vermaelen was shaky?? No way in hell. Thought that both of them were absolutely outstanding, Vermaelen took care of everything that came to his side, not to mention the countless, countless times he intercepted the ball and started a counter attack for us. I really don't get all the hate he's been getting recently, he was rock solid in the Liverpool game and yet no one even mentioned anything about him while everyone blamed him for the first goal at Sp**s when the likes of Song and Gibbs switched off.

 

[dreamLord]

2. Seeing this performance, im finding it hard to fathom how unrecognisable it is from virtually the rest of the season. I have no doubt in my mind that more could achieve this season. Look how solid we were defensively, wenger need to fox the hell up

We were not solid defensively, and we never will be under Wenger. Admittedly we were going for the goals, so I'm not complaining.

 

[mistaT]

Couple thoughts after re-watching the game:

1) Loved seeing us attack right from the first kick off as it really helped set the tone.

2) Koscielny's goal was definitely a set play the team had worked on or at least communicated. Loved that Ox could get the delivery right for it too.

3) Its rare we need to attack this aggressively but in such situations Sagna isn't good enough. I love him, and am more then happy to have him as our starter but seriously the likes of Eboue could really have helped us last night.

4) Criminal of Song not to pass to Rosciky or Park at the end, but ultimately it was too late for one last salvo

5) Our lack of a bench ensured we couldn't win this - had we brought Arshavin/Ramsey/Diaby on at the 60th minute I really think we would have got a lift and won the game.

6) Ozykaup - booting from nerves or being sick like Ox