UCL: Arsenal v AS Monaco - 25/2/15, 19:45 - SS5

[stiiphunn]

However, amongst all the ire & angst, hats off to Jardim & Monaco who exposed Wenger & his team and highlighted to the world, yet again, what a naive & unintelligent (footballistically speaking) team Arsenal are.

Meh... We had about 10 clear-cut chances, couldn't take any of 'em, whilst they had about 3 and took nearly all of them. Literally EVERYTHING went for them, and nothing went for us at all. As bad as we were, that same game could've ended 5-1 on another day. Terribly harsh result.

That said, you have to wonder why we collapsed like that after the first few minutes, and were so unrecognisably bad for the rest of the game. Like watching another team. Sad thing is this has been happening at least a few times for a good few years in a row now, usually in the CL as well. Pretty sickening, and Wenger has to take blame for this.

Continuing the pattern of the last few years, we'll probably go on to dominate and win 0-2 in Monaco, search fruitlessly for that third goal during the last half hour and go out in admirable fashion again.

Little to do with Monaco, we just beat ourselves again.

Good points. I'm not sure why but I quickly watched the first half again, and we were actually pretty good in the first 15 minutes. Good passing, good movement - it was pretty promising...

Anyway, although Wenger is ultimately responsible for this, I'm still amazed by how naïve our team can be sometimes. Players aren't 10-year olds that can't think for themselves - most of the players out there on Wed night were very experienced. It's not like they need Wenger, Bould or whoever to hold their hands once they're on the pitch. But despite all this experience, they keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Everybody knew before the match that Monaco were going to hit us on the counter - it was no secret. Wenger said so in his pre-match press conference, it was mentioned on this board, etc. But our players somehow forgot that when they let their emotions take the better of them. If it were the first time, I'd understand, but this happened so many times - it's mind blowing.

 

[Rex Stone]

I wonder if we do scenarios in training at all, I remember reading that Ferguson was especially keen on doing it with United. They'd come up with game plans for when they were trailing by different numbers of goals or depending on how late in the game it was. Something like the 2 minute drill in NFL.

Once the first goal went in it was like the air was sucked out the stadium, players started panicking and sending everyone forward. Bellerin admitted as much in his interview today which is on the club site. Similar thing happened in the Utd game as well. Conceding a goal in the first half of the first leg isn't a disaster, if you plan for it you can overcome it.

 

[redanddread]

For a so called "big" team, our in game management is awful! We're an attack-centric team that haven't shown the nous to overcome difficult circumstances and withstand pressure.

You often feel that the teams is at it's most comfortable when going balls out trying to rescue a bad situation, until that situation gets worse as happened on Wednesday, then they regroup and go balls out again. The return leg in Monaco is an ideal scenario for this team because they have nowt to lose-they have to go all out.

They have shown ZERO ability to manage tight games and being all intelligent guys (on the whole) with a wealth of experience at the highest level of football, I can only assume the manager has not been able to foster the right approach within the team, to manage these types matches.

There are just far too many instances of complete mismanagement of in game situations for me to think that it's anybody's fault other than the manager's.

Example #1:

Palace (a) - Palace score with less than 2 minutes of injury time remaining. Yet within 90 seconds they manage to fashion a clear cut chance to almost snatch an improbable equalizer.

fast forward 4 days later

Monaco (h) - Arsenal score an injury time goal, to cut the deficit to one goal, however (and here's the BIG difference), in the remaining 3 minutes we manage to give the ball away TWICE (Rosicky & The OX), not have a shot on goal and conceded the killer 3rd.

Flash back to Bayern away- we miraculously get get back into the tie when Koz scores to make it 2-0 and 3-3 on aggregate. Soon after we get a freekick in a promising situation and Arteta pummels it straight out of play for a Bayern goal kick. Bayern then hold onto the ball and run down the remaining 5+ minutes. After that 2nd goal we don't have another shot on goal.

Think of Swansea at home last season for another example of how they ballsed it up at the end after getting back into the game.

This team has little idea in how to manage a tight game to a positive conclusion and it ain't the players fault.

 

[Jasard]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.foxsportsla.com/videos/405536323977-alexis-sanchez-en-river-se-divertian-con-mi-acento" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.foxsportsla.com/videos/40553 ... -mi-acento</a>

FS: Alexis, what happened on Wednesday against Monaco? What does the team have to do to make a comeback in this tier which now seems to be more uphill than ever?
AS: What I saw on Wednesday is that maybe we went into the pitch feeling too relaxed, too confident, and I think that it took its toll. Before the game we didn't have that winning mentality, of going for the match

Also Per came out with his usual bull **** excuses interview after the game. I wish he would shut the **** up.

 

[redanddread]

http://www.foxsportsla.com/videos/405536323977-alexis-sanchez-en-river-se-divertian-con-mi-acento" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

FS: Alexis, what happened on Wednesday against Monaco? What does the team have to do to make a comeback in this tier which now seems to be more uphill than ever?
AS: What I saw on Wednesday is that maybe we went into the pitch feeling too relaxed, too confident, and I think that it took its toll. Before the game we didn't have that winning mentality, of going for the match

Also Per came out with his usual bull **** excuses interview after the game. I wish he would shut the **** up.

What BS is this. If this was the 1st time I'd have heard that lame ass explanation I might be shocked but I hear the C(omplacency) word after every unexpected defeat........utter BS!

If the manger can't get his team in the right frame of mind for a BIG European fixture then he's not worth the money the club's paying him.

 

[celestis]

Thing is redanddread I actually do believe him . Alexis that is , everytime things start to pick up they do seem to get complacent . Was reflected in the suicidal defending too .

 

[Anzac]

I think it's a different sort of complacency, one born from the easy confidence that comes from having faith in what you do and endorsed by the ease with which you are initially able to execute.
In other words because we were able to open them up early it is easy for us not to worry about those missed early opportunities - until we go behind.

Far too often we have good early opportunities to take a lead but it's almost too easy to create them so we lack any urgency to convert them. The usual imposing our game scenario.

I'd like to know how many games we spurn one or more genuine scoring chances inside the area (as per our game plan), before the opposition score - even more so in the key games against top opposition.

 

[celestis]

Yes I agree . Have seen it plenty of times .

 

[Hunta]

Can't even look at any French football after this, feel ashamed.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

The bottom line is we should have never conceded against their limited attack. Fullbacks and holding mids too high up the field.

Wenger failed us tactically, it's sad to say that maybe his time is over as I've always wanted him to turn it around.

 

[redanddread]

Yes I agree . Have seen it plenty of times .

I guess so.

I misinterpreted the C word then...

So the real issue is that team struggle to rectify the situation once things don't go to plan without opening our legs too wide and further worsening the situation a la UTD. at home & Monaco on Wednesday (to name but two)

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Not two ways about it Wednesday was an utter shambles. However, and I may be the only person on the planet still with any strain of belief yet, the tie isn't over yet. It was a very bad day at the office but we go into 2 and a half weeks time to a game knowing what we have to do and a game were we can't be going in with a complacent attitude that allowed us to be defeated like that. I'd rather wait for all the negativity after we're eliminated, Monaco know they aren't through yet that's why it's 180 minutes of football not 90. We'll just have to give everything and show the quality that for some reason we couldn't show on Wednesday in a few weeks time.

 

[Anzac]

Yes I agree . Have seen it plenty of times .

I guess so.

I misinterpreted the C word then...

So the real issue is that team struggle to rectify the situation once things don't go to plan without opening our legs too wide and further worsening the situation a la UTD. at home & Monaco on Wednesday (to name but two)

Because there is no actual plan to fall back upon let alone a plan B, when our 'plan' is to execute our basic tactical approach via intuitive play.

Our collapses are only to be expected when our intuitive play fails us. The response is to try harder at what our intuition tells us is the right thing to do, because we know nothing else we have little option to do anything else.

 

[Jury]

Monaco will be ****ting themselves and I wouldn't be surprised to see the lads give us hope by going 1, or even 2 goals up; that's because we flatter to deceive. Ultimately, though, when we have it in our hands, our near, we'll find a way of giving it back. We're capable of wining 3-0 or 3-1, but we've seen it all before when it comes down to it.

 

[a_fourteen]

I have no hope for the return fixture. It was the same situation against Milan and Munich. We messed up at the Emirates and then went all out in the away fixture and still couldn't get through. The round of 16 is as far as we can go in this tournament.

 

[Le Professeur]

Monaco will be ****ting themselves

Somehow I doubt that, they weren't exactly ****ting themselves at our gaff.

 

[GDeep™]

We're a funny team, from the ridiculous to sublime. I wouldn't be surprised if we go over to France and rip them apart.

Seen highlights of the PSG game, Monaco were giving away chances.

 

[clockwork orange]

I don't think Monaco will be ****ting themselves before kickoff, but we still do have a chance. We have 90 minutes to score 3 goals and every goal scored will make them a bit more doubtful/vulnerable. 1 goal around HT, 1 goal with 15 minutes to play and 1 at the end would do nicely.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

No chance, especially in case we get a bad result at Ot next Monday, which I've been expecting ever since the draw.

 

[Jury]

Monaco will be ****ting themselves

Somehow I doubt that, they weren't exactly ****ting themselves at our gaff.

Come on man, it doesn't take much thinking does it? They didn't come to the Emirates with a 3-1 2nd leg lead, did they? They'll be ****ting it alright. If Bayern ****ing Munich can sh!t their pants in a 2nd leg at home against us, then I reckon Monaco are capable of ****ting it too. Or are Monaco suddenly Real Madrid because we sh!t the bed against them last week? Of course, they'll be cool as cucumbers...