CL: Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal | Wed 4th Nov 19.45

[bojed]

What's wrong with letting our 2nd string play in the Europa league? Just treat it as the european version of the league cup our youngsters and fringe players need game time.

And that's why I said I don't mind us winning the Europa League.

We've witnessed promising/decent fringe players emerging from our previous Mickey Cup runs. Who knows what talent we're going to see at a stage a level above.

 

[kopzilla]

I've come to the conclusion that I'm cursed.


If there was any doubt before, then it's solidified now.

Its actually fun not watching the game live and follow posts on the thread instead...it like you are "watching" the game in a bar with your mates....an e-bar if you like

 

[Balance is key]

won 638 euros on us loosing today - it still hurts

 

[kopzilla]

We will have to blow really hard to knock the Olympiakos wall down...They'll sit back, waste time...play on the counter....in general frustrate us knowing that a draw will put them through....really tough ask..

We would need to be at the top of our game and our injury situation has to improve...

I don't see us doing that...no shame in playing in Europa....Utd,Liverpool, Chelsea have all been knocked out in the group stages in the CL before...

 

[Rain Dance]

We will have to blow really hard to knock the Olympiakos wall down...They'll sit back, waste time...play on the counter....in general frustrate us knowing that a draw will put them through....really tough ask..

We would need to be at the top of our game and our injury situation has to improve...

I don't see us doing that...no shame in playing in Europa....Utd,Liverpool, Chelsea have all been knocked out in the group stages in the CL before...

or Bayern may stage a draw with Olympiacos and kick us out next CL week

 

[vantoure]

Don't feel as bad as I usually do after a loss for this.

I just felt bellerin's injury was one too many, for me a bigger loss than Walcott, as it was going to destabilize our defense n we were going to lose a trick in attack as well.

Seeing koscielny out, I just laughed wryly. The first 2 goals couldn't have reflected the absences in defence more.

Yet for all that I might be in the minority, but I feel the scoreline exaggerates the Gulf on the day. I don't think that was a 5-1 game

 

[BobP]

Would do anything to not have to play in the Europa League.

 

[Jasard]

And that's why I said I don't mind us winning the Europa League.

We've witnessed promising/decent fringe players emerging from our previous Mickey Cup runs. Who knows what talent we're going to see at a stage a level above.

As I said, you can't rotate the full 11 - we dont have a squad of players that are not involved in the league campaign. So we'd be risking players for that from the first team and almost certainly ruining our chance of winning the league as the games are on Thursday.

 

[Clrnc]

Totally don't mind us playing Europa League. By the time, Welbeck, Rosicky, Wilshere and all will be back and we can have a strong 2nd team for those games. I want us to win that.

Of course the priority is to get through to the KO stages though. Bayern will definitely want to win against Olympiacos to secure top spot.

Not too fussed about this result. Of course the irritating thing is we had many chances to score and the scoreline was a bit harsh. Only players to come out of this with their heads high is Monreal, Coquelin and Giroud.

Bellerin won't be fit against Sp**s so Debuchy hopefully puts in a much better performance. His attitude in this match wasn't as bad as it was against those no hopers, thought he was slightly better in possession and in overlapping support but defensively he was horrific.

 

[Trilly]

To the person who said hopefully
Wenger gets a wake up call. He gets at least one wake up call a season so I'm not sure about this one .

I used to think we were really unlucky but in a way it boils down to poor squad management. I have no problem with keeping talented injury prone players but when your subs and reserves are injury prone you have a big big problem.

We have arteta and rozza year extensions...what have they contributed?

 

[bingobob]

Wenger needs to wake the **** up and clear all the deadwood NOW. We have a very strong 1st team but what's behind that is not top class.

I don't disagree with the sentiment but that team that was playing last night competes with almost any other team outside of the top five in Europe.

We do however need to address the elephant in the room and that is injuries and how we carry so many people that do not contribute. Wilshere and Welbeck between them will have missed 22 league or nearly 2/3 rds of the season. Throw in Arteta and Rosicky it exceeds a whole season of simultaneous injuries. That puts serious pressure on the remaining players not to get injured. As we are seeing now with three short term injuries, all of which are simultaneous as well, it depletes the whole squad and weakens it, realistically if Ramsey, Welbeck or Wilshere were fit it makes Debuchys job a bit easier last night.

We had our second choice right back with our fifth choice winger ahead of him and a third choice cb beside him and a second choice striker up front. Against big teams it's just not feasible to get away with having huge jumps in quality and experience.

 

[vantoure]

Seeing as we are not new to injuries, it's hard to call them unlucky.

However, at the same time consider how Ramsey, ox, n Theo al went down within days of each other, it's beyond ludicrous. I don't think there's anyway for budgeting for those. All on the same wing.

I also think it was the attempt at squad management that got us into this difficult situation in the cl.

 

[Le Professeur]

Lads & lasses-don't fret over this game. It was a dead rubber. The only thing that was important was that we took 3 pts from Bayern over the 2 legs. We played them tonight with a hand tied behind our back. Yes they were good but a team that's extremely vulnerable on the break got a huge let off because we had ZERO pace up front.

A couple things.

1. Campbell is a Goner-no pace and will not make it despite ANYTHING Wenger says.

2. Debuchy is a Goner also-he's a busted flush

3. This team is still good enough to dismantle Sp*rs.

4. Sanchez needs a rest badly!

5. Özil is on fire..........

6. If Wenger serious about the CL, then he got a wake up call tonight. Sort out the injuries or flesh out the squad. The team is at it's bare minimum right now.

Wenger has a choice right now. Is he goinmg to stop ****ing around or get serious about winning major titles. We will not win titles with 9 senior players in the sick bay-unless your squad is sufficiently deep which we aren't.

Wenger needs to wake the **** up and clear all the deadwood NOW. We have a very strong 1st team but what's behind that is not top class.

Exactly what I was left thinking yesterday night.

Get Arteta, Flamini, Rosicky et al. out in summer and get some capable, reliable back-ups in, who don't get injured by sitting on the bench.

Then there's still Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshere, Welbeck... Will they ever be reliable? So many potential there, but can't ever count on 'em when it matters. Need to look at that, if we ever want to make a chance again.

Sigh.

Apparently Rio Ferdinand was wondering on BT yesterday whether our "hard training pitches" could have anything to do with it. One thing's for sure, something is still very much wrong.

 

[Jamrock]

We looked clueless in that first half.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

oh well we got so destroyed last night i expected us to lose but not by 5 goals i think without Kosh and Bellerin it make it easier for Bayern. Oh well just focus of beating the **** now.

 

[Jasard]

Bleh, anyone happy with Europa is bonkers. Living in a dream world where injuries don't happen and all our current injured players will be back without re-occurrence, and somehow imagine we have greater depth than we do. You will all go mental if we do end up in it and our players get either injured or far too tired to compete in the league.

No doubt you would have to sacrifice the league with our injury and fitness record if you want to win the Europa bloody cup. How times have changed...

 

[Rimaal]

Wilshere, Welbeck, Arteta, Flamini & Rosicky should all be sold. New players should be brought in starting January. If we're ever to contend for titles, a certain amount of ruthlessness is required.

 

[Jasard]

By the way, the blue kit is a shambles. Wouldn't surprise me if it put the players at a mental disadvantage having to wear that ****e.

 

[Rimaal]

By the way, the blue kit is a shambles. Wouldn't surprise with if it put the players at a mental disadvantage having to wear that ****e.

Awww but I love the blue kit. Makes our players look really fit, and by fit I mean hot.

 

[tap-in]

For those of you suggesting we simply play our 2nd 11 in the Europa to give them some experience, and keep our key players fit for the PL. Well you can think again!

Article 6 Duties of the clubs 6.01 On entering the competition, participating clubs agree:

a. to play in the competition until their elimination and to field their strongest team throughout the competition;

b. to stage and play all matches in the competition in accordance with the present regulations;