Monaco v Arsenal Preview

[SamuelJayC]

Monaco (3) v (1) Arsenal, Tuesday 17th April 7.45pm, Stade Louis II, Champions League Last 16 second leg

Arsenal know another 3-0 win will be good enough in Monaco

Gunners head to Monaco hoping for a miracle

"We can go there and create something special". Arsène Wenger was in optimistic mood ahead of Arsenal's flight to Monaco. Despite the humiliating 3-1 defeat at home to Leonardo Jardim's side three weeks ago, the Gunners boss is adamant the club can turn the tie around in the south of France. "We want to give everything to have the greatest performance on the pitch."

History is against Arsenal on Tuesday night, despite Wenger's side winning 8 of their last 9 Premier League games and 19 of their previous 24 games in all competitions. Monaco last conceded 3 goals at home four years ago and have yet to concede a home goal in the Champions League this season. "Of course Monaco have a very solid defence," Wenger told reporters on Monday night, "we will need to be very creative in an attacking sense."

Should Arsenal fail to defy the odds and reach the last eight of the European Cup for the first time in 5 years, then attentions will turn to the Premier League and FA Cup. Wenger was asked if he ever visited the casinos in Monte Carlo during his 7 years as Monaco boss: "No, I was too busy on the pitch!" A victory on Tuesday, though, might just tempt the 65-year old to a cheeky game of Roulette on the way back to London.

Team News

Arsenal

Debuchy (shoulder), Arteta (ankle) & Gnabry (knee) are all back in training but not match-fit, Wilshere (ankle), Diaby (calf) Chamberlain (hamstring) & Rosicky (ill) remain out. Gabriel is fit again.

Monaco

Carvalho & Toulalan, who missed the first leg, are back in the squad.

Arsenal subs: Szczesny Gabriel Chambers Gibbs Flamini Walcott Welbeck

[FRANTIC]

Monaco 2 Arsenal 4

Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[RealGunner]

Nothing much to say on this one.

It's either we go all out, try to make some sort of history and at least get some of our lost dignity back. Or we do nothing and just come back empty handed.

Team should be fired up. Emirates defeat was embarrassing. And Monaco is a small small chance, but it's not impossible. Anything can happen.

No need to get the hopes up, but believe in the team to achieve something impossible.

We are not expected to go through anyways.

[FRANTIC]

Come on you gooners.

[Raptorgunner]

Great work Sam.

I dont even care about this game, I wonder who we would face next round?

Arsenal 3 Monaco 0.

[Twoism]

we got this, sri has to take a flight to North Pole

[Sri]

FFS my employer has no business operations there (yet)

I will gladly take a flight for the team though

(I hate missing the games when I am flying though it is a necessary sacrifice :/ )

[RealGunner]

MiracleinMonaco trending worldwide lol

[Raptorgunner]

We got this, there is no other option.

Better believe.

[Sri]

Ohh you poor bastard, Rapzy. Stay safe m8.

[FRANTIC]

Arsenal hold the record for longest time in English top flight

Arsenal were the first team to play under flood lights.

Arsenal are the only team to win the Premier League unbeaten.

The list goes on. Come on Arsenal 2-4 tonight

[Sri]

I quite like FRANTIC's optimism, even though it borders on being naive

[Raptorgunner]

Ohh you poor bastard, Rapzy. Stay safe m8.

You guys kill me.

[Sri]

Don't have to.. The performance tonight will take care of that tbf imho tbh fwiw

[Raptorgunner]

Whats the worse could happen? even losing 3-1 away from home is a positive result.

[Amar]

I want to believe in a miracle as well, but once you keep hearing about Monaco's solid defensive and home record, it is realistically a very slim chance we go through. Even though I hope we do go all out attack, I just hope our PL form isn't impacted if we lose tonight.

Would like to see Welbeck start on the right instead of Theo...Monaco will surely be sitting deeper than normal and we all know how good Walcott is against deep lying defences

[Sri]

I'd actually go with what Arseblog wrote in his preview: Ramsey, Cazorla, Özil and Alexis in the 4 places ahead of Coquelin and behind Griroud.

We arent going to beat them with pace or counters. We have to break through them with guile and slick, accurate and incisive passes.

[Raptorgunner]

Hazard: "I have a friend - Carrasco over there [at Monaco] and I wish him the best. But for English football, I hope Arsenal go through."

[Raptorgunner]

You think Wenger will go with Giroud and Welbeck up front?

[El Gunner]

No one expects us to go through anyway after that abysmal first leg, so we might as just play with freedom and see what happens.

[Sri]

Highly doubt we'll switch formations for such a crucial game.

[Sri]

2h left.

[RealGunner]

[Sri]

Don't get your hopes high lads.. I am going to keep saying this to maintain some sanity..

I feel like a nervous wreck though. :/

[Hapless_Hans]

Don't get your hopes high lads.. I am going to keep saying this to maintain some sanity..

I feel like a nervous wreck though. :/

Good. What you could do to maintain sanity and help your team is to bet against me in the betting thread.

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