Arsenal Vs Barcelona (CL 1st leg)

Oxlade should leave in the summer, his time is up.

Wenger:
on a lack of composure in front of goal…

We had an unbelievable chance in the first half. The way we finished our chances today is a problem because I felt that we missed something in the final third.

Yea we missed something, like WC striker.

We played as I expected tbh, this is the best attacking trident I've ever watched in nearly 30 years of football. Obviously we had our chance and missed so did they, I guess it's time to focus 100% on the league now.

Tbf I figured that Coquelin was spent and he trusted a senior player like Flamini to have the lungs and ability to get up and down the pitch in the final minutes. And this is fair--he runs about a fair bit and near the end you lot had to push for a goal and you were most vulnerable in transition against MSN (unsurprisingly). Wenger must have thought as well that Flamini is mature enough he wouldn't mess anything up, I think Jay had made this point and I agree.

Now, why play Flamini over Elneny I have no idea...for that I look at the previous point of seniority but idk. But I can see the logic in putting in Flamini, nor do I think it's outrageous.

I should also point out that I do think Mertesacker is more at fault for the penalty than Flamini, as well.

Edit: also someone laughed at me for saying I would start Welbeck over Giroud any day of the week...am I the only one with that opinion?

I've always rated Welbeck higher than most I think, but I personally think he offers far more than Giroud. Perhaps I'm in the minority

I'm not upset with Wenger for putting Flamini in. In retrospect, it was a move that made sense but think about it; Flamini is still coming on to secure a low-scoring loss in the Champions League against Barcelona. A player who has been past it for far too long is not the one you should be turning to in that kind of situation against one of the best attacking trios in recent memory.

Granted, he didn't FUBAR it all by himself but the end result is the same. He comes on, before Coquelin's ass touches the bench Barcelona have a penalty courtesy of some boneheaded football. Had we forced Flamini out and actually invested in a DM like I, and many other Gooners, was dying for then maybe, just maybe, we'd be in a different situation right now.

I'm not scapegoating the guy. He had some decent performances in Coquelin's absence and his brace against Spurs was both hilarious and awesome but that's his ceiling; decent. And when he's on the pitch he's far more capable of causing damage than limiting it. He's a classic case of a player whose mind is sharper and quicker than his body is and that's been the case for quite a while (mistiming countless tackles, getting muscled off the ball by players he really shouldn't be ie Eriksen).

CBarca wrote:
Edit: also someone laughed at me for saying I would start Welbeck over Giroud any day of the week...am I the only one with that opinion?

I've always rated Welbeck higher than most I think, but I personally think he offers far more than Giroud. Perhaps I'm in the minority

You are not.. He's only just returning from a lenghty lay off, so I can understand why he didn't start..

CBarca wrote:
Edit: also someone laughed at me for saying I would start Welbeck over Giroud any day of the week...am I the only one with that opinion?

I've always rated Welbeck higher than most I think, but I personally think he offers far more than Giroud. Perhaps I'm in the minority

No
http://www.goallegacy.net/t36472p180-danny-welbeck-gunner-galactico#1488132

should start 2nd Leg

What should be learned from the game is to what level we have to be in order to be competing again.


Ramsey miss Twice or thrice i think
Oxlade wonder-miss
Mertesacker's assist attempt
Flamini's reflexes of a buffalo

In these kind of matches you have to convert half chances into goals, we converted open chances into half chances.

also why was Elneny left out?? ok hes not ready for PL (physicality and stuff), wasnt he playing regular CL with Benfica?

Didn't read any of the post match comments in this thread but I personally think we played really well. The main difference of course was just so evident at the end. They are lethal in front of goal, we are not.

So this just came out! Oxlade has suffered knee ligament and ankle damage.

I just dont understand why Wenger brought him on in the second half...only mad man Wenger can do this.
The usual Arsenal...one player coming back 2 going...this never ends.

Why does the mad man keeps playing players when they get injured?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3462756/Arsenal-midfielder-Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain-facing-Euro-2016-heartache-suffering-double-injury-blow-Barcelona-defeat.html

Why all the animosity.. I thought losing to Barca is a privilege or some shite?

Peccadillo wrote:Why all the animosity.. I thought losing to Barca is a privilege or some shite?

It is to Wenger, who was happy with losing 1-0 and brought on super-sub to finish the game off.

Sick of this loser mentality Wenger has.