Back in early August Monaco arrived in North London and got a 1-0 win over Arsenal under their belt in the Emirates Cup.
Things have changed since then, obviously. Pre-season is no real time to make judgements about a team’s strengths and weaknesses, and the Monaco goalscorer that day, Falcao, is currently busy being a bit crap in Manchester.
It’s something Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim is well aware of, but although he’s cognisant that he’ll be a facing a much stronger home team this time around, he’s determined to guide his team into the Champions League quarter-finals.
“We beat them in pre-season,” he said, “but that was just a training game so we can’t draw too many conclusions; but we’d take the same result. Arsenal are a lot stronger now, though.
“Monaco have never been favourites and we still qualified top of our group. It’s the same here: nobody expects us to win but that shouldn’t stop us reaching the quarter-finals.
“Our strategy is to be solid and not allow Arsenal’s key attacking players to unbalance us.”
The Portuguese manager highlighted the improvement in Arsene Wenger’s squad too.
“Arsenal have developed a lot over the last couple of years and they’re a better side than they were two or three years ago. They have had some very strong attacking players come into the squad.”
Meanwhile, his counterpart played down suggestions that Arsenal were runaway favourites.
“I don’t know if we are favourites or not, for me it is a 50:50 game,” said Wenger.
“Every time we have been in there it was hard-earned wins. It is always a one-goal difference – you go out for one goal, you stay in for one goal and that means you have to work very hard.”
Looking forward to seeing Per outpacing Berbatov.
The guy looks like a low budget Bond villain.
There are only four posts, did you have to piggyback CB to get on top with that comment?
So…. Arjen Robben?
People are going to wonder if their TV has frozen! I for one can’t wait for that battle, it’ll truly show pace isn’t everything!
Get the first goal and Monaco could be in trouble, they don’t score often.
I say 2-0 would be great, this is not aston villa and we can’t thinking that we will smash them and everyone who thinks that this game will be easy is a fool, so 2-0 would be big big result for the return leg.
And when they do come forward we’ll be able to play on the break! A first half goal would make for a great second half for us.
We are ready to cause an upset; after all, we came second in our group. Remember last year? All the top teams qualified for the quarters.
Monaco’s greatest asset is their luck. Plus we tend to struggle against physical teams who know how to play football a minimum. They lost their first choice LB Kurzawa last weekend so I say unleash the Walcott.
Scary lookin bloke that Jardim lad. Hope Arsene doesn’t wake up with a horses head in the bed on thursday morning.
He looks like a slightly chubbier and hairier Zidane.
I would play Welbeck ahead of Theo. Just for his work effort. Theo tends to fall asleep for long periods. That being said. I would love to unleash him in the second half. COYG
Our Coq vs their monocoq
they are planning to sit deep rather than come out and press us high. I think this actually suits our Arsenal just fine!
Arsenal fc will play well pace could be trend but the buzz of being in the champion league is cool play well team and score goals just watch back tracking and positions coyg.
That went well didn’t it? Serves us right for all the hubris. Outclassed by a team with 5,000 fans.