Arsenal came from two goals behind to win for the first time since 2009 as goals from Granit Xhaka, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil sealed a 3-2 win against Ludogorets and with it, qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
After the match, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey faced the BT Sport cameras. Here’s what they had to say.
On the game…
Ramsey: It was difficult after we went two nil down but we showed great character and belief to come back into the game. We got the goals before half time and that helped our half time team talk. It was a tough game but an enjoyable one. And obviously I’m delighted to be back. They have some top quality in their team and they caught us on two counter-attacks. We paid the price for that but we never gave up.
On scoring three goals in two games…
Giroud: Yeah, I’m pleased. I had a great delivery from Aaron and I finished the job. It was tough tonight, we expected a tough game. At the Emirates [in the first game] I was watching from the stands and they played very well through the lines. They impressed me a lot. We knew it wouldn’t be easy. The result will be tough for them but we never gave up as Aaron said. We keep trusting in our game and in the end we killed them on a counter-attack. It’s a good evening for us.
On qualifying for the knockout stage with two games to space…
Giroud: We are on a stong run. We want to keep it up and to carry on our momentum but it’s still the beginning of the season. We really want to finish first [in the Group] to have the opportunity to have the second game in the last sixteen. The PSG game will be massive, it will be very important. We’re doing well in the Premier League so it’s a good message [for our rivals] but we must keep it up.
On playing 75 minutes…
Ramsey: I’m delighted to be back. It was a bit of a blow [to be injured] but that’s what I needed tonight; to start a game and get minutes under my belt. That will put me in good shape now. My target is just to stay fit and play as much as I can now. Hopefully I can do that.
On the upcoming North London derby…
Ramsey: We’re on a strong run and we’re looking forward to it. I think it was important to keep the momentum going tonight. We came through with a win and we’re in good shape, we’re at home [on Sunday] so hopefully we can come away with a win there as well.
Giroud had some incredible moments in the game today. He was so important in Ozil’s goal (tracked back and made the tackle to win the ball). Stuff like that goes unnoticed.
It’s worthwhile to note that Arsenal has always been criticized for having short, delicate players who get injured a lot, or lack the ‘mental toughness’;
and when fans got exactly that in the form of a player who has consistently been able to play 50 games a season, who once played an entire half with an ‘open foot that later required 5 stitches, and who has consistently scored 20 goals a season, not to mention all the assists and other teamwork;
they couldn’t stop criticizing him just because the club failed to buy suarez and higuain
Never mind that we have players who aren’t “world class” or are “nicking a living” scoring seriously clutch goals or making assists.
Nail on the head. Fuck the two downvoters. Bitter fuckers or butter fingers.
Could we not just end all football interviews by creating a computer program, footbot 2000, which will roll out cliches on belief, commitment and the strength of the opposition. I’d have rather had an interview with Ozil with one simple question. What’s it like being a deity?
“Ozil, why do you never ‘put your foot through the ball’ while shooting?”
Arsenal already have one and they made it look exactly like Theo.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t travel to Bulgaria with it.
Seems like they’re getting footbot to play this season too
What about the 5-2 Spurs game a few seasons back?
Or Hull FA cup final
In European football
It was Ramsey’s first start in a long time so I don’t want to be too harsh but he was pretty poor tonight. He put in a great cross for Giroud’s goal which should do him good, but he shouldn’t be starting on Sunday.
he ran around like his usual self today, tried to make things happen from the right wing when we were struggling to, and got a crucial assist. What more do you want?
Remember, he was playing at right wing, with coquelin and xhaka behind him, he had creative responsibility today, wasn’t expected to have 90% pass accuracy.
more than running around a lot that’s for sure.
Granted he got an assist today but what I find annoying is how ramsey always finds space or gets into decent positions in the final third then he slows it down or picks the hardest option to pull off. I think he’s much better suited to being on the end of play rather in the build up.
You want him as a striker?
No. More like a Ljungberg role? Something along those lines.
It might be precisely because he’s not starting Sunday that he got the start tonight.
Depending on how things go against the Sp*ds, he might do well to come in as a sub, but not as a starter.
Yes but does Ramsey start on Sunday? That’s a tough call. Will he be shoehorned on the right hand side at the expense of Walcot?
The manager has a few decisions to make but it’s a great to have options.
Spurs press a lot, it will be good to have ball playing central midfielders. if cazorla can’t make it, xhaka-ramsey partnership should be good, at the expense of coquelin.
and that is if Ramsey is ready to start another game, and a very high-intensity one at that. Wenger has said a few times now that he’s being very cautious with him
Ramsey is the last player I’d want in in that position against a team that presses high up intensely. He is terribly slow at getting the ball under control and requires too many touches.
Starting Ramsey against Spurs is a recipe for disaster. Ramsey slows down our attack and complicates build up play with over-elaboration and inanity. Bench please.
Assuming Cazorla isn’t back and Considering the pressing game from the spuds I’d be more inclined to go with Elnenny than Ramsey. Been consistently impressed by him and strikes me as a calmer more reliable figure on the ball. I love Rambo but given he’s not match sharp and does have an annoying propensity to do dumb things at the best of times I’d leave him out.
Perhaps Coq and Elneny. Coq perhaps 10% less likely to get sent off than Xhaka!
There’s 0% chance coquelin isn’t bad starting on Sunday
Isn’t starting* no clue where “bad” came from.
Ideally not a bad shout but Ramsey just came back and Coq is essentially particularly in this game for his ‘high’ press. Need to balance the need to facilitate our pressing game (Coq) and midfield playmaking (ideally Santi). Maybe Xhaka and Coq again, just not sure that partnership works. I think Xhaka and Ramsey will be the main once Ramsey gets match fit (Ramsey pressing high, Xhaka playmaker)
I don’t know about you but I think i would prefer Oxlade-Chamberlain in central midfield with Coquelin. He can dribble, has an eye for a long pass and is now tracking back. He is also fast and not easily bullied off the ball. So for a ball playing midfielder, I would have him back in the middle of the park with Theo on the right. But I’m not Arsene.
The inclusion of Theo Walcott should be mandatory given the ‘2-0’ stretchering off.
Not to mention his current form
Love me some Özil… we are on a fantastic run atm. Now bring on the sp*rs let’s get them slaughtered!
Late night between reading a book and going to sleep so I may have read it wrong but did we not win from two goals behind in the 2013 cup final?
Good win tonight. Thought we were pretty shit for a lot of it but defensively more robust second half, most of the players kept the ball better in the second half and a great, great goal by Ozil. Three points and in November. Who’s a think it?
I should think we have had enough ‘character building sessions” as is.:D The thing about GIroudis he continues to score and improve. Some fans like to set limits. First when Wenger played Alexis up top, they said it won’t work. When it worked and Wenger re-introduced Giroud, they said we can ONLY play Alexis, GIroud is strictly a “Plan B” from outer space. Why so limiting in thought? We can play GIroud OR Alexis up top. As an added bonus, we can also play BOTh Alexis and GIroud. Playing Giroud up top does not have to sacrifice Alexis scoring goals… Read more »
Go easy on Col. Jenks. He had a fellow in front of him that played more center half than offer any help on the right. I’d love to see a heat map of Ramsey, not to slag him off but to show how exposed Jenks was (and how well he handled it). He had a rough few passes but he’s fresh off a very long layoff. I’m glad he’s back.
Messi fucking wishes he scored that goal!
ha, he did against us and the morris dancer himself a few years back in the UCL. but what a fucking goal mez, woof.
the control the pure control…Mesut danced the ball into the net.Reminded me of Dennis.
“Reminded me of Dennis”…I thought exactly the same thing as soon as the ball hit the back of the net!
I really hope these two don’t start on Sunday!
Is it me nitpicking or were just plain shite defensively? Defend like that against the spuds and they’ll rip us a new one!
Only satisfactory thing about tonight are the goals we scored. If Ludowhatsit can make us literally fall on our arse then the alarm bells should be well and truly ringing!
Three changes at the back (Jenkinson, Gibbs and Ospina) and to be honest, after a shakey start they looked alright
‘Arsenal came from two goals behind to win for the first time since 2009’
That’s a horrible stat but it’s great that we’ve rectified it
Incidentally, was that the game against Bolton when we were down to 10?
Great assist from Ramsey but for long periods he displayed traits that make fans get on his back; being ponderous on the ball, not seemingly interested in quick passing football. The once he decided not tohold on to the ball he puts a great cross in & boom giroud scores. Against spurs and their high presssing Ramsey will always be crowded out…!