AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso says he believes his team can cause Arsenal problems, but says they’ll have to be aware of the attacking quality the Gunners possess.
The 40 year is preparing for the visit of Arsene Wenger’s side in the first leg Round of 16 Europa League tie tomorrow, and wants his players to be remember that despite the current slump in results they should take nothing for granted.
Asked if he felt his experience as a player in many big games would help him prepare his team, he said, “The worry is how to stop Arsenal scoring. When I go to bed I dream of Ozil and Wenger, not about my playing days.
“That’s in the past, this is something different and you can’t compare it. Arsenal are struggling but they have great champions and they’ve scored 18 goals in the Europa League.
“We have huge respect for them, and we need to put in a great performance.”
Gattuso has been in charge of I Rossoneri since November, and played down any comparisons between him and the Arsenal manager.
“It’s not a challenge with him, because in that regard it’s not a contest,” he said.
“He’s won so much in his career, he’s been managing the same club for 21-22 years. My path is still very long.
“I’ve been through games like this as a player, everything is different now. Compared to Wenger I’m in the children’s team, I’m just starting and he’s been coaching for 30 years.“
“Arsenal are a technical team that doesn’t like defensive transitions. We’ll have to do well not to suffer from what they do, and then make them run when we have the ball.”
Arsene Wenger will meet the press this evening at 6pm GMT and this story is really just an excuse for us to play this video again.
I clicked really just hoping for that gif
Smarter than he looks!!!
Currently, we couldn’t hit water if we fell out of a boat. So i’m sure you lads will be alright Gattuso..
Actually dumber than he looks. Arsenal are sh!te now. He should totally underestimate Arsenal. Frankly how ‘under’ this team should be estimated is really just a bottmless pit.
Damn! He knows if they run fast at our defense, we will crumble. We lost already.
If Ostersunds had figured this out from the start instead of after twenty minutes in the first game, we wouldn’t even be going to Milan.
If Arsenal had not lost against City in the final , everybody would be happy ….
If my mother was my brothers uncle she wouldn’t be my sister
If my grandma had wheels she would be a bike
COYG… JUST SHOW HEART AND DETERMINATION…
Europa League has suddenly become exciting for me. Let’s get behind our team. A draw in Milan and a bit of luck in London will see us through. COYG!
Is saying we’re no match really underestimating us though?
He can say what he wants, but secretly he’s absolutely fucking delighted to be meeting Arsenal right now. We are sheet.
Gattuso strikes me as one of those impact managers – very passionate and committed like a Roy Keane or Tim Sherwood type. They have an immediate impact due to their vocal and honest attitude but lack the managerial nous to create long lasting success. Hopefully, if Wenger decides a game plan might be useful, we can expose this and get some sort of a result away from home. We will have to be committed and diligent though, and that’s what worries me.
“Roy Keane or Tim Sherwood type” : Isn’t that just the same as saying ‘cunt’?
I consider cunt to be an umbrella term for a multitude of individuals. John Terry is a cunt, Mike Dean is a cunt, Jose Mourinho is a cunt – but they are all very different kinds of cunts. So to refer to someone as merely a cunt is a little reductive. But yeah, your basic premise is bob on.
That makes sense. However I do think the three you’ve mentioned deserve their own special status that transcends everyday cuntishness – Supercunts maybe?
Mourinho, the Special Cunt.
I like these cunt categorisations. Perhaps there could also be a “pseudo cunt” classification i.e. someone who’s a bit of a cunt but we just don’t have enough time or energy and/or they are too insignificant to get that bothered about. I’m thinking the likes of Danny Mills, Erik Lamela, Mark Lawrenson etc etc.
Nah, Danny Mills is just a cunt
Going back in time, Leeds fans were (still are?) known as the ‘Cunts’ by pretty much everyone else. Terry, Dean and MaureenO are Honorary members of their fan club.
I see Roy Keane as more of a bastard than a cunt.
This is where we are now? Teams are not trying to underestimate us. This is what you say about shit teams
These days, we very much are a shit team.
Shit! Referring to the saaaad veracity of this comment. And also to that of the reply to said comment just below this. :/
We are gonna Jung to be destroyed…should be fun…
Samma-times mebbe gud! Samma-times mebbe sheeet!
Wenger needs to be more like this in his press conferences
I read the Italian transcript and Gattuso actually said, “we’re going to make them run because they don’t like that”… well looks like he’s got us figured out! Jokes aside, the main threat is Milan’s confidence, which couldn’t be higher at this moment.They have been pretty solid defensively lately, too, and the Kessie/Biglia pairing in midfield has kicked into gear and is working well. Hard work from our full backs is mandatory to contain Suso and Chalanoglu. They will play either Cutrone or Kalinic upfront, and the former will positively take advantage of any defensive switch off whenever a ball… Read more »
I think we have to find a way to start Ramsey if we can. We need goals and with Welbeck struggling so badly, he might make the difference to our attack. Maybe look to play Elneny in front of the defence to compensate for the gaps he leaves in midfield? If we’re going to get through to the next round we’re going to need big performances from Ozil and especially Mikhi who’s been pretty shocking since that Everton game. Fuck knows what we do for centre backs – I just don’t want to even think about Mustafi at the moment… Read more »
oh my! What a level headed summation of what lies ahead from Gattuso… We are definitely going to get hammered now. I wish they would underestimate us and maybe we can spring a surprise.
It is hard not to look on this game with gloomy eyes based on what we’ve had to endure in recent times.
Ah well, i will sit in front of my TV tomorrow once again and watch my beloved Arsenal, grasping at straws in the shape of who we used to be.
Very respectful and intelligent comment from Gattuso.
And in Arsenals case these days, “Sometimes maybe shit, sometimes maybe shit!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb-ZAkpRJdw Gatusso tactics explained. 1) Formation/player types very similar issues to us. 2) Highlighted same problem areas, space left behind when fullbacks pushed up, space between the line and being diligent with these areas. I think the key is for us to nullify their midfield which is packed in a square of 4 plus Bilgia holding. Kessie and Bonaventura take turns pushing up just ahead, Suso and Cahanoglu like to drop to collect. Its all very central and they have scored plenty from mids. IMHO may be wise for us in light of current form to exercise caution away and… Read more »
Good analysis.
I presume.
I didn’t actually read it because it was too long.
I loved watching Guttoso play throughout this career. He was never technically gifted but always gave everything. Our current squad could learn quite a bit from watching some of his highlights.
Win, lose, or draw – I just hope Arsenal show up for a bloody match…
Just read Bellerin unavailable. I feel we should play AMN. I’m not sure what the thinking is. he’s been decent at Lback in a position on his non natural side. We should continue development as a fullback rather than mucking around circulating him through the squad like we did Chambers and suck the confidence out of the young man. Chambers is the other option. Did OK for us all things considered. In fact when Bellerin came on for 10 minutes or less, he looked abject against Izqueidiero. What we may benefit from AMN is a bit more power on that… Read more »
‘Arsenal are a technical team that doesn’t like defensive transitions’.
Ruh-roh..
That makes me wonder, has Arsene tried feeding the team scooby snacks? Surely worth a shot at this point.
We are the reverse, we should have not too much respect for them. We need to play our game, not hide and go timid on ourselves. Conversely, we need to take a sensible approach covering our Cbacks from midfield. We will need width so we may suffer gaps behind. How we drill to cover the fullbacks and if the Cbacks get drawn out wide is the key. I’m no fan of Elneny (I think we can get better from market and would replace him before Granit) but I think the Egyptian is at very least diligent and we may need… Read more »
Yeah but what is our game these days?
4-1 Milan. We nick a goal after their third. All to play for in London resulting in 1-1 draw. Milan hammered by next opponent.
Attacking quality? Surely he doesn’t mean Welbeck, right?
Arsenal summed up
Oh Gatusso, what a legend! How I wish we could have no nonsense player right now as he used to be.
We need to be very focused and fight them toe to toe. This Milan team might not be very technical, but they just put they all in each ball, and are a very physical side.
If there’s anything I know about arsenal it is that they deliver when you least expect them to and hang your hopes on a palm tree when you expect them to deliver. I am hoping and praying we turn up today. We the fans deserve it. I can’t bear seeing Arsene Wenger struggle with his zip or making aimless gestures to the fourth official. Please God of soccer, come to our aid. COYG