Arsene Wenger says Atletico Madrid have no discernible weaknesses as he prepares Arsenal for their first European semi-final since 2009.
Having won the Europa League twice in 2010 and 2012 and made the final and semi-finals of the Champions League in the last two years, Diego Simeone’s side arrive in London as the bookies’ favourites to win UEFA’s second-tier competition.
As if their continental pedigree wasn’t enough, Atletico have also made an impressive start to life in their new stadium, the Wanda Metropolitano, conceding only four goals at home in La Liga all season.
Up against such a grisly defence, the pressure is on the Gunners to make home advantage count tomorrow night. Wenger is hoping his players can deliver the goods as he goes in search of his first European title in his final season at the Emirates.
“I would say one of their strengths is that they have no obvious weakness,” he told his pre-game press conference.
“They are a very efficient team and a team who can use every weak moment of their opponent. Overall I must say that is their main strength.”
He added: “The rules in Europe make the weight of an away goal very strong. That’s why when you play the first game at home, you’re a little bit in a difficult psychological situation because you know that you have to score but as well that every goal you concede can be a huge handicap.”
On whether silverware in his final weeks in charge could act as a salve as he comes to terms with life without Arsenal, he went on: “I don’t know. At the moment I do not look after myself, I just want to do well. I want to win, I want to continue to do what I tried to do my whole life and that’s try to win the next game.
“The next game is in Europe and after Europe we go to Manchester United, and I want to try to win the game again. That’s all I did. People always keep what they want and you have to accept that.”
He added: “I want to do it for [the players], to achieve something with them because I feel they have a special mental quality.
“My biggest satisfaction would be to be successful together with the group of players that I have. I’ve seen them behave the whole season and they deserve it.””
Now to list our weaknesses. Somebody get me a pad.
… or 100.
Yes they have. It’s time for positive thinking if we want to win this one.
A nice 2-0 win will do nicely!!
Who’s stolen Fatgooners laptop…! Imposter!
Are you feeling alright?
I also have no weaknesses. I mean, apart from being a middle-aged functional alcoholic with a small penis. Also, cheeseburger for a head.
Having a cheeseburger for a head is not a weakness.
Oi, oi tasty!!!
And hey a small penis is great for getting into all sorts of nooks and crannies… so i hear…
and you hear “alcoholic” where i hear “functional”…
So glass half full and getting refilled as quick as you can down that bit.
Athletico Madrid’s last 4 results:
drew 0-0 at home to Real Betis (5th in La Liga)
lost 3-0 away to Real Sociedad (11th in La Liga)
won 3-0 at home to Levante (17th in La Liga)
lost 1-0 away to Sporting Lisbon
They ARE beatable, especially over two legs.
This has given me new hope after that harrowing stats column haha
Real Madrid 1, Atletico Madrid 1
Could you see us drawing with Real, away from home no less? Atletico stood up when they needed to. I can’t see us winning.
Costa back too.
Even spuds beat Real and now, they are out of the CL while Real has one foot in the final…and Atletico is in Europa league and also gets beaten in the league…so this not Algebra that X >Y and Y > Z doesn’t really make X > Z unless that X is Real Madrid… and I just had too bored
I also have fat fingers and no intention of proof reading my comments before posting
Real have been poor in the league – they are almost as far behind barca – 25 points…. as we are behind city – they have prioritised the champions league… because ronaldo needs more adulation
Well, he seems to keep doing amazing things worthy of it. Annoying as that may be to some.
Costa.
Seems he’s half-fit. Lets see him come on, get a couple cards, reinjure his hammy, and then go wimpering off, that clown.
Arsenal beat a Costa-ful chelsea. They can do it again. eff that clown.
Well, no manager (or player) is going to say the coming opponent has a weakness at left back and the keeper does not handle crosses well. And after, even if you win by three and dominate, “They are a really strong side, and we were very fortunate to be able to hold them. Shows our spirit.”
These are the kind of comments from Wenger i will not miss…i mean… why even say that??
Exactly what has he said that you disapprove of?
You wanted him to say “they have weaknesses, and looking at their past few games, we would win 3-0. Anything less would be disappointing”??
Have you ever heard/read his pre-match interviews??
As long as he doesn’t tell the team this .. then i don’t care what he says …
Or any other manager’s?
He said it to make them feel better about themselves!
“…and a team who can use every weak moment of their opponent”…we all know what that is amd with their firepower upfront I’m nervous. Simeone is also o great tactical coach and Le Boss & players need to play almost an excellent 2 leg to go through this team…
Istead of “winning for the manager”, this match is going to display why Arsenal needed to sack Arsene Wenger. Player for player, Atletico is not significantly better than Arsenal. Still knocking them out of the Europa league is pure science fiction. I predict 1-1 tonight and 2-0 to Atletico in Madrid. The reason is simple: Diego Simeone is a better manager than Arsene Wenger.
You know what is a pure science fiction?
Passionate arsenal fans.
I agree that Arsenal seem to have many fastidious weather vane supporters. I always encourage the team. I never leave before the whistle. But that does not make us good enough for this trial.
@ramgooner,
Passionate ‘Arsenal fans’, who ‘want their Arsenal back’.
After 22 years, they are about to get it. 😉
Which ‘Arsenal Back’ are you referring to?
22 years? So you mean even the Invincibles was not ‘your’ Arsenal?….who’d have thunk it
Wow…that is a little bit scary right? What if we get the Arsenal that almost got relegated or finished 10th, 16th or 17th back?
I wouldn’t bet my life savings on Arsenal reaching the finals. Would you, passionate fan?
Yeah, predicting the future is easy.
Its just that the getting it right part, that is hard.
If some of you fans cannot be pumped about this tie, and as Blogs’ stats show this opponent isn’t a bridge too far, then you have no business being Arsenal supporters. Your lives would be much more satisfying and you’d have less stress if you followed a “winning” club.
As long as we win and Costa breaks his leg/neck/skull I’ll be happy.
Never have I wished a footballer hurt themselves so much as that elephant faced cunt!
Oi! I resent that!
Elephant is far too good a comparison, and grossly unfair to said beast. No, Costa is C*nt faced. And also a C*nt in the worse sense…. end of..
I just hope that we learn a lesson from how Roma set up against liverpool. A highline invites long speculative counter attacks that Costa has capitalised many times before against us. I am all for a n attacking line up, but a more conservative approach may be in order. 1-0 is a better result than 2-1 or even 3-1. because the away goal changes the whole dynamic of the second leg. 3-1 means they can attack freely knowing they have to score 2, we would be very cautious trying to defend a 2 goal lead. 1-0 means that they will… Read more »
Since when is 1-0 win better than 3-1? And them “having to score 3”, according to your logic, would mean they can attack even more “freely”….
I think wenger is playing reverse psychology and his team are all ready to expolit a giant weakness…. such as maybe diego costas temprement or the goalie can’t stop scuffed shots that players don’t mean and so they are playing into welbecks hands…
Gon be a 4-0 win to the gunners! Ion care what stats say bout athleti or who they’ve got on their team sheet!
Will be worried about Greizzman exploiting space left by Bellerin on our right. Mustafi will be dragged out, done for pace and Koke/Saul will run in to exploit space if our mids aren’t quick getting back. In some ways prefer us to err on caution and go 3 at the back bc we can’t afford to give them an away goal particularly an early one. But sometimes that may also have a psychological disadvantage as we may ‘apply the proverbial handbrakes’. Hope we are mentally committed today. We have 3 finals to go and this could be the biggest one… Read more »
Respect to Simeone.
He has been punching above his weight for some time now in La Liga.
I don’t think his brand of football is particularly defensive either.
And the first team he has is a small tightly knit group of 19.
I should think we would be seriously looking at him for a successor to Wenger. He’s done very well IMO.
Atletico have a big weakness, they don’t know who the biggest psycho is at the club …Simeone / Costa