For the fourth consecutive year Arsenal went into the second leg of the Champions League knockout stages with one foot deep in a first-leg hole. But for the first time in all of those matches Arsenal actually dominated the team they faced and just came up short.
I can talk about possession v. Monaco (Arsenal had 71% today), I can talk about star players and studs (Cazorla once again dominated the “top players” category in almost every stat), and I can talk about getting unlucky over both legs but I think this chart says it all really:
Just to fill this out a little more (it doesn’t need much more discussion), Arsenal created 9 big chances against Monaco, which is more than they created against Bayern and AC Milan in all SIX of those previous matches. Big chances are an Opta stat which is a bit controversial but but even if you don’t agree with each and every shot that they picked, you have to admit that the total number of big chances created by Arsenal over these two legs was phenomenal. Arsenal created 6 big chances in the first meeting and missed all of them. One one of those big chances in the first meeting was even saved. And today the Gunners created an additional 3 big chances, hit the woodwork once, and had a shot blocked off the line.
From start to finish, over both 90 minute ties, Arsenal were the more dominant team and should have advanced. And you have to think that third goal Monaco scored (which they tried to replicate by bringing that same player on again) — the one where Arsenal were attacking like crazy — at the Emirates was the killer.
Oh well, onward and upward. Arsenal can now concentrate on the League and FA Cup.
By the way, most people are speculating that Arsenal would need to win their remaining matches in order to overhaul Chelsea for the League title. It’s a bit of a fanciful ask considering the fact that winning the last 9 matches would extend Arsenal’s current win streak to 14 matches ad no team has ever won 14 consecutive League matches in a single season.
The 2001-2002 Arsenal side won 13 in a row to finish that season off (and then one the first match of the next season to take the record with 14 consecutive) but no one has ever won 14 in a row in a single season.
@7amkickoff
Data about Arsenal’s 14 game win streak from Arsenal.com
“Big Chances” stats from the ever improving 442 Stats Zone app
“Big Chances” definition: A situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score usually in a one-on-one scenario or from very close range
The target has to be second and retaining the fa cup.
I think we’re playing our best stuff since 2010/11, we’ve filled out our squad with some quality, hopefully we continue to spend because I don’t think we’re far away.
agree completely. struggling to find an area where we are desperate for an upgrade? a fast striker if theo leave maybe (would be nice to have a change of pace like Eduardo in his prime, but doesnt Alexis fit the bill?)? possible some competition / cover for coquelin? maybe a CB (but I think Chambers + Gabriel slot in nicely there). it’s all coming together, i realy think its the intangibles that we need to optimize for (character, mental strength, leadership etc)
Heard there’s a German winger on loan in Italy who is desperate to join us
Could be a good replacement for Podolski, assuming this one contributes more than a hammer of a left foot, get on it Wenger.
Let’s not forget about Arteta – I highly doubt that he’s going to play bystander to Coquelin from here on out, and I forsee that the two of them will strike up an excellent partnership for games that require some more digging in. I for one, still rate Arteta very highly in that his passing in transition from defense to offense is incredibly efficient and very precise. It also utilizes Giroud when he’s leading the line to his full aerial potential – this is the main reason why I believe Arteta remains in Wenger’s full confidence. If you look at… Read more »
We got Yaya Sanogo..
Once again the numbers tell it all, but this time we already knew the answer: if we’d taken our chances in the first leg, we’d have won the tie easily (and probably not have gone gung-ho and conceded the way we did, either). That said, I think we were unlucky tonight. Arsène is right: we could have won it in the first half. Often a half-involuntary interception by a defender in front of the goalkeeper deflects into the net, but nor tonight; a half-contact header can fly into the top corner, or it can miss by a foot ot two,… Read more »
You would never see Henry, Viera, Pires, or Keown et al. Give their jersey away at half time in a must win European game. Ozil gives two shits and his play shows it. Ramsey, Wilshere, Santi, Rosicky– Any one but this overated hack
And i dont even give 2 shits to that comment
This old thing again!!
Seriously who gives a fuck!!
you don’t know what your talking about mate, Ozil is world class and I for one am glad he’s at Arsenal.
I couldn’t give a rats arse about shirt swapping it just shows that fellow professionals realise what a great player he is and want his shirt, so belt up and get behind the team, all of them!
Mesut was also really good last night. Really good.
Who gives a fuck what that over rated hoofer Scholes thinks anyway? He’s trying to make a name for himself as a ‘controversial’ pundit, nothing more.
He is quite cuntroversial, to be honest.
Özil is a good man, and I am sure he sure couldn’t refuse to give his jersey to a fan boy.
I thought we went through this with Santos – it’s a tradition to swap at half-time in a lot of countries.
Those two games against monaco were the perfect example of the club we are tbh, it’s not a coincidence that our previous ties against bayern and milan were so similar.
I’m convinced that if we decided to sacrifice some of our attacking intent with more attention to defending(as a team), we’d be lots more succesful because as it stands, the balance is only slightly out of whack BUT crucially so.
Still, could be worse, you could be a manc of spurs fan.
I am going to disagree with the media and all this talk of same old Arsenal.
That was a complete performance on the European stage, like since forever. Hoarding possession, dominating and winning.
We are getting our Arsenal back and I am excited.
Monaco were lucky Arsenal didn’t humiliate them by scoring a 3rd. Truly. There was no question Arsenal were going to win that game. It was just a question of whether they could score enough goals and keep Monaco out. After a little while, I was only worried about the first bit. I thought our final ball was a little off all night. But these things happen, where one team looks like they are going to give a team a real hiding but only manages to win 2-0.
A bitter exit to take and the stats confirm that. Monaco are nothing special and what hurts is we made them actually look like world beaters at the emirates. We showed that we can go and score anywhere in the world last night. It all boils down to the first leg when we couldnt see out the game at 2-1 to give us a better chance of progressing. Our in game management during such matches seem to be so so poor and has cost us time and again. There is no need to go all gung ho with 2-3 minutes… Read more »
We lack the killer instincts to be genuine contenders of both the epl and cl. we’re probably the best team in creating chances, but when it comes to finishing it off, we’re just not ruthless enough. Yes we do have problems in defence, but i find it weird that people don’t see this.
It’s amazing how many deficiencies a certain TH14 could mask by simply being that good. Messi does the same for Barca, you can create a gameplan that will force Barca to hunt for the ball and knacker themselves but it’s really hard to do that AND stop Messi.
on other news, who thought Ozil was superbly awesome. Holding the ball, shielding, dribbling and not going down easily like he does on other days .I thought Ozil was amazing last night. Long may it continue.
Still waiting for a post match discussion thread that doesn’t involve “Ozil played well” and “Ozil is soo lazy”. The attention he still gets despite everyone knowing he’s soo good is baffling!
When that third goal went in at the Emirates, we all knew it would turn out to be decider. At 2-1, I was certain we’d progress. Sad.
But this loss should not take anything away from the emerging Arsenal. We have, at least, one good player for every position and I am sure we are going to further strengthen in the summer.
The good news is that Arsene looks hungry for glory again.
I can’t see any team beating us again this season…I just sense it.
This game, even more than the Manchester wins, was the blueprint for all Arsenal’s future big games in England and Europe:
Patient possession football, not giving anything away, positional discipline, work the ball around, and at the right moment, penetrate and go for goal.
I know it sounds like sex but ….
If Arsenal can replicate this performance and mental attitude, the ‘big game syndrome’ can be put to bed for good.
Starting with Pool, Chelsea and ManU in the league.
Not was, IS the blueprint.
Am proud of the Gunners, now even more than ever! ion see any team beating us now, especially on the road! we somehow seem to be more comfy away lately
Yea. Home form has even been better with 8 straigh wins. When was the last time we felt this confident? Especially at home.
If only we had a better start to the season…
Nice thought but you can’t reasonably be expected to dominate possession at away games against teams that a) are much better than Monaco and b) will actually try to win the game.
Monaco just tried not to concede, better teams in different circumstances will attack us.
The tactics were right last night but they were right for a game where we knew we’d have all the possession. Man city away was right for playing a top team that look to attack.
Anyways, we can be proud of the performance… let’s hope the first leg lesson has finally be learned
Then again, no team had ever gone undefeated 49 consecutive League matches before us.
Imagine Chelsea draw against Liverpool and United and lose against us. Imagine now that we draw against United but beat Liverpool. That brings the difference to 5 points with 7 matches left for them, 6 for us, with no more “big” teams to play for either side. Of course we still have the FA Cup matches which might tire is more.
It is kinda sad but expected and that really is the sad part. It is expected. Fans want the team to win but expect failure. Pundits expect failure and are unhappy about the team. The moments seemed to slip away in yesterday s match as well. We could have won it with better application during set pieces. we won so many of them. It was one of the easier avenues considering how they packed the penalty box during normal play
there’s a feeling of fear from the media and man city and Chelsea fans about the rising of The Arsenal again. there was a time where they made fun of us as we capitulate, now though they are actually relieved that we lose. that’s saying something.
After all is said and done, I’ll have my F.A Cup by May. That, to me, is success.
That is not good enough for a team like arsenal.
That is spuds level of thinking.
The FA Cup is the oldest domestic cup competition in world football, it encapsulates the passion of Britain and is respected all over the world. Countless professionals mention it as the first televised football the ever watched and it is regarded by many as the finest club cup competition in the world.
So don’t you fucking dare disrespect the tradition of the cup like that.
Then you don’t know what a team like Arsenal is about.
Not slagging off the FA CUP itself, I mean being satisfied with winning the FA cup alone and calling it a “great season” or “success”.
Apart from the oil rich, football destorying duo of chelsea and city, who wouldnt be content with the FA cup and a high finish? You have to understand that Chelsea and City have changed the landscape of football with money.
Fuck off Bono
more than coming second,I want us to beat chelsea at the emirates,finish in top 3(so that no qualifying round) and retain the FA cup.Beating chelsea would be a necessary psychological boost needed for this team and wenger as well to reach the summit of the premier league.
COYG!!!
So far: Realistically we are in the fight for 2nd place. Chelsea will win and if we are not careful we are gonna be fighting for top four. That said, the team looks full of promise. Yesterdays performance was very good, tho i think defensivly there were 5-10 min in the second half were we looked a tiny bit lackadasical. Then we were knackered right at the end, but for due reason. Fighting, hustling (everyday a hustler), harrasing and palying some good stuff. Like I predicted it just wasn’t enuff, because we were punished for our naivity in the first… Read more »
did anyone notice that for the last 4 years with finishing second in the group we play the firs leg at home and it kind of starting to be mental block for us to play the first game home, we start to play with fear not to concede the away goal we try to play not to conciede and everything going wrong after we concede first like with monaco, bayern , barca we open up stupidly trying to level the score but making suicide mistakes and concede again and trow the game. The is a reason why the first team… Read more »
At Emirates there is pressure on Arsenal to play “their” type of football which resulted in rash defending. Away we have been more solid against big teams. When Chelsea or Pool come, we need to be cautious not go gung ho
Its weird how were talking like we lost. We actually drew monaco and bayern ect but were put out by a ridiculous rule which needed to be scrapped years ago along with sepp blatter.