Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Xhaka, Ramsey, Wilshere, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck.
Subs: Cech, Chambers, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Elneny, Nketiah
—
Arsenal went through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League after a 3-1 win over AC Milan at the Emirates this evening.
Taking a two goal lead from the first leg into night, we nearly had it halved inside the first minute when the visitors created a huge chance for Andre Silva who found himself with just Ospina to beat but fired his shot into the side netting.
At the other end Koscielny headed over from a corner, and sadly that was his last real involvement as he appeared to twist his back going for that header and was replaced by Calum Chambers after just 10 minutes.
The Gunners enjoyed the larger share of possession in the opening 20 minutes without creating anything particularly clear cut in terms of goal-scoring chances. Welbeck hit a shot straight at the keeper at his near post, and it was all pretty tedious stuff until the 36th minute when Milan struck out of nowhere.
Calhanoglu shot from distance, it flew miles through the air and into the bottom corner. You can’t help but feel Ospina should have done better there. 0-1.
Arsenal needed to react, and within three minutes they were level. Rodriguez looked to have pulled back Welbeck who went down even if contact was minimal, and after a pause the referee pointed to the spot. The striker took it himself, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 1-1.
Wilshere had a shot from distance saved, and Monreal picked up a yellow card just before the break but it was even-stevens at half-time.
There were no changes by either side, and Milan had the first shot of the second period when Kessie trickled a shot on target while Ramsey had a half-chance up the other end.
Mkhitaryan saw a shot saved at the near post and Mustafi headed over from the resulting corner when he really should have hit the target. Suso dragged a shot wide as Gattuso’s team looked to get themselves back in it, while Ramsey really should have done better after being set up by Ozil but the Welshman’s shot flew over the bar.
It was not one way traffic by any means, and Cutrone shot wide from 8 yards out with Ospina rooted to the spot. Suso picked up a booking for diving, and substitute Kalinic had a massive opportunity to pull one back when he got on the end of a Bonucci cross just 8 yards out but could only head tamely straight at the Arsenal keeper.
Elneny came on for Mkhitryan and within a minute the Gunners took the lead. Xhaka hit a shot from 25 yards, and caught it well – the keeper got his hands to it and should have saved it, but the ball skidded away then span into the opposite side of the net. Poor goalkeeping, but who cares? 2-1.
The weakness at the heart of the Arsenal defence was exposed again when some bloke headed on target, forcing Ospina to palm the ball over the bar, but Mustafi was found wanting not for the first time.
Kolasinac came on for Ozil who looked less than impressed with the decision, but it didn’t really matter and in the 86th minute Arsenal iced the cake with a third goal on the night. We worked it down the left, Wilshere crossed it in, the keeper saved Ramsey’s first header and Welbeck was there to nod home from close range. 3-1.
Wilshere shot just wide as time ran out, but in the end a good win the night and on aggregate, and we’re in the draw for the quarter-finals tomorrow.
Welbeck’s OVR rating on FIFA has just gone up to 95. One more than Messi.
Danny Welbeck’s in a European quarterfinal and Sanchez is not. 😉
Hell yassss
United fans and the media all complaining that Sanchez has ruined their team and keeps losing the ball…sounds familiar! So glad we swapped him for Mkhitaryan
Fantastic performance from the team, especially Jack and Ramsey in particular. As well, it was nice to see Danny Welbeck get a goal.
The thing that ticked me off was how meek our atmosphere is at the Emirates. The Milan faithful drowned our voices for large periods of the match and I could only really hear us after the 3rd goal went in (and that too for only about a minute). Something needs to be done about this.
Perhaps they can play crowd noises through the PA system
Or a big drum.
That would amplify the silence
🙂
http://news.arseblog.com/2016/04/arsenal-to-introduce-amplified-chanting-next-season/
To be honest, that’s more the difference between home and away fans in general. Our away fans tend to out sing the home crowd wherever they go
We should get more away fans then
He got two!
My mate was there and he was saying that we were singing one of their chants but changing it to Ospina, which made theirs sound a bit louder at one point.
Also, they have Ultras, we just have a bunch of friendly Arsenal fans that fancy a night out. Our away fans always make a lot of noise.
Not sure why but it had me in stitches when that happened. I actually thought it was one of the better Emirates atmospheres for a while, least from my seats. Something needs to be done about this ‘uefa family’ ticketing system though- east stand upper had a good 200 Milan fans in it who’d gone totally incognito until they scored and then went berserk. Lots of arsenal fans would love to have been there and it’s just asking for trouble.
Yes that was the loudest bit . We started just after Ospina tipped over that shot.
Where were you sitting? The atmosphere was good and the chants were lively – more so than most Prem League matches this season so far
Still waiting for a straightforward Welbeck goal! Lol
I’m not. That goal was pretty sweet. He started the move, receiving it in a dangerous position, spinning, and setting Jack off towards goal. He then followed in and positioned himself just right. That’s what I want to see from our strikers.
Glad to see that the career threatening challenge didn’t put Welbz off taking the penalty?
???
Long time no see, quarterfinals!
Xhaka has been absolutely brilliant again. His passing is sublime and for the third game in a row, he really stepped up his defensive game.
Dortmund knocked out as well
if we can just avoid atletico
I’d like to avoid the Russian teams as well…
RB Leipzig as well.
Xhaka MOTM. He must of had the ball at least 200 times.
Xhaka was outstanding.
Xhaka’s best game for us. Ospina was tactically brilliant. We need to keep him next season.
Ospinas tactics worked well?
I’d rather Ospina as manager than Brendan Rogers
Mertesacker’s Dachshund would be a better manager than Rogers…
Imagine huge pictures of his smiling face hanging all over the Emirates
Ospina’s distribution was perfect. On top of that we were able to keep possession and build up from the back because he was so good on the ball. His reflexes were on point asusual. So, Imo he was by far the best player on the pitch and typified everything that was right about our tactics.
As for Xhaka I still think he is bench quality and we need someone like Modric in that position but, Xhaka decision making was fantastic yesterday. It was not always backwards and sideways sideways with him.
@Ramgooner
Not sure when this started, but whenever a player has a good game, this kind of comment seems to come up (re: the Xhaka bit). There always seems to be a comment about the performance being ‘his best in an Arsenal shirt’ or something to that effect, completely forgetting whatever the player’s done in the past. Like are you seriously suggesting this game was a more impressive performance than the one he gave in the fa cup final last season for example?
Yeah. This game was really made for Xhaka. We didn’t have to chase the game, and he could dictate play at his own speed. He loves to ‘hide the ball’ from the opposition, even if he has to play backwards (which he still does a little too much).
Think Ramsey helped a lot with his discipline, esp in the first 30 mins where he was flawless.
More of the Xhaka from the last three games, please. Absolutely outsatnding.
That whole midfield trio that seems to work nicely together
Onwards and upwards. COYG!
Onwards
Complete performance.
Another one to be forgotten no doubt when ‘the refs are all screwing us’ brigade start whinging again !
Ropey enough at times, 3-1 unbelievably flattering, but great to go through. Looking forward to the draw now. D
The ref might have been an Arsenal fan, but we were cutting them apart at will and passing the ball right through their press. The team looked organized and on the same page for once. They’re not Man City or Barcelona, but at least they were not complete shit to watch!
I never said we were shit to watch. We played quite well. I just think the scoreline flattered us, I don’t think we were 2 goals better than them on the night. (unlike the first leg, when we clearly were)
Big fan of your reminders about refereeing decisions. “Keeping ’em honest” as they say 🙂
you been smoking that stuff they were at the Emirates kwame?
For me, the best thing is that we seem to have rediscovered how to pass the ball reasonably accurately (most of the time). It doesn’t seem long since I spent 90 minutes nmoaning at all the passes going astray; now it’s almost a surprise when a pass doesn’t find a team-mate. Next thing to learn is not to pass to a team-mate who has an opponent just waiting to intercept the pass… And then maybe to pass the ball forward a bit more often (I noticed Le Prof said after the match that we were still making too many sideways… Read more »
Last 15 minutes especially we didn’t put a foot wrong really. Very crisp tight passing and good game management for a change. Well done lads!
6 AM here in Singapore and it’s good to have a great start to the weekend!
Good team performance!
Hi jijo! from Singapore here too! Worth it to wake up at 4am to catch the match ?
Long weekends out there then?
Winning is fun.
Excuse me, who said he feels sorry to play us in last 16 ??
Oh, I forgot! Hahaha!
As a strong Xhaka critic, i must confess he is really pulling strings at the moment. Big ups Xhaka, keep it up. You are ticking all boxes
Terribly disappointed by welbeck’s dive but we deserved to go through over the two legs
There was a little contact on his legs (not really enough for a penalty though) but I don’t think it was so much a dive as it was an appeal after falling over.
I thought there was a lot of diving from the arsenal today. Not sure I like it. But perhaps it shows they are desperate to qualify
To be fair every other fucker does it
That’s not the point, though.
On the other hand, I didn’t think there was “a lot of diving”, far from it. There were a few hard tackles, incliuding some from behind, which left Arsenal players on the ground hoping for a free kick that they didn’t get. But that’s not a dive.
I remember Gattuso in his prime. A good player but also a brute and a diving cheat.
I didn’t like it either, but in his defence, he didn’t throw himself down like he’d been shot and carry on like a pork chop (see Suarez, Hazard etc). But still, he should have stayed on his feet.
Are we sure it was a dive? It’s entirely possible Welbeck was channelling his inner baby giraffe (his spirit animal) again and just Welbecked over.
Nah stuff it. Its now 100 penalties conceeded by diving opponents to 1 penalty won by the Arsenal from diving.
he desperately needed a goal i guess
Goal line ref was just a yard away and had the best view of it. His call.
Very weak penalty but I’m not even sure it really qualifies as a “dive”. He just falls over “a la Welbeck” and puts his arm up hopefully like any striker does when they go to ground and he’s probably amazed that the ref gave it.
It definitely wasn’t a Tom-Daley-Delle-Ali-Lamela-Hazard” style Oscar performance.
First time I have really felt that the midfield was actually working together. Xhaka, Jack and Rambo all worked hard for each other and the team. Maybe the club ought to reconsider Jack’s contract offer….
Never in doubt.
/cigar_emoji
I love it when a plan comes together
Good solid home European performance. We didn’t take them too lightly and worked hard to get the result we deserved. Looking forward to the next round.
Wenger out!
STFU, Fats.
😀 😀 😀 😀 I truly applaud your desire to stick to your gimmick Fatgooner.
Even in the face of POSITIVE adversity – US WINNING A EUROPEAN R16 match against a (former) top European opposition and heading to the QUARTERFINALS! _/\_
Super happy to be through. That Welbeck penalty left a bitter taste in my mouth though. We’ve talked so much about horrible decisions in the box this season, players diving, Harry&Dele… Maybe there’s a replay angle I haven’t seen, but that is never a pen. Would be furious – and have been many times this season – if it had been the likes of Andre Silva going down like that in our box.
Still, mission accomplished.
PS: Chalhanoglu chose to go the fair play route in the first leg when he leaped over Ospina instead of winning an easy penalty…
The dive is lamentable and I felt a bit sorry for Milan, but it is what it is, and I’m sure Milan themeselves have benefited a lot from diving.
He did, but as a team Milan had a few dives after that.
Agree it was harsh to call a penalty, but from one odd the angles I saw it appeared his heel was clipped which would naturally cause him to go down, thus I wouldn’t see it as a dive. Either way, no other team has felt bad about getting a fortunate decision, so I don’t really see why we should start today.
Your Honour, today we’re going with the classic ‘One Angle’ defence…
I definitely don’t agree with diving. I do think the defender put his arm across Danny to stop his run and technically that is a foul. I could ask my husband who used to referee, but as he is Sp*rs fan I know what his decision would be. Maybe, just maybe our team have finally stopped playing like schoolboys and have become men!
@Sharpasfc, wait, you married a Spurs fan? :()
Welbeck didn’t do a Welbeck today.
COYG!!
Yes he did! That “dive” was not actually a dive.
If you had told me we would be winning 5-1 on aggregate before the first leg, I would have bitten your hands off. Football can change so quickly sometimes.
Good team performance. and I have seen Welbeck control a ball properly and score a goal ! it was worth staying up ..it’s 2 am here
Great performance all-round. Happy for Welbeck despite the dive, I guess Wenger was right when he said English players have mastered the art. Excellent performance from our midfield as well. Maybe Xhaka’s best game for us and Ramsey was as dependable as ever. Also hopefully people on here will finally get off Jack’s back! Was excellent again tonight as well.
Interesting thing the Wilshire criticism. I don’t feel he’s hit his maximum potential, but generally i feel like his poor games are never disastrous (a la Mustafi or Xhaka), his average games are quite decent, and his good games are very good. Seems to me a good player that you cam be confident won’t lose you a game, but could certainly win some for you. Of course even with a healthy year under his belt, you still just never know when someone’s going to go clattering into him and cause a lengthy spell on the treatment table.
Would agree with your assessment. Would also say that people keep referencing that Barcelona game but without the context; he was playing with RVP, Fabregas, Nasri, Arshavin, Song and Walcott (pre-ACL). We’re not nearly as fluid as we were back then and we maybe won’t see the best of him until we get back to that kind of style.
I also think his injuries have been overstated now. 27 appearances last season, 30 this season already. And his last major injury was due to a ridiculous challenge that would have banjo’ed anyone. Diaby he is not.
The commentator said the GK (Ospina) should have moved his legs faster??! OMG!!!
Welbeck being subtlety pulled at his shoulder (professional foul…a foul committed but you can see it clearly) the commentator said that was never gonna be a penalty!
Bias against us to the max!!
Welbeck also got a very slight ankle tap.
Are you blind mate it was a clear and obvious dive
Happy with the result of course, but our defending will never hand us the EL trophy. Milan was fortunately shit at finishing tonight. Better forwards will punish us. I do not understand why we are not able to defend on crosses, they can head unchallenged time after time. A straight defensive line is also difficult to get right. I see so many basic defensive errors in our team both personally and tactically that it’s difficult to enjoying the result. I don’t agree that Jack played well, he is dispossesed of the ball far too easily and make poor decisions.Look also… Read more »
We can use the league games to sharpen our defence. Those games are basically like friendlies for us anyway so why not.
Welbeck remembering how to score goal is the real positive of the night
Thought chambers did very well..
Everybody seems to be stepping up at the moment. Long may it continue.
I watched the game from home, from what I was hearing the Milan fans at one point were singing “Ooooh” And arsenal was replying with “Spinaa!” Anyone who was there; was I just imagining that?
They were singing something that sounded like ooospina, ooospina. We just joined in.
Cheers. Sounded great watching the game.
That’s alright.
Yeah was great. Reminiscent of when we went well the way to Paris, squirrel is a gooner
Two ‘proper’ Welbz goals, priceless!…..the penalty?, I have no regrets, seeing how many has gone against us all season. Karma my friends.
that mustafi comment at the end was a joke right? it was his headed deflection that i reckon, made ospina save it..he had a good game made some good last ditch tackles. the cross shouldnt of been allowed in. you did this with Walcott
Love it when Welbz steps up to do the business when it counts. We’ve been waiting.
Let’s face facts, home and away Milan have been one of if not THE worst teams we’ve played this season. They’re snail-like. None of Arsenal’s problems have been resolved or will be with Wenger in charge.
If teams like Milan want to sit back and lets us stroll around the pitch with no press or counter-attacking pace they will be demolished, even then we’re a mess at that back and needed some deflections and a dodgy pen.
I like what I saw,positive,aggressive,confident but I want to see that when we’re up against it! Not convinced yet.
Maaan…the difference a year makes! 5-1 against us in EACH of our matches last year against a top European opposition but 5-1 in our favour – albeit on aggregate – against a (formerly?) top European opposition now.
Every dark cloud (being “relegated” to Europa) has a silver lining, eh?
HAHA…check out this American site espn”soccernet”.
the writer says Arsenal “ride fortune” to see out Mian.
5-1 aggregate score?
The only fortune we rode was the money they spent building that squad.
Clearly enthusiasm from an ex player not enough to beat a poor Wenger side still…even if they were unbeaten in 13 games and a team ‘on the rise’.
How they change their tune.