Arsenal don’t like to make life easy, and so it was tonight, falling 2-0 behind to CSKA Moscow, but a brilliant Danny Welbeck goal and a late equaliser from Aaron Ramsey ensured we’re through the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Read the report and see the goals here.
Here’s how the players rated tonight.
Get inn…c’mon gunners
I love the arsenal
Mizog, that was a perfect ending to the bonus rating.. :´) the fucking arsenal :))))))
“Nobody does Arsenal quite like the Arsenal.”
Except maybe Barcelona.
Lazio giving us a run for our money too…
Yeah, we’re great.
There is nothing quite like a draw from the jaws of defeat – superb.
Don’t underestimate keeping this run going – Atletico might even have a few doubts now having lost tonight.
Whoever votes this down is on the wrong blog!!!
Vote up here to vote “Whoever votes this down is on the wrong blog!!!”
comment down.
Proof we’re still in the banter era
There is nothing epochal about the use of punchlines in straight conversation. We just keep naming it something new out of sheer stupidity and ego.
We’ve had a bit of a banterlull, I think…
I want Elneny to get more starts. I’d like to believe that the confidence that comes with the knowledge that you’re a regular first choice for the team will make him do wonders.
Oh come on, the centre backs were decent tonight
Mustafi might as well have been the corner flag on the first goal.
No he dives in too often to be the corner flag
I feel like Musti has got it in for Cech at the moment. Classic Arsenal though, with defenders not knowing where to stand. Love the banter.
Mustafi should be a spokesman for some political activist group. If anything happens on his watch, he looks like he’s facing some massive injustice.
…and his arm goes up.
I don’t know how you can blame anyone except Monreal (who I like a lot) for that goal.
You mean great, right?
Oh yeah sorry I just looked at the numbers
Elneny was the don tonight and should definitely be ahead with Wilshire in the pecking order!!! Same could be said regards chambers and mustafi!!
Glad you recognised Mo Elneny performance.
He works and works, as demonstrated when late on, two of their lads passed to eachother and he chased and chased like a school boy and eventually (on about the fifth scurry!) , he forced the error and we got the ball back.
Two excellent assists as well……..proud of his attitude and deserves the applause.
100 % agree, he was amazing today. His work rate, commitment, and mental attitude was outstanding today. (I sound like Wenger now) But he really works hard every game, and does the dirty work which goes unnoticed. Bravo Elneny!!! On the other hand Jack had a terrible game today. We really need to sort out his contract situation one way or another. It must be playing with his mind, and helps no one really. Alex Iwobi!! made 2 brilliant assist in the Southampton game, but he really needs to work on his shooting. My blind dog would have at-least hit… Read more »
I fear Alex is going to become one of those Arsenal ‘almosts’. No doubting the talent but he’s lazy and often selfish (although the increased assists may indicate he’s finally realised an assist is almost as good as scoring yerself… and certainly better than missing yerself!). On the subject of missing – that last one… ouch!!! We cannot carry a player through 10 games so he can score in the 11th – especially when he does zero defensive work. Someone needs to send him the gif of MoNenny hounding those 2 fellas into an error – he needs to save… Read more »
I don’t understand the “lazy” characterization. I don’t think that is Iwobi’s problem in any way.
Dare I say, our new Gilberto?… OK, maybe Parlour then.
Either way, he’s great to have around.
Or the new Arteta?
Not on their level footballing wise but this is what fans see and appreciate. The will and perseverance of a player especially in our days is very important to the fans. And that he bloody did tonight.
i’ve always felt elneny reminds me a lot of parlour. rarely ever a 9, but at the same time, rarely below 7. knows he’s not going to be the star, at the same time, always willing to work his socks off. great player to have in any squad.
Have an upvote for the Parlour reference. Warms the heart. A true fan’s player. Work, damnit. Even if you’re not the most talented guy in the office, getting stuck in and getting the work done always counts. Loved seeing him chasing the ball relentlessly by the end of the game.
He’s like if Coquelin had a bit more composure and could use the ball better.
We were willing to sell him in the summer, but he stayed put, bided his time, took his chances, and most importantly, improved. Talk about character development! I’m really glad he’s staying- a player you feel will never let you down, and keeps things tidy, and ticking. Go Mo!
If Ramsey had been any more clinical recently, my doctor would suggest he sort my appendicitis out. Also I didn’t enjoy Danny’s goal as much as I should have, just a great goal with nothing particularly weird about it. Not nearly Welbeck enough.
Yeah, it just looped accurately in? Why not off the knee then the face? I’m gonna forget that one riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhht NOW!
Yeah it was a very very average great goal. Not a proper Welbeck goal at all. I thought the ref was gonna disallow it because Danny didn’t fall over after he hit the ball.
He didn’t fall over! Tears in my eyes
Or hit it with his neck!!!
Yay we’re through! But the Mustafi ball watching leading to goal shite just has to stop.
Wilshere: “Ok, I’m ready to sign the contract!”
Gazidis [dropping a lit match into the bin]: “Blimey, now where I put it?”
Jack is playing his way out of options at this point – really hard to see a top 5 club signing him or him going to the World Cup. Welbeck on the other hand is making a nice case to go to Russia this summer. Elneny really has been solid lately and loved the defensive hustle from Ozil tonight.
And Oxlade-Chamberlain looks excelle–never mind.
Why am I asked for my name and email id again? I have been on this forum long enough!!! Atleast 6 months!!!!
I’ve been on this forum for years and I sometimes I still have to re-enter my details. Don’t take it personally.
Superbe?
Great pass from Elneny in a mostly shit game. Bright side: maybe the nerves from this one will keep us from being to cocky about our semi.
Koscienly was decent man
I really think Wilshere is carrying a knock or something, just not saying it cos the world cup/ contract, which obviously isn’t helping him for either anyway. Elnenys safe passing drove me crazy for most of the match, but you cant fault his defensive efforts and that sexy little pass. Good to see Athletico have a wobble too. Bring it on!
Going to have to dock a point from Welbeck as I’ve just been informed that the Premier League has awarded his goal to Harry Kane.
I heard that Cristiano Ronaldo’s scissors goal against Juventus has been awarded to Kane as well.
Nobody does Arsenal quite like the Arsenal. How true! But in the end, every other team in the quarter-finals lost their away leg.
Imagine being RB Leipzig – won their home game without conceding an away goal, scored TWO away goals of their own, and still went out on clear aggregate goals.
Not Bayern… Dare I say? We are one of the best??
Kosielny and Mustafi were nervous from the get go and it spread throughout the team. I actually thought they were solid it was Bellerin and Monreal who were shocking.
Why are Bellerin and Kos constantly excused from playing shite game after game? ‘It’s the coaching’, ‘it’s their team mates’, ‘they play too much!’ Maybe it’s just their fault! Kos makes awful decisions game after game, Bellerin I don’t even know! but he was so bad again! When he can’t make 5 yd passes to his team mates again and again it’s got to be a worry? Wilshere looks sadly finished, he got caught time and time again with his one trick when he stops the ball dead and uses the outside of his foot to drag the ball back… Read more »
It sounds kinda like you hate the Arsenal
Jeez, you could have fooled me!
Why do I like “voting down” some comments?
Nice result in the end. Not great, but great enough.
FFS enough of this Wilshere BS, he was no way the worst player on the pitch tonight, I am gonna find it hard listening to the talk out your arsecasts if this current biased unwarranted bashing continues. Good win for the lads. But ffs…
Monreal for me was the biggest let down tonight. Motm was Elneny obviously but think Koscielny and Mustafi deserve at least 6’s as they had more work to do than anyone tonight, total bs rating blogs, blindly useless.
Who played worse than him on the team?
If you don’t like blogs’ freely delivered twice weekly opinions, Mr “talk out your arsecasts”, then you could always – oh I dunno, not fucking listen to them! 🙂
Glad we got the win, but it’s a Meritocracy, or hopefully will finally be. With Xhaka, Elneny and Ramsey available fingers crossed next time out, he doesn’t play. It’s that simple.
Sorry, Sam, but Wilshere was indeed the worst player on the pitch tonight.
Monreal, I warned I may not listen if they’re going to repeat the same media bs about wilshere. It’s a boring subject, the dude needs support, can’t understand how fickle you lot are. He has not had a bad season, he is going through contract and going to the WC issues. Welbeck was no doubt useless to everyone a month ago, how quickly things change, likewise Wilshere has had one under par month and you lot forget everything he did prior. Facts.
Sorry I’m a fan with a memory and some compassion. Not many of us left it seems.
Also just to clarify, he wasn’t great, agreed, but he wasn’t the worst out there, I would absolutely give him a break, and BTW he’ll probably need it given he played most of the game after rolling his ankle and taking that ball in the face, but hey I guess none of that would effect a players performance…
I thoroughly enjoy being on the opposite side of mass generic opinion.
If by “being on the opposite side of mass generic opinion” you mean getting a little boner over Jack Wilshere; I thoroughly believe you do
I always felt the coq and jack would make a slick midfield partnership tbh.
It’s not a generic opinion, it’s a very specific one. A lot of us think Wilshere is naff
Ball in the face…is that an excuse now???
If that’s how you play to get a contract extended and/ or go to the world cup, I’m in the wrong trade.
Jack needs to fucking step up or step out
@ Samgunz You sure love Jack. But no matter how good he is or he was, the fact is he is playing badly at the moment consistently. Have you seen how many times he has lost the ball in the match. And not to mention he shortchanged Elneny twice with his half-hearted passing that almost cause us deep trouble if not for Elneny quick-thinking. I never thought Elneny is anything more than a squad player, but this match… WOW. He is no doubt MOM, virtually everywhere with his non-stop running action. Now that is what i call a committed performance.… Read more »
Really? He was bad tonight, again unfortunately. Sad to see but the game passes him by at the moment or when he does get involved he makes the wrong decision and loses possesion. Koscielny looks a shadow of his former self also, the problem with quiet leaders is that when they no longer set the standard they are no longer a leader. Nacho has quietly lost some form too.
I actually think he doesn’t deserve the 5, may be 3, Blog’s a bit generous! (ffs…)
An idea: Let Per get some fitness in the league and let him play the rest of our games in Europa. Mustafi is soooo out of form.
Play the guy who’s said he’d rather be in the stands in the games that might get us back into the CL? Are you trolling?
If we drop Mustafi, it must be for Chambers or Holding. And that choice, frankly, is why we haven’t dropped Mustafi.
Muddle through and overhaul in the summer.
They are saving Per for the finals – the Per Mertesacker final Mk 2
In about the 85th? minute there was a 30 second or so stretch where Elneny chased down one of their players only to have the ball passed away at the last moment about 5 times in a row.
The guy just kept 180-ing and full on sprinting from man to man over and over.
What a boss. His best game for us I think. Or at least, certainly his best half.
He should absolutely be our starter over Jack now. How can there be any question?
Welbeck again showed what a very good player he is. For me too many have written him off without considering he needs time after a dreadful run of injuries. Usually the same people who give Wilshere a pass for ‘a terrible run of injuries.’ Ramsey with another lovely goal, another one of our players still not given the credit he deserves. Defensively we were suspect (surprise, surprise), felt Czech should have done better for 2nd and Ozil needs to do more for me in this type of game, brilliant player that he is. Ducked out of a header that could… Read more »
Yeah, I think it was more than one header Ozil looked anxious not to challenge for. I’m not sure why blogs praised him for his defensive work. He dropped back because the team dropped back, and sometimes he was in the right place. Worst defender out there, but I know that defending wasn’t why we bought him.
Lots of players didn’t challenge for headers. Laka and WB among them. Almost a decision to go for second balls … not that we were very good at that that.
Definitely need to put some work in during training on following the run of attacking players after a shot is taken. Cech did well to stop both initial shots and then had to sit there are watch Mustafi do his best impression of a statue with his hand up begging for offside and then Monreal lose track of his mark on the second goal. Great game by Elneny, certainly deserves to keep his starting position over Wilshere (who continues to disappoint). He is such a consistently solid player in all aspects (tactical, physical and technical), nothing flashy, just solid. Doesn’t… Read more »
Mustafi in particular should be thankful times have moved on, there was a time back in the 70s when defenders would have routinely been taken out the back and shot for such dereliction of duty.
I don’t think Cech did well on the second; it was a clear error to deflect the ball almost directly to the attacker. On the first, I don’t know how you can blame anyone but Monreal. I think both Cech and Monreal are good players who made a mistake; I try to save my invective for people like Shawcross, Diego Costa, and Mourinho. I’m not fond of John Terry either.
“Whatever the French for great is, he wasn’t that” ? made me laugh more than it should have! Bonus rating sums it up!
I’m really relieved we won after making it so hard for ourselves, we stunk the place out and found ourselves on the rim of going out. Couldn’t believe what I was seeing especially after all the warnings, the team just went awol. They did well to turn it round but why do we keep playing like this away from home and why does wenger keep playing jack when we can all see he’s struggling.
In Europa, our away form hasn’t been that bad. I think it was a tough atmosphere in Moscow, and CSKA did play a lot better than they did in London. We drew away today; Atleti, Salzburg, and Marseille all lost their away legs in the quarters. Maybe scoring six at home will be enough!
Elneny has come up trumps recently. Wilshere… I really don’t think we should be offering him a new deal.
“Not great” in French is “A chier” which means “Shit” or “To be pooed”. This is for Laca performance.
Just wanted to sophisticate the player rating. Bonsoir.
Or merde
Btw…Salzburg..what an incredible result. Good on them
Thought we would struggle when I saw the line up. Midfield : We let them at us too much as expected. Jack doesn’t seem to have the zip he had when he returned into the squad from injury. His heart is always there but he seems a step slow, tries to dribble when not necessary and misplaces simple passes/gets dispossessed. Not one of his better performances. I feel he may be feeling the effects of fitness issues. Elneny too was a bit light weight in several encounters. Work rate was as per usual good. At times you wondered how his… Read more »
Why were are shy or denying what Mo Elneny did tonight, there is no any other player tonight come near by his performance, he is with no doubt the man of the night, accurate passing, mid.center,back,froward,defender and on the top the goals assist, he is the man of the match without any competition what so ever, well don Mo Elneny, we needs his power,energetic and influence.
Cue more Welbeck articles….
Well at least he’s justifying it I suppose…still wonder what happen to the “Salt Bey” celebration?
Needs to improve Danny but he’s moving in the right direction and starting to show his power.
3 points from that game
1 Cech is awful..wtf was that 2nd goal???
2 Mustafi is shite..definitely needs to be replaced this summer
3 Welbz goal is ALL about that El Neny pass, what a ball
Two of my favorite players of all time are Ray Parlour and Tommy Rosicky. I am starting to put Mo Elneny in that category. He works so hard and obviously loves the club. Now that he’s developing some confidence with his passes, he could be an important player.
watching this match with my 5 and 1/2 year old son, he asked if we were going to ‘arsenal it up again?’
relieved and a little surprised. pleasantly so.
to think Elneny may not even have played yesterday if xhaka hadnt got ill, he certainly took his chance, hes been quietly a very solid player most of his time at arsenal, but recently he seems to have added to his game, some of those russian players are gonna dread seeing him again in june
Ooh… Wilshere and Mustafi are still this weeks villains, eh? I do love being an Arsenal fan….
Elneny is the kante of Arsenal. he dwarfs xhaka and wilshere by miles. him and ramsey are our two best central midfielders, no competition.
I’ve started to be Impressed by Xhaka and think we missed him tonight. Feel our strongest three is Rambo, Xhaka, enemy. They compliment each other nicely. Glad we ate playing a three in mid again
Rambo Staples = 10
Jack was really poor. Looks a long way short of being fit and looked lost the whole time he was on the pitch. I don’t know what his future holds but at present I don’t think he should be in our strongest XI. We made hard work of it but it’s not an easy place to go and if our final ball had been better then we could/should have scored more. Put the B team out against Newcastle…Europa is the only thing that counts now!
Was that a joke about Ozil’s defensive work or have Arsenal finally sent Blogs mad? Generous to Lacazette and harsh on Kos.
Laca had a TON of runs, but never got any service. We prioritized keeping the ball. I saw him countless times make a good run in between players, when the ball was on his right flank, but instead of the ball being passed forward to him.. it was passed backwards again, and he had to stop. I’m not defending Laca (I still miss Giroud!) but I don’t think he had a bad game. I think he did his job, but never got the ball. That doesn’t make his performance great, but if he’s doing as instructed, it’s hard to blame… Read more »
Mo was immense last night. I said before he could be something akin to a new invisible wall due to the amount of donkey work he gets through. Last night proved it, he was brilliant in front of the back 4, 3? Was he a part of it at one point? I had no idea what fucking formation we were playing at the start of the second half. Anyway, easily our best player. Jack looks dead on his feet, I reckon a first full season in pretty much his entire career has really caught up with him. That little turn… Read more »
How many times recently has Elneny conjured an Ozil-like pass out of nothing to get us out of trouble?
What was particularly nice to see was how he bent down like he was playing curling or something and just watched and waited for Welbeck to run onto his ball.
What do you think Blogs? Was this a pass as well from Iwobi? 😉
Elneny. Woof!!!
Sign Manolas. Please.
Player ratings get lazier by the second…
Soon I’m not bother clicking on
Years of drinking and smoking have caught up with Jack. There’s no way the club should be offering him a new contract because he’s an awful footballer and if he’s not on his arse on the floor waving his arms about, or hobbling around pulling faces, he’s either giving the ball away or playing his team mates into trouble. There are a lot better out there and if we need a squad player I’d rather give one of the youngsters a chance. Jack isn’t out of form, he’s looks finished to me.
He’s had some good games this season, but not enough.
He sums up the ongoing issue with English players – inconsistent, are not technically great and generally lack tactical nous.
Who stole the real Danny Wellbeck?
And can we keep this one pleeeeeease?
Those who finds Ramsey below par.
Check out these
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-star-aaron-ramsey-shows-12355766