Match Day Thread Paris Saint Germain vs. Arsenal (UCL Group A) Official Match Thread 2016/17

Agree about Giroud starting instead of ox, but who would you have dropped for xhaka? We needed coqs defending and Santi for me is probably our most influential player.

 

We didn't have any forwards until Giroud came on, and then got sent off

 

How long is he banned for now?

 

1 game

 

He got two yellows, so i'm assuming he's only banned for one game?

 

1 game, next CL match

 

For me personally (and in addition to Giroud starting up front), I would have had Xhaka starting instead of Coquelin. Both are equally good tacklers, but Xhaka's passing and distribution is excellent so it could have helped us push forward more during the game. Especially for most of the first half when PSG looked like they were going to rip us to shreds when we had no outlet up front and no-one switching the ball when we tried to get forward.

 

That's not really a problem then

 

My assumption was that because Xhaka is a bit more aggressive and the European refs are a little more soft, plus PSG play a passing style that can draw fouls that Coquelin was seen as the safer option to start for disciplinary reasons. Wit's Xhaka stepping in during the second half, though I expected to see him sooner.

 

Good point, actually. Sometimes I forget that Xhaka's disciplinary record isn't great, irrespective of how good a player he is. Perhaps Wenger's trying to ease him into the matches so that he improves the timing of his challenges. But I think we did miss his range of passing in the first half!

 

In other news, Celtic! ****ing hilarious.

 

Coquelin is playing like a box to box t the moment. (unsure if this is coming from Wenger or if he's just lost the plot)

Xhaka can still defend and gives us a Far better range of passing.

 

Nicholas said he got a straight red !

 

I thought it looked like a straight red at the time, but seems not.

 

In fairness Sky live report had Giroud down as getting a yellow in the 88th min for dissent but Nicholas said he never got shown a second, just a red.
I couldn't get a single stream to work for your match so ended up with Barca v Celtic, daft as it may sound 7 - 0 was really boring.

 

People say we should be happy with a draw. I would be if it wasn't the same old mistakes being perpetuated by Arsensl/Arsene.

I expect our annual struggle to finish runners up in the group before being knocked out in round 16 by a top seeded team.

 

I actually worry more about the Basel Ludogorets games. This is Arsenal we're talking about here.

 

This thread is an absolute classic.