Milan are 7th in Serie A Bilbao are 14th in La Liga So we really should be able to match those teams, at the very least not be scared of them. Agree with Dortmund and Atletico, hopefully we can avoid those two...
I hope Lacazette returns sooner rather than later as I don't want to see Welbeck leading the line again.
If we can lose at home to Ostersunds, then I cannot see us progressing much further in this comp unless we play our first team.
I think from now on it needs to be the best possible team for our Europa games. No more space to go with youth and backups. We need to take the competition seriously and really go for it. I understand the team selection today as we have the cup final on the weekend and a couple of players not quite ready. (Before the game all the comments on the BBC from fans said we chose a team that was too strong!) But we won't have the same wiggle room from now on.
Why is everyone looking for a weak team to play next? If we're good enough then it doesn't matter who we play. I'd rather play the best now than drag on playing crap teams and see if we're good enough. It might just up our game.
Because the later you leave it to play the better teams the more chance one of them slips up before then. E.g. Napoli going out already.
Yeah I agree that it's better for us to get an easier route if possible. However I am still in shock that we lost at home to Ostersunds last night. If they can beat us, then basically any team left in this comp can. I think we need to play our first team in the next round. As much as I want to see the likes of Chambers, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Willock etc playing well, if we come up against Dortmund or Atletico, they are going to get skinned alive.
Yeah it was shockingly bad to lose last night. And from now on it needs to be 100% best team available for the rest of the competition. The youth have had there chance for the season.
Agree with this. I know people will say it will kill their confidence, but there's no room for sentiment with this. We need to put out our strongest possible team for the rest of this comp. Last night was a ****ing massive wake up call about how poor our second string is.
Would Holding and Chambers look as bad under a coach like Pochettino? In fact Chambers played for him at Southampton and did pretty well at right back, he even performed to a decent level for Middlesbrough last season, he comes back to Arsenal and looks utterly hopeless, because he is badly exposed by a manager who does not help his defenders one single bit, the amount of CB’s that looked good at the start of their careers then failed to progress under Wenger is unreal, give this guy the best CB’s in the world and he will make them look like dogshit. Actually let’s not stop at centre backs, the amount of young players in general who have now failed to develop under Wenger’s coaching is getting ridiculous.
No they wouldnt. Holding has been hot and cold for us and I dont think that's his fault. He never gets a sustained run and at such a young age is getting played on the left or right of a back two or as part of a back three. There's never any consistency of line-up and we have a squad that offers no protection from midfield. How the hell is any young defender going to perform under those circumstances?? For me he has TOP class potential. He's good on the ball, really decent in the air and is strong. He needs to come into a settled side alongside some experince and I guaratee he will turn out to be a quality defender. Chambers is best suited to a Back three. He doesnt quit fit the fullback or CB mould.
We have a coach that doesn't know how to defend. This is why we get results like this or getting hammered 8, 6, 10, etc. I really hope we get the stronger teams next. The manager cannot get his players motivated to play the smaller teams then maybe seeing a big side would wake them up. Pathetic!
Next round being drawn now. First out the hat : Lazio v Dynamo Kiev Liepzig v zenit Atletico v Moscow Good to avoid those teams
Not the ideal draw but it'll give us a chance to play against a proper side. Which hopefully means we will go with the first team and really be up for it.
The last time we played Milan in Europe we totally ****ed up the first leg losing 4-0 and even with a great second leg winning 3-0 we went out. I hope this isn't a re-run of that and we keep our focus throughout both legs.
I pray that Wenger goes with our first team, because if he fields the players that were out there last night, we will get obliterated
Hmm ..AC Milan. Not the best draw but still should be a fun one. AC may have spent alot of cash lately but they are still a shadow of their former selves. According to most bookies we seem to be second favourites to win this comp (5/1) even after last nights performance. Athletico are favourites to win at 9/4. Dortmun 6/1 Lazio 9/1 Leipzig Lyon12/1 Marseille12/1 AC Milan are 14/1.
