Match Day Thread Stade Rennais vs Arsenal - Matchday Thread

Great result but f--k me that was a very nervy edgy performance. By the way who's laughing now BENNY boy.

 

Rennes can go "F_ck" themselves!

COYG!!!!

 

In the QF

Good performance and professional attitude in the face of some provocation from Rennes. Could have been a game where we lost our heads in the past.

Well done Arsenal and well done Emery. Good subs at a good time in the game.

Aubameyang unlucky not to bag a hat-trick. He should have buried at least one of those later chances

Anyway, all good. On we march

 

Credit again to AMN

He was brilliant at wing back again. Defended well and drove forward when he got the ball. Also bagged himself a goal

 

I'm happy we're through with a good performance after an energy-sapping display against Man United. A bit frustrated we didn't kill the game off when Auba had those two guilt-edged chances he spurned and we were hanging on in the last 10 minutes. But we're through to the QFs, which is the main thing

I'm also delighted at how gutted Rennes are that they're out. Their players looking dejected, slumped to the floor, like they were about to cry They were an absolute disgrace over the two legs. Play-acting, trying to get our players sent off, exaggerating any bit of physical contact, going down at any given opportunity. So ****ing glad we don't have to play those ****s again. They're an embarrassment to the game.

Also, the refs were shocking over both legs too. Both of them clearly not experienced or composed enough to be officiating at this level.

Thankfully, it didn't cost us in the end and our quality shone through.

On we go

 

great performance, and have nothing negative to say about today. (apart from Rennes play-acting)

However, we HAVE to work on our away form. Not least because we have 5 of our remaining 8 league games away.

Inter knocked out by Frankfurt by the way - Id call that the first real shock.

 

Also, I think Iwobi will get retrospective action for kicking out at Traore in injury-time. The commentators highlighted it, so it will no doubt be brought up to UEFA.

Normally I would be annoyed, but after their theatrics over both legs, I'm kinda glad he gave a bit back to them. That was the least they deserved to be honest. ****ers.

 

Maybe, not necessarily though. No action was taken again Sissoko after the NLD and the **** deliberately stamped on Koscielny.

Although I know that was the FA and not UEFA.

 

It was Davinson Sanchez who kicked out at Koscielny, but the difference is, the ref mentioned in his match report that he saw the incident and chose not to take action (which is beyond ludicrous). Whereas the ref tonight quite clearly didn't see Iwobi's kick out.

I hope he does get away with it, but I don't think he will.

 

True and true.

Got a feeling they won't take action though, otherwise they will have to dissect the whole game as there were loads of little kicks and niggles.

 

Saw that during the game

 

Frankfurt
Napoli
Valencia
Villareal
Benfica
Chelsea
Slavia Prague

Who do we want next?

 

avoid Napoli and Chelsea for me.

 

Frankfurt or Slavia Prague

That said they knocked out Inter and Sevilla respectively.

Just hope we avoid Chelsea and Napoli.

 

I'm surprised Sevilla and Inter have got knocked out, as I expected both sides to sail through to the QFs.

Just goes to show that you can't take any team for granted in this competition.

 

Likewise.

Although, I reckon we'd beat Chelsea over the two ties.

 

Rene is no more ...

 

I think Emery has found his best team now. The 3-5-2 with two wing backs that can fall back to make a 5 and push forward to attack and provide crosses. It's so much more effective than trying to play through the middle. AMN and Kolasinac have been brilliant in the last couple of games.

When all fit this should be our starting XI

...........................Leno.........................
Sokratis...........Koscielny...........Monreal
AMN.........................................Kolasinac
..........Xhaka.....Ramsey...........Ozil.........
...........Lacazette..........Aubameyang......

We're going to miss Ramsey when he goes, for all the criticism he's had at Arsenal he's been a loyal servant, always given 100% and has scored and created lots of goals, and some really important ones too. We can switch those CM positions around a bit depending on whether we need to be more defensive or attacking with options like Torriera, Guendouzi, Xhaka.

Hopefully in the summer we can add another creative MF to replace Ramsey and a winger. (not sure what's happening with Suarez tbh?)

I think we probably still need a CB too as Mustafi still doesn't look like he's up to the level we need.