The Europa League 17/18

I saw on the BBC website comments made by Arsene Wenger regarding his side for tonight's mega match against FC Koln. It looks as if he is putting out a less than full strength team, valuing a place in the Top 4 more than progress in this tournament. How not to motivate a team. If tonight's side put in another shady performance, you guys have every right to feel Arsenal are ripping you off.

 

We're not playing Hertha Berlin in the Europa cup, we're playing Cologne. Therefore he doesn't have enough first team squad to put out against Hertha in whatever match has been scheduled.

 

I work on Wardour Street. Which the Cologne fans marched up a couple of hours back. Was interesting watching from the window.

Soo loud, passionate and organised. Put our fans to shame TBH..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-41271874

 

Three comments in our Europa league thread.. You can tell the fans are ultra excited about this one.

 

When does the Europa start anyway and are we in it???

 

I actually look forward it!

 

Game delayed by an hour due to the masses of ticketless Cologne fans. Looking forward to this game, looks like we're going to rest some first team players. Hoping to see Nelson and Willock get a game tonight

 

I'd actually like to win the thing. It is after all a European trophy. I think its only the group stages that have this apathetic vibe to them; if we make it to the Round of 16, then thats where Id really be pushing to try and win it, and I think most people will start taking it seriously.

Lets not forget theres a round of 32 as well...

 

My error. Of course I should have known that Hertha are in Athletic Bilbao's group as i really do like Athletic!!

 

This is the first European game for FC. Cologne in 25 years, so it is to be expected that there will be something of an invasion. But why only 3,000 tickets in a stadium which holds 60,000 ?

 

German league is pretty strong and this is a big game for Cologne.

I think we may loose this game. Looks like we will field a weak side.

 

HAve they said how many Germans are in the stadium lol

 

God I wish we would sign some central midfielders. Elneny is useless. All our play has to go out wide.

 

I know he is young, but I dont think Maitland-Niles is good enough for Arsenal, I don't understand why we persist with him for these fringe games. Looks like hes going to go the way of Simpson, Akpom, Watt, Emmanuel-Thomas etc.

Again, just not cut throat enough. Hell probably be at this club for another 4 years or so before being sold to some mid table championship club.

 

I hope this isn't an indication of what we can expect from Sanchez this season

 

Iwobi doesn't understand this position. Elneny is soo basic.

We just need some creativity in midfield and our forwards wouldn crush this side. But as it is nobody is pulling the strings.

 

This has been absolutely dreadful. It can't get much worse than this in the second half, surely.

This is a team who have lost their last 3 consecutive games and should be low on confidence, yet we're making their manager look like a tactical genius.

Aside from their wonder goal, which was helped in no small measure by Ospina's pathetic clearance, we have completely played right into their hands. They have had it all their own way.

Since they've scored, they've just put men behind the ball, let us play in front of them and then hit us on the break with one long pass because we've overcommitted men forward. We have absolutely no midfield whatsoever. Elneny has gone awol and I'm not sure who is supposed to be partnering him, but they've both not provided any presence in midfield at all. They are cutting through us so easily. Meanwhile, we have zero creativity or spark. Nothing at all.

Our play has been so laboured and slow. Everything is so static. No marauding runs forward or creating space, it's all just in front of their defence and midfield. Their keeper has had such an easy half it's untrue.

The pre-match commentators were saying that we were one of the favourites for the competition. Honestly, if this is what's to expect from us, we will be lucky to not finish bottom of the group.

 

It's hard to tell whether the players in this game are genuinely that bad or whether they can't be arsed because they know Wenger doesn't give a crap about this competition.

 

Wenger must know we're not getting into the Champions League through league position this season, this is what we should be focusing on

 

Unfortunately it looks like Sanchez won't be mentally with us this season, which is just what I feared when we told him he's staying