Morning all.
Here we are then, our season pretty much rests on this competition and the aim for tonight is simple, don’t concede a goal. No giving away stupid fouls in dangerous areas, no penalties and no suicidal back passes, or any kind of pass which puts the defence or Leno under pressure. Tonight is a night for keeping our football simple but effective. Move the ball around with purpose and don’t lose it by faffing around in possession. If in doubt in defence, row z is the best option.
The first tie was strange as Benfica didn’t really cause us too many problems. Perhaps that was part of their two-leg plan, just maybe, tonight they’ll be more adventurous although I don’t think so. I think they’ll defend deep, do all they can to prevent us from scoring and if/when the chance comes to hit us on the break, they’ll go at us hard and fast. It’s the oldest trick in the book. A trick which has caught many Arsenal sides out in the past.
Team news:
Thomas is very close. He’s got a final test today (yesterday) in training. If he’s feeling good, he will be available to play the match. Regarding Rob, he’s not available. He had a concussion, we tested him and he’s completely fine but obviously now we need to follow the protocols and he won’t be able to travel. – Mikel Arteta.
Fingers crossed he’s feeling ‘good’ because he’s such a key player for Arsenal.
Arsenal are going through another pretty poor run of results with just one win in six games in all competitions. Benfica have drawn their last three and according to the BBC, reports in the Portuguese media suggest their club president wants Jesus to resign.
For the next few weeks, Arsenal’s run of fixtures are tough. On Sunday lunchtime we face Leicester City away, then as we go into next month, we travel to Burnley on the 6th March, play Toots at The Emirates on the 14th before ending the month with an away fixture against West Ham on the 21st. April doesn’t get any easier either as both Liverpool and Everton feature on our fixture schedule.
So yes, with our league form being so up and down, tonight is a big match.
This is why we are here! When you play in these competitions and these games, finals too, it’s the pressure that you want. It’s much better to have the pressure to win than the pressure not to lose. I really enjoy the pressure of winning and to be here and to represent this club you have to be prepared to do that. If not, you don’t belong here.
Actually, the pressure tonight is not to lose as much as it is to win if that makes sense. This time last year and at exactly the same stage of the competition, Arteta and his team got things so very wrong. Arsenal started the game slowly and eventually conceded the away goal Olympiakos needed to negate our own scored in Greece.
The game needed extra time and when Aubameyang scored during the first fifteen minutes, we were ahead at last. The game was minutes away from ending when the visitors silenced The Emirates with a goal. Almost immediately, Aubameyang could have scored the winner but it was one of those nights when a sitter, five yards from goal, somehow went wide.
See you in the comments.
Hi Rico and all I don’t think this match will come a draw, We must come out fighting and score the first goal to put pressure on them, and hope fully Auba will not go missing in action at another big match or else the pressure will be on Arteta to make sure we don’t finish any lower than we are.
Hi Geoff, all.
I just hope we get the right result. On nights like this, any kind of performance with the right result will do I think.
Great response from England. Joe Root, an incredible spell of bowling.
Morning Rico and the House.The way the match
is going it could be over tonight
That wicket looks like a ploughed field.
3 balls 0 for 2 shocking
I really don’t see any point in touring India anymore if this is the general standard of the wicket provided, we might as well have toured South Africa or New Zealand instead.
I bet they don’t produce these kinds of wickets for the IPL…
Says it all really.
Morning Rick, roughed up for the spinners. A pointless tour really other than a bit of practice against spin for the team.
There is a fundamental point that everyone forgets: Benfica the week before, had more than 12 players with Covid-19, who, having no covid, were not physically prepared for 95 minutes of football. Today they will no longer play with 3 defenders. They will run more and hit more. Very careful!
If the pitch was so obviously spin friendly, why did we select three pace bowlers and only one specialist spinner?
There seems to be a plethora of coaches, analysts, selectors and other assorted hangers on in the England dressing room, ten at least, what are they there for?
A camel is a horse designed by a committee, our team look as though they were picked by the camel.
Thanks for that little nugget Jm. Lol
Games like this will kill test Cricket
Utter shambles.
I am not certain if this is correct but
I have gather Balogun was injured lst week , is now fit
and is with Reiss Nelson in the squad for tonights game
The last test match I remember finishing in 2 days was England – West Indies at Headingley,there may have been others,I’d wager the total overs bowled was lower today though.
A nervy game tonight ,I’d take a 0-0 right now.
COYG
Good news if both are in tonight’s squad Rick.
Good Evening everyone
Arsenal starting XI: Leno, Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Ceballos, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang
Subs: Ryan, Hein, Cedric, Chambers, Mari, Elneny, Partey, Willian, Pepe, Nketiah, Martinelli, Lacazette
Benfica play with 3 central defenders but with 2 quickly forwards
We want to win with this line up?
Rico did you find 81
The film stired up my memory bank
Swindon and Male were both still playing when the League restarted
after the war. Both played on my first visit to Highbury
Who is Hein?
young keeper .
Its harsh on Soares. I would have preferred him in the bench. And Lacazette as well.
I just hope Auba does not have another stinker this evening.
What’s the point in having two keepers on the bench…
‘evening all.
I don’t doubt that tonight’s match is the biggest of our season so far.
With relegation almost mathematically impossible and even next season’s Europa League qualification virtually out of reach, never mind top four, the only thing left to play for is the second tier of European club football and it’s path into the Champions League.
Arteta has picked a strong starting eleven, but we are too reliant for goals on the miss-firing Aubameyang. Will the hat-trick scorer turn up, or the striker who frittered away three or four big chances in his last appearance?
previous comment should have been that I would have preferred Soares in the first 11 than on the bench.
I did Rick, I’ve recorded a couple of films.
Rico….we can name the full squad for Europa lge matches. Up to 23 that is.
Still don’t see the point Devil. We could have another attacking player on the bench instead.
Yes I agree Rico. But that is the full squad taken I think
Why not Balogun or Nelson though? Better still, both Devil and no Willian.
Sky Sports have a ‘most fouls won’ table.
Disgraceful! Totally the wrong message being sent out imo. Players should not be looking to, or considered to be ‘winning fouls’…
That was a peach of a pass from Saka….and Auba did not miss.
Can we produce another three like Saka???
I like the look of Wiegl (Benfica midfielder). Brains and a good engine.
Their first shot on target…..and its a great free kick.
I wish we had those type of free kick takers.
We only have ourselves to blame……we were the better side….had better chances……Helton made a good save on Saka…..we should have been at least 2-1 up.
Stupid tackle
Really naive of Ceballos. Ridiculous area to give a free kick away.
Don’t fancy our chances now.
Those type of tackles should be done in the centre circle area. Or on the flanks. But not in the danger zones around the penalty area….especially in front of goal.
We need to win now. We cannot just hope to draw.
Evening all, not a good one so far. No silly back pass rico? Stupid header, and after his free kick error. I really really didn’t want to go out on away goals again, because it’s so unjust this year. But if you shoot yourself in the foot like this, maybe we don’t deserve better. No point putting Martinelli on? And why play Bellerin when he can’t once get past anyone and put a cross in like Tierney? 7 minutes to do something.
Excellent result, pretty poor performance.
We win 3-2
Heart in the mouth moments….we only have ourselves to blame…..as we keep shooting ourselves in the foot
Thank God Auba didnt fluff his lines and got 2
I did think about writing those words Andrew, just as Dani stuck out his foot…
I enjoyed Tierney’s reaction when he scored. No parading….just telling everyone to move on get down to our half and let’s get the game restarted.
Not sure I like ESR being sdielined by Odegaard and Saka is keeping Arteta in his job.
How did we win that game.
Really hard way
Ceballos tried so hard today…..its a pity he assisted two at the wrong end. The foul I can accept and digest…though it could have been avoided….but the back header was criminal. Not to be expected.
For a moment I thought it was Msutafi in disguise. At least Luiz was far upfield to commit a penalty and get sent off.
Arsenal players had 5 assists today.
and by the way…..Willian got an assist today as well.
Saka….2 assists.
Ceballos …2 assists (at the wrong end)
Willian….1 assist
Many players doing the same in midfield.
They still haven’t understand that Auba has to play on the left and have another more powerful striker in the center.
Ditto Potter, Odegaard seems to have again pushed ESR out of his position and the latter is suffering because of it. It’s not like Odegaard is pulling all the strings either, Saka is doing that.
We almost made a complete pigs ear of that, Benfica are a very average team and we did our best to make them look good, I really don’t know what happens to the mentality of this club when it plays in Europe?
I dread to think of how we can feck up when we face a good side, emotional stress…
Besides, our last stage wasn’t so easy indeed. … Molde will be in the next round
European football is all about the result.
12 hours ago, we’d have all been rapt to take a win.
Enjoy it……….
Starboy Saka does it again! What a goal from Tesco and his reaction was priceless.
Happy for Auba. We did it the hard (very hard) way… phew!! My poor heart and fingernails 😂
The draw tomorrow – Villarreal?? 🙈
Knowing our luck Sue, Napoli or Man U! Actually not 100% can face English team in last 16?
Until the 41st minute I thought Ceballos was having good game, he was working hard and getting interceptions, he was also moving the ball forward as often as possible….. and then his evening went totally pear shaped.
Aubameyang should give half his wages to Saka, the lad is singlehandedly keeping him in the team.
Did I really see Willian at last do something useful, an assist for Tierney’s super goal.
We have to give the entire squad credit for not letting their collective head drop, and fighting right to the end. It just could be the ingredient that will see us through to the final.
Hi Andrew.. Emery and his Villarreal would love to knock us out!!
Anyone can draw anyone – I just checked..
If we draw the spuds, that’ll mean playing them 3 times in a week!!!
Fingernails are easily replaceable Sue, hearts not quite so. 😉
Virat Kohli said it was a very good pitch to bat on, so stop complaining 🙂
Very good, Cicero 😄
DG
You said I wish we had those type of free kick takers.
We have got one. I have seen him do it.
Trouble is we don’t play him and they say he is going to be sold.
His name is Reiss Nelson
I will look at my notes and find a match that he scord one.
And why not Molde again?
Nice win in the end but until the final whistle I was still thinking this could go to extra time or even a penalty shootout
Well that was a bit of payback for 1991/92…
New post up.
https://highbury-house.com/2021/02/26/he-thought-it-was-all-over-well-it-wasnt/
!2 oclock the hot and cold balls go into the hat. 4 British teams , 2 Spanish and 2 Italian . Plenty of options to curtail the travel neutral ground problems.