Tweet
General comment: My GUNNERS should have won.
Why?
We got the chances!
Did we play up to our full and recent form?
No!
1st half:
Arsenal shaded the play but went down 1 - 0 on a great strike and a slow Mertesacker who could not react fast enough to get behind the ball. ...ball deflected by Mertesacker...result 'keeper wrong-footed...GOAL MONACO!
That was all it took to be down 0 - 1...but there were no special causes for alarm. We were slower on and to the ball in the last 3rd of our opponent's area. ...but we frequently advanced into their penalty-area. ...but for small dfferences we coudda-shudda!
2nd half
...and I must admit that Sass' comments caused me to focus on Sanchez...but I took note of some other incidents/plays:
46 min: Sanchez crosses from right...Giroud misses from 2 - 3 yards from 'keeper. Just horrible miss!
49 min: Ozil gave away ball...Ozil won back ball!
50 min: Gibbs gave away ball deep in opponent's penalty-area. Lost opportunity by my GUNNERS.
52 min: Giroud heads over from Santi Cazorla's FREE-KICK. Misses from 7 yards out. Did not get over the ball on his jump.
53 min: Sanchez loses ball. Did not pass on receipt...opponents counter...Berbatov! GOAL Monaco!!!
Must say from a defensive point...Mertesacker's lack of pace again should be noted as he wandered away and could not recover.
63 min: Sanchez sets up Walcott. Walcott's shot rebounds...Welbeck's forceful shot from the rebound ...2 -3 yards out blocked. Monaco's quickness highlighted. 9 times out of 10 against any other TEAM Welbeck scores.
65 min: Walcott gives away ball by failing to meet ball. Walcott loses that ball 16 yards from his and my GUNNERS penalty-area. He stands and watches opponent dribble into his and my GUNNERS Penalty-Area.
66 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Again he elects to pop-pop.
68 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Once more he dwells on the ball as he goes into his pop-pop.
69 min: The OX to Walcott. Walcott is slow to the ball. Ball lost!
73 min: Bellerin is outrun. Truth is, My GUNNERS at key moments...critical moments...both on attack and defense were slower than the opponents.
75 min: Walcott again waits on a pass...under hit pass...defender runs by him. Ball lost!
77 min: The OX gave away the ball...result - Powerful strike into Opina's arms.
80 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Need I say it? Pop-pop...ball lost!
82 min: GUNNERS corner...defender fails to clear...drops to Sanchez 7 yards out missed his kick...poor connection. Shot not on target.
88 min: Sanchez wins ball. Long pass to opponent's 'keeper.
90 min: Sanchez wins ball...dribbles...Sanchez gives away ball...
91 min/1st minute of time added on: Ozil crosses...MONACO's 'keeper clears to The OX...The OX shoots...GREAT SHOT & GOAL!
92 min/2nd minute of time added on: The OX gave away ball!
94 min/4th minute of time added on: The Ox loses the ball...there is a counter. Opponent runs away from him...The Ox was out-run... MONACO'S 3rd GOAL!!!
Conclusion: We got the chances to have won.
...and here in is the rub: Yes, it is true MONACO was more clinical in front of goal but all this nonsense about poor game by Arsenal would miss-lead. If Arsenal had taken her chances the result would have been different.
Arsenal got 5 or so excellent chances...none more 'easy' than Giroud's 2 misses from 7 yards out or less and the Sanchez to Walcott...his shot rebound Welbeck...misses 4 then 2-3 or so yards out.
The Ozil to Sanchez chance in the 1st half 10 yards from the 'keeper/14 yards from goal on another day --- GOAL!!! Instead it was not even on target as it flew over the goal.
...and Sanchez's chance from 7 yards out late in the 2nd half...on another day he makes good connection from that distance only if it flies at the 'keeper is it not a goal.
My GUNNERS cudda-shudda...
Defensively?
We had too many lapses!!! ...and we paid the price!!! ...to a TEAM was good in front of goal.
It is a hard road to travel...that return match!!! ...but if we create as many chances and take them...?????
Why?
We got the chances!
Did we play up to our full and recent form?
No!
1st half:
Arsenal shaded the play but went down 1 - 0 on a great strike and a slow Mertesacker who could not react fast enough to get behind the ball. ...ball deflected by Mertesacker...result 'keeper wrong-footed...GOAL MONACO!
That was all it took to be down 0 - 1...but there were no special causes for alarm. We were slower on and to the ball in the last 3rd of our opponent's area. ...but we frequently advanced into their penalty-area. ...but for small dfferences we coudda-shudda!
2nd half
...and I must admit that Sass' comments caused me to focus on Sanchez...but I took note of some other incidents/plays:
46 min: Sanchez crosses from right...Giroud misses from 2 - 3 yards from 'keeper. Just horrible miss!
49 min: Ozil gave away ball...Ozil won back ball!
50 min: Gibbs gave away ball deep in opponent's penalty-area. Lost opportunity by my GUNNERS.
52 min: Giroud heads over from Santi Cazorla's FREE-KICK. Misses from 7 yards out. Did not get over the ball on his jump.
53 min: Sanchez loses ball. Did not pass on receipt...opponents counter...Berbatov! GOAL Monaco!!!
Must say from a defensive point...Mertesacker's lack of pace again should be noted as he wandered away and could not recover.
63 min: Sanchez sets up Walcott. Walcott's shot rebounds...Welbeck's forceful shot from the rebound ...2 -3 yards out blocked. Monaco's quickness highlighted. 9 times out of 10 against any other TEAM Welbeck scores.
65 min: Walcott gives away ball by failing to meet ball. Walcott loses that ball 16 yards from his and my GUNNERS penalty-area. He stands and watches opponent dribble into his and my GUNNERS Penalty-Area.
66 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Again he elects to pop-pop.
68 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Once more he dwells on the ball as he goes into his pop-pop.
69 min: The OX to Walcott. Walcott is slow to the ball. Ball lost!
73 min: Bellerin is outrun. Truth is, My GUNNERS at key moments...critical moments...both on attack and defense were slower than the opponents.
75 min: Walcott again waits on a pass...under hit pass...defender runs by him. Ball lost!
77 min: The OX gave away the ball...result - Powerful strike into Opina's arms.
80 min: Sanchez gives away the ball. Need I say it? Pop-pop...ball lost!
82 min: GUNNERS corner...defender fails to clear...drops to Sanchez 7 yards out missed his kick...poor connection. Shot not on target.
88 min: Sanchez wins ball. Long pass to opponent's 'keeper.
90 min: Sanchez wins ball...dribbles...Sanchez gives away ball...
91 min/1st minute of time added on: Ozil crosses...MONACO's 'keeper clears to The OX...The OX shoots...GREAT SHOT & GOAL!
92 min/2nd minute of time added on: The OX gave away ball!
94 min/4th minute of time added on: The Ox loses the ball...there is a counter. Opponent runs away from him...The Ox was out-run... MONACO'S 3rd GOAL!!!
Conclusion: We got the chances to have won.
...and here in is the rub: Yes, it is true MONACO was more clinical in front of goal but all this nonsense about poor game by Arsenal would miss-lead. If Arsenal had taken her chances the result would have been different.
Arsenal got 5 or so excellent chances...none more 'easy' than Giroud's 2 misses from 7 yards out or less and the Sanchez to Walcott...his shot rebound Welbeck...misses 4 then 2-3 or so yards out.
The Ozil to Sanchez chance in the 1st half 10 yards from the 'keeper/14 yards from goal on another day --- GOAL!!! Instead it was not even on target as it flew over the goal.
...and Sanchez's chance from 7 yards out late in the 2nd half...on another day he makes good connection from that distance only if it flies at the 'keeper is it not a goal.
My GUNNERS cudda-shudda...
Defensively?
We had too many lapses!!! ...and we paid the price!!! ...to a TEAM was good in front of goal.
It is a hard road to travel...that return match!!! ...but if we create as many chances and take them...?????
Comment