I still cannot believe we conceded three goals in the first game to one of the worst Champions League sides we've ever had to face in recent years.
I said it before the first leg, after the first leg and I'm going to say it now. Monaco are poor. They are not a good side. They have a few good players, but their team is not better than ours. I just cannot understand how awful we were in the game at The Emirates; by far our worst performance of the season.
The good thing is that we have kept up our winning run, but I don't know how deflated the players will be with yet another year of glorious failure.
We were so close in the end, with a pretty dominant display although the referee deserves to be lynched. But to be honest, on the whole, we can't blame anyone but ourselves because the first leg was just horrific in every possible way.
We probably will not get a better chance to get to the last 8 for a while so the overriding feeling is disappointment. Purely because we lost to a team who we know we are superior to, but we didn't show the right attitude going into the first game.
I know it gets said a lot but I do hope that it is a learning curve for the players. Never underestimate any side, regardless of if they're Bayern Munich or Alfreton Town.
Now all we need to do is focus on retaining the FA Cup and securing Champions League football. That would be a respectable season given everything that happened at the beginning of the campaign.
Still can't believe it
posted on 17/3/15
Sheriff
I was deliberately being flippant. Obviously just cos I haven't heard of a player it doesn't mean they're not good. There's probably loads of players that are good who I haven't heard of. But you won't change my mind. Monaco are not that good and it is embarrassing that we got knocked out by such an average side.
posted on 17/3/15
They convincingly beat Wolfsburg home and away in the Europa. Wolfsburg are 2nd in the Bundesliga and I'd say they are a superior outfit to Monaco.
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Wolfsburg rested tons of players in the home tie. Don't know much about the other one. That said, that's a very simplistic way of judging. Arsenal were topped by a Dortmund team that hit rock bottom in Bundesliga - LITERALLY. A Dortmund team that smacked us 2-0 (should have been 5-0). It's not necessarily a true reflection of the level of both teams.
posted on 17/3/15
It's not that big a shock. Arsenal are also an average side in the CL.
posted on 17/3/15
I think Monaco would be similar to Stoke in the PL. Would sit around 9th/10th/11th not threatening the European places and not getting dragged into a relegation fight
posted on 17/3/15
. Arsenal are also an average side in the CL.
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Darren we are a better side than Monaco and you know this.
posted on 17/3/15
It's not necessarily a true reflection of the level of both teams.
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Perhaps not, but I equally feel Everton are in a false position in the league. They have a lot more quality than their league position would suggest. Although two-legged results don't always show which side is better, it still shows how capable a team is. And I believe Everton are perfectly capable of dispatching Monaco over two games.
posted on 17/3/15
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 13 minutes ago
It's not that big a shock. Arsenal are also an average side in the CL.
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posted on 17/3/15
"It's not that big a shock. Arsenal are also an average side in the CL."
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I actually agree, it's not a shock in the footballing sense that the term is used; it is a mixture of disgrace and disappointment though.
posted on 18/3/15
The mentality of this article is the reason we are out in the first place imo. We all massively underestimated them and the players did too in the first leg. It was only Wenger who gave them the respect they deserved by saying the tie was a 50/50.
Even yesterday where they offered nothing in attack, their defensive work was pretty impressive considering most of our attacking players are bang on form It felt like there was no way through at times.
I reckon they will give the next side big problems and I would actually back them to go through, although you would think the next team wont disrespect them after watching them against us at the emirates.
posted on 18/3/15
Godfather, give me a facking break. I'm trying to be as respectful as I can here but Monaco are a poor side and I bet whoever they face next will completely wipe the floor with them.
We did underestimate them, but let's be honest here. They're no better than Basel, in my opinion.