Arsenal fans, in 2012 within hours of Chelsea lifted the trophy, lots of comments Via Sky Sports News and Sky Text, from your fans about how you would petition for Arsenal to return the trophy to the ‘rightful’ winners if your Team won it in such a manner. Describing it as anti-football.
Nearly 5 years on, considering the events in Munich the other night, did we really do that much wrong? (I’m not having a dig here) Or would you with hindsight accept Arsenal doing whatever it takes to get over the winning line?
I get it, football is an entertainment thing. You want to be entertained. But there surely has to be a thing where winning ugly is more preferable to getting yourselves torn a new one?
I wonder if some of your older generation would accept even a performance worthy of a George Graham 'master class' in individual matches? Which i thought was excellent in itself.
We took a lot of criticism at the time, but especially Barcelona and Munich, we'd have been foolish to not try and keep it tight with those 2. Going 'toe to toe' would have seen us not even reach the final.
Would you still want to return the Trophy?
posted on 20/2/17
It's bollox.
Football is more than playing pretty little triangles. Chelsea showed qualities more important in 2012 if you actually want to win trophies namely grit, determination and a never say die attitude.
Perhaps that mentality from Arsenal is why they have never won a Champions League for them to return...
posted on 20/2/17
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 15 minutes ago
Wenger's decline always gets framed in reference to the move, but to me it was when he moved away from having powerful central midfields.
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Yep I've said this before. His obsession with Fabregas ruined him. He changed the formation, the sttle of play everything to build a team around him. We should have gone for a proper replacement for Vieira instead of fast tracking Fabregas. Really wish we tried harder for Essien from Lyon
posted on 20/2/17
comment by Ramböue (U12551)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 15 minutes ago
Wenger's decline always gets framed in reference to the move, but to me it was when he moved away from having powerful central midfields.
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Yep I've said this before. His obsession with Fabregas ruined him. He changed the formation, the sttle of play everything to build a team around him. We should have gone for a proper replacement for Vieira instead of fast tracking Fabregas. Really wish we tried harder for Essien from Lyon
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Yeah, for all the good football you played from 1997 until the move, your best sides were underpinned by strong central midfielders who could mix it as well as play.
Vieria and Petit were a marvellous pairing. One of the very best PL partnerships, if not the best.
Later on, Vieira and Gilberto, assisted by Edu.
That 2005 side was a big side all across the pitch
posted on 20/2/17
Arsenal fans were always complaining about United, Chelsea and Liverpool playing anti-football because we could defend in Europe. Embarrassing really.
posted on 20/2/17
more than one way to skin a cat....
You do what is needed....no mean feat doing the Germans in their own back yard
Nor is winning the Europa after being dumped out of the CL group the next term...$puds & Utd are currently trying to win that cup...long way to go yet
posted on 20/2/17
Flash, for me we were playing one of the giants of European football in what was essentially a home Game for the Germans,
To take them on shorn of half the team and playing with players out of position was IMO an absolutely outstanding performance.
I didn't care then what people said then and I don't care now. All those players performed like gladiators that night and I couldn't have been prouder of them!
posted on 20/2/17
What Brummie and Pep said.
You can't have the circumstances of a Final stacked more against you than we had that night. Yet with huge strength of character, a defiant refusal to accept that defeat was inevitable and a huge set of cojones that we displayed that night, we showed that anything can be overcome if you believe.
Very proud of all our boys that night, even some that I wasn't the greatest fan of. Without exception, they all stepped up to the plate.
posted on 20/2/17
comment by BrummieBlue! (U3487)
posted 1 hour, 16 minutes ago
Flash, for me we were playing one of the giants of European football in what was essentially a home Game for the Germans,
To take them on shorn of half the team and playing with players out of position was IMO an absolutely outstanding performance.
I didn't care then what people said then and I don't care now. All those players performed like gladiators that night and I couldn't have been prouder of them!
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This is often overlooked. We had a makeshift team having lost JT at his peak and Ivanovic through suspension and played Cahill who was relatively new recruit and David Luiz carrying an injury having not played for weeks before. Yet last week Kos is off injured and the rest of the team couldn't organise themselves to cope. I fear many will never truly understand what was achieved that night in 2012
posted on 21/2/17
Trying to understand it ruins the magic
soccer?lol.
posted on 21/2/17
I remember some discussion before and after the game about both teams having about 4 players players out through suspension and injury so I think that was even as far as that was concerned though Chelsea were away from home. I do not think Chelsea were necessarily defensive in the game. I just think Bayern were on top for periods and Chelsea had to defend. That is not parking the bus.
As far as defensive football is concerned,whilst a team has to defend if the opposition get on top, I do not like to see ' big teams' setting out for a 0-0. Seems ridiculous to spend loads of money and play like an Italian team in the 60's.