Rapid Vienna v Arsenal, 17:55 BST (22/10, BT Sport 2)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Probably not for any of the other group games but I hope Auba plays in this one, he needs goals and we can't achieve anything this season without them.

Need him to get going again.

[GP]

This means nothing to me.


0-3

[Mac76]

1-1

[Letters]

Gaah! These weird kick off times.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rapid Vienna: Strebinger, Stojkovic, Hofmann, Barac, Arase, Ljubicic, Grahovac, Ullmann, Kara, Ritzmaier, Fountas.
Subs: Sonnleitner, Schick, Petrovic, Alar, Unger, Gartler, Knasmullner, Greiml, Kitagawa, Sulzbacher, Ibrahimoglu, Savic.

Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Pepe, Partey, Elneny, Saka, Lacazette, Nketiah.
Subs: Bellerin, Tierney, Runarsson, Aubameyang, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Nelson, Willock, Macey, Xhaka.

Referee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)


---------

Kara Danvers up front. :bow:

Also, 3,000 home fans will be there.

[Mac76]

Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Kolasinac ...

that's not a defence, that's a car crash

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cedric wiping out the opposition. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well done Pepe.

Grahovac booked for being a farmer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz header saved by Strebringer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leno does a save.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lacazette booked, not sure why.

[Marc Overmars]

Lacazette booked, not sure why.
Because he’s shite?

[Marc Overmars]

There appears to be a 12 year old boy commentating.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pepe. :haha:

Gave it a go I guess.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great work from Partey saving our arses.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Partey booked. Piss off.

[Maestro]

is it me or are we really shite?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kara's shot slashed across goal.

[Marc Overmars]

is it me or are we really shite?

No. We’re not a shit team.

We’re just dull as dishwater because we have the Spanish Tony Pulis in charge.

[Letters]

No. We’re not a shit team.

We’re just dull as dishwater because we have the Spanish Tony Pulis in charge.

They call him...El Pulis :cool:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 HT.

Bag of shit.

[Letters]

I note they have fans in the stadium.

[Gooner23]

We have nothing in the final 3rd again, it's really an issue that Arteta needs to solve.

Also the ref is an absolute tosser.

[Marc Overmars]

I’ve just realised we have 2 keepers on the bench.

No room for Ozil though. For football reasons of course.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second half is on.

Nketiah with the elbows. :bow:

[Marc Overmars]

Eddie should be off really. :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Lucky boy Saka. Could have been a penalty there.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Funtas, pub at the back. :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

1-0

Morons playing it out at the back.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Our sexy play out from the back again. :cloud9:

[Marc Overmars]

Actually just Leno’s fault there.

Does Emi have a buy back clause?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Woeful corner from Cedric.

[Marc Overmars]

Maybe we’ll exert a bit of pressure now but that would mean having to deviate from this pub game plan. Not sure El Pulis would like that.

[Marc Overmars]

Go away Leno.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think Leno is pissed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arase booked.

Scrote.

[Gooner23]

He's looked nervy all season so far, just not as decisive as Emi and maybe he knows it

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nketiah off, Aubameyang on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cedric off, Bellerin on.

[Marc Overmars]

Saka is probably the only one who’s first thought is to see if he can make something happen. Complete safety first from the rest.

Partey has looked silky though. Already our best player.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kara booked.

Shocking tackle.

[Gooner23]

Saka is probably the only one who’s first thought is to see if he can make something happen. Complete safety first from the rest.

Partey has looked silky though. Already our best player.

Partey and Gabriel look the business

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Auba freekick. :lol:

[Gooner23]

Our set pieces are truly woeful

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They have a player on loan from Barnsley. :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

1-1

Luiz

[McNamara That Ghost...]

DAVID LUIZ!!!!!

[Gooner23]

Our set pieces are truly woeful
:run:

[Marc Overmars]

Good delivery from Pepe

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Firm low shot from Bellerin but saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

WTF is Leno on?

[Marc Overmars]

Leno :haha:

Absolutely shit.

[dazthegooner]

Drugs I would say...

[Marc Overmars]

:run:

Let’s face it they’re probably going to be quite valuable for us now because we don’t do much in open play.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

AUBAMEYANG!!!!!

Elneny's through ball. :cloud9:

[Marc Overmars]

Auba! :bow:

Classic FIFA tap in. Hope he goes on a run now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I'm sure they said it was Pepe. :lol:

It was midfield maestro Elneny.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kara off, Kitagawa on.

[Marc Overmars]

Lacashite.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leno knew giving a goal away would be what we need to raise our game. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lacazette hauled off, Willock on.

Saka off, Tierney on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Partey time. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rapid Vienna 1-2 Arsenal, FT.

Classic away performance. :bow:

:unsure:

[Marc Overmars]

Same old regimented and unimaginative football we’ve come to expect. Took us 70 mins to create a chance but we made it count with a short burst of life and won. That’s usually all we need in fairness. On we go.

[dazthegooner]

The only time Pepe delivered a corner/freekick above head height we scored should do it more often.

[Letters]

The only time Pepe delivered a corner/freekick above head height we scored should do it more often.

You might be on to something there, you know.

[hobson's choice]

Arteta is starting to Coach like how played for us. Im with him, but he gotta do something bout this dull attack. If most our attack is gonna come from our wide area. He has to do a better job with his Fullback selections. Cause our attack goes through them.

[dazthegooner]

You might be on to something there, you know.

I have my moments :blink:

[Niall_Quinn]

Arteta is starting to Coach like how played for us. Im with him, but he gotta do something bout this dull attack. If most our attack is gonna come from our wide area. He has to do a better job with his Fullback selections. Cause our attack goes through them.

Who's he going to select? We have Tierney and AMN (out of position). The rest are just shit kickers.

What he needs to do is fine them every time they take the easy option. That seems to be baked into this team. And the excruciatingly frustrating part is, we've seen them do better, in flashes. None of that came from the tip tap bullshit which is 100% non-productive. It came from taking a risk, upping the tempo and proving these guys can actually kick a ball.

I'm with him for the rest of the season because I'm hoping he's trying to coach the longstanding bad habits away. But if he doesn't open up and play some football then I'm done with it. And I'm not sure how the club will recover if I walk away.

[Mac76]

.

I'm with him for the rest of the season because I'm hoping he's trying to coach the longstanding bad habits away. But if he doesn't open up and play some football then I'm done with it. And I'm not sure how the club will recover if I walk away.

They'd manage...

...and so would we... ;)

[Niall_Quinn]

They'd manage...

...and so would we... ;)

No proof. As usual.

[Mac76]

No proof. As usual.

I'll find something on youtube...

[Niall_Quinn]

I'll find something on youtube...

You mean Martinelli...?

[Letters]

I'm with him for the rest of the season because I'm hoping he's trying to coach the longstanding bad habits away. But if he doesn't open up and play some football then I'm done with it. And I'm not sure how the club will recover if I walk away.

You'll judge him at the end of the season?
What a stupid concept :sulk:

[Marc Overmars]

I'd say he has already coached the bad habits away. Our stupidity now just comes from incessantly playing it out from the back, which isn't entirely the players fault because I'm sure they're just following instruction.

This is about as structured, stubborn and regimented as I've ever seen Arsenal play and I think it has become our identity now. Will it be enough to get us back into the CL? I'm not sure but I think we'll at least be in the mix because of it. It's stark contrast to Wenger's final season and Emery where we were just getting overrun and peppered, then just praying Auba or someone could bail us out. Now we don't actually give much away unless it is through unforced errors.

It's come at a price because there's nothing exciting about watching us play now, but if we were to be successful playing this way then I'm sure we'd make peace with it.

[Mac76]

I'd say he has already coached the bad habits away. Our stupidity now just comes from incessantly playing it out from the back, which isn't entirely the players fault because I'm sure they're just following instruction.

This is about as structured, stubborn and regimented as I've ever seen Arsenal play and I think it has become our identity now. Will it be enough to get us back into the CL? I'm not sure but I think we'll at least be in the mix because of it. It's stark contrast to Wenger's final season and Emery where we were just getting overrun and peppered, then just praying Auba or someone could bail us out. Now we don't actually give much away unless it is through unforced errors.

but we're still hoping Auba will bail us out... which is hard when Arteta thinks Willian is a better choice at CF