Re: European and Domestic Cups Thread

[REWB]

Monaco is a very, very hard team to play now.  They have the best defense in Ligue 1 after the slow start and only allowed 1 goal total in CL pool... they park the bus and counter attack like champs.  They started the season slow because a ton of players got sold + mentally, it was tough to swallow.  But now, they're rolling.  Since the end of September, they've won 7, drawn 6 and lost only 3 times with two of those being 1-0 losses.

Watch them regularly and they just wear you down now... they drew PSG in Paris and beat OM last night.  Should have beaten PSG in fact and the loss earlier to Lyon was one that was a lucky one for Lyon.  Tough to say the least.  Don't count your chickens.  They're style is exactly what Wenger does very poorly against:  Namely, they play like a Mourinho team tactically.

I get your point, but thats not really the type of team we struggle against too much. The real problem for arsenal are sides that press high up the field and have attacking midfielders that can hurt us, as we basically have no DM. you can sit back and try and hit us on the counter, fine, but if we play well, we usually create chances against teams who sit back. if we take our chances we will win, especially since this is a two legged tie.

the score will be tight though, i can tell. manaco have the best DM's in the business so they could nullify our midfield. but ill be shocked if we dont score atleast 2 goals, especially with the likes of walcott, ozil coming back.

[Hapless_Hans]

Your best shot would have been to draw us, so I'm happy

[Sri]

I am also looking forward to some of the other big team draws.

[El Gunner]

Monaco is a very, very hard team

FFS dat exaggeration

[Chumlum]

We're going to get Monaco, and we're going to slaughter them. Then we'll upset a Spanish club in the quarters. Calling it now.

[Hapless_Hans]

tbh it would probably have been better for you to draw one of the top teams. That way, while going out, you could again have continued your usual 'if only... we could..' mindset

[sportsczy]

Monaco is a very, very hard team

FFS dat exaggeration

They're ugly to watch... but they don't give up goals.  Again, in 6 pool games against Leverkusen, Benfica and Zenit, they gave up 1 goal.  Granted, that first Leverkusen game was lucky.  But the others, they didn't give up but a handful of chances per game.  Against OM, they shut them down 1-0 last night (and OM atttacks a ton).  Against PSG recently... 1-1 in Paris.  

The tougher the team, the better they play because they can just sit back and counter.  Only get in trouble against the weaker sides because they have to attack and can't sit back... so they struggle there.  Berbatov, Kondogbia and Kurzawa are injured (will be back in Jan) so they're way too young and inexperienced to break organized defenses that play low and pack it in.

As long as Arsenal tries to attack Monaco... which they will...  Monaco will be very comfortable.  

Just telling you like it is.

[Sri]

In January: Ramsey, Özil, Walcott, Alexis, Santi, Koscielny, Debuchy, Welbeck, Giroud, Arteta, Oxlade - all should be fit and healthy.

If we can't get past Monaco when we are near full strength, despite their supposedly almighty defense, then ...

Something something Champions League something something Ligue 1 something something.

Just telling you like it is.

[Hapless_Hans]

I don't know about the others, but I do know for sure that Alexis will have a muscle strain injury by the end of January

Just telling it as it is.

[Sri]

Much difference between 'should be' and 'will be', I see.

And thanks for that Hans, offsetting what little I might have done with the GL jinx. Top lad.

[sportsczy]

And Monaco will have Berbatov, Kurzawa, Carvalho and Kondogbia back in January...  so they will be healthier than they've ever been all season as well.

We'll see.  Monaco are playing very well right now and they've changed a lot since the start of the season.  At first, Jardim wanted to play a high-line, possession-based, pressure system similar to Bielsa.  Didn't have the horses on defense and it failed miserably the first 6 weeks of the season.  Then he transitioned to catenaccio lol.  There is a happy medium there... but since catenaccio has gotten results, he's sticking to it.  

Went from bottom 4 in the league at the end of September to 6th place and climbing.  

Not saying that Monaco are better than Arsenal... but they are FAR from an easy opponent.  In fact, if they take an advantage into the 2nd leg, they win the tie imo.  Very good at managing leads against anyone.

[Hapless_Hans]

Much difference between 'should be' and 'will be', I see.

And thanks for that Hans, offsetting what little I might have done with the GL jinx. Top lad.

No biggie, but try to be more careful next time. Your post was about to make Arsenal's february treatment room look like a World War I sickbay had I not stepped in.

[Raptorgunner]

Monaco is a very, very hard team

FFS dat exaggeration

[Sri]

Nobody is taking anything away Sports. But you have to admit, compared to the other teams we could have drawn, this is the easiest draw. Let people enjoy a rare bit of luck, instead of pissing on their parade ffs. We can throw all the caution to the winds when the ties actually come around, which is still a good while away.

GoodGuyHans

I have full faith in our back to back games between Boxing Day and the first week of January to knacker a fair few. We always have a player or two, who get stretchered off and kiss their season good bye in this period.

[RealGunner]

I am glad for once we got a better draw but there is no way we are crushing Monaco like they are Burnley.

Months before R16 so a lot can change as well.

[Sina]

Early verdict:quite Happy with this draw

gonna watch some of their matches to know more

thanks for some info sportz

[sportsczy]

Monaco = play very ugly. Rely on defense. Other than Moutinho and Berbatov, rest of the forwards are extremely young and inconsistent. Ferreira-Carrasco, Bernardo Silva and Martial have been playing better of late though so it looks like the kids are developing on the attack.

Highly likely that they will park the bus and counter like they have throughout CL so far and against OM/PSG.

That said, they're playing ugly with talented players. So it's not like they get lucky when they do attack... they do it with skill.

Strange team. I wouldn't have expected them to play this way given their squad.

[El Gunner]

I am glad for once we got a better draw but there is no way we are crushing Monaco like they are Burnley.

Months before R16 so a lot can change as well.

Yes we can still buy Hummels, Reus, Pogba and Kondogbia (just to piss Monaco off)

[sportsczy]

Kondogbia has been very meh tbh... Monaco are playing better with Bakayoko starting. So you can have him lol.

[Raptorgunner]

Back to the future.

[sportsczy]

The years haven't been kind to Wenger

[VendettaRed07]

I think Wenger looks pretty good for his age.

Could still make Lazio's youth squad

[MJ]

I think Wenger looks pretty good for his age.

Could still make Lazio's youth squad

[Raptorgunner]

I think Wenger looks pretty good for his age.

Could still make Lazio's youth squad

Would be too young for them no?

[Raptorgunner]

My reaction to Monaco.

[Peccadillo]

I thought the whole draw was pretty amicable overall... The only teams that wont be happy with their draws are Dortmund, Monaco, PSG, City and Chelsea.

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