srigooner wrote:Let's not be under any delusion that this is an easy game. Fwiw Monaco play exactly the kind of football that we dislike playing against in the last few years. Even though we seem to be developing a new Achilles now

Koscielny: “We need to be focused on this. We respect this team but we need to play our game and that’s why we can win.

Gibbs: "We analyse the teams very thoroughly and it as a special competition to be involved in. We want to do well for him [SirAW

srigooner wrote:Uh oh.. I can see how excited Rapz is about this game.. For your sake, I hope we do win...

Another thing for the manager to ponder is the performance of Theo Walcott. On the very surface you look at his goals to games ratio since he came back and last night was his third goal in three starts. Yet look a bit deeper and there are concerns. This was the sum total of his passing game last night in the 72+ minutes he was on the pitch:



He attempted just 9 passes and completed only 6 of those. He had fewer touches of the ball in all that time than Giroud did despite the Frenchman playing 50 minutes less (thanks to @JongsmaJongsma for that stat). It speaks to a player who isn’t involved enough. He was selected on the right hand side last night, but his trick of drifting into the centre into positions where he can’t get the ball – or where it’s not sensible for other players to give it to him – means he barely features.

He fluffed a great chance in the opening minutes, was on hand to tuck away the rebound very smartly indeed, but aside from that he was a complete passenger. I don’t think it’s overly-critical to expect more from a player. I get he’s not the most technical or skillful and that his main strengths are getting in behind and finishing, but on nights like last night he becomes very difficult to carry. If Mesut Ozil had been as uninvolved last night, the Daily Mail would have had him deported.

On a recent Arsecast I discussed Walcott and Podolski with James, and the similarities are obvious. They’re both players whose all-round contribution is minimal but whose finishing ability means they’ll always get you goals. I believe Arsene Wenger realised he couldn’t have two of them in his squad, hence Podolski’s departure, but surely there comes a time when you either have to ask for more from Walcott, accept that this is the price of having him in the side or think about his long-term future.

srigooner wrote:#Arsenal team to play @AS_Monaco: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck, Giroud

Raptorgunner wrote:

srigooner wrote:#Arsenal team to play @AS_Monaco: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck, Giroud

Whats wrong with Theo? not happy with Welbeck on the wings.

Raptorgunner wrote:

srigooner wrote:Let's not be under any delusion that this is an easy game. Fwiw Monaco play exactly the kind of football that we dislike playing against in the last few years. Even though we seem to be developing a new Achilles now

I know they are a good team, but that's no excuse for us. We are at home and must win.

Koscielny: “We need to be focused on this. We respect this team but we need to play our game and that’s why we can win.

Gibbs: "We analyse the teams very thoroughly and it as a special competition to be involved in. We want to do well for him [SirAW