It was a strange game in Sweden and evidence that Mr. Potter’s unusual coaching style had little effect in the first 30 minutes. Rarely have I seen such a poorly organised team.
What of tonight?
Ostersunds players must be excited. A couple of days in London with it’s bright lights, shopping, theatre, museums and gay bars. An eye-opener after the frozen wasteland of central Sweden.
We saw in the second half that Ostersunds can play and I expect them to give a good account of themselves. They played against a very strong Arsenal team in their home leg and the opposition is likely to give them more encouragement tonight.
Given this is the biggest game in Ostersunds history, we can expect to see Viking hordes full of mead and schnapps sail up the Thames, rampage though Holloway Road, occupy the terraces, primed to take on allcomers and abuse our womenfolk. If approached take the only sensible action …. Run Away.
As to Arsenal, it is a chance for the reserves to get a kick about. Maybe for Welbeck to show why he deserves a contract extension. Another opportunity for the sparse crowd to give the “Eddie” chant another rendition.
It would be risky for Mr Wenger to play anyone whom he wants to start at Wembley and, in recent years, Mr Wenger is not a risk-taker. As such he could select a very unusual 11.
My Team:
Ospina
Chambers Holding Kolasinac
Nelson Elneny Willock M-N
Miki Welbz Eddie
This may be a little too risky for AW! JW could start especially if Ramsey is likely to be fit for Sunday.
I am finding it hard to be enthusiastic about tonight. The opposition are poor, we have already won the tie, The Emirates will be half empty, no stars playing. Will I watch? Of course I will but most probably with my mind elsewhere.
We should win this tie whichever Arsenal players are on the pitch.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Cheers, BR.
I think we could be in for a surprise tonight – especially if Ostersunds score first.
It could all go helmets up very quickly.
Does everyone realise we are also being forced to wear that chuffin cursed blue kit at home because UEFA chose it?
Looking forward to the Viking invasion, though.
Could be upwards of 5000 rampaging and pillaging.
Split loyalties for you Red Erik 🙂
Thanks. Mmm, don’t like minnows. Many still harbour ambitions of fame and fortune, and fancy themselves to put in a good show on the big stage. Right menace they can be.
One early goal should put them in their place.
How did you get a pic of Mrs R.?
Henrikh Mkhitaryan swipe at Jose Mourinho by suggesting that Manchester United’s tactics were too negative to get the best out of him.
“In the last year I played in Dortmund with Klopp, Dortmund was playing very good football and I think it seems to be a bit similar comparing Arsenal to Dortmund,” he told ESPN.
“I’m very happy to be here. I get pleasure playing offensive football and being part of Arsenal. Every offensive player wants to play offensive football. For me as well, I always love to play offensive football, it’s not easy to defend all the time.
“It’s necessary to do the best for the team, but in this case, when Arsenal are playing offensive football, I’m trying to give everything I can give to the team.”
From the Mirror –
Alexis Sanchez’s body language in recent games suggests he is struggling to smoothly adjust to Jose Mourinho and Manchester United’s ways
From Metro –
‘Mesut was sick until today,’ claimed Wenger. ‘It was his first training session today. He was in bed on Monday and Tuesday with sickness. ‘I would certainly have played him but because he was sick he will have to work hard tomorrow and he will not be involved.’
Gooners believe Ozil has been telling one or two porkies after supporters noted that he was in Istanbul on Monday.
Ozil uploaded a photo from Turkey on Monday – with proof of his location – alongside his partner Amine Gulse. Supporters believe he called in sick to get out of the second leg against Ostersunds and have no doubts that he’ll be fighting fit to face City on Sunday.
VP
Haha, as if Sanchez’s body language was really positive when playing for us.
How can anyone tell with the miserable little Chilean?
VP
If it’s in the Metro it must be true!
So Mesut calls in sick and then posts a photo from Turkey all on the same day. That calls for Paul Merson levels of stupidity.
Thanks Raddy, hopefully our UN peacekeepers will keep the hordes at bay …. with Miki to take a starring role.
It would be great if Welbz could rediscover the art of being a goalscoring striker … we may need him with Lacaz indisposed.
Enjoyed the post, not much else you can say about tonight. Gay bars and run away quips made me chuckle.
Think we looking at record low attendance tonight circa 30,000 (and I understand this totally from fan perspective). Welcome to Kronke’s Arsenal! Thanks Stan, you have taken us to the summit of the football world!
In
Quiet day on the site which probably reflects the interest in tonight’s game, even Arseblog has been quiet.
May we perk up at gametime?
ESPN
Asked why the German gets sick so often, Wenger said: “Ozil’s immune system is a bit in trouble at the moment and I don’t know why. I hope we can improve that medically.”
“He should be OK for Sunday,” Wenger said.
ESPN
“Of course it [Europa League] is very important, but I wouldn’t say we stop ourselves from saying we are going to compete in the top four,” Mkhitaryan said. “We are still in the competition because the English Premier League anything is possible.
“Maybe sometimes, teams can lose two, three times in a row and we win our games so anything is possible. We are trying to win every game in every competition and, of course, we will be glad if we can win the Europa League as well, but if we can be in the top four, it will be even better.”
ESPN
But the adventure looks set to end, though, with Potter conceding Ostersund require an upset of the ages in north London.
“You need one of the biggest football miracles to go through, so we have nothing to lose,” he said.
“The only thing you have is the regret of not giving it everything. It is a wonderful opportunity for the players and myself to have this experience.
“We will be proud of what we have done, no matter what the result is we will leave with our heads held high.
“Seven years ago I left here from Heathrow to go to a fourth division team in Sweden and tomorrow I will leave with 5,000 fans from Ostersund.”
Any got the team news yet?
Yep
Ok, let’s aim to watch the first 45 and see how get on.
Good plan?
Ok, so maybe not a plan
Here’s another to break it down into more manageable bits. We vote every ten minutes on the watchability scale. W = watchable, OJFO = not 🙂
Alright. Even simpler
Watch at all?
Or JFO Didit, you blithering idiot?
i have just checked the news and there are no reports of women being raped by foreigners on boats, none. Mind you, didn’t the Vikings prefer to rape men?
Anyway, I think Raddy is a masochist. Me, personally get more excited about easy games and a prospect of winning.
And why would Wenger keep best players for the Carabao cup? superly Europa is the most important competition for us
El Neny? who’s that?
Thanks Raddy, I wonder if the Oelhall’s have been left in decent order.
Looking forward to seeing the team tonight and who plays where, and to see how some of them perform. Where will AMN operate? Is Kolasinac at LB and is he a long term number 1 in this role? How will the rest of the midfielders line up behind Welbz?
A lot to sink our teeth into.
Here’s the carrot, Zenit won, so a trip to St. P is on the cards
GB
It’ll be bloody chaos, with no-one having the foggiest what they’re supposed to doing or where they’re supposed to be doing it 🙂
ps the coast is clear. Chas has gone bush
Blue??
JW started well.
Surprised to see Bellerin
Still watching Didit.?
Ok anticipation now replaced by a tad of concern and bloody hell Micky your 7.57 looks prophetic now. Tell me what numbers you fancy for tomorrows lottety oh nostradamus of Devon.
🙂
St Petersburg, Erik 🙂
We have 5 English players starting
Micky if we get through tonight 😟😟
Good, the game is on
Don’t go to bed didit
Well, well, we have a game
Embarrassing
very very embarassing
Errr…..ground control to training ground, could you put some defensive practice in please. We have just realised it is 5 years overdue old chap. Slight communication error, sorry.
39 minutes and we haven’t had a shot
crackle, crackle, fuzzzz, ground control here, message not understood, over
If you were served a swiss cheese board like our defence you would send it back for being too holey.
We look like we are down to 9 men. I dont know if i really like the look of some of their players or if we really are that crap.
Potter for Arsenal🤔
I know we’ve seen this too many times …. but how is it possible we can play this badly?
Blimey, they’ve even got Errol Brown in goal. They must believe in miracles.
Welbeck makes us completely toothless up front. Have these 11 ever played together before?
Wow, check out the Miki shorts
Kinda culotte’ish
Micky, say something. It cant take you that long to find the valium.
Oh you did. Shorts??
What can one say about a home performance like this?
Not one shot on target, a porous defense, a midfield which has yet to create a chance.. only Bellerin played OK.
Iwobi, M-N and Miki just dreadful
Buck stops at the top
We’ve had 2 top defenders as our assistant managers and our defence has been poor for the last 10 years. If you looked across our back 4 at any time in that first half, you wouldn’t have seen the classic straight line once … but you would see our midfielders backing off and letting their strikers run at our defence
Rasp. Micky and I never look at defenders
😂 unfortunately neither does Arsene 😳
Never mind the Valium, anyone want a Malteser?
Will AW have given them the rocket they deserve and send them out fired up for the second half? …. answers on a postcard ….
Frankly, the only thing Arsene is really really good at is totally ignoring the defence.
Quite right too 🙂
For wimps and luncheon takers 🙂
Right, what was Chas’ alternative suggestion from earlier again?
Peaches
I cannot, nay, will not, eat a singular maltesa. Box or nothing
10.33am successfully downloaded, blown up and stuck on front of wife. See you in a week.
phewey
Ok you’d better stick to the Valium then. Eating Maltesers can be very therapeutic ……. you can crunch or suck the chocolate off.
Thank goodness for Kolasinac 🙂
Life sized cut out peeled off again and back in front of TV with a Fursty Ferret.
Durrr just reread your comment Micky ….. I’ve got a spare box in the cupboard 😂
Our left backs score more than our strikers
tease 🙂
so true BR
Can’t get Maltesers here
I’ll post some to you
I don’t know what’s happened to Holding …. he’s gone backwards. He and Chambers are so nervous …. they are constantly out of position
Our finishing is dreadful. Banjo , cow’s backside
Thanks Peaches 🍑
Player ratings: Welbeck 0, Holding 0, all the other players 2
Shambles.
I know there were a few changes and it’s hard to get motivated with a cup final at the weekend and the tie seemingly over, but that first half was an absolute joke. To lose at home to that side is a disgrace.
FGG. Agree
On the bright side, Napoli are out.
Oh…it’s finished 🙂
Ooops
Night all
Loads will be made of this in the press no doubt, but ultimately, we are through. Hopefully we get a reasonably good side in the next round to keep us motivated.
We have no chance FGG if we have to rely on Welbeck up front
Less than 0
horrible evening, Certainly not entertainment from our players at least.
Yes, mostly second string players, who should why they are that.
AW took a risk, I am sure knowing that playing so many reserves and it paid off, just about,
Only Bellerin and Ospina can claim to have earned their appearance money.
The rest were shocking.
At least we know that is the last time we will see this lot together this season
Rasp,
Apparently Lacazette is ahead of schedule (around 4 weeks until fit), and the QF aren’t until April, so we probably only need to get through 1 more round with Welbeck.
Morning All,
Has Chas gone into Mugabe Lockdown?
No morning crew? Is it laziness, embarassment or just ennui?
I wonder if we can go through this whole season playing absolute dogshit and still win some silverware!?
We are trying our best to achieve it.
we are shell shocked raddy.
Chas is going through a list of worst films trying to match them to twats who lost last night. “Black Swan” could go to either Welbeck or Iwobi.”ET go home” for the rest. Those youngsters were pretty shit too, poor Jack and Elneny gave up in the end
Tottenham at home.
That’s the only game I can think of where we’ve played well for 90 minutes.
In fairness, if you’re going to do it, then do it at home to Spurs!
I have not gone AWL or Bush
Just have an 8:30 meeting
Re last night. No surprises. They are the First XI’s little bro with the same weak points. We’re through, so job done, but we simply are not very good
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