It is 2869 miles from The Emirates to Baku Stadium (see pic below), thank Dennis the lads aren’t going by coach.
Chas gave us the info on Qarabag where the local food looks simply excellent. Who could not enjoy a plate of pilaf followed up by a baklava or two?
Which means that all I have to write about is the football and, to be quite honest, I know SFA about Qarabag – even less than Eddie! Furthermore, on a dull Copenhagen morning I have little enthusiasm to do much research. Sorry.
As such, I will concentrate on the Men in the White Hats.
We have a number of missing players – PEA, Mhiki, Helmet, AMN, Ramsey, GB, Kos. Last night and this morning we are being told that Spurs lost because they were missing a couple of players – in the unlikely event that we get cheated out of victory, will the media give us the same latitude?
With so many absentees, selection becomes easier for UE.
The main question is whether UE will continue to play Mustafi. We paid €25m too much for the lummox, but does this mean he gets leeway week after week? I guess much depends upon whether UE trusts Sokratis or Holding to play on the right.
Will Emery play some youth? Perhaps Smith Rowe (Lab) but I doubt it. I expect him to start with a very strong side
Leno
Bellerin GB Holding Monreal
Terrier Xhaka Iwobi
Ozil
Lacazette Welbeck
Given his age, it may be an ideal game to rest Monreal and get Kolasinac on the pitch, the Wardrobe (Kol) has yet to establish himself at Arsenal but has the capability of cementing a place as Monreal tires.
I am looking for 3 points and to top our group.
Don’t forget the earlier kick-off time
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thanks for taking the trouble to write something.
Woo, you have a strong side up there.
I was just about to disagree but had a look at who has and who hasn’t traveled and see now why you chose who you have.
Hang on a mo
The Baku stadium is where the final is going to be played, and Qarabag simply play their Europa ties there. Capacity 68,000!!!
Cheers, BR.
I’m really surprised that Mr Emery has taken such a strong squad to Baku.
Yeah, we all used to moan if Arsene picked some youngsters and second stringers who then proceeded to get beat. And I suppose if we attempt to make sure of qualification in the first few fixtures then it makes sense.
What worries me is that even if some of the first teamers don’t get on the pitch, they’ll still be worn out by the long flight. The poor things!
I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us on Sunday at the Cottage.
I’d like to see Licht and the Wardrobe at full back and Douzi in midfield as a minimum.
Erik, thank you
Couldn’t you have at least researched the KO time for us, rather than making us to do it all by ourselves 🙂
Thanks for the heads up though as I would have missed the 17:55 KO
I’d like to see at least one or two younger guns start. Nketiah?
chas. I trust all 3 to play well at the Cottage should Hector, Nacho or terrier be tired.
I think we give it the beans, have 6 points, win our next EL fixture and coast into the next round.
All that Armenia/Azerbaijan conflict stuff shouldn’t influence flippin football should it?
Well, the Terrier looks pleased to have made the trip anyway!
Chas
Your “poor things” comment means you agree with this. How tiring can sitting on an aeroplane be?
They’re not making their way to Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line while dragging a huge suitcase for a two week holiday
Like you, I never did understand the whole exhausting away trips thing
It’s the prospect of DVT and having to wear those support stockings that fucks em up.
Heathrow on the Piccadilly definitely seems further than Azerbaijan. 🙂
ha ha ha
So true about Mkhi and the final
Indeed. I’ve done Heathrow to The Ems direct on the Piccadilly Line and it took three and a half weeks
I absolutely detest those wheelie case things. Three people with them blocks the whole of a tube connecting tunnel.
What’s wrong with having your shoulder pulled out of its socket, ffs?
Hector, Nacho and Terrier all rested.
Wardrobe, Lich in. Socrates fit and needs 60 mins. Might start with a couple of youngsters and replace if they have eaten too many CarrierBag dumplings pre match. Welbz to score.
Pleasing to see Sokratis back fit and eyeing up the pussy. 🙂
The Azersun Arena capacity 5,800. Looks nice.
Is that their home ground?
Mmmm, maybe Unai wants some 1st XI’ers to get a few minutes at The Baku Stadium before we go back there in May
There may be more in that than first meets the eye Micky
How much more could there possibly be, LB?
‘cos it ain’t so they can try the local cuisine 🙂
I honestly think it’s a sensible idea as come the final, every little advantage could make the difference
I think this talk of player exhaustion after two games in a week is complete tosh.
I used to play at least 4 hours, during and after school, every weekday and then 5 to 6 hours at weekends. Was I tired? No. And I was playing in front of a couple of dogs and a squirrel or two whereas they are playing in front of 60+k which must give a hefty adrenalin boost.
As to the plane journey. Flying first class, not drinking the free champagne or G & T’s, getting an hour massage pre and post game then no Piccadilly or Gatwick Express on their return.
Piss easy.
Altitude difference, climate change, pollution levels and of course jet lag, there are plenty of other things to consider Micky.
Unai Emery should have Azerbaijani water bottled and brought back and given out to the team at half time so that they acclimatise before next may.
I love the image of Squirrels watching BR playing football. The thing that many people don’t realise is that squirrels can be very critical and that can affect a young man’s self esteem.
Great work, thanks Raddy.
It’s a long way to go, but I see the sense of sending a strong team. Apparently Unai is big on creating a ‘winning attitude’ … amen to that!
We’ve got a stronger squad than the Wembley shower any way so a few changes shouldn’t make much difference.
I’d leave Ramsey out of all squads until he leaves … he doesn’t want to play for us and that must create an atmosphere in the dressing room….. on the other hand, I’d be very happy if Danny signed a contract extension.
Talking of altitude difference, both Baku and the Caspian Sea which it borders, are 92 feet below sea level, making it the lowest lying capital in the world.
The Caspian Sea is an endorheic water system. It has no outflows to the sea, meaning the water either soaks into the ground or evaporates. The water is saline even though it’s entirely surrounded by land. It’s basically a giant inland basin.
You know how runners go to train at high altitudes so that they’ll run faster when back at sea level and teams hate playing Ecuador in Quito because it’s nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, well, what effect will playing below sea level have?
Will we be faster or slower at Craven Cottage on Sunday?
Apparently Rambo’s missus is up the duff and expecting twins very soon, so he was given early paternity leave for the Qarabag trip.
2.29 Fascinating.
LB. You are right. Squirrels are a very tough audience
what effect will playing below sea level have?
Snorkels required?
I’m guessing the squirrels will need them.
Arsenal XI: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Sokratis, Monreal. Guendouzi, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Kolasinac, Welbeck.
Subs: Martinez, Bellerin, Lacazette, Ozil, Torreira, Mustafi, Xhaka.
That makes a bit more sense.
My guess of the team was pants only 6/11. UE’s team is still strong enough to win the game
What a superb stadium.
Oh dear. Seems like I am on my own on the sofa 😦
Get in . TGB scores in side 4 minutes.
Budge up. wHO SCORED
Ah, Sokratis?
Ooo, I say, Koli promoted from being a defender
so, Erik, why are we only 1-0 🙂
Because we are not cohesive in defence and Elneny is not controlling his patch.
Iwobi (MotM so far) and Curly are doing their best to be creative but we are lacking ingenuity.
Playing no more than OK and winning. Happy so far
Phew. Offside had me worried.
Stewart Robson is one of the most annoying commentators of all. Do they employ him to wind us up?
Superb
Get in. Yet another scorer and a huge moment for Smith Rowe (Lab) following more fine work from Iwobi
Thanks for half time report Erik
Mesut and Laca
Giving some of the good players a feel of the turf ahead of the final 🙂
ooooozi
How was Curly in the French Div 2? The man has a very promising future.
As do AFC with Terrier, Iwobi, AMN, Holding, Curly, Hector, all young men
Agree Erik, staggering. I think he was on loan from PSG, but you’d still think he’d have been in a top division side
oopps danny
good work and nice to see new boys on the scoresheet
Curly, Leno and Iwobi were excellent this evening.
8 wins on the spin.
Happy Days.
Didn’t see the first half – did I miss owt?
3 goalscoring virgins in one game! – must be a first.
A question/comment required for/from those who saw the game. Radio commentary suggested that the first half performance defensively was a black mark for three at the back. CarrierBag got behind Wardrobe, who we know is not quick, and if more clinical, could have made this a very different final score. What do viewers think?
Also further suggestion that play was pulled towards left without Terrier. We MUST get a right /left balance consistently before we play decent teams in both this competition and the Premier League IMO.
I have been out of the loop, who is Wardrobe and why?
LB, the Wardrobe is Kolasinac.
Recommend to all, 14 mins of Freddie on Arsenal Media talking about the high and lows of his career at Arsenal.
Upsetting Ryan Giggs by being in the same hotel when on holiday immediately after the 2006 Cup Final, and certainly his (and mine) most disappointing loss (witnessed by me), the Champions League Final in Paris.
So from what I read –
Iwobi had a great evening
Kola and Leno put in a good performance as well
Guendouzi and Smith-Rowe saved their performance with a goal
The rest were ok
My conclusion having watched about 55 mins of the game:
3-0 away is all you need, so result
Apparently the starting XI of Leno, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Sokratis, Monreal. Guendouzi, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Kolasinac, Welbeck were a 3-5-2
Please tell me who the other front 1 alongside Danny could have been out of that lot
Then please tell me how Nacho and Koli play in the same midfield 5
All in all, I think it’s a bloody miracle we won 🙂
Apols, correction, 3 at the back for the first half. Still 🙂
Me, too, from what I saw.
Maybe it is sustainable if we can win so easily while looking a bit shit.
Some fairly good performances from individuals but team wise it was pretty fragmented.
The whole evening was an experiment with good and bad bits but the result was bang on, so, overall a success but the experiment tells us little about the future.
Nope, learnt nothing, as did Unai I suspect 🙂
Throw a bunch of strangers together in football boots stick ’em in a random pattern and win 3-0
Best left to the history books
gnite
Aaaaahhhh, so sweet.
A dressing room to be feared.
Good that they’re enjoying it.
There is something in drafts. Please feel free to add to it or change if you wish. I am too tired to write any more.
Enjoyed that, as did the squirrels I heard.
Night, night
Yeah, but why is he called Wardrobe?
Highlights seem to suggest Leno was pivotal, and Smith-Rowe looks more like a quick Ramsey with two feet every time I see him.
Sorry LB, because he’s built like a double wardrobe.
Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.
LB
Thank you, you’re a star.
BR put ‘Wardrobe’ in the post and it seemed fitting as he’s a big old unit that’s difficult to shift and fairly slow to erect – no more than that I suspect. 🙂
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