Last week in Belarus is still a very raw memory. On a ploughed field of a pitch Arsenal had a miserable night. Controlling or passing the ball with any efficiency was very difficult. Stanislaw Drahun’s goal on the stroke of half-time was just reward for Bate’s efforts. Alexandre Lacazette let his frustration boil over when he elbowed Aleksandar Filipovic late on, receiving a straight red card. Hopefully his absence from the home tie will not be too costly.
Bate Borisov’s away record in Europe includes all sorts of Champions League and Europa qualifying games along with group games in both competitions, plus a sprinkling of InterToto matches. In other words, it includes matches against a wide range of opposition in terms of quality.
Bate Borisov all European away games ——-
This is the 3rd time they’ve reached the Round of 32 in the Europa Cup. On the previous two occasions they were narrowly knocked out by PSG in 2011 on away goals, and in 2013 by Fenerbahce with an aggregate score of only 1-0.
The only other time we’ve played Bate Borisov at home was last season in the Europa League group stage.
Group H – 7th December 2017 – Arsenal 6 Bate 0
Neither Jack Wilshere nor Theo Walcott had started a Premier League game for Arsenal in the 2017/8 season before being given a starting berth against Bate in December. With the group wrapped up, Arsene Wenger could afford to field a largely second string selection.
Mathieu Debuchy opened the scoring with a thumping angled drive (a goal Fred remembers well, since he was, allegedly, in the upper tier that night).
Theo scored a simple second before Jack smacked in a similar goal to The Boosh’s but from the other side of the area. An own goal, a pen from big Ollie and a superb first time curler from Mo Elneny sealed a comfortable win.
Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
Let’s hope Bate travel as badly this time around, but with a goal start, they might prove a sterner test.
GunnerN5
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
We need two things tomorrow night! Three goals by half-time and Fred in the Upper Tier…..there will be plenty of space, Fred!
Thanks, GN5.
Here’s Jack’s goal in that Bate game from 2017. A similar thump even if the build up was completely different. 🙂
p.s. changed the clip as the first one didn’t even have the ball hitting the back of the net!
David Seaman thinks Chelski should go for Arsene Wenger to replace Sarri!!
“Has the big fella lost the plot”, says Alan Brazil.
Testing, testing!
LBG
Are you using phone or PC to comment?
Do you get the same problems on both?
Has your internet browser been updated recently on your phone, if that’s what you’re using?
I’m getting some dodginess commenting but it seems to be just on my phone, which means it can’t be WordPress.
To be here discussing how to go past Bate or whatever their name is a mockery to Arsenal fans. There seems to be an incurable ailment in this team. When Emery came he promised attacking football, even saying winning 4:3 was better than 1:0. It suddenly appears the disease in Arsenal before he arrived has infected him: slow lateral passing as if the game is won on points like boxing, and not on goals scored. It is boring to watch Arsenal no matter the opponent, and even when they lead, you have to hold your breath till the final whistle. Only Iwobi moves the ball quickly and with the intent of putting the ball in the opponents goal area. Emery has metamorphosed into Wenger, and my fear is, it could get worse!
Thanks GN5
This is a tough week for bloggers because, let’s face it, were we 1-0 from the away leg against a Juve or a Bayern, we’d be excited as hell at the prospect of the return leg.
We’re not. We’re in a competition heaving with mega-minnows, so we just have to lump it. Let’s just hope we win on Thursday and then forget all about it.
The competition favourites are utter rubbish at the moment, so who knows.
We’d all be very happy bunnies if we could win the bloody competition.
thank you GN5
Chas 8,12, wtf!!! that will stay in my head now as i go to bed.
something defo changed as i now need to enter my email and name now to post this comment. never happened before and i’m on chromebook
has this site been hacked?
VP
I’m on Firefox on a PC running Linux and my name and email stay in the boxes for each comment.
The site runs under WordPress so, no, it’s not been hacked.
Chas
Only use phone. No idea if Internet browser has been updated! I don’t even mind putting my details in each time particularly, but then ” whoever it is” – Ant, Duck, Fred, Uncle Tom Cobbley – sometimes let’s me comment. Other times only when I add something else. Let’s see………
There you go….
Yeah, I get the first comment only appearing after the second comment is posted, but only on my phone.
Major Tom calling…..
That time it was only on the third comment. Have to dig out the old BBC!
Apologies to all who expect less crap from me. Have a good day AAers.
LBG
Your comments appeared on my PC screen after you’d posted each one i.e not all at once as it appeared on your phone to you.
Weird
Let us put our best team out there and finish them quickly
Leno – Mustafi, Kos, Sok – AMN, LT, Xhaka, Kola – Ramsey, Ozil – Auba
OR
Leno – Musati, Kos, Sok, Monreal – Ramsey, LT, Kola – Ozil – Auba, Iwobi
Chas, I really need you to explain 8:12
What is being advertised here?
Morning all,
Some great additions to the post Chas.
Like Chas I use Firefox on my PC with no issues, but if I switch to Internet Explorer I have to sign in for every post.
From time to time on either of the two browsers I use my posts simply disappeared when I posted them and then when I tried to re-post it told me that it was a duplicate post. My solution has been to copy each post/comment before it’s posted and the change the wording of the first line and then re-post – that works every time.
Bate should be overrun on Thursday, I cannot perceive of us not going through.
VP
Alan Titchmarsh does adverts for SunLife for over50s life insurance.
The above is a spoof (obviously) playing on that idea that your bollocks hang lower with each year after 50.
Have you seen Ricky Gervais talking about it in his Humanity stand-up?
Was going to give the blog a break from my moaning about getting comments on, BUT, Metro in London commenting that Dick and backroom staff are considering “cashing in” on Alex Lacazette in the Summer to fund other areas of squad.
Of course only speculation, ( although I find this paper often, yes more often than not compared to the Standard then, accurate in its scoops), but I wonder how that would be taken by spectators? I would be horrified, because in truth, I would prefer Aubang, IF IT HAS TO HAPPEN.
LBG
The idea of selling Laca or Auba to fund the purchase of a centre back or yet another defensive midfielder sounds quite ludicrous to me.
I suppose we could end up selling all of our top quality players to build a team of similar ability players who might work better together as a unit. It’s not a prospect that’s too appealing though.
(Unless it works, of course 🙂 )
Nah I sit on lower tier for those games
I have to say what I hated about that bate games was everyone left after first half and had no one to sites next to on this bloody cold ass night
People please stay till the end
I think wordpress has issues Chas can’t we email wordpress and tell them some of the issues we have like me receiving no emails
Fred
I looked into the emails thing and one of the reasons for not receiving was potentially a difference in time.
Is your WordPress time set differently to GMT?
The trouble with reporting problems to WordPress is that everyone uses different hardware, different browsers, may have their autofill options set differently etc etc etc. each case is unique. They can’t sort each and every one out unless the problems are universal.
On a PC I have no problems with having to fill in my name and email each time I comment, I receive email notifications for each new post instantly and comments never go into the ether for a bit and then re-appear after a new comment is posted.
In other words WordPress works perfectly for the combination of hardware, browser and options I use.
Fred 2.51
You’re a bit early with your response to my first comment of the day, mate! #amazed!
I will prefer none to go but what your reason for preferring aubameyang to be sold LBG
Ok chas I think u might be right because the problem occur to when I visit London
How can I set my wordpress to GMT to see if it works
Lol
Chas mine is UTC +0 what u recommend I put it as
Big W in top left corner then
WP Admin (bottom option) then
Settings (also bottom option on the list) then
General then
Time zone
Ah, I assumed you’d have it set as Caribbean time.
What time does it say the current time is?
Also for the Debucy goal around the 23 sec mark if you look the crowd in the lower tier you can see me
If having it set as UTC (GMT) doesn’t work then try setting it to you local time.
That’s all I can think of. If that doesn’t work something else us causing it.
You don’t use different email addresses do you?
i just change it to La Paz, it doesn’t see a time or am probably looking the wrong place
I can see a chap in the lower tier whose just shivered his cannonballs off the brass monkey.
Effingham thing
Good evening my Chickadees,
Reading Chas and Fred’s comments is like watching an old copy of The Two Ronnies on Youtube — answering the question once removed. 🥺
Better that way!
“What’s the time, Chas?”
“The lady in the red bra”
“Who has the biggest boobs?”
“Caribbean time -0.
Our Fred makes me think a star is born!🤩
you have good eyes Chas lol
GN5
Another little cracker of a Post, thank you sir. ✌️
When I click on “Post comment” it stops at the top of the Post.
Are those dopey adds causing a lag time?
Chas,
Joe King aside — is that misspelt blue box “AUTOMATTIC” supposed to be there? it cuts down on screen width too.
Chas,
That Automattic add is shown at the bottom of the ‘comments’ column — but also on its own at the right of the AA screen. Weird?
RA
I use the adblocker plus add-on for Firefox on my phone.
RA 5.28 – Brilliant!
Fred, like you, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WANT EITHER OF OUR GOALSCORERS TO BE SOLD.
Yet, if Dick and Management are determined that cashing in, is the only way to get significant money and give me a choice, I feel Laca is the man with the determined, never give up character ( a la Ian Wright) that we need additionally of GOALSCORERS. He is the fox in the box, that Aubang isn’t, and given a creative “conductor” behind (hopefully Ozil-type in quality), and another genuine wide, creating goalscoring type in the Overmars/Pires mould, he would score as many goals as Aubang.
Add blocker in your friend RA
Chas,
If you move your cursor between GN’s 12:21 and your 1:05 comments you will see the 2 identical Automattic adds.
Well with Add Blocker on you won’t — but that is not right — I suspect there is a corrupt file that is causing problems for many of us.
[Switch your Add Blocker off for a short time and you will see — maybe then delete the AA Word Press and reload/reboot and that might fix the problem.
In any event — that is a weird add — destroy.
[Who on AA permits adds?] Defenestrate the sod!] 🤨
This is their website.
Apparently they claim to own Word Press.
Automattic
Home — About Us — News — Work With Us
All around the world,
Building a new web, and a
New workplace. Join us!
We are the people behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, Simplenote, Longreads, VaultPress, Akismet, Gravatar, Crowdsignal, Cloudup, and more. We believe in making the web a better place.
We’re a distributed company with 855 Automatticians in 69 countries speaking 84 different languages. Our common goal is to democratize publishing so that anyone with a story can tell it, regardless of income, gender, politics, language, or where they live in the world.
We believe in Open Source and the vast majority of our work is available under the GPL.
[Sounds like bow locks.
Haha, “delete the AA Word Press and reload/reboot”.
You’ve gotta be fuckin kiddin!
They are WordPress ads.
Eff all we can do about them.
Add Blocker plus is a good tip, thanks for that and thanks for the read GN
Still got that Alan Tidmash ad though.
I’m hoping to see Unai celebrating like this tinight
On Tuesday I watched the second half of Liverpool v Bayern and found it really tedious. For a big chunk of it the ball was in Bayern’s half with them in possession trying to break Liverpool’s gegenpress.
I’m starting to believe that the high press is strangling football matches (in much the same way as interminable tika-taka passing strangles the entertainment at the other end).
Last night I watched the second half of the City game. With the referee 2-1 up at half time after another dodgy VAR decision and City down to ten men, all looked lost.
It really was a superb end to the game with a magnificent free-kick from Sane and a poacher’s goal from Sterling. I found myself cheering the light blue oilers. Weird.
Simeone ha ha ha. He is, how do we put it, primitive? 🙂
But blimey, Atletico beating Juve
Chas
Your 6:42 would make a very interesting post
Look at Arsenal, one could argue our strongest line up has an effing goal keeper, 4 defenders and then possibly three defensive style midfielders leaving just three good players out of eleven!!!
What shall we discuss today, Bate Borisov or wordpress? I vote wordpress 🙂
Hey, don’t knock it, yesterday’s comments would have totalled 5 without WordPress to fill the void.
How’s your WordPress experience? 🙂
My point exactly. More wordpress please 🙂
To answer your question, superb. No ad’s, all good BUT that’s on a laptop. I don’t post comments from mobile and I don’t care either
You know in Rugby you can’t pass forward with your hands, perhaps we could have a rule in football where you can’t pass backwards with your feet.
None of that Theo Walcott shit where he receives the ball on the wing only to send it straight back from whence it came.
At the moment, there’s more passing back to the back four and goalkeeper than there was in the old days when the GK could pick the chuffin thing up!
RA suggesting I just delete the AA wordpress and then reload made me laugh.
I could just imagine Rasp reading it and having kittens.
Days and weeks and years of trial and tribulation gone in a puff of smoke.
All posts gone – nothing left – like a WordPress blog apocalypse.
Part of the problem lies with the fans
Too many are win trophies at any cost
Then you have the human psychology stuff. Most people are dull risk averse bores, hence the clamour for safety first and thus defenders 🙂
Not that I really understand what you’re talking about, but I’d probably side with RA on this 🙂
Haha, thought you might.
Your previous suggestions for site improvement have been things like……
Get rid of all that crap on the right hand side
The new post will be up at half sevenish as I’ve got to go see a man about a dog.
I wasn’t trying to be clever when I made those comments. Honestly what I’d prefer
I have a very simplistic take on life. As little noise and fluff as possible
Not only would I delete everything on the right, but also everything along the top as well
Leagge table and fixture list. That’s it. I mean, what kind of person wants an effin’ assist list?
Haha, just imagine what the world would be like if it was just full of Mickys.
Risk-taking would be the norm and therefore become middle of the road boring Norman behaviour.
Surely it’s the contrasts in life which make it interesting.
No shorts
No writing on clothing
Broken purple plimsolls for every man
I’d vote for ya.
Apols for sub-standard pre-match in advance.
I’m still keeping the toilet seat warm for Big Raddy.
NEW POST
(let’s hope Fred gets an email) 🙂