We have only ever played one away game against Napoli – it was in Group F of the 2013/14 Champions League. We lost the game 0-2 after winning the home leg by the same score.
The San Paolo Stadium is a fearsome fortress and Napoli’s home record proves just how difficult this fixture will be for Arsenal.
Here is their home record for the last 9 seasons.
They possess a formidable home record in the league losing less than 2 games per season and they score an average of 3.29 goals per game while conceding only 1.39.
Their record against English sides at home is equally impressive with 4 wins, 2 draws and no defeats. In recent years, Liverpool managed a 0-0 while City, the chavs and us all lost. Perhaps it’s a record we can break just as in 2008 when we became the first English side to beat Milan in the San Siro.
Notice Carlo Wagnerotti in the background!
No matter how we look at it, we will find if very tough to get a result from this game but we are the Arsenal and it all depends on what version of our team shows up.
Two nil up after the first leg – what a strong position that is! An away goal will make a huge difference to the end result; that clean sheet at the Emirates may yet prove to be priceless. If we score, Napoli will need to score 4 to win the game. That thought will be in the backs of their minds constantly, gnawing away at their confidence to commit too many forward. What could possibly go wrong?
As a die hard gunner I never give up hope.
GunnerN5
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Many thanks, GN5.
The whole prospect of this return leg is both intensely exciting and yet paralysingly terrifying in equal measure.
It shows we’ve reached that climactic part of the season and we’re still in with a shout. Brilliant!
Ajax were really great to watch in that second half last night. The spuds and light blue oilers will be thinking they might quite like a bit of an Ajax semi. Let’s hope de Godenzonen do themselves justice!
What score do people predict for tonight’s match?
Just coming into his prime!
They’re like us then – awesome at home, not so awesome away (or at the Emirates anyway 😀) I’m nervous about it, if I’m honest… but that’s tomorrow, CL tonight… oh I’d love Porto & City to go through 🙏 but what’s the odds of that happening? Slim? Non existent? 😄
Morning Sue, Chas,
Your views reflect my own regarding the task that faces us tomorrow.
Reading GN5’s statistics in his usual classy Post — I think I might accept an invitation to a party tomorrow.
Can I stop checking my ‘phone every few minutes tho’?
You two and GN5 have a lot to answer for in putting the wind up me and making my defensive tactic look hopeless. Booo
🤪
I watched Barca v Manure for some of their game, to see MU get beaten, but mainly to watch Messi.
He is a stunning player – nothing new there – but the way he plays seems to be rubbing off on other team mates.
What do I mean? Well, it is hard to explain, but if the ball is rolling in a straight line he jigs to the right, feints to the left, then does this several times while getting the opposition twisting with him, and becoming more and more flummoxed – and ultimately, he will pass the ball which during this ‘action’ he has not touched, while bamboozling the other team.
Look closely and more of his team mates are attempting to do this too, less expertly, but they obviously see him do this in training and try to emulate him.
And only one of his fascinating skills.
Cheers GN5, the thing that worries me about your stats is the high average GF scored by Napoli: over 3 goals a game. That makes me think we really have to score there at least once. If Koz and Sok play at the back, Xhaka/Torreira/Ramsey (2 of them) play in midfield, Ozil is in the hole and Laca leads our attack again, I reckon we are too strong for them. I reckon that LB was right, yesterday, when he expected Mesut not to start, but even then I believe we will start with a team that can win or draw v Napoli. Biggest worry is of course a poor referee/ an early sending off.
Chas, I have noticed your excitement about the Ajax performances. They have been amazing, especially as the team is a collection of a few experienced ‘veterans’ (Blind, Tadic) and lots of young talents, and the real strength is in system of football, tactics and individual player management. It provides hope for those teams who do not have the money (or just don’t want to spend it all) for just buying the best established players. I am a romantic and believe that the former is the only meaningful way of winning silverware; and with so many good young players coming through at Arsenal, this should give Emery encouragement to do something similar (and the difference is we can actually hold on to our talents much better than Ajax who, unfortunately, will lose most of their players this summer… capitalism in football sucks).
I have no doubt that Ajax are hoping the Spuds will get through as they will fear Guardiola’s style of football much more (very similar to Ajax). I know this is nightmarish for us Gooners but there you go.
You watched the wrong game, Redders! 😀
I am totally with you re Messi. A phenomenal, total-football player and absolute joy to watch. The way he keeps the ball at his feet while running at players and keeping his head up as much as possible is sensational.
Another great post GN5
I’m confident that the game against Watford after we went 1 up and they went 1 down in players, that they were given clear instructions from Emery to play under defensive pressure, play badly, play anyway you want but dont let the other team score. Pile the pressure on yourselves in preperation…a full dress rehearsal for the game against Napoli to keep a clean sheet except this time we also play to win/score goals.
Dont forget that Emery with Sevilla
UEFA Europa League: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
Thanks GN5
Manshitty 3-1
Porto 2-1
Sweating on Terrier being fit tomorrow. Would play him and Ramsey in front of back three of Sokratis, Kos and Nacho. A M-N and Kola, Mesut Aubang and Laca. Dont sit back Gunners but fill that middle line with effort ……..and Mesut.
Love that team, LBG
Morning RA… I watched Barca too… oh I love watching United lose 😁 Messi is some player.. although De Gea helped with the 2nd goal 😂
The Ole out banners are being made…. 😉
I think we can get a score draw over there, maybe 2-2 or a narrow defeat, but the clean sheet in London should make the difference.
Sue,
Ole Out banners!! 😳😋👍
Howdy, TA,
I recorded the Juve v Ajax game in part to see our Gooner guy Chesney.
Ajax blew conventional wisdom out of the water and completely stunned Juve, even with Ronaldo.
It is wrong that many of Ajax’s kids will get sold on this summer, but at least the money will keep Ajax as a little gem in the shark ridden waters of commercial football economics.
Morning all,
I also watched (with joy) the Man U loss. It was nice that, for once, the referee was not in their back pocket. They lost simply because without the usual help they were not good enough.
Now I would like to see Man C turn the Spuds over, but I must admit that I have a soft spot for Liverpool and would like to see them go all the way.
As for our chances tomorrow i’m very nervous but an early away goal will help to settle me down.
Harping back to the Arsenal v Watford game, I think Ben Foster is a good GK, but made a monumental cockup allowing Auba to fluster him and giving away a silly goal. (All credit to Auba for making that happen).
A less honest GK might well have realised what was happening and would have entangled his legs wit Auba’s avoiding the goal and maybe getting Auba sent off for violent play.
A thin line between hero and zero, methinks.
Next time someone tries that pressing of the GK we could see a red card.
The other item was the behaviour of one of the Watford players standing in front of Leno, and leaning into him.
When the cross came in, the only way Leno could get to the ball was to push him out of the way, and of course the player was waiting for that and went down like a leaf.
Fortunately the ref (credit to him) realised what had happened as he had a good position, but imagine if he had not — it would have been a penalty and possibly Leno would have been sent off.
Many of the idiots on TV, (so called pundits) said that is what should have happened, despite the fact that Leno had no choice.
Imagine if that situation had happened to Manure, or Klip Klop’s ‘Pool — there would have been riots, and the idiots who said it should have been a penalty against Arsenal would be leading the outrage if a penalty was given against their old teams in the same circumstances.
‘Idiots’ is too kind a word for those morons.
The same people said that Deeney’s red card should not have been given, as it was all Terrier’s fault for being too short.
If he was taller, apparently, Deeney’s deliberate effort to smack him in the kisser would not have worked.
So Deeney’s crap effort to incapacitate a short opposition player did not deserve a red card.
You see — ‘idiots’ really is the incorrect adjective for such wallies.
RA
Slightly unusual interpretation of the laws!! “Pushing (opposition) players out the way”with two hands is not allowed wherever it occurs on the pitch. “Sympathy”for a goalkeepers situation doesn’t change that.
I think Leno was lucky.
Pundits claim, ball was not in play from corner is also questionable but possible as an interpretation. VAR might well have seen it as a penalty.
Love your comment GunnerN5 about United not having the ref in their back pocket 😄
I read that the ref tomorrow (from Romania) loves to dish out a card, whether yellow or red, and has a fair few to his name!! Sokratis, Xhaka & Mkhi all have 2, so if they’re booked tomorrow (& we go through) they’ll miss the 1st leg of the semi…. just to make it even more tense 🙈
RA – let’s hope Deeney rests his cojones (& his mouth) seeing as he now has 3 games off 😆
Will look to see the goal the Arsenal need to go through.
Already mentioned my preferences for the other teams in CL and our winning of silverware.
Would make my first half of the year for sure.
GN5- excellent picture to capture the emotion of the fortress the Arsenal are visiting.
IFAB: Laws of the Game.
Law #12
Indirect Free Kick (or Penalty) Awarded:
Impeding the progress of an opponent:
Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not within playing distance of either player.
Impeding the progress of an opponent without contact:
All players have a right to their position on the field of play; being in the way of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an opponent.
A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with the arms or body
————————————————–
[A referee can be unsure which player is responsible, in any particular incident, and cannot award a foul – he would therefore be correct to warn both players as to future conduct]
Seems the referee at the Watford game took the latter option – and did not award a foul against either the Watford player, or Leno.
Sue,
Very delicately put. 😛
Has he decided not to appeal the red card? Sensible, if so – he did not have a leg to stand on.
Smh
Aaron,
Chas gets credit for his wonderful images.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Watford do appeal the card, RA… what would surprise me is if it is overturned! Surely not…
Boom!! Come on City 😎
Fuckin Hell, I hate VAR.
A Spurs v Liverpool CL Final?
Couldn’t think of anything worse.
I am absolutely devastated…. I want to cry 😫
Fuckin VAR helping the spuds when they deserved eff all….
And these idiot will be using VAR next year making things worse
I hope City pick themselves up and can go again on Saturday… because if they lose that & hand the title to Liverpool… I’ll be inconsolable
(Sorry GunnerN5… I know you like Liverpool)
I didn’t think anything could cheer me up tonight but that dog just did.
Chas-Thank you for the images and videos!
LB-that dog did if she/he is ok.
Dang $h*tTy, pup could not get it done when needed-what else does that guy need- Messi??
spuds will spurs it up next round or the next- destined for failure and most importantly no trophies.
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