4-1 up, it can’t go wrong, can it? Given the results over the past two days anything can happen and with Mustafi in his current form we have to be concerned.
It may be unfair to spotlight one player in what has been an awful season for us at the back (43 PL goals conceded so far) but Mustafi’s inconsistencies are hardly of benefit to the confidence of the others. Take the S’ton game, both goals came directly from his shilly-shallying (now there’s a word!).
So what should we do? Drop him for Chambers? Probably not. Should AW select a team to PTB or play a normal attacking game? Will he include Elneny as an extra defender in place of the attacking Miki or give Iwobi a run? My guess is he will err on the side of caution.
We saw that CSKA Moskva are limited in their defensive abilities themselves with us carving out chance after chance at the Emirates. I expect us to score and then the tie is done but what if we don’t? Can the team keep a pacy Russian attack at bay? It is questionable.
My Team:
Cech
Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Bellerin Ramsey Elneny Kolasinac
Ozil Welbeck
Lacazette
Jack has to be benched in a match of importance and with his form at such a low ebb. Kolasinac is the better defender and more likely to add some steel.
The first half of the home tie (which thanks to Chas and Peaches I was able to attend), was the best we have played in many a moon, the ingenuity, pace and sheer verve of the performance gave rise to hopes that next season could be so much better.
I expect CSKA to be very aggressive in an attempt to unseat our brave boys; they will have to start fast and stop our passing through midfield. Ramsey etc will need shin and calf and ankle pads. A strong, unbiased referee, please.
Concede early and the nerves will kick in, score early and the tie is over. I know what we all want.
COYRRG
Arsenal Arsenal’s Future
June 11, 2019I have written 735 posts for AA.
This could be the last, it depends upon you.
The fact of the matter is that Chas and I have kept this fine blog running for a few years now and we are both feeling the strain. I need to stress that the following is my viewpoint and not Chas’s, but I think he is likely to agree.
When AA started, many moons ago, there were a group of bloggers who chose to write an unbiased blog which allowed Gooners to express their opinion without fear of threats, bullying, abuse or profanity. Through a weeding out process and the banning of a number of bloggers (most of whom can be found on AFCTV or Le Grove) we created a great blog, a blog where no-one has ever earned a single penny. It is a labour of love
But …
Slowly but surely the founders of the blog stopped contributing. Others got bored, and sadly, one passed. Finally, it was just chas and I.
We put many hours into the blog, Fortunately, this season we have been helped by some fine posts from LBG and, in particular, GN5, but we still have to format, add pics and a header, write tags and categories and then publish. Neither Chas nor myself are willing to continue to do this.
In essence without more input from you, the reader and commentor, the blog will close. These are the options:-
1. We close the blog for summer. Start again at the start of the season and operate on one or two posts a week,
2. Through summer we have one post a week and try for more in August.
3. Some of you get involved and help us run the blog. We can give you access to the AA WordPress account and publish posts yourself.
4. We, as a group, move to another blog. Perhaps TA’s Bergkampesque (I haven’t asked him!) or another Arsenal blog which we agree upon.
5. We close the blog and say Goodbye to each other.
There have been bloggers who have been with us for many years and written thousands of comments, you know who you are ,and it would be sad to lose the camaraderie which AA has built all over the world but everything dies and perhaps it is time for AA to move to the Great Blog Heaven in the Sky.
It is up to you. Are you prepared to commit to helping run the blog (GN5 has already offered his assistance), not for a day or two but for the season?
Blogging has added much to my life, I am an ex-pat Gooner and have no outlet to discuss my passion but I recognise that the numbers who blog has diminished enormously – we are running at less than 20% of the viewers we had a few years ago though we still attract more than Barnet do for a home game.
This post will stay up for a few days so as many as possible can give their opinion, then we will make a decision as to the future.
Up the Gunners
BR