Kevin Whitcher
A 2-0 scoreline was a fairly widely predicted one by Gooners in the build-up to this match, and so it proved. They’ve seen the script before. Arsenal shoot themselves in the foot in the first leg of Champions League last 16 knockout tie. Make valiant but ultimately doomed effort to turn tie round in the return game when they have created too much of a mountain to climb. Fall short in spite of valiant attempt to right wrongs from weeks earlier.
Monaco allowed Arsenal to dominate possession and territory at the Stade Louis II. And so it became a game of attack versus defence, with the occasional second half home team break to provide some variety. However, the visitors were only able to unpick the lock twice, leaving themselves 17 minutes (including injury time) to find that elusive third goal. In the end, the desperation to score an equalizer at home in the first leg, and the Ox treading on the ball to lose possession and set up the French side’s third goal, proved decisive.
And when one questions Arsenal’s ability to perform better in a competition they have had 17 consecutive attempts at under Arsene Wenger, the lack of composure at decisive moments has often been the difference between success and failure.
On another night, they might have got lucky. One of the chances that did not go in might have. It was, reckoned the statisticians, a 33 to 1 shot that the Gunners would progress. Knowing exactly what was required at least focused minds. They gave it a decent and highly commendable shot, but Monaco did defend well. Given that they were doing so for almost the entire game, you have to give credit to them for frustrating Arsenal as much as they did. And Gooners with long memories cannot quibble at a defensive rearguard of this nature if they recall the glory of Copenhagen in 1994.
And herein lies the answer to how Arsenal can progress. In short, defend better. Over the two legs of this European knockout tie, they scored three times, twice away. That should be enough to ensure qualification. But the goals against are the issue here. Sure, we can knock Ozil for his perceived lack of influence, but actually, Arsenal are scoring enough times, so the attacking side of the team is holding up their end of the bargain. Sure there is frustration what is perceived to be a shot-shy approach to attack, but before any European first leg, if you said a team is going to score twice away in the second leg, you would be confident of them progressing. The problems are when the opposition have the ball.
Let’s look at the numbers conceded in the last five years of round of 16 knockout ties.
2011 – Barcelona 4
2012 – Milan 4
2013 – Bayern Munich 3
2014 – Bayern Munich 3
2015 – Monaco 3
To look at the games in the previous seasons where Arsenal have been eliminated, the pattern continues –
2010 – Quarter Final – Barcelona 6
2009 – Semi Final – Manchester United 4
2008 – Quarter Final – Liverpool 5
Certainly, Arsenal progressed further in these season before elimination, but the Achilles’ Heel is always the same. When the team concede goals, there is only one outcome. They do not do defence when it matters. In the majority of these ties, Arsenal scored at least three times. In Europe, that should be enough to get through, if your defence is competent.
So what is the solution? Simple. Buy better defenders, coach the team as a unit how to defend their goal (positional discipline?), and prepare for each opposing side to identify their likely sources of goals and ensure the players are aware of what is required to nullify them.
I will say it again – the attacking players are getting enough goals to win these ties. Selection-wise, I would say the manager did as much as he could last night. Start relatively cautious, ensure no cheap goals were conceded, and make attacking changes in the second half. The gameplan worked in that Giroud fashioned a first half goal, the change of Ramsey and Walcott for Coquelin and Welbeck produced a second, and Arsenal then had a decent enough amount of time to get the goal that would take them through. Gibbs for Monreal added to the attacking pressure. Sure, they just felt short, but the team could have done little more in truth. Monaco were just a little too strong to concede three. Little sign of the defensive naivety that undid Arsene Wenger’s team in the game in north London.
So Arsenal need to work as a team to prevent the opposition outscoring them. That is what Monaco did, and they are in the hat for the last eight. Arsenal are left to try and qualify once again for another shot at a tournament they do not have a hope in hell of winning under the current manager.
Fair play to the players for their performance last night. They gave it a decent crack, gave the fans some hope, but just fell a goal short. Nobody was too disappointed because it was what was expected. Every Gooner and his dog was resigned to elimination after the first leg. The Miracle of Monaco was not to be.
Now to focus on retaining the FA Cup and finishing as high in the league as possible. If they do the former and manage third place or better, it will, at least, mark progress on last season, in spite of a number of disappointments in the current campaign.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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Further Reading
A sequel to Arsènal – The Making of a Modern Superclub and entitled Arsène and Arsenal The Quest to Rediscover Past Glories has been written by myself and co-author Alex Fynn. It takes up the story of the club from the last update of the previous book, and can be bought online here. Use the promo code ‘Gooner’ to get 10% off the publisher’s price of £8.99.
