Europa League 2017/18

[smat]

Btw a few words on a special player we maybe thought we wouldn't see in an Arsenal shirt again...

After having a complete nightmare with injuries, he's been completely written off by a lot of people. Maybe because there was always so much hype around him, which was impossible to justify under the circumstances. But he has played in the Europa League and scored a wonderful goal yesterday. I really do believe it's time to give him a run in the Premier League, because he is still the future of our club.

Welcome back Mathieu Debuchy!

 

[mistermagic]

Yes, always felt bad for him given he was up there with the best RBs around back in 2014. Would welcome him back in the French squad. Much, much better than Sidibé.

 

[smat]

Brilliant draw. Ostersunds have an English manager and a couple of English players and have gone from being tiny and inconsequential to being really good. Bilo that's all I know, tell me more.

 

[Bilo]

Brilliant draw. Ostersunds have an English manager and a couple of English players and have gone from being tiny and inconsequential to being really good. Bilo that's all I know, tell me more.

Smat my good friend you should be fine. Östersund are a fairytale and they shouldn't be underestimated, but they don't have a single player that would get anywhere near your second or even third string side. What they have done is amazing in itself and in many ways defies belief, but even then I'd hold their ceiling lower than beating Arsenal over two legs. Especially if Wenger takes it seriously.

You might struggle away from home in Sweden in February but strong side, at home, you'll put the tie to bed.

 

[snortingfrogs]

Östersund will beat Arsenal over the two ties, no doubt.
Gonna be great to watch Arsenal play in Östersund in February =)

 

[smat]

Smat my good friend you should be fine. Östersund are a fairytale and they shouldn't be underestimated, but they don't have a single player that would get anywhere near your second or even third string side. What they have done is amazing in itself and in many ways defies belief, but even then I'd hold their ceiling lower than beating Arsenal over two legs. Especially if Wenger takes it seriously.

You might struggle away from home in Sweden in February but strong side, at home, you'll put the tie to bed.

Thank you for your reply. Thanks.

 

[snortingfrogs]

Just a few days left till Arsenal is coming to the Swedish winter in Östersund.

-5c and snow is the predicted weather forecast for Thursday.

 

[Bilo]

-5c and snow is the predicted weather forecast for Thursday.

The English getting lucky innit.

 

[rudebwoyben]

The English getting lucky innit.

Is that mild for Ostursund at this time of year?

 

[Stevencc]

 

[Bilo]

Is that mild for Ostursund at this time of year?

Very. It will usually be around 15 below, but it certainly isn’t impossible for it to be a good 30 below during the proper cold winters. I’ve experienced 39 below not far north from there. So yeah, it sounds funny but it’s a lucky break.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Interesting interview with Potter in the Guardian today: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...lish-managers-ostersund-arsenal-europa-league

It's a shame he didn't get the Stoke job. Ryan Shawcross in a production of Swan Lake would have been something.

 

[snortingfrogs]

Come on Östersund!

 

[mistermagic]

0-2 down after 24 minutes.

 

[snortingfrogs]

Two cheap goals for Arsenal, but for the last 10-15 mins it's been Östersund all the way, if they keep it up I can see them scoring a goal or two.

 

[Bilo]

It's the weather. The Östersund players aren't used to this kind of heat.

 

[snortingfrogs]

Arsenal should be down to 10 men and Östersund should have had a penalty.

 

[Super_horns]

Arsenal should be down to 10 men and Östersund should have had a penalty.

Guess Wenger didn't see that one...

 

[Stevencc]

Batshuayi is doing OK for himself since moving to Dortmund on loan, isn't he?

5 in 3.

 

[mistermagic]

Don't get why Conte didn't trust him. Should have been given more game time at Chelsea.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Celtic lead Zenit with 12 minutes to play.

 

[SALTIRE]

Held on for the win. Great results for the British sides in Europe this week. Over to you Chelsea and Utd.

 

[Super_horns]

Good win for Celtic - can they win the tie in Russia?

Napoli beaten at home - eyes on Serie A title I guess.

 

[Dirk]

Napoli beaten at home - eyes on Serie A title I guess.

Maybe. They can win the title for the first time since 28 years but they also had to play against a good Leipzig side this time. I would have liked it when they had played like this in the away matches of the Champions League then they would still be in it.
The attendance in Napoli was very disappointing, only 9-10.000 overall.
This was a good matchday for the 2 German Europa League teams. Although Dortmund was a bit lucky in the end (1-0 ahead, then 1-2 and the 3-2 in extra time thanks to their new hero "Batman" ). At last a good matchday. And the best of it, 2 wins against italian sides

 

[Super_horns]

Not an ideal start for Celtic - 1-0 down already.

 

[Dirk]

Not an ideal start for Celtic - 1-0 down already.

2-0 already. Doesn't look good.

I hope Leipzig won't blow their fine 3-1 away win at Napoli. Actually they are 0-1 behind.

 

[mistermagic]

2-0 already. Doesn't look good.

I hope Leipzig won't blow their fine 3-1 away win at Napoli. Actually they are 0-1 behind.

Still a 2-goal cushion then.
I'll be watching Atalanta/BvB later this evening.

 

[Dirk]

Still a 2-goal cushion then.

that's right and I am confident Leipzig will do it. Otherwise I'll never eat Pizza Napoletana again

I'll be watching Atalanta/BvB later this evening.

Me, too. Live on Sport1 on German Free TV.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Go on Zenit, dirty Celtic. Very little interest in the Arsenal game later tbh.

 

[mistermagic]

that's right and I am confident Leipzig will do it. Otherwise I'll never eat Pizza Napoletana again



Me, too. Live on Sport1 on German Free TV.

Napoli won 2-0. Not good enough to overturn the 1-3 defeat suffered last week in Italy. Leipzig progress then. Hopefully BvB follow suit now.

Nice got knocked out by Lokomotiv Moscow earlier today (was never a contest as the Russians won the 1st leg in France 3-2) while Lyon cooly pushed aside Villarreal 1-0 to win 4-1 on aggregate. Marseille are kicking things off now in Braga with a 3-goal advantage. Should progress too.