There apear to be two main schools of thought re: the Monaco defeat. One is that Arsenal simply suffered a freak result in an otherwise increasingly impressive and commanding season.
The other is that, yet again, they folded when faced with something aproaching top oppostion in a crunch game at the top end of the club football spectrum.
We’d like to agree with the former opinion but have too often felt tat Arsenal belong to the latter category.
But recent performances have spoken of more steel in the Arsenal side and, of all the teams left in the competition, Arsenal will feel that Monaco is a place that they can go to and get a result.
3-1 down from the first leg they need to win by a big margin and that will require much of the aforementioned steel. How they could have done with a player like Morgan Schneiderlin for this encounter. A player who has long been linked with Arsenal and who continues to shine as disciplinarian-in-chief at Southamtpon.
Francis Coquelin should get the nod in the anchor man role and a top performance from him will be integral to a positive result.
We think that Arsenal can do it. They need to have the perfect game – full of genuine threat in attack but mindful of Monaco’s dangerous creators.
It’s such a shame that The Ox is out for this one but we feel that Arsene needs to be bold and start with Theo Walcott, or at least use his pace off the bench, as he could be a decisive tool in a smash and grab win for Arsenal.
Here’s our XI. Gooners: Let’s have your elevens
