I'll give Wenger credit for starting Ozil in the first leg; that may have kept us in Europa League. Because almost everything else he and the team did was poor. We weren't 3-0 better than the Swedes in the first game, but we were half as good as them in the second. We played down to their level and then some. Manchester City will be thinking they can count on the Carabao Cup, even after their exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Wigan (again). Arsenal were booed off the field today, and why not? We were awful. In no particular order:
Ospina was fine, although he seemed a trifle casual playing the ball with his feet. His penalty save in the first game was first rate, and he made some nice saves here too.
Now I see why Maitland-Niles isn't being played at DM. He stinks there. He kept giving the ball away and he couldn't pick out a pass to save his life. Both he and Elneny played too far up the field on several occasions, but then so did Holding.
This was a game that Jack should have dominated. But he seemed very ordinary. Disappointing. Iwobi has lots of talent, but that final ball is elusive. Welbeck was almost entirely useless. Mkhitaryan passed poorly and looked like someone that Man U is well rid of.
Bellerin was one of our better players, which is not saying much. Kolasinac grew into the game, but had a horror first half. Chambers and Holding were not "better than Cannavaro." Not even both of them. Just awful.
So...this is who we are. Missing Aubameyang, Ozil, Ramsey, and Lacazette, and not playing Kos, Monreal, and Mustafi, we struggled to win a two-legged tie against a very ordinary (if inspired) Swedish team starting a former York City player. Our opponent in the next round should be favored, no matter who it is.
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