Arsenal fought a valiant second leg tie at Monaco to overcome their first leg debacle. They managed to match the aggregate score but were ousted on away goals as they conjured up a 2 – 0 victory. Monaco go through to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League for the first time since they last managed to go all the way to the finals in 2003 – 2004.
Arsène Wenger made a few changes to the team which faced West Ham this weekend. Ospina was restored to the first team as Bellerin took over from Chambers, Cazorla took over from Ramsey and Welbeck took over from Walcott. Monaco had Toulalan returning from injury which was a huge boost to the French side as they started this match on the front foot.
As the game wore on, Arsenal became more confident on the ball and started getting into the danger area and created half chances. And with 10 minutes to go for half time, Olivier Giroud eased a lot of nerves in the Arsenal camp as he thumped the ball into the roof of the net after his earlier attempt ricocheted off the keeper back to him. Arsenal were building momentum and a second goal before half time seemed imminent. However, a few minutes later the referee booked Alexis for a dive in the area which clearly was a penalty. A couple of minutes later Danny Welbeck shot from right outside the box but a falling Abdennour who had no clue of what was happening luckily was in the way for Monaco. Monaco somehow managed to survive the first half.
The hosts began the second half with good pressure as well and Arsenal were left clutching at counter attacks. Wenger then made an attacking substitution by taking off Coquelin and brining on Ramsey. Welbeck was later substituted off for Walcott to bring some much needed speed into the counter attacks. In the 79th minute Theo Walcott had a shot ricochet off the post which was hesitantly cleared by the Monaco defense. It only reached Ramsey who capitalized on the misplaced clearance within the box and drove through a low shot into the far corner. With 10 minutes to go Arsenal needed just one goal.
However, that one goal eluded them and yet again, for the second year running the Gunners were knocked out on away goals. It’s a bitter pill to swallow for the club as a whole, fans including, because this team clearly had the potential to go farther in this competition. Instead, their left licking their wounds and brooding over the folly that was the first leg at home.
You could find all the scapegoats you want – Mertesacker for the first goal at home, Oxlade-Chamberlain for the 3rd goal, Giroud for missing every chance he got, the team as a whole for underestimating Monaco in the first leg; but such an onslaught on an opposition goal with the desire to go through has not been seen for a while. Arsenal had the better team on paper, Arsenal were better in form and yet, they are the ones going home.