FootieTalks

Arsenal defensive frailties came back to haunt them as Crystal Palace dented their top four hopes with a 3-2 win at The Emirates.  Following back-to-back away wins and clean sheets at Watford and Napoli, Arsenal went into the game high on confidence, but their defence let them down yet again as Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha, and James McArthur took advantage of the frailties.  Two of the three Palace goals came via set-pieces as Arsenal found themselves open and exposed, and Zaha's was put on a plate for him by a shocking error by Mustafi, who found himself in no-man’s land, leaving the ball for his keeper, but Leno stayed on his goal line.  Palace led at half time, but the Gunner’s got level swiftly after through Mesut Ozil . A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal in the 77 th minute gave hope of a comeback but it proved only to be a consolation as Palace passed the 40 points barrier, and won away for the eighth time this season The result, combined with Chelsea’...

Alexandre Lacazette's first half free-kick secured a victory for a defensively sound Arsenal to beat Napoli 3-0 on aggregate to reach the Europa League semi-finals for the second year running. The French striker won and took the freekick, a 25-yard curler which caught out keeper Alex Meret, leaving him flatfooted and all but secured victory for the English side, leaving Napoli needing four goals to go through. The home side did not trouble Petr Cech enough to give themselves a chance of an unlikely comeback, and the Italians succumbed to only their second home defeat of the season.  Hope was high in Naples, with home fans positive and optimistic about overturning the deficit, on a night when the hosts let fans into their San Paolo stadium nearly three hours before kick-off, in a bid to galvanise support. Yet instead of proving positive inspiration, the atmosphere failed to inspire, and instead appeared to put off their team, who managed only one shot on target before half-time...

Arsenal travel to Naples with a two-goal advantage tonight to face Napoli in the Europa League Quarter Finals.  Having beaten the Italian side this time last week, both teams are coming into this game on the back of wins Arsenal won their Monday night encounter against Watford by one goal to nil, and Napoli beat Cheivo 3-1 Arsenal haven’t played well in their last two away games, and got lucky in their game at Watford, with Troy Deeney getting sent off early in the first half. The Gunners will have to be at their best tonight away from home against a strong Napoli side, and know that if they score once, they will force the Italians to score four goals, without conceding again.  The winners of this tie will definitely play Spanish opponents in the next round, either Valencia or Villarreal to contest a place in the final. My team to play Napoli

March proved to be quite a successful month for Arsenal, with Europa League progression, and a big win against top 4 rivals Manchester United and an international break, Arsenal began April with another win against Newcastle to reinforce Arsenal's position in the top 4. Arsenal travelled to Merseyside to play Everton in the first of five away games, in the race for top four. Arsenals away form has been woeful all season and went into this game the only team not to keep an away clean sheet. That form continued as Arsenal suffered, what could prove to be a potentially crucial blow in the race for the top four as they were beaten 1-0.  The eventual match winner, Phil Jagielka was a late addition to the starting XI in after Michael Keane was taken ill just before kick-off and the Everton captain tapped home inside ten minutes. Emery made a half time double substitution and Arsenal improved briefly in the second half, Aaron Ramsey and Henrikh Mkhit...

Arsenal will be without striker Alexandre Lacazette when they face Rennes in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash on Thursday. The striker is suspended for both legs after being sent off in the last round for elbowing an opponent against BATE Borisov. His absence is likely to mean Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang starts in France, having started on the bench for the north London derby on Saturday. Aubameyang came on as a substitute against Tottenham and spawned the chance to win the derby for his team, with his penalty saved late on, and the match finished 1-1. Rennes are 10th in Ligue 1 and should be well rested after their Ligue 1 game at the weekend was postponed allowing them time to prepare for the Europa League. Rennes, who beat Real Betis in the last round, have had an eight-day break between games, leaving them much fresher than the Arsenal team who are playing this tie, between two vital Premier League encounters. With a vital game against Manchester United qui...

A poor penalty by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was saved in the last minute as Arsenal threw away a chance to win and close the gap to just one point in the race for top four, against their bitter rivals, in a 1-1 against Tottenham at Wembley. Welsh playmaker Aaron Ramsey, playing in his final north London derby before leaving to join Juventus in the summer, coolly finished on a divisive counter-attack after 16 minutes to put the Gunners ahead. Spurs levelled from the penalty spot in the 74th minute through Harry Kane after he had been pushed over by make-shift right back Shkodran Mustafi. Arsenal might have been hurt by the decision as Kane was offside before he was fouled, but they spurned the chance to snatch victory when Lloris saved Aubameyang's penalty in the 89th minute and Jan Vertonghen blocked the follow-up shot on the line. Arsenal have the right to feel even more aggrieved as defender Vertonghen was well inside the area before Aubameyang struck the penalty. Things...

Huddersfield 1-2 Arsenal  Following defeat against Manchester City, next up for Arsenal was a trip to league strugglers Huddersfield.  Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal a 2-1 win at Huddersfield to keep their top-four chase on track, with an unconvincing display.  Alex Iwobi opened the scoring, albeit against the run of play when his deflected effort from Sead Kolasinac's cross was palmed into the corner of his net by the goalkeeper. Huddersfield controlled possession for large periods of the game, and were unlucky that nothing would fall for them inside the Arsenal area, and instead again against the run of play, Alex Lacazette doubled the lead just before half-time when turning in Ainsley Maitland-Niles' low cross from close range The hosts, on a poor run of form, losing 11 of their last 12, never gave up and finally got their reward in the third minute of added time in the second half when Kolasinac turned Adama Diakhaby...