How Twitter reacted to Arsenal’s Champions League exit
Arsenal fought bravely against Monaco at the Stade Louis II but their 2-0 victory was not enough to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Social media was therefore understandably awash with comment throughout the match, with some memorable highlights coming via Twitter, as ever.
Here are some of the best Tweets from another Arsenal near-miss.
In the build-up to the game, the statisticians were out in force to showcase just why the Gunners were facing their very own mission highly-improbable.
1 – Only once in European Cup history has a team lost a first leg by 2+ goals at home and still progressed (Ajax v Benfica, 1969). Ask.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 17, 2015
The numbers certainly did not make for pleasant reading if you were a Gooner…
Monaco haven’t conceded a single goal at home in the Champions League this season. Good luck. pic.twitter.com/p5Pm0zQN2c — Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 17, 2015
Thankfully the BBC were on hand to present some rather alarming stats in a scale and form that was all kinds of wrong…
Can Arsenal overcome the odds and beat Monaco tonight? More stats here: https://t.co/jRBFr9BKRr pic.twitter.com/xX6EuZWkP7
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 17, 2015
Monaco, meanwhile, appeared to be keeping tabs on the opposition as they arrived at the Principality club.
Welcome in Louis-II Stadium @Arsenal ! #ASMARS #UCL https://t.co/I0adDyutaJ — AS MONACO (@AS_Monaco) March 17, 2015
Finally, the game actually started and, with U2 watching on in the stands, it was looking like Arsenal could be in for a “Beautiful Day.”
Apologies for that – I will leave the puns to the masters…
Bono among the crowd in Monaco tonight but Arsenal still haven’t found what they’re looking for. #MONvAFC pic.twitter.com/OUwlyVp1QG
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) March 17, 2015
Eventually, after several great opportunities the Gunners did get the breakthrough and a million Arsenal supporters were suddenly like…
Monaco 0-1 Arsenal (3-2 agg—Giroud). #AFC still require two more goals. pic.twitter.com/OvKWp11vzW — Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) March 17, 2015
The half-time numbers certainly made for much better reading than any of the pre-match amble too.
Monaco 0-1 Arsenal HT: Arsenal have had as many shots on target (4) in the first half as they managed in the whole of the first leg #MONvAFC
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) March 17, 2015
Some were more focused on Mezut Ozil’s shirt-swapping antics at half-time though, with The Independent keen to highlight Clive Tyldesley’s feelings on the matter.
Mesut Ozil enrages ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley by swapping his shirt at half-time https://t.co/r8AJFTFuTb pic.twitter.com/FTqsAYElP4 — The Independent (@Independent) March 17, 2015
Others drew parallels with a Liverpool misfit…
Ozil swapped his jersey at halftime. He better be out on the front pages tomorrow morning like Balotelli was pic.twitter.com/c2rQLAHwlC
— Marco Messina (@Marcocalcio22) March 17, 2015
Telegraph readers, meanwhile, could not give a toss, according to a poll.
58% of our readers say players should NOT be criticised for half-time shirt swaps. Agree? https://t.co/j68oD9jEc1 pic.twitter.com/bdo39ScMZm — Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) March 17, 2015
Once the game reconvened, Arsenal were back on the offensive.
In fact, they were creating chances left, right and centre, which is apparently what they have done for much of the past month.
Chances created since 1st February 2015: Ozil – 21 Giroud – 13 Cazorla – 12 Alexis Sanchez – 8 Ramsey – 8
— Arsenal News (@__arsenal_news_) March 17, 2015
Finally they were rewarded with a second goal, courtesy of Aaron Ramsey that set up a tense finish.
GOAL! Ramsey levels @Arsenal on aggregate, 1 more will do it! What a finish from the Welshman! #ASM 0 #ARS 2 #UCL pic.twitter.com/bx3l8qQCRM — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 17, 2015
At this point, Dimitar Berbatov had been hauled off and was far from happy that the Gunners had scored again, as this stunning portrait demonstrates.
Berbatov’s furious reaction to that goal. #MONvAFC pic.twitter.com/LYN8Of1mY8
— John G Byrne (@fustar) March 17, 2015
He need not have worried too much though with Arsenal guilty of delivering one too many below par crosses.
Arsenal have attempted 16 crosses in the second half, only 2 of which have been successful. pic.twitter.com/30GHisdRNM — Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 17, 2015
In the end though, it was not enough as both Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez spurned chances, with the Chilean coming in for his fair share of flack on Twitter.
When you look for Sanchez in the highlights https://t.co/3ru7qudcTp
— Kristian vS Hæhre (@vonstrenginho) March 17, 2015
The final, damning word must go to Sky Sports News though, who highlighted Arsenal’s sheer dominance of Monaco over the two legs.
Arsene Wenger’s #AFC side had three more shots in the second leg and three more on target #SSNHQ #SkyCL #UCL pic.twitter.com/TOciTBYnlc — Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) March 18, 2015
Oh and Piers Morgan was not a happy bunny.
For a change.
We’ve come 3rd or 4th in PL for last 10yrs & failed to reach QF stage of CL for last 5yrs. ZERO improvement. #afc
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 17, 2015
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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