So near yet so far. A heroic effort from Arsenal in the second leg away to Monaco and a 2-0 win but yet again it is a case of too little too late as the London club exit the Champions League on away goals.
Goals from Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey gave Arsenal hope but they were unable to grab the elusive third goal as the score finished 3-3 on aggregate, with away goals again the decisive factor much to the frustration of the visitors.
The Gunners were made to pay for a sloppy first leg where they capitulated to a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates in what was one of their worst performances of the season. Fast forward to the second leg and Arsene Wenger's men went into the game against a Monaco side who had not conceded a goal at home since November. If you add to that the fact that no team in Champions League history has ever overturned a two-goal deficit away from home in the second leg, it was always going to be tough.
It is so frustrating to think that had we not conceded a late third goal in the first leg we would now be looking forward to the quarter finals. Such fine margins but we only have ourselves to blame!
The first leg was decisive. We got a positive result second leg but it wasn't enough, although some of the individual performances at least gave us something to be proud of even if it isn't much of a consolation. The back four had a good game with Laurent Koscielny making some crucial blocks, but it was the full-backs - Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin - who particularly impressed me. Alexis Sanchez didn't quite look himself but Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla were very positive influences in midfield, while Francis Coquelin was solid as usual. Giroud and Danny Welbeck put in a decent shift up front and, although most of the players can be proud of their performances, it just wasn't enough over the two legs.
We made a bright start to the away leg in France but, although we were showing real hunger and taking the game to Monaco, there were signs that it may not be our day due to our inability to take chances when it counted most.
Giroud headed off target on two occasions in the first half, while Koscielny's effort hit the crossbar before the defender was then pulled back for offside.
The Gunners finally got their reward when Giroud banished his demons from the first leg, where he missed a string of chances, to break the deadlock after 35 minutes.
Welbeck sent the ball over the top for his fellow striker to race through on goal but his initial effort was kept out by Danijel Subasic in the Monaco goal. The ball spun up and hit Giroud on the head and the French international stayed composed to fire the rebound into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Arsenal were well and truly in their stride and almost doubled their advantage soon after but Welbeck's effort was diverted inches wide of a post.
There was a contentious talking point three minutes before the break when Alexis Sanchez went down under a challenge in the box. I am still undecided whether or not it was a penalty and maybe the referee did in fact get it right. However, what I do have a problem with is him booking Sanchez for simulation. There was contact there, maybe not enough to gain a penalty, but enough that it definitely wasn't a dive.
Either way we had the lead going into the break and knew we needed two more goals without reply to complete a historic comeback.
Ozil came agonisingly close to getting Arsenal's second of the night after 53 minutes but his free-kick was superbly tipped over the bar by Subasic. Ozil missed another chance 10 minutes later when he hit a half-volley wide after being set up by Welbeck.
Time was beginning to run out but Aaron Ramsey came off the bench to make a huge impact as he grabbed the visitor's second 11 minutes from time. Theo Walcott's initial shot hit a post and Layvin Kurzawa could only clear the ball straight to fellow substitute Ramsey, who was on hand to smash the ball home from close range.
Arsenal continued to pile forward in search of that all important third goal that would send them through. Although the Gunners can be proud of their performance on the night, they were perhaps guilty of too much tippy-tappy football in the final five minutes when they needed to be more direct.
Wenger's men nearly won the tie six minutes from time when Cazorla floated over a free-kick. Giroud and Sanchez almost got in each other's way as they both tried to connect with the ball and Subasic did just enough to keep the ball out with a superb save.
It was almost all Arsenal, as it had been for virtually the entire second leg. The Gunners put in a heroic performance and deserved more from the game. But after such a poor first leg they only have themselves to blame. No matter how much their second leg performance warranted passage into the next round, it is Monaco who got the aggregate result in their favour to knock us out on away goals and we just have to accept it.
The big question now is, just how big an impact will our Champions League exit have on our season? In one way you could say that after the first leg we knew it would be an uphill struggle so it isn't surprising. On the other hand, it looked possible we could do it and to lose in such a cruel manner, on away goals, could have an effect on the players....I hope not though!
Yes, we are out of the Champions League, but we are still in the semi-final of the FA Cup as we look to try and defend our title and we are just one point behind second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League. That is a better position than we have normally found ourselves in at this stage of a season in recent years.
No matter what happens from now until the end of the season the players need to show the same commitment and desire as they did tonight more often and performances like what happened in the first leg need to be eradicated.
The disappointment of the cruel exit to Monaco still hurts as much now while I am writing this as it did at the full-time whistle. I can sometimes move on quickly but this one hurts, maybe because of the way we lost, but it still hurts.
We need to make sure we dust ourselves down and don't let this have a negative effect on us and get ready to go again as we return to league action with a trip to Newcastle.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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