I am, that’s why I’m not expecting him to perform any miracles like winning this trophy.
When we won the Cup Winners Cup in 94 it was far more prestigious in its own right than the Europa League is now. The main value of winning the Europa League is to get into the Champions League. The reason I’m not bothered if we go out is that I don’t think we’re capable of winning it, and therefore not capable of qualifying for the Champions League through it so I’d not be bothered if we had more opportunity to focus on trying to get in through our league position, although that’s also a massive ask this season.
The main reason to want to win it is that is a major European trophy and one we have never won before. CL qualification is just a great added bonus
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That competition had quite some shit teams involved… Chelsea are our main competitors in this competition. If they manage to have a good run in the Premier League their focus on the Europa League might be a little less. Hence I think we have a very good chance of winning this. Last year we dispatched competition in this competition easily until we met Atletico, MIlan might be a bit better, but the level of the competition other than them isn’t any better. Now we also have Aubameyang involved. Outside Chelsea Arsenal are the major favourites.
Until the CL phases then who knows…
I’m not counting on another surprise like Atletico again . Napoli and Internazionale (strongest teams I think will drop) we can deal with.
I think you’re constructing something of a straw man argument here, I’m not suggesting our team doesn’t have quality, I’m not even disputing that in terms of ability we’re one of the top sides. What we don’t have is the tactical strength or mentality to actually win a European competition.
With the frailties that we’ve demonstrated this season and in the last couple of seasons it’s completely plausible that we would be eliminated by a side with significantly less quality than us that was better organised or with a stronger collective attitude. Last season, had Ostersunds not started the first leg like they were out there with Barcelona, it was absolutely there for them to get a result against us, as was clear when they did come out of their half and start to threaten us, as well as when they won the second leg. All it took to rattle us was a bit of organisation, and with the obvious weaknesses in our defence whilst we are adapting to a new system, which will be a process extending long into next season, let alone this one, it will be there for teams with less quality to find ways to hurt us.
I also find it odd that it’s the case that we haven’t won a European trophy since 1994 but fans think this competition is a golden opportunity. We havent won a European competition because we can’t - better Arsenal teams than this have failed in both the Champions League and the UEFA cup. This Arsenal squad showed itself good enough to reach the latter stages last season, but not to overcome serious opposition, and this seasons inexplicible optimism seems bizarrely predicated on the idea that we don’t have to face serious opposition to win the completion, which we absolutely will. Even if we don’t face a side with more individual quality, we will certainly face teams that operate better as a collective than we do, that’s just a reflection of the transitional state we’re going to be in for the next couple of years.
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Well not quite, it’s not like Qarabag are playing Benfica. We have to settle for the Tottenham of Lisbon instead 
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This season we have one different factor though; another manager. Obviously Emery first few games haven’t been convincing, but he is only in the job for three(!) official games.
But what actually happened last season is that we dispatched the lesser competition easily until we played a team who was a lot stronger than us. As far as playing against lesser competition goes Arsenal have been relatively convincing. It’s the bigger teams who raped us on the regular. Before you begin over last season and the away record; what happened in our away games was an exception. Arsenal is not going to be that bad again. If Ostersunds would have gotten a result in that first game, you really think we wouldn’t have corrected that in London? I know Arsenal have been quite shite over the past eight years or so, but I’m confident they would have. Arsenal had lost that second game after we beat them 0-3 at their home.
Better Arsenal teams have failed but the competition they faced was also a lot better in comparison. I’m not sure how much European football you watch. But I think besides of Chelsea, who to be clear we should fear, other teams like Napoli or Internazionale (potentially the best teams we can face) are really not teams Arsenal should be afraid of. Unless we get another surprising drop-out.
Is November even November if its not a nightmare haha
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Why was there even a suggestion that they would move it?
Vorskla qualified for the competition fair and square. Unless there are serious safety concerns, they have a right to play their home games in their home stadium. It’s not their fault that their stadium is a bit remote.
And from what what i’ve read, it’s just one train ride from Kiev anyway, hardly the end of the world – but if fans consider that a “nightmare” then i’m pretty sure they have the choice to not go.
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i love that they used a pic of ozil being a moany hole there 
Not every train ride is the same everywhere 
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So… my one hope was that we wouldn’t have a bunch of long trips. Shattered. Pretty sad when your closest away game is 1700 miles.
Lisbon is a tad closer than that.
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'Scuse me… 1300 miles. Much better… 
First class travel makes it feel less too.
Haha good point didn’t realise it was on driving mode