Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Atletico Madrid: 5 things we learned – Era has ended

By Andrew Dowdeswell

MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 03: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final second leg match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal FC at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on May 3, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 03: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final second leg match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal FC at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on May 3, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Arsene Wenger
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 03: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final second leg match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal FC at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on May 3, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Arsenal travel to Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Europa League semi-final. on Thursday night. Here are five things we learned from the 1-0 loss.

Well, that was all very sad. Arsenal transpired to huff, puff and ultimately fail in their trip to Atletico Madrid. They tried their hardest. They were arguably the better team. But, in the end, they lacked the experience, the nous, and the know-how to work their way through the double-legged European tie.

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Here are five things we learned from the 1-0 second-leg and 2-1 aggregate loss.

MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 03: Calum Chambers of Arsenal looks dejected after the UEFA Europa League Semi Final second leg match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal FC at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on May 3, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 03: Calum Chambers of Arsenal looks dejected after the UEFA Europa League Semi Final second leg match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal FC at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on May 3, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /

5. Do I have to write this?

I love my job. I am extremely fortunate to be in a position to be able to cover Arsenal on a daily basis. I am an Arsenal fan, I grew up loving this football club. I am now in a privileged position to be able to daily discuss the delights, and the disasters, of the Gunners.

But every now and then, I hate this job. Every now and then, I have to delve into the depths of despair and write these type of pieces that come after these type of games. And I really, really don’t want to. There is not one iota in me that wants to discuss this game in any way whatsoever. Nope. Not at all.

I am not even writing out of anger at their inability, as has often been the case this season. I am writing out of utter dejection and distance, and that only makes me more disinterested. But, here I am and here you are. So, let’s get through this bollocks together.