March 8th
So it’s tonight. One of those games that’s in your head from the moment you wake up. 8.45pm is going to seem a long way away all day long.
In squad news we’ve got Robert Pires and Manuel Almunia back after their absence this weekend and Theo Walcott will make the bench with AW saying “I will not be scared to throw him on if it is needed”. You can see the full squad here. The consensus is we’re likely to play the same team and formation as in the first leg. I think we might have been more likely to go for the 4-4-2 with van Persie or even Adebayor available but Dennis has been out for so long and has offered so little this season that I think it’ll be same again. That said we could see Reyes up front with Diaby in the midfield, Freddie on the left and Cesc on the right although give how well he played in the middle in the first game it seems a bit of a waste to put him out there. I dunno. Arsene Wenger does though.
The boss reckons success on the night will be built on a solid defence. He says “I believe the job needs to be performing well, it’s to defend well again. The second part of the job begins when we win the ball back. We want to give them some problems, score goals and not just be negative and pass it.”
And there’s no doubt that’s true but it’s not just down to the defence to defend. It has to start high up the pitch and in midfield we can’t give them a minute to dwell on the ball. Basically we need the same kind of work ethic and energy we witnessed in Madrid. Whether Ronaldo plays or not they’re dangerous and goals can come from Raul, Robinho, Zidane and Guti and there’s our old chum Baptista on the bench too. As wonderful as winning in the Bernebeu was tonight is the night when we can truly put some of those YADNIEFA©® times behind us.
Freddie talks about his form this season and the game – “We have the quality to win the game and go through, but at the same time I have a lot of respect for Madrid. They are a great side, with great players.”
For their part Real Madrid are hungry for success as new President José Luis Juan Pablo Snachez Rodriguez Romero Speedy Gonzalez says “The players will eat Arsenal.” I am avoiding the very obvious joke about Ronaldo.
And there you go. Let the countdown begin, the butterflies start butterflying and the beer start chilling. Have a good day and come on Arsenal!
