I wrote my first ever ArseAm article before our first leg against Madrid…and we won! So I will take that as a sign and write a preview on the Juventus game on Tuesday.
So Juve eh? We all know about them. Strong, tactical, they don’t go out and attack you, they just wait and wear you down, looking for small mistakes and promptly punishing you for it.
Their keeper is back from injury and is massive…one of the best in the world, their defence has experience written all over it. Same for their midfield, experience, foxy and physically strong.
Their team lineup on Tuesday will probably be like this:
Buffon
Zebina - Thuram - Cannavaro - Zambrotta
Camoranesi - Emerson - Vieira - Mutu
Ibrahimovic - Trezeguet
Ours will probably be:
Lehmann
Eboue - Toure - Senderos - Flamini
Hleb - Diaby - Gilberto - Cesc - Pires
Henry
This lineup ofcourse depends on if Freddie and Reyes are fit enough…if they are they will probably take Diaby’s and Pires’ place.
What Juve have going for them:
Experience, solidity, strenght (physically and in depth), tactical nous…and Vieira. They also have the fortune of being caught out by Werder Bremen, this means that they won’t be stupid enough to let the lapse happen twice!
What we have going for us:
A return to form, younsters gradually coming through, new strength on the right handside (Hleb and Eboue). A more stable defence… and ofcourse Henry.
Why we can beat them:
Because we are so much faster than they are. Their two central defenders are into their 30s. Vieira and Emerson are also entering their 30s. Juve also run an oldschool static defence layout. Ofcourse its not like they are as slow as snails, its just that we are definitely faster and Wenger will probably utilize this aspect.
Why they can beat us:
They can just wait, wear us down and see if we would run around horizontally in front of their defence then pounce if we make a mistake. That is their style. The worrying thing is that we do still make mistakes (we made quite some even in the Real game).
And finally the key to us winning will probably be down to a few things:
- How our defence performs on the night. Senderos needs to cut out those botched clearances that end up going just inches above our own goal. Eboue and Flamini must be very disciplined. Toure must be a leader and Lehmann must continue his good form.
- Hleb and Cesc. Will they be able to find that killer pass to Henry. Or will they be able to find their own way to the goal.
- Henry.
- Vieira.
In general it is crucial we get a good result in the first leg. A 0-0 is not too bad…but a 1-0 will be awesome…
I therefore predict a 1-0 score…I however pray for a 2-0 !
12 Responses to “Juventus”
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March 27th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
I agree that Juventus won’t lapse into complacency and take us lightly.
Vieira would NEVER let that occur.
0-0 would be good, and a WIN would be fantastic.
We should have our chances… its just a matter of taking them if and when we get them.
Its likely we’ll blunder a few times at the back, and Juve will have their chances… will they take theirs.
Tense… but Hopeful.
March 27th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
The 2 Juve play makers (Nedved & Del Piero) are not available for this game. Which is great news for us. But they will be back for the return match. Which means they will have a more potent attack force at home - we will need to go to Turin with a big advantage and very important, no goals conceded at Highbury. I hope Ljundberg is back as his game seemed to peaked before his injury. Another huge performance needed from all the boys. 2-0 win would be fantastic!
March 27th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Juve are a great Italian side and the AFC priority must be on keeping a clean sheet; we need to have the away goal rule in our favor. Of course, the best way for Arsenal to keep a clean sheet is to keep posession and pressure all night long. Let’s hope our boys in the back can handle the counter. And I’ll put my faith in Jens anyday…he has taken us this far.
I’ll take any result that has a zero next to the name Juventus at full time.
Good luck men.
March 27th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
It’s going to be too wierd seeing Paddy playing against the Arse tomorrow—I think though, after the whistle he just becomes any other opposing player.
A friend who supports ‘pool asked me if I would like to see Vieira have a clonker. I decided I’d like to see Paddy have a great game, maybe hit the bar in a 2-0 losing effort. (Henry and Cesc)
Now win it Arsenal!
March 27th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
I want and expect Paddy to play well.
I want and expect him to get a good ovation and his song sung by the supporters.
Once the whistle blows… he is another opponent.
March 27th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
as we all pray for a “0″ by Juventus, but I feel that our deffence will have a mistake there. I will not be surprised to see couple of goals in this game. I beleive we will score first. But Juvi will tie the game in the last 20 minutes.
1-1 is not that good of a result. But if Arsenal takes this result to Italy and takes the game to speed over there, we can walk out with 2-2 tie … and to the semi !
March 27th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Its very early … 20 minutes in…
but its ONE - NIL West Brom!!!!!!!!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeees!
March 27th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
hi fred
well 0-0 would be a record 8 clean sheets in the champions league for arsenal but i think we have to go for a two goal lead and i think arsenal will score in turin in two weeks time so its semi finals here we come
COME ON ARSENAL
March 27th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
The game’s very hard to predict, because Arsenal are unpredictable. I tend to think that Flamini and Senderos are accidents waiting to happen and they’ve been playing above themselves, particularly Flamini.
I think the small pitch will help protect Juve against Arsenal’s pace. Positionally they will know where to be and they have a great coach.
But Arsenal are very strong at home and can score at Highbury against anyone.
It’s all down to what we concede. Concede a goal and unless we win 3-1 we’re out. If we need goals in the return leg then Juve can easily shut Arsenal out at their place and take us on the counter.
2-0 is the dream scoreline, personally I think it will be 1-1 and we’ll lose over there.
March 28th, 2006 at 12:11 am
I think that it’s an interesting new twist that we’re all wondering what formation/personnel Wenger might be using for the Juve match.
Up until the FA Cup final last year, we all were convinced that AW would stick with the 4-4-2 until his last breath. Back then, we (and our opponents) would all know who Wenger would pick for his starting XI since his strategy and playing style would be the same no matter who we were playing.
I think what we (as fans) are just starting to understand is a new tactical dynamic of the Arsenal side; tactics at least in part determined by who we play. Perhaps I’m projecting a bit, but I think that with the young side starting to gel, Wenger has finally figured out how to change up Arsenal’s style of play to fit the opponent, as well as now having players adaptable enough to put his ideas into practice.
Here’s what I’m seeing looking forward into next season: three different possible formations.
For lower half EPL, Cup and early CL matches, a standard 4-4-2.
For upper-half EPL sides, an offensive 4-5-1 (with 2 attacking/passing CM… probably Fabregas AND Ljungberg, and 1 defensive CM… probably Gilberto OR Diaby
Or, for more physical EPL sides (Bolton, Blackburn, Newcastle, etc.) a physical/ defensive 4-5-1 (with 2 defensive/holding CM… Gilberto AND Diaby, and only 1 attacking/passing CM… almost certainly Fabregas).
This would finally allow some player rotation without having injuries force us into it, and, more importantly, give us an answer to the physical teams that have so frustrated us over the past couple of years.
To make this all happen, I think we’d still need to pick up another attacking/passing CM (to finally replace Edu, unless Larsson can do the businness in short order… which I don’t know enough to form an opinion). Secondly, I think Lauren will lose the starting RB spot to Eboue, but will be able to push Gilberto & Diaby for a defensive CM spot.
I’m nervously hopeful about tomorrow, so I’m trying to distract myself…
March 28th, 2006 at 2:24 am
Arsenal’s youth vs Juve’s experience - simple as that….with experience comes the patience to wait all the way until the very last minute of a game in the 2nd leg with scores at 0-0 and still be patient enough…
With inexperience I am sure Arsenal will start in blazing way and take the game to Juve whose defence will be under severe pressure but if 80 minutes go and Arsenal have not scored this is where inexperience counts…
My heart says Arsenal 3-2 over 2 legs - as for my head well I am not letting it think about the game!!
March 28th, 2006 at 4:40 am
Exactamundo, Stagger. (Hope you don’t mind the nickname)
With all the heatbreak this season I’ve really tried to stay positive without being a complete balloon head—that said I would like to think that everything past beating “Real the devil” is icing on the cannon. But beating a team in both legs I don’t like much but respect (unlike the Madrid of late) like Juve would serve to color an otherwise black and white Arsenal campaign. Beating the bar codes would do alot for my trust in Wenger as a tactition (which, because we were such **AYE CARUMBA**(censored) in Europe for so long I could never accept), and most importantly give me a bit of extra faith in our future, which I, you, we all know is central to our worries.
Other than all that, today is one of the biggest games in recent memory, make us proud boys.