As is now my self-appointed tradition…i shall write a preview for this game just as I did before the Madrid and Juve first legs. Maybe it brings luck….it worked against them, why shouldn’t it work now?! 
So Villareal eh? In a nutshell the so-called yellow submarine are better than Real defensively but more creative than Juve…so they are a credible test.
Why they can win:
- They are unpredictable and cunning
- They have Riquelme
Why we can win:
- They have their two first choice CBs and their first choice goalie out for the first leg. This should hopefully play into our hands. Yes, we are also using back up defenders but we have been using them for months now…so this should give us the edge.
- We have Henry, Cesc and Hleb.
- We are so much faster.
- If we take Riquelme out then it is over for them.
Key to us winning:
- We play the same way we have played against Juve and Madrid. Hardworking, full 90 minutes concentration, fast and slick passing game.
- Henry, Fabregas, Hleb being on top of their game. They will be key to us unlocking their defence.
- We try not to concede in the first leg at home.
All in all even though they are a credible threat and could spring a surprise on us we are simply the favorites for this one…if anyone was to choose between Milan, Barca and Villareal…the easiest route to Paris is obvious.
I predict a 2-0…I pray for a 3-0 !
Go Gooners!!!
29 Responses to “Villareal”
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April 18th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
I wanna add two points regarding of our chance:
1. CLEAN SHEET - So so crucial at the CL playoff stage for the HOME side.
2. CESC - He’s the oil in our passing enegine. Without him, the whole passing rhytm just not as smooth.
Finally, this is the FINAL Europe match at Highbury, let’s hope the boys will rise to occassion and make it a memorable night!
April 18th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Villereal’s Champions League:
Everton 1 Villereal 2
Villereal 2 Everton 1
Villereal 0 Man Utd 0
Lille 0 Villereal 0
Villereal 1 Benfica 1
Benfica 0 Villereal 1
Man Utd 0 Villereal 0
Villereal 1 Lillle 0
Rangers 2 Villereal 2
Villereal 1 Rangers 1
Inter 2 Villereal 1
Villereal 1 Inter 0
They haven’t beaten a single team convincingly, they struggle to score goals - the saving grace is their defence. Tomorrow their defence is shredded by injury.
Nothing to fear in my eyes. If we play as well as we have in the other rounds I expect us to score more goals than we normally do.
We can finish this tie tomorrow night.
Watched most of Barca vs Milan - looks like Barcelona will breeze to the final. They will be so hard to beat whoever meets them.
April 18th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Nice post, Fred.
A bad result could spread like a cancer in our side. For that reason, I see us playing with such scary concentration that Villarreal never really get into the game. If we’re rested, and our key players should be, this could be a rout.
Key: Defense. If the back four prove not to be 8 times flukes, it will spring confidence in our midfield and strike force like we’ve needed all season. Early chances are likely. Finishing them, a must.
Best weapon: Theirry Henry. At home, there is no better. And now others are showing they can score. Without their stalwart CB’s and first choice keeper, confidence is going to be low and the thumping of Titi’s boots might loosen their bowels. They’d be happy with a scoreless draw, estactic with a scoring one.
Darkhorse: Hleb. Something is nagging me about him. Why do I sense he could be emerging at just the right time?
April 18th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
yeah, u’r right…….its the last european match at highbury………we need to win !
April 18th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
yeah…..i also think hleb is peaking at just the right time…….i hope he’s massive in the last couple of matches……he could be decisive for us
April 18th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Couldn’t. Beat. Rangers.
Inter must be utter pants.
April 18th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
First, “If we take Riquelme out then it is over for them”, I don’t think that you can stop player of Riquelme calibre for the whole 90 minutes. Ronaldinho had a bad game against Milan and then BOOM, perfect pass to Giuly and Barca scored. So we must close down not only Riquelme but also the other players. And you are saying that if we stop their maestro it’s all over, but what if they stop Henry. We saw against Real and Juve that only Henry is finishing our chances, the others are spoiling them. What I’m trying to say is that Henry is valuable to our team as Riquelme to Villarreal’s.
Second, I don’t know if Fabregas is fit enough to have a great game and overshadow Riquelme, just like he did with Zidane and Vieira.
And third, we may see Walcott get some playing time because we have no other wingers as substitutes. Hleb, Pires and Ljungberg should start and Reyes is suspended so I think that Walcott will replace Hleb because we have three very important games in six days. And I’m not hiding, I would love to see him play.
So I hope for the best, as you said 2-0 and maybe 3-0 with Walcott banging the third.
April 18th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
I agree. For the first 20 min AC looked the better team. Then they got tired and Barca started asserting themselves as one unit. Once Ron10 started showing some flair AC looked like a deer in the headlights.
Although Gilardino (i think it was him) missed a sitter that could’ve tied things up.
Also Puyol and Marquez worked their butts off to keep Shevchenko and gilardino out of comission.
April 18th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
Walcott will not play. Fred, pires, Hleb, Cesc, Gil. maybe Denis if it comes down to it. But more likely to see RVP than Walcott. Unless it’s obvious we’ve got the game in our hands.
Wenger wouldn’t risk Cesc if he could get a reoccurance of the injury. This game is important but so is Sp*rs and the second leg. I don’t think he’d risk that. Plus Diaby is looking good and likes to go forward albeit with out the creativeness of Cesc.
April 18th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
I was talking about the wingers. You can’t play Gilberto, Fab, Bergkamp on the wings, they are ineffective out there, but yeah van Persie can play as a winger.
April 18th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
“Ain’t no stoppin’ us now… we’re on the move”!!
Good Positive Vibes for tomorrow…
We have a great opportunity to take this match and a big step forward towards the freaking FINALS of the Champion’s League.
If we maintain the dogged determination that we showed against BOTH Juventus and Madrid, we will beat Villareal as well. No reason to suspect anything else.
FIGHT ALL OVER THE PITCH… Just like the last two match ups, and WE WIN… easy.
I like us tomorrow… lots.
2-0 or 3-0, and this is OVER.
Go on you Arsenal!
and NO… Walcott is not playing in the Semi-Finals of the Champion’s League. I would be utterly SHOCKED to see that occur.
April 18th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
“take Riquelme out” “then it is over for them”
Fred Soprano
Riquelme is an amazing player! I hope that we can “suppress him” (help I’m being suppressed). He makes me nervous watching him as he’s that good - but he’s no Ronaldinho (that’s a whole other level of good). Nevertheless, a formidable task for our defenders. I just hope they respect them as I do.
Barca are amazing - Ronaldinho, Eto, and a bunch of other 3 and four letter named players (un autre faux pas). I hope we get to play them in the final.
They’re my third favourite team in Europe (their coach is orange and that colour suits me).
I know, it’s obscene but purely out of the love of the sport, I’d just like to see Henry pitted against Barca, all the lads from Arsenal against Barca (the least of which is his rumoured destination if he leaves). What a dream game come true, if it does occour. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t of asked for anything more beautiful from the game of football then to see this. As conciliation: Holland raise a 3.5 kg. sculpture by Abel Lafleur over their heads - I’ve got this thing for lapis lazuli, one of my favourite colours, set in gold plated sterling silver.
DannyT ? I’m counting on your prediction!
ScottyUS ? beam me bloody up…
Stagg133 ? “I’m your father” Darth Wenger
LoveG ? paradox: as in GunnerLove.
Hope all you fellow Gunners enjoy tomorrows game.
Jeez, the anxiety has made me sick like a pregnant woman all day.
Go you Gooners!
Trash that Royal City to the ground or at least ground them into trash.
April 18th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
Walcott won’t you played. Your damn right!
April 18th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
No I’m not drunk - Walcott won’t be played!
April 18th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Ummm, sure seems it?!!
April 19th, 2006 at 4:01 am
Arsenal should win this one by 2 goals especially considering their 1st choice central defence is missing plus goalkeeper that AW tried to sign a couple of years back…
If we come out all guns blazing then I believe it will be very tough for them to take and an early goal may even then turn the tie into a landslide - however what Villareal have shown is that they do not concede many so getting that first goal will be very crucial…
My heart says 4-1 to the Arsenal - yes optimistic I know but what can I say
April 19th, 2006 at 5:48 am
There’s absolutely no way Wenger will ever play Walcott on the wing in such an important match. He is far too inexperienced, if he gives the ball away it could cost us an away goal.
April 19th, 2006 at 5:52 am
My head says we can win by 3, but that would be unusual for a semi-final. I’m sure Villarreal are well aware of their weaknesses at present and will not lay their centre backs wide open.
Maybe because it’s the semi-final of the Champions League, to score three seems too easy and overconfident.
April 19th, 2006 at 6:21 am
hahaha…..@ the soprano remark……LOL…..:-)
April 19th, 2006 at 7:51 am
We should be too strong. Too fast. Too hungry. Too determined not lose our last european game at highbury to a well-drilled but ultimately beatable Villlareal.
Anything other than predicting Arsenal victory fly’s in the face of logic. Riquelme is great player but I do not think he will able to flourish in our unforgiving environment. Of course, he will deliver a few dangerous passes, but you would think Toure and Co should be up to it. One drawback is that Eboue is starting to lose it and is making mistakes. He needs to re-focus and play the RIGHT final ball for a change.
Like everyone here, If Arsenal play at the same level as they did against Juve and Madrid, we will pull Villareal apart- especially with Rodriquez and Pena missing.
End the tie here lads. Reyes not playing might be a good thing. Pires is a goal scorer and we need as many of them sprinkled about as possible.
April 19th, 2006 at 7:52 am
My keys to the game:
1. Gilberto - The silent assassin needs to keep Riquelme in check.
2. Attack - Convert. Your. Chances.
3. Defense - No mental/physical lapses.
April 19th, 2006 at 8:16 am
Home game. Key players rested. 2-0 win for our boys is very do-able. Villarreal will pack their defence like sardines. And play for the counter. Bet they will not venture much across the half-way line. Wenger will play 4-4-2 to get the goals. Reyes is out. Not sure if Ljundberg is back. Just like in the games against RM and Juve, it will be 100% committment and concentration from the boys. And patience as well. And just like in those games, the first match basically decided the tie. This could be the same. Can’t wait for game time.
April 19th, 2006 at 9:35 am
BELIEVE.
April 19th, 2006 at 9:59 am
I wouldn’t have us change ANYTHING from the tactics we’ve employed in the CL, as in… Real & Juve.
Same type of line-up, same type of tenacity.
As Rick mentioned above… FINISHING will be huge.
We have to put away our chances when we get them, or at least a good percentage of them. Milan had chances yesterday, and failed to convert. Now, they are only down 1-0, and one goal ties it up for them, but you have to like Barca’s chances now.
FINISH our chances, and play with “that intensity” that we have shown in the CL… and we will win today.
Not worried about any yellow submarine. Maybe I’ll get extra mustard on my submarine sandwich when I watch us KICK THEIR ASS today.
April 19th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
I must admit, during the last 20 minutes of the Juve tie, Eboue was totally losing it. And Toure and Senderos were panicking a bit as well.
Nedved did us a massive favour getting sent off because I reckon they were getting close to a goal.
The one thing that could defeat us is nerves, I wouldn’t blame the kids for that. If we got to the final I’d have Campbell and Cole in there like a shot - they’re not going to panic like Senderos will and Flamini might.
Don’t have much choice with Eboue, I hope someone took him to one side after Juve and had a word. He has the talent, but mentally he could be a liability.
April 19th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
According to Clubcall, Cole is definately gone.
The little pr*ck doesn’t deserve to play ahead of Flamini if we get to the final. Even though he’s a great player.
April 19th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Clubcall is just another tin pot website looking for hits so it can make money from advertising.
Maybe they will be right and he’ll go, but there’s no way they know any more than you or I, so don’t give them the satisfaction of thinking they know what they’re tallking about.
April 19th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Ok. I cant focus … Bring the game on ….
Role on Arsenal ..
April 19th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Why on earth did Wenger play 4-5-1 at home against a team who was more into defending than scoring? I just do not understand. A 1-0 win is going to make the away game that more difficult now for the boys. Changing to 4-4-2 with 10 mins left is not going to make much of a difference against a team who keeps possession very well. Very frustrating to see the boys not able to create much chances. Cesc was subdued - is he still carrying an injury?. Eboue needs to be smarter instead of giving away silly freekicks. Linesmen were poor in their offside decisions. Henry’s goal shud have stood.