Well the emotions have had a little time to simmer down.
Let?s remember that this site will continue to be a great read as long as our ?rights? to say what we want are balanced with a respect for other contributors rights to hold and express contrary opinions.
No one has a monopoly on footballing truth.
A few reflections from watching the Saturday game.
Flamster?I like that name! Our man for the first time since morphing into a left back was given a truly torrid time. I mean if Spurs were more clinical in their finishing Flamini would have been made to look pretty bad. Is this a slight on Flamini? No way. He is deserving of huge praise. But it does remind us that you don?t become the real deal in a specialized role over-night. A return to the 4-1-4-1 formation on Tuesday should afford him greater cover and settle things down.
Henry?he?s the man! I?ll never get tired of seeing this artist in action. The way he took that goal was sublime, yet he does it so often!! To run on, control and flick the ball from such a narrow angle, past a good keeper, and when under defensive pressure is fantistico.
Ade?this guy is hugely interesting. Yes he still displays all the hallmarks of a guy experiencing growing pains in his own game and in meshing with his team mates but he is decidedly different. He has technique that hints at Arsenal class and a physical presence that he isn?t scared to use. He also has brains and understands that this team plays to Henry and therefore he follows suit.
Overall we looked half a pace behind Spurs in everything we did. Yet with more accuracy in our finishing we could well have won it.
I support Wenger in resting several players. We have never in our impressive history been to the semi final of the no1 European Cup. Yet we have a real chance of going to the final. For me, this takes the cake. It?s the ultimate. If we get to the final and win?.it will be football utopia for me. If we don?t, I?m happy to have journeyed further this season and pushed our own bar higher AND to have taken huge steps in developing Arsenal Mk3.
27 Responses to “Simmering emotion”
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April 25th, 2006 at 7:29 am
Flamini deserves nothing but praise for playing out of position and doing an absolutely fantastic job. He gets no stick regardless of what he does beyond this.
All eggs in the CL basket.
Its apparent that this is the important thing to AW.
Lets hope it comes us aces.
April 25th, 2006 at 7:52 am
Stag, I apologise if I went OTT after Spurs match. You get on my tits sometimes, but then I probably get on yours.
Enjoy the game tonight, I hope we have the legs to finish the job off. Then nearly a week to recover before Sunderland.
April 25th, 2006 at 8:12 am
One thing that has kept Villarreal going is the fact that they have been able to survive on draws and good defensive displays especially in the group stages…
but now the problem is that Villarreal have to attack and well….. I can’t wait to see how that plays out…
We also have to take into account the form of Arsenal’s backline even with the likes of Sol, Cole and Lauren missing. Arsenal has an exemplary defensive record in the Champions league this season and the fact that Villareal have yet to win by more than one goal speaks volumes to the extent that many observer’s view tonight’s semi final clash as a foregone conclusion.
Arsenal hold the advantage here with a 1-0 lead, meaning that Villarreal have to perform better than they have done before this season. This time getting one Goal will not be enough and the worst thing being that they failed to get a single goal at Highbury they way they did against Inter.
It’s now quite clear that Villarreal’s core runs through Riquelme as witnessed throught the tournament. Gilberto will have a particularly significant role as the team try to exploit a 1-0 advantage. He was the first leg’s outstanding individual, excellently helping to snuff out the playmaker Juan Rom?n Riquelme and using the ball efficiently. Both elements will be needed again, in what promises to be more testing circumstances.
Ars?ne Wenger expects a livelier Riquelme, saying the Argentinian tends to impose his personality more at home, and Gilberto will need to be alert, especially with the Spanish club bound to put more emphasis on attacking than they did at Highbury.
Hopefully Sunderland will be a walk in the park….
despite the fact that they are already relegated they put on a fight against pompey who surely have a future. You never know anyway. Arsenal’s kinda unpredictable in the league. After all our main focus is the Champions league.
April 25th, 2006 at 8:38 am
Villareal’s home form is not much better than their away form. They have a good defence, but still players are missing for them.
I don’t think they will attack. They will try to keep it tight for 60 minutes, they know Arsenal have had a very heavy schedule of late - if they score in the last 20 minutes will Arsenal have enough legs or experience to get back into the game?
Unless Arsenal get an early goal, this will be a tight and boring game.
April 25th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Good luck, Arsenal. Let’s do these yellow diving cheats!
April 25th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Couldn’t agree with you more. If anything, this game will be a rerun of the first. We’ll blitz them for the first 20 and if we fail to score in that time it’ll be a long old night. They’ll just be looking for a set piece until 75 minutes, when if it’s still 0-0, they’ll open up up a bit and play football for15 minutes.
April 25th, 2006 at 9:39 am
DT, no problem.
Your criticisms I can deal with. Its fairly healthy, in that it makes me think a bit more before I type. Thats never a bad thing.
Our views often clash, but is all for the same cause in my eyes. I can surely do without the insults!!! No matter how easy a target I am.
Cheers and accept my apologies if I stoked the flames as well.
Lets get the win tonite!
April 25th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Best thing about our position is that, even if they manage to put two past us in what would be the second most unlikely scenario in CL football history (after last year’s final), we’ve only got to nick a cheap one to win it.
We did our “don’t concede”. Now its their turn against Henry, Cesc, Hleb, Reyes, etc.
April 25th, 2006 at 10:00 am
You have a point there…could be a boring game..how? even after Wenger claims that Arsenal are not going to sit back and defend. I thought in order for this to become a boring game Arsenal would have to sit back as Villareal do the same. I don’t know anything about Arsenal’s games being boring especially when they are in an attacking mood. So unless Arsenal are play conservative football I very much doubt It will be a boring game.
April 25th, 2006 at 10:08 am
Scenario one: We start of playing good, up-tempo football. We create a series of half-chances which are thwarted at the death by tenacious Villareal defending. Soon, we begin to get frustrated at our opponents uncanny ability to stop a goal with a mixture of never-say-die defending and a dose of cynicism- we will have had plenty of free-kicks because when our men are pulled back when through on goal. Henry’s free kick radar is off.
We begin to play more direct after the break and sink deeper into our half. Villareal pile forward and get a goal through a set piece, or an attack straight after we clear a set-piece. We’re deflated, too shaken to score an “arsenal” goal and Villareal score again in extra time. Wenger complains about time-wasting and his European dream is over.
Scenerio two:
We start off fast, get a goal midway through the first half after a sumptious move involving our whole midfield. Second half Villareal pile forward and come close several times. As they leave space at the back Arsenal find space but are unable to find the second killer goal. Villareal lose their discipline and get a player sent off in the closing stages. Arsenal are through to Paris.
Either way, cannot see this game being a draw.
April 25th, 2006 at 10:14 am
Hey guys I have a query….sorry to go off topic but I third post is mine and yet the name showing is Anonymous Gooner. This is the second time this is happening. I was wondering whether this has happened to anyone of you. Rather devastating.
April 25th, 2006 at 10:20 am
Scenario two is more or less wishful thinking.
Scenario one looks more like what Arsenal have been through over and over and this is more like the dreaded reality.
This season in Europe has been different in one way or another. So it’s more like being balanced between the two.
April 25th, 2006 at 11:09 am
I wish I knew why this happened, it seems to happen to some people but not others. Perhaps a glitch in the software. “Rather devastating?” Yeesh, hate to see what you#re like after something really bad happens.
April 25th, 2006 at 11:17 am
Today, I?m proud to be a Gooner and by that, I mean a fan joined by others who share a passion for the same team. The first few posts in this thread today have instilled in me that the greatest courage anyone has is to admit indiscretions, forgive and embrace ? true chivalry. I just want to say, I really admire you and tip my cap to you for this act of courage. What a fitting way to start this very important day for our club. Kudos?, thanks, and enough said! We are the Arsenal.
My word I don?t even know what to say about today?s game I?m so worked up.
I told my wife I?d be leaving my studio early this afternoon to watch the game live. I?ve been justly chastised now, ?Everyone else or normal people work but you watch soccer matches in the middle of the afternoon.? Yes dear, but there will be another billion people watching with me. ?I don?t want to hear it, you?ve got too much work to do to be watching a midday weekday game?. Yes dear, I do but what you don?t understand is that I?d just be sitting there, pulling my hair in the studio and not able to work anyway for the lack of any focus but one ? Arsenal. ?You make me sick?. Yes dear but you know I love you and if the Arsenal wins, you know what kind of man is going to meet you at the front door when you come home. ?Okay, it?s abnormal but enjoy yourself.? Yes dear, abnormal is okay, remember I am an artist, it?s allowed for us. ?Not that again.? I left out the part of how I?d feel if Arsenal lost. I felt she doesn?t need to know that I?d be buried in the sofa with my head up my a.s.s., asking her to bring me the ?ash and sackcloth?, as well as the anti depressants and maybe a small whip for self flagellation.
Another reason I didn?t tell her about defeat, is that I just have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that today is Arsenals day, a glorious day.
That?s all I can think or write for now, a small anecdote of real life in what is surely the biggest match so far this year. They?re 90 minutes away from playing one of the biggest cup match finals in the clubs history and I?ve become speechless.
I know if this is his speechless?!
Good luck to the lads?
Go you reds!
Go you Gunners.
April 25th, 2006 at 11:35 am
From Bloomberg News
Ljungberg battles injury nightmare
2006-04-25 05:59 (New York)
LONDON, April 25, 2006 (AFP) - Arsenal midfielder Freddie
Ljungberg revealed Tuesday his battle against injury which includes
having blood drained from his foot after every match.
The 29-year-old Sweden international is suffering swelling in
his right foot and will have fluid syringed from the injury after
Tuesday night’s Champions League showdown at Villarreal.
Ljungberg has been plagued by a string of injuries to his hip,
calf, shoulder, rib, hand and toe since being ruled out of Sweden’s
second round defeat by Senegal at the 2002 World Cup.
But he insists he is always ready to fight through the pain for
the Gunners, and in his bid to play this summer’s World Cup where
Sweden take on England in their final group match.
“I play with a lot of pain but sometimes as a footballer you
have to do that,” Ljungberg told The Sun on Tuesday.
“It’s a lot of pain in the foot when I twist or turn. The foot
swells and fills up with blood and we have to ‘tap out’ after every
match.
“It’s painful but the pain is not so bad that I cannot play.
“But of course it’s not good. I feel pain maybe 10 times during
a match but that’s pain I am willing to take. As long as I am
playing football so frequently, Im going to have to cope with this.
But when the day comes that I can play with no injuries, I will be
as quick as Carl Lewis on the wing!”
bur/ea06
-0- Apr/25/2006 9:55 GMT
-0- Apr/25/2006 9:59 GMT
April 25th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Don’t go nuts and let our football do the talking but may the Squirrel be with you tonight.
Good luck …
C’mon Arsenal..
April 25th, 2006 at 11:45 am
3 hours to go: is it itoo early to start drinking?
April 25th, 2006 at 11:59 am
When I say boring, I mean it won’t be much of a spectacle.
For you and I it won’t be boring because every kick is so important, although I did remember yawning once in the first leg.
April 25th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
I agree with you, Danny. Since Villarreal are ‘South American,’ I like you expect them to sit back & try to steal a goal & then sit on a 1-0 lead (a la Argentina in the 90 WC) & then try for the goal late or in extra-time & then take their chances with PKs if we hold out.
April 25th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I would really, really, really love to see Reyes step up on his home soil and show us that he has what it takes to be a Gunner. He’s come so close so many times this season, but I think it would be a huge boost for him if he could set up or score the crucial goal that solidifies our place in the final. He still seems kind of on the “outside” to me. A day like to today could bring him into the fold.
April 25th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
hahahahahaha good one!
Squirrel power!
April 25th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Stuck at work… will have to listen to the game over the net…
COME ON YOU GOONERS!
BELIEVE!
April 25th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
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Up yours, Up the Arse, Kiss the Crest, Keep the Faith!
April 25th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
All I can say is that I didn’t feel like this before the Spurs game…
April 25th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
jeez I started last night
I want to know if it’s too early to stop
April 25th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
now that took some work
but 5h1te yes to diving cheats
April 25th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
blob, when u log out did u click the “log out” or just straightly closed the window? it happened to me a few times if i click the “log out” when i logging out the site, next time even after i log on, my post would become anonymously.
but if i never click the “log out” button and just straightly close the window browiser, then it’ll be alright. perhaps u can try it.