Villarreal Preview: There is a lesson to be learned from last night
Add comment April 15th, 2009
My God. I was feeling alright about tonight’s game, until I watched last night’s Chelsea-Liverpool goalfest. I don’t think my nerves have ever been so frayed by a game in which I was essentially a neutral. Although that match was unique for many reasons, it did provide a suitable demonstration of the way in which the away goals rule can make the pendulum of victory sway about more than a drunk on stilts in the wind.
First legs are alright – I can handle those. As Liverpool almost demonstrated last night, the damage done in a first leg can oft be overturned in the following ninety minutes. In the second leg, however, just one goal can prove a knockout blow. I almost daren’t mention it, but surely no-one will ever forget *whispers* Wayne Bridge…
The lesson to be learned from Chelsea’s near capitulation is the danger of sitting back on a lead. A 0-0 will take us through tonight, but playing for one will prove disastrous – especially with a backline that includes Lukasz Fabianski, Kieran Gibbs, and Mikael Silvestre.
To protect that defence, I expect Arsene to pick both Alex Song and Denilson. However, with Van Persie and Adebayor rested and ready to go, 4-4-2 seems the obvious choice of formation. Therefore I think we might see Denilson on the right, with Song partnering Cesc, and Samir Nasri coming in on the left.
I could be wrong, and we might see Theo Walcott or Emmanuel Eboue in the side, but my suspicion is that however much Arsene talks up the necessity of attacking, there will be an element of caution in his selection.
Abou Diaby is fit again and will probably be on the bench. He, Song, Van Persie and Nasri are all one booking away from a suspension.
Adebayor, who will surely lead the line regardless of which system we play, spoke in the pre-match press conference about the summer, claiming he never said he wanted to leave the club. I’m not sure that’s entirely true, and had a fee been agreed with either Milan or Barca then I don’t think he’d still be at the club. For much of this season he has looked a man distracted, but since returning from injury he seems fresh and motivated. A focused Adebayor is undoubtedly an asset, and he definitely has a huge role to play between now and the end of the season. If El Dandy-bayor can muster anything as spectacular as that moment at the Madrigal tonight, we should be fine.
It’s very, very exciting. I’m very, very excited. I will try to muster the odd miniblog on twitter during the game, but the nerves may get to me. It’s hard to type on an iPhone with quivering fingers.
If you’re there tonight, be sure to give a big welcome home to a certain Bobby Pires. Then follow Arsene’s call to arms and get behind the team as they decimate Bobert’s side and finally sink that pesky submarine.
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Arsenal’s FA Cup Semi-Final against Chelsea on Saturday will be screen exclusively live on Setanta Sports.
If you can’t get to Wembley, that’s the place to watch it.
