Archive for April 18th, 2009

A yellow ribbon-wrapped Chelsea Preview

Add comment April 18th, 2009

Today’s game is massive.  I have to say, I think I’m more nervous about this evening’s match than I was about Wednesday’s.  Perhaps it’s because we’re facing a team with whom we share a greater rivalry.  Perhaps it’s because there is a final at stake.  Or perhaps it’s simply because the game is at Wemberlee.

Some have said that semi-finals shouldn’t be held at Wembley, which is all well and good, but let’s say the game was scheduled to take place at Old Trafford – having drawn Chelsea, there would undoubtedly be thousands of fans clamouring for the game to be switched to a London setting.  As it is, we’ll be playing our first match at the new stadium, and here’s hoping it can prove to be as successful a hunting ground as Cardiff was – one Carling Cup Final aside.

The omens are good.  Not only did we win at Stamford Bridge this season, but Chelsea haven’t beaten us in the FA Cup since 1947 – a run that takes in seven ties and one final.  On top of that, we’re on a fantastic run and seem to be most pundits’ “clever bet” to end up with a trophy or two.

It isn’t all rosy though – a succession of injuries have left us decimated at the back.  Today will be the biggest day thus far in the careers of both Lukasz Fabianski and Kieran Gibbs (if he’s even fit).  The experience of Kolo Toure and Mikael Silvestre will be absolutely vital, whilst whoever gets the nod to do a screening job in front of the back four will have to be at the top of their game.

And what a day this will be for Andrey Arshavin.  This is the sort of occasion he fought so hard to be a part of.  And as fate would have it, his first genuinely ‘big’ game in an Arsenal shirt is against his International manager, Guus Hiddink.

Arshavin is part of an attacking arsenal that contains all the tools to unpick the Chelsea defence.  The craft of the Russian, Fabregas, and Nasri, the searing pace of Walcott, the power Emmanuel Adebayor, and the explosive left-foot of Robin van Persie.  Beyond that we’ve the aerial presence of Bendtner, the goal-sniffing Eduardo, Diaby’s quick feet and Vela’s velocity.  Scoring goals is not going to be our problem – it’s keeping them out I’m worried about.

Frank Lampard’s runs from deep represent a major threat, and it’s vital that those who start in midfield track and hassle as we know they can.  For all our individual quality, it’s going to have to be a team performance to defeat Chelsea.

Victory today would answer so many of the doubts around this team.  I’m not neccessarily confident but I know we are capable.  I believe.  Arsene believes.  The players believe.  Now it’s time to show the rest of the world why.

Come On You Gunners.


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