A big match again for us tonight. Not wrong to say our biggest European match until now. Unlike the first leg the build up to this one has been evenly balanced. Last time around, just look, hear or read, it was just going to be another awful European night for us. But Wenger & his Gunners made the most of it and Wenger showed that when he is at his tactical best you can only be left amazed. Yes amazed they (the Real fans, the Club, the Galacticos) were at the way they were totally undone by the tactics deployed by Wenger and stunned at the goal Henry shone with.
But it’s still not over yet. We have still to be at our best to face this tide now at Highbury. The manager will again have to deliver his tactical incisiveness tonight so that 'The Gunners' can finish this two-legged demolition of Real Madrid in a remarkable manner.
The manager hasn’t yet made up his mind about the formation he is going to use, 4-4-2 of which he is an ardent disciple OR 4-5-1 which we all hate. Here he speaks about how the formation deployed has to have a balance of scoring as well as defending because the lead is not so big that we can keep defending for the entire 90 minutes and also the lead is such that Real would have to have a go at us. But before the match begins, surely Wenger; the tactical genius he is - would have had solved his dilemma.
Now, for the players. As in Madrid, in Reyes and Fabregas we have two Spaniards on show tonight. They have surely made an impression while in Madrid and now is the chance for them to make that impression permanent.
Pires and Almunia are back and you can get the complete squad here. Wenger's words suggest that maybe our wait to see Theo Walcott make his debut for Arsenal may end today. The important thing here is that he is not afraid of playing him. WOW!! Ljungberg as can be seen from the Fulham game is now contributing more and more to each game. As Wenger suggests he can get anytime into the second gear. Hope he gets into that gear tonight. The others in midfield; where I think the game today shall be won are Gilberto, Diaby and either Pires or Hleb whomever Wenger starts with.
Its pretty obvious that Real would be hunting for goals tonight and as such a lot is expected of our defence which would be pitted against a determined Real. In Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Baptista along with other Galacticos' there would be a force which shall try to squeeze out something of every seeming opportunity. As it is our lead is crisp and small but nevertheless important. So we can build our game around that lead. Flamini is again at left-back and will have to pullout a performance similar to the one in Madrid and Craven Cottage. He would have to be at his toes against a charged up Beckham. Senderos is again at the centre alongside Toure while Eboye shall start at the right-back.
Lastly Henry. The delightful goals he scored at the cottage and the way he gave Adebayor a goal on the plate only suggest that he is certainly on the prowl again now. He has started to make runs for every chance now and is leading the team from front. Absolutely essential for us to seriously have a go at any task. He could be only more lethal this way.
Wenger says “We are a little bit more under pressure to finish the job. But they are as well. That is why it is an interesting game.” Yes its an interesting game and its important for us; the fans, the Club the players to win this game as a lot still remains to be done in the Champions league and we can only set out for it if we win tonight.
A blazing victory at Fulham has just set the mood upon which we can look forward to this match. One can see that the spirit is back in the squad and we are now playing more as a team collectively match after match. And if the performance at Fulham is something to go by I think that we are back in the reckoning. We have defeated Real at Bernabeu. But certainly a demolition of the Galacticos at Highbury would be one of those peice of history that we Gooners had long awaited for our Club to create and a perfect triumph to bid farewell to Highbury.
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