Arsenal v AC Milan Preview: How Do We Approach This Match?

Wenger: We need 5 goals

Tonight sees us kick off the second ''half'' of our match against AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Yes, it is half time and we are trailing by 4 goals to nil. So, what do you say to the boys as the manager? How do you set up your team for the second half so that you salvage the game?

The key lies in what Arsene Wenger said:

"We will not accept going out of the Champions League because we want to stay in. We will give it our best shot tomorrow"

 Not accepting defeat is the key to any semblance of a salvage of pride or, dare I dream, a complete reversal of the tie. Liverpool came back against the same team a few seasons back to win the Champions League final after being 3 goals down at half time. They had 45 minutes and obviously a lot of luck.

We have just beaten 2 very strong teams in Liverpool and Tottenham and the confidence is flowing through the team. Also considering that a 4 goal deficit is seen as an impossible feat against a very strong AC Milan side, Arsenal really have nothing to lose going into this tie. If we end up conceding 3 goals on the night, hardluck, but if we can put in 4 goals up the other end, we won't feel so bad because we would have tried. If we go with our reserve team, then get licked 4-1, I think the damage will be greater both to our pride and to our future challenges.

We definitely will need a lot of effort from everybody and a lot of luck. If we get an early goal or two without reply from Milan, then I think we stand a chance because they will be shaken. so how does the boss set up his team, bearing in mind the injuries we have?

Wenger: This is how we dismantle AC Milan

Rosicky is a doubt for the game. Mikel Arteta, Abou Diaby, Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin are out. That leaves us very light in midfield.

The boss says he is tempted to change formation. Heh? He must change formation for this game, not still be thinking about changing formation. Arsenal really must go for broke. We cannot allow AC Milan to get comfortable at all during the 90 minutes. They will be looking for a crucial early away goal which will really kill the tie.


So, Arsene Wenger must really play with 5 attacking players from kick off: RVP, Theo Walcott, Gervinho, Chamakh and Oxlade-Chamberlain or Rosicky.

If I was the manager, and thankfully I am not, I would with the following formation:

                        Szczesny
Sagna     Koscielny    Vermaelen   Gibbs
                          Song            
Walcott        Rosiky/Chamberlain   Gervinho
                 Chamakh     Van Persie

The wingers need to whip early crosses into the box for Chamakh. He can head the ball or hold it  up and set up shooting chances for Van Persie's lethal left foot. Gervinho and Theo really need to make the pitch wide so that RVP and Chamakh have space to operate. And when we draw the Milanese wide, Vermaelen and Rosicky should be making runs through the centre in support of the attack. We must press Milan high up the pitch but  be wary of the counter-attack. Our pace, if used intelligently, should manage that threat.

Song: Boss says you must score 2 goals

So, really, the only thing I would say to the boys is to go out there and attack Milan with all they have: Shoot on sight. Whip balls into the box. Play quick one-twos to get between them. Dribble in their 18 yard box and hope they foul you for a penalty. Move around- look for space and shooting opportunities. And when we lose the ball, run back to defend and force them to give us the ball back quickly then start all over again.

Easier said than done...

The crowd will also be very important. If we cheer the boys on for 90 minutes, pressurise the referee, jeer and boo the Milanese... who knows...

Remember, we have nothing to lose!!!

Come on Arsenal!!!!

Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal: A Good Weekend Becomes Great

RVP Volleyed the winner 

Match report and stats.

So, A very good weekend ended up becoming a fantastic weekend for Arsenal in the battle for Champions League football. As soon as Chelsea lost 1-0 to Westbrom, I twitted that AVB was fucked and sacked. And a few hours later, it was so.  Spurs also were hammered by Manc-ies United 3-1 in front of their home crowd. That means Arsenal are firmly in 4th place and just four points behind 3rd placed Spurs. Champions League Football is ours to lose now... but I digress...

So the game started with Liverpool looking the better side in the opening exchanges. Arsenal were getting some decent ball possession, but passing it side ways... *sighs*.. Liverpool were looking  very dangerous when they attacked us, but had little threat on our goal. Our defence looked to be at sea. It looked like it was going to be one of those days... They hit our post twice and when their penalty was saved, I thought hung on a minute...

After some very well-choreographed diving by Suarez, Liverpool were awarded a  penalty. But justice was done when Szczesny made a double save to deny Liverpool getting the lead. Suarez would continue to dive all over the pitch for the remainder of the match, yet he was not booked for simulation. He should consider a career in diving...

23 minutes gone and Liverpool found a lot of space down our left flank. Henderson fired in a poor cross which Koscielny ought to be ashamed that he sliced into his own net. 1-0 to Liverpool. To their credit, Arsenal did not let their heads drop but kept on going, though lacking A LOT the sharpness.

But Arsenal respended 8 minutes later. Sagna put in the type of cross you wish he'd do more often. It landed on the head of RVP, who had to out-muscle Carragher to get their first and his head left Reina with no chance. 1-1. Liverpool continued to huff and puff, but created very little threat really.

At half time, the game was carefully poised at 1-1. The second half was pretty much the same as the first, Liverpool huffed and puffed some more, but achieved nothing. Some sky reporter said Mikel Arteta had suffered a blow to his jaw and was concussed... heh? After a lengthy stoppage, he was stretchered off the field and on came Diaby, a man who hasn't played for a quarter of a year.

Surprisingly, Diaby gave us more attacking threat with his ability to go past a man and shoot at goal. Sadly, he lasted only about 28 minutes and was brought off for the Ox. Gervinho had just earlier replaced Benayoun who had a very disappointing game. By now, it was anybody's game. Liverpool continued to threaten but somehow seemed weary of getting hit with a sucker punch.

And so it was. In the 90th minute, Song and Van Persie replicated what they did against Sunderland earlier this season. Song clipped a ball to the left boot of Van Persie, he side-footed it into the net past the stranded Reina. Arsenal were two-one up. Scoring against a team like United, one would have expected our goal to come under siege for the lengthy extra time (8 minutes) but Liverpool being the cunts that they are just really didn't threaten us.

So we came away from Liverpool with 3 points, justice being done after the way we lost to them at home earlier in the season. And with Spurs having been emphatically beaten by the Manc-ies at the Lane, Roman Abramovich's having fucked, sucked and sacked AVB at Chelsea, Arsenal can only blame themselves if they don't get fourth spot at the very least. I honestly don't see Roberto Di Matteo doing any better than AVB between now and the end of the season.

Spurs are also getting skittish, looking over their shoulder with a twitch. I say 3rd place is there to be fought for. Let us go after Spurs and save Jack Wilshere £3,000.00 that he bet against the Spurs fans.

Onwards march the Arsenal!!!