So there I was last night, at the Adelphi Theatre have a night of culture and romance, the evening began at a restaurant called Rules, and very nice it was too, but as I was walking past a pub, I saw a board advertising the City vs Wigan game, my mind then drifted toward Wednesday and the Barca game.
The show was top draw if you liked the Phantom, I won’t tell you the ending, as I won’t spoil it should you be going, but when all the songs started, my mind went back to the Arsenal and the Barca game, thinking about Thierry and how he said he will always love Arsenal, well love never dies was a sequel to the Phantom, so I’m thinking the Phantom was the 2006 final, where the Master’s heart was broken (that’s what they call the Phantom, the Master) and Love never dies will be the quarter final against Barca tomorrow, where we shall have our revenge.
Tomorrow is such a massive game on so many levels, the first is to play against the favourites and current holders, the team that easily beat the same mob that trashed us in the semis, this is one year on, they have added Ibrahimovich and we have brought back Sol and bought in Tomas Vermaelen, we don’t have Robin but we do have Arshavin and we didn’t have him last year as he was cup tied.
It looks finely balanced to me. So who will will play? Well let me suggest a team that I think will play, and we’ll go from there.
Almunia (sorry)
Eboue Campbell Vermaelen Clichy
Nasri Cesc Song
Walcott Bendtner Arshavin
What I have Song in there? Ok let me start with that one, he will combat YaYa and hopefully break up their swift movement across the middle, Diaby is still not 100% but I would use him as an impact sub, he’s good at that, if he was fit though, he would be my choice in this game.
Nasri in there because he’s good, he the form player and when you are playing a team with the skill they have, then stick on our own and send a message, if Denilson appears, I will bury my head in my hands. Cesc, say no more, he will play and have a blinder.
Up front I have gone with Theo, mainly because I think this could be the team that he can terrorise with his pace, I think with Thierry’s number on, Capello in the crowd and the world watching, he will be the star, if he’s not, then we need to re-think him next season, we can’t wait forever, not when they get paid £60k a week, I love you Theo, I really do, but now you have to show us how much you love us back, it’s time to deliver.
Nikki B to get the nod over Eduardo because he’s a handful and I think their defence is their weakness, plus we’ll need some height defending corners as they have some big boys in their team.
Arshavin, well, he’s simply the best, and better than all the rest, ( a song in there) he is our Messi and I think he’ll want to prove that, and he’ll want to show Barca how they screwed up not signing him. He is the third player I’m tipping to have a blinder.
The back four for me picks itself, but I would have Eboue over Sagna because he will link up well with Theo and Nasri, and although Sagna may edge it defensively, he can’t cross a ball to save his life, having said that I won’t be devastated if he’s selected, he’s still a great player.
If things aren’t going to plan then he has to make changes early, by that I mean at half time, not the customary 74 minutes. So we run the risk of injuries, so what? We also run the risk of losing the tie, and if we are playing badly after 45 minutes, another 30 with the same team is pointless.
That though, I don’t think will happen, I believe the atmosphere will be like the semis last year, except this time we won’t go one down after 7 minutes, I hope!
Expect to see Thierry get a great reception, he deserves it, and it may screw him up!
I truly believe this will be one of the great nights of European football, I believe we’ll win as well, handsomely, so on a night when our whole season rests on 90 minutes, expect a great performance.
I’ve been listening to the transfer stories, Carlton Cole, Eden Hazard and Boateng. Well Carlton Cole is a crock, so forget him, Eden Hazard is just like watching the Nasri clip of 3 years ago and frankly we have enough young, small and tricky players that get knocked off the ball, do we really need another? And Wenger won’t spend that sort of money.
Boateng though looks promising, he has one full cap and is probably on the bus to South Africa, so buying him now may make financial sense. However, is he better than Bartley or Nordtveit? Now that’s the real question, if he’s not, then buy a grown up. We will lose Gallas, Campbell and Silvestre in the summer so we need to replace at least one of them.
Finally Almunia says he never listens to criticism, yeah we know mate, nor does your manager, and unbelievably that’s why you’re still in the team, try watching a video on goal keeping howlers, I’m sure you’d be on most of them. Better still look at the video from Saturday, maybe you can learn from it.
We’ll talk more tomorrow about the Barca game, I just wanted to set the scene. Have a great day Grovers.
Oh yeah, the ending I wasn’t going to ruin? He dies in a car wash accident and she runs off with the bloke that sells the Big Issue outside the Adelphi, enjoy the show!
there will also be a few coronation street moments with the return of TH14 and cesc V’s his Nou club
yes worth the price of admission tonight , i envy the lads going !
I was emmotionally scarred by that long wet night in Paris! We all know what our hearts are telling us, but my head actually thinks we can go through, but it does require a full compliment. Less RVP. sadly.
DDM
So Guiardiola sounds Australian then
normally i wouldnt want to give up my armchair and remote , but tonight i think the atmosphere will be electric ! !!!!!
hey GG did you watch the 3rd part of Pacific ?
you wouldnt say we spoke good english the way tom hanks the prick has portrayed our voices !
hey GG if your going to the game tonight via Learjet , just stop by Thailand on your way thru
who knows if you leave now we might make happy hour at soi 6
Is Diaby fit?
Will do ethan
ethan/MDI89
This is going to a very enjoyable 90 plus minutes coming up
Actually who am I trying to kid. if Arsenal go 1 up I will be shitting myself 
We will need 3 goals, coz they will get 1 goal.
I hope the D-Train starts, he could be the X-Factor.
gg9 – He did look like he live in a prison, so yes!
gg9 – He did look like he lives in a prison, so yes!
GG9; agree about D-train. We need to have a physical presence without being defensive. I go
AL
Eb Gall Verm Cli
Cesc/Nas Song Diaby
Ros Bendy AA
STEREO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O……
If Cesc is out, Le Gaffer needs to start Nasri, Mozart, D-Train & Arswaxin. There is enough grunt with those 4 to do a job on the Catalans
Today’s the day chaps, are we the real deal, or are we deluding ourselves…..
Ahhhhh!! I knew that little comment would flush you out DDM
Sorry, that’s what I think AW should do given his 433. I would go 442 and play all the form players
Al
Eb Gall Verm Cli
Cesc Song Diaby Nas
Bendy AA
Fab4 only 40% chance of playing
MDI89, is Mozart injured, again?
Just changing the pace slightly, how shitty is that Almunia gaff now that Looney
I mean Rooney is injured.
gg9: not sure on either Diaby or Mozart. Cesc, they look at today.
Anyone up on La Liga? What kind of teams to Barca lose to. Attack attack teams, or up and at ‘em?
Cheers MDI89
Where the hell are Geoff & Pedro, having a full monty brekky. There is no time for that, there is a pre-match to discuss
Its times like now that make it all worth it. I bloody hope the game isn’t all over before I get to wipe the sleep from my eyes tomorrow morning, like the United tie 12 months ago.
“Up and at ‘em” is what I call “Northerner style”.
On a positive note, Utd could be in a spot of bother v Bayern, as they will have Gomez, Sweinsteiger and Robin all back for 2nd leg.
it will be a draw between the cunts this weekend.
mick
id probably take rosicky , but i do like diaby too ..
but other than that id say its almost certainly the line up ..
no real marmites in tonights game …
so it shows you how good they are
that no one is tipping them to be included ,a sort of proof in the pudding moment really EH ???
Ok lads, that’s it from me. I have one big meeting and 350 miles between myself and my television. Give it large all of you who are going. Enjoy.
Goon To The Moon.
Good morning Vietnam! I’ve been writing a stirring post and it needed my full attention Gnarley, not the full Monty.
Today is like Cup Final day, you know the type of day our leader throws away for days like today, if that all makes sense!
OOH OOH MERKAT!
ARE YOU PREPARING FOR BARCA THIS WAY
http://arshavin.eu/file/5877.jpg
Geoff Says:
March 31, 2010 at 08:47
Good morning Vietnam!
———————
close !
we need to get a goal fest happening tonight at the Emirates Geoff ..
your going right ?
does a bear shit in the woods !!
you lucky Cnut
this is Envy
you always said about tv v’s going to the game .. it never bothered me until 4 hours ago
ARSHAVIN TOOK THE PISS OUT OF FABIANSKI IN THE Q AND A AT ARSENAL. ARSHAVIN IS SO JOKES.
A GUY ASKED THE QUESTION: WHO’S THE HARDEST WORKING PLAYER AT ARSENAL? FABIANSKI REPLIED WITH CLICHY, ARSHAVIN REPLIES WITH GOALKEEPING COACH.
who you going for tonight??? BarcaKenya
new post!
Arsenal vs Barcelona Highlights/Interviews 2-2
http://arsenalist.com/2010/03/31/arsenal-vs-barcelona-highlights-champions-league-arsenal-taught-a-lesson/