Going into the return leg of the last 16 fixture tonight, it is all but done and dusted with the Italians enjoying a resounding victory on a pitch not better than a village square rigged with land mines in some war torn African country.
Milan were no doubt the better side on their rugby pitch with four goals to the good and an Arsenal team which seemed more like they left their IV’s for the party back home in London.
Though Arsene Wenger’s lads are coming off the back of emphatic wins against the Spuds and Liverfool, they will be squaring up against an equally high-flying and confident Milan side which dispatched Palermo in their last Serie A encounter with a 4-0 drubbing, leading the log with the big Swede and the diminutive, baby faced but pacey and skilful Brazilian on red-hot form. With a vociferous and raging crowd numbering about 58,000 routing for their team to go for it and a smooth and sleek pitch to play on as that in The Emigrates, the Gunners will be seeking to outplay and outscore their Italian counterparts whilst keeping in mind that a goal for the visitors makes an already daunting task much more Herculean.
Even though the match has been dubbed mission impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m Possible’, so let’s hope the Gunners make the quarter-finals a possibility by annihilating the Milano team.
With both managers talking tough, Massimiliano Allegri states his players know the importance of qualifying for the quarters as they have failed to do so in the past four seasons and the threat Arsenal possess playing at home and AW rightly claiming that the 5% chance we have is not to be ignored, as well as the fact that if Milan can score four at home, then it gives us the impetus to score four, maybe even more at home as well. He went further to point out that we have hit the back of the net 12 times in our last two home games and these are morale boosters for his side going into tonight’s fixture. We can thus be sure of a mouth watering, edge of the seat encounter with AFC throwing their big guns at a supposedly cagey and rigid Italian defence.
The visitors may have injury worries of their own with star performer Kevin-Prince Boateng, Alessandro Nesta and ageing Dutch maestro Clarence Seedorf all failing to make the journey down to the capital.
Arsenal have more injury worries of their own with Wenger describing his team as decimated with injuries to Yossi Benayoun, Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby, thus adding to an already bubbling treatment table comprising of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Per Merersacker and Andre Santos, and a double injury doubt for Tomas Rosicky and Kieran Gibbs. Wenger might be forced to throw caution to the wind and go all out with attacking players; this might just suit the Arsenal cause as we have nothing to lose.
I expect Milan to sit back and weigh what we have to offer or throw at them in the opening exchanges and with a team full of attacking threat lined up by Arsene tonight, they may just be shooting themselves in the foot. With Robin van Persie expected to lead the lines supported wide by either Gervinho, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain expected to complete a midfield three of Rosicky and Song, the Italians might just be set to witness a very difficult night out in London. With a predominantly attack minded formation, I expect Song to sit deep and provide cover for the back four and also for Bac and Gibbo when they bomb forward to support the Arsenal onslaught on the Italian rearguard.
It is left to see who and what formation the Italians line up, but some sure starters include Zlatan, Robinho, Van Bommel, Thiago Silva, Mexes, Abate, Norcerino, Emmanuelson and Abbiati in goal.
The first half of this game has a lot in deciding the overall outcome of the game, as a goal or two for the home side will put the visitors on edge and maybe swing the pendulum in Arsenal’s favour through the second 45.
It’s all to play for at The Emirates live at 19.45 GMT tonight.
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