Champions League Semi Finals Preview: Arsenal VS Manchester Utd

Once again the masters of football have blessed us with an exciting semi final tie in the Champions League. Football fans all over England and the world alike have been sleepless for weeks waiting for Wednesday night when Champions Manchester Utd take on their most arch rivals for the first time in a Champions League meeting. This tie will see the clashing of masterminds, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Utd's guard Sir Alex Ferguson plot their way to the Champion's League finals in Rome in the following weeks. We will witness some of the world's greatest veterans and young players battle on the pitch to take down their opponents. Attacking talents like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov against the likes of Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Eduardo and Walcott. Midfield wars between Cesc Fabregas, Song and Diaby against Ryan Giggs, Park Ji Song and Scholes. Defenders such as Vidic and Ferdinand plying their trade in competition with Toure and Sagna. It will be a fight till death and will probably go down as one of the most exciting semi finals in the CL's history if we look at the epic battles these teams have had in the past.This season Arsenal has already drew first blood with a 2-1 victory thanks to Premiership freshman Samir Nasri's double. It was an open game of football that saw both sides pressing at each others defense with fluent attacking moves that mesmerised supporters and neutrals alike.

Since then Utd have gone on to dominating the league and topping the tables,. This was due largely to their record breaking defense partnership of centre backs Ferdinand and Vidic who provided a protective wall for their goal keeper Van de Sar. Utd also benefited largely from the faith Ferguson put in his veteran midfielders Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who used their experiece and leadership to pull the team through difficult times during the season. In the mean while Arsenal had a bumpy Premiership season with key players residing on the bench for long periods due to injury. Two such players, newly appointed captain Cesc Fabregas and striker Emmanuel Adebayor were greatly missed and reserve players Denilson and Bendtner had to fill in heavily for their absence. The team however began to gel after a embarrassing loss to Manchester City in the dying parts of 08 and have went on a whopping 20 game unbeaten run that saw them dismantle relegation battling Middlesborough yesterday 2-0. This was the first time manager Arsene Wenger has managed to take full points from a game managed by Middlesborough's manager Southgate in the league and this could provide even more positive energy in the camp. At the moment Utd lies at the top of the premiership table with Arsenal placed at 4th looking to finish 3rd against Chelsea.

Looking at the players that maybe on display I cannot wait to see what the outcome of the tie will be. Focusing on Arsenal the key for them will be to score goals in the first leg at Old Trafford while at the same time not conceding to the potent attack of Utd that has perfected the art of pressuring and closing down on opponents to the point that they make mistakes. Arsenal will need to have a strong display from midfield, meaning that Cameroonian defensive midfielder Song should be on his A game on Weds if selected to ensure that Utd attacking options are neutralized before they pounce upon the defensive line. I expect Fabregas and Nasri to provide the playmaker role using their passing skills to execute throughballs that could open up Utd's defense which has been looking a bit unstable of late. The main man upfront I expect will be Adebayor who may play as lone strike man or partnered with Eduardo who Arsene seems to have been keeping under wraps during the last couple of weeks. Another option could be for Diaby or Fabregas to play just behind Ade in a supporting striker role and take advantage of his ability to hold the ball and draw defenders out of position. On the attacking right wing Theo Walcott should be a great asset , his speed and skill should give LB Evra a hard time and may force him into a more defensive role and cut off his forward runs. Walcott will need to concentrate on his final ball, knowing when to make the cross into the box and when to shoot. This has been a weakness of his developing game and could be a determining factor in the tie.

Defense wise is where Arsenal show some cracks that Utd could take advantage of. Veteran CB Gallas is out with a knee injury for the remaining of the season and either Silvestre or Djourou are expected to start in his place. Silvestre will be relishing facing his former team mates and club but has shown over the recent weeks that he does not have the pace to keep up with fast paced attackers and could be target for Rooney and Ronaldo to focus their attacks on. Djourou has grown over the season to become a reliable option but is suffering with a knee injury and may not be fully fit against some of the most potent attack forces in the World. There is also the issue of the LWB position. Regular starter Gael Clichy is injured and Arsenal are now relying on youth player Keiran Gibbs to take up the role. Gibbs has shown that he has great talent and seems to be adapting to first team play well, however his task will be an ardous one with the young Englishman expected to closely defend the World's greatest player Cristiano Ronaldo. Gibbs is no slouch and has proven that he can defend as well as move forward in attack. His forward movements could give Ronaldo trouble, but he must be aware that no one is more lethal in counter attacking than the Portuguese.

Utd also have many strengths and some weaknesses that could determine the outcome. In the first leg there job first, will not to concede goals, however they have a habit of attacking early on to gain a goal and then close shop. In attack they have a number of options that can do the job.The main player is winger Cristiano Ronaldo, however I expect him to be in a more supporting role in the tie. I think Ronaldo will be expected to draw defenders out of position and then send the ball towards his team mates in hope that one may latch onto the ball to score. I expect Rooney to also be working ardously covering the field filling in gaps where necessary such as cutting off Walcott's access to the defensive line. I believe that if a goal is scored by Utd in open play it will more likely to be scored from a midfielder such as Giggs, Carrick or Scholes the assist coming from wing play. In the middle of the park I expect a partnership of a veteran and a younger player. So either Giggs and Scholes will be partnered with Carrick, Anderson or Fletcher. I do not expect Utd to put both veterans on at the same time because Sir Alex will be more than aware of the fitness levels of Wenger's youthful team. The midfield partnership will have the dual role of setting the tempo of the game as well as bringing a physical presence in the middle to unsettle Arsenal's midfield.

Looking at the defensive options I believe Utd's defense looks pretty solid except in the right back position. The return of Ferdinand from injury has stabilized Utd's defensive woes of late. His anticipation of attack along side the brutal physical game of Vidic will provide Adebayor and company frustrating times infront of goal. Patrice Evra as I mentioned earlier may have take a more subdued role so as not to leave his line open for the pace and new found strength of Theo Walcott. In the RB position Utd have loss their two main options, captain Gary Neville and John Oshea to injuries and will now have to decide to use either Brazilian teenager Raphael or Wes Brown who has just returned from injury. Raphael has proven himself like Gibbs to be a future starter and was the sole Utd player to find the net against Arsenal in their last game. With Arsenal players growing in confidence and stature. left midfielder Samir Nasri may pressure him throughout the game. Wes Brown on the other hand is an enigma and his contribution to the game depends on his concentration level. He could have a man of the match performance or make a howler that could cost his team the tie.

Now my thoughts about the upcoming game. I am almost 100% sure that Arsenal will go to Old Trafford to attack and score goals. That is Wenger and the Arsenal way, with even more incentive of gaining an away goal that could aid them into going through in the second leg. Utd may have other plans and Ferguson has utilized defensive stagnant football in the past as means to the end. This game will be dependent on an opening goal. I believe that if a goal is scored early to Arsenal we will have ourselves quite a spectacle with both teams going on the score sheet. If the early goal is Utd's I expect them to kill the game off with defensive tactics, while Arsenal would push to get back on level terms. If there are no early goals, both teams could be take a more cautious approach carefully plotting away to chip away the defense line to score. This is a hard tie to predict, but as an Arsenal fan I am going with Arsenal winning and moving on. This youthful Arsenal squad are big team killers and appear to be at their best against top opposition. The fact that they are no longer in the FA Cup and made the effort not to over exhilerate themselves in their match against Middlesborough shows that they are looking towards Weds as their only means of achieving silverware this year. Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas looks focused and has already tasted victory last summer with his national team and looks hungry for more. Arsene Wenger also relishes to chance to lift the trophy that always seems to elude him. This is not to say Utd will make the task easy, however Utd still have to maintain form if they are to win the premiership with Liverpool, another team that has nothing else to lose creeping on their steps. Utd are more can capable than balancing the act as they have shown in the past, but I feel that Arsenal will be a proficient opponent to stop their European hopes.

Champions League Preview prt 2, Arsenal Vs Villareal

The next match we will be previewing is the match up between Spanish team popularly known as the yellow submarines taking on Arsenal. This should be a great tie because both managers , Wenger and Pelligrini are known to stick to their principles despite opposition and always look towards playing an open, entertaining game of football. Both teams rely on fluid movements in midfield and potent attack forces. At the moment both teams also mirror each other in their respective leagues, both Arsenal and Villareal are in 4th position and are in an uphill battle to earn CL placement next season. These two met some years ago in the semi finals resulting in Arsenal winning by a 1-0 aggregate that sent them into the Champions League Finals. There has been some interesting changes since that time. One of the key figures in the Arsenal line up at the time Pires is now a member of the Villareal team, also most of the players in the Arsenal line up during that time have moved on to other leagues. The Arsenal team is almost completely different with developing young stars replacing the likes of legends Henry, Pires and Lmunberg.

Focusing on key players we will start with Arsenal. Arsenal will be hoping that their captain and master in the midfield Cesc Fabregas will be match fit to contribute to the tie. Fabregas despite being under the age of 25 is one of the world's best central midfielders and possesses the intelligence and ability to change games with precise passes. He has been out with a knee injury since December and is itching to return to ensure that Arsenal repeat their success in reaching to the CL Finals. If Cesc is fully fit, the heart of Arsenal's midfield will possess quality that will place less pressure on the attack force. In defensive midfield position I am expecting to see developing star Diaby partnered with Cesc. Diaby is gradually improving in his defensive holding role and is a potent force when he moves forward towards goal. On the wings I am sure Arsene will also be hoping that his young Englishman Theo Walcott is available so that he can utilize his quick pace to break down Villa's defensive line. Samir Nasri will also be expected to use his playmaking skills to push infront to service the strike force. Fullbacks Clichy and Sagna will be running forward pushing pressure on Villa to defend and provide crosses into the box for the likes of Adebayor and Van Persie. Both strikers are important in their own right. RVP being more technical and can provide free kicks and innovative shots on goal. Adebayor's strengths will be his strength and pace that will have the like former gunner Cygan and Capdevila busy, opening up spaces for his team mates. Arsenal will also have to rely on top performances from CB Toure, Gallas and goal keeper Almunia to ensure safe berth to the semi final's.


Villareal are also a force to be reckoned with and will not be a walk in the park for Arsenal. In attack I expect to see Italian american Giuseppe Rossi, Spanish foward Llorente and Mexican Franco provide lethal attacking arsenal. Franco caused Manchester Utd defense quite a few problems during the group stages making Utd a bit lucky not to have conceded to the yellow submarines. Franco plays with a bit of flamboyance and sometimes is able to pull off amazing stunt moves on goal. Rossi is a former Utd player that has made a name for himself in Spain as a lethal attacker. Spanish forward Llorente should also play a significant role having scored 4 goals in the competition this season. In the midfield their is the experience of former gunner playmaker Robert Pires and defensive midfield stalwart Sienna. Pires game has changed much since leaving Arsenal. During his first season with the submarines he was hampered by a foot injury which resulted in him losing some of the mobility he became recognized for playing left midfield for Arsenal. Like Giggs at Utd, Pelligrini has moved Robert into a more central role relying on his talents to control the passing in midfield. Sienna is more than effective in his defensive midfield position providing a halt to any attacking tactic. He is also deadly in deadball positions and the team can rely on him, their captain to step up to the ball when free kicks or penalties are awarded. In defense Villa have the much improved Cygan, and Capdevila to help provide protection.


Verdict: I am predicting this will be an open tie, due to both managers passion for attacking football. I think we should be seeing more than a couple goals. I think Arsenal have the edge with so much of their key players such as Fabregas, Walcott and Eduardo returning with eagerness to make up for time spent on the injury table. Where Villa could trouble Arsenal is during set plays. Despite massive improvement since the early period of the season, Arsenal is still troubled by free kicks or corners entering into the box. If Pelligrini can use this to his advantage he may be able to gain revenge on Arsenal.

Arsenal...Wenger has nothing to worry about Prt 3 Midfield Movements

So far we have looked at transfer signings and strikers we shall now look at the midfield options Wenger has for the upcoming season. It is important to note that Flamini left the club and Hleb may also be leaving so I will be leaving these two players out the article despite their great contributions this season. Based on the facts the players that will play a role next season will be Fabregas, Walcott, Rosicky, Denilson, Diaby, Gilberto and Eboue. These players along with summer transfer signings and youth talent will provide the attacking and defensive line with precision passing and attack ending tackles. Two main players come to mind when I look at this list and these are Fabregas and Walcott. I shall now focus on each midfielder indvidually.

Cesc Fabregas: This young man is touted to become the world's best midfielder years before he celebrates his 25 Birthday. Fabregas has become Arsenal's most important player after the departure of Henry to Barcalona. His precision passes help cut pathways for the strikers. He also has a knack to score goals and has scored over ten during the start of the season. He has ended up with an impressive tally of 13 at the end of the season and has over 16 assists making him a true attacking playmaker. Fabregas not only provides good attacking but he also earned a reputation to be a tough cookie in defense. Opponents learned quickly not to mess around with him after soon finding out he is more than capable to dish out his share of bone crunching tackles despite his stature. The verdict is great for the future. Fabregas is set to extend his deal with the club and is forecasted to improve next season. I am fully confident that the young Spaniard will continue to produce impressive displays of skill next season.

Theo Walcott: I dont think there is an English player quite as exciting as the young 19 yr old Walcott. He is really a striker but Wenger has been developing his talent by forcing him to play on the wing. This season he began to see regular first team action coming off the bench as an attacking right midfielder. His performances had critics pondering why Wenger would not grant him more starting roles. His outstanding pace allowed him to brush defenders aside and push forward into the box. He also managed to score goals of such great quality that comparisons to Thierry Henry were inevitable. This season he managed to hit the net 7 times, scoring twice against Birmingham to open up his premiereship goal tally. His attacking run's during the CL against both AC Milan and Liverpool are some of the most brilliant displays of football this season has encountered. The young Englishman seems to grow everytime he touches the pitch and is gradually becoming a force to reckon with in Europe. The verdict: Walcott's development is amazing, I beleive he will continue to grow into the perfect attacking machine. He now needs to learn how to control his pace and improve on his passing and shot selections. I expect him to earn a starting position next season.

Tomas Rosicky: From the time I saw this players magnificent opening goal in the 06 World Cup I felt that Wenger bought a great player to London. Rosicky is a higly skilled player that provides Arsenal with attacking options on the wing or in center field. The only major flaw with him is he is easily injured and this forced him to limited contributions during the season. Despite this fact Rosicky managed to score 7 goals before being forced to reside on the sidelines due to season ending injuries. Verdict: Rosicky can be relied on to score goals when he is healthy, however I beleive that Wenger should consider signing a player that would provide us with a replacement whenever Tomas is injured.

Neves Denilson: This young Brazilian is one of the next generation of Arsenal players being groomed to become senior players. He plays an attacking role and comes of the bench to provide passing and attacking runs. His contribution in the domestic cup matches earned him two goals. Verdict: Denilson is still in early stages of development, but over time I believe he will be a truly skillful midfielder. His height and body allow him to stay on the ball despite

Vassiriki Diaby: This young Frenchman has all the qualities to become a major force in the Arsenal midfield. He is slim, tall and masterful on the ball. He uses his pace to push forward into the opponents box and sometimes takes a shot on goal. With Flamini's exit many are touting the youngman to be his successor as partner to Fabregas in the midfield. Diaby has a wicked outside shot that has left more than one goal keeping clutching the air this season. This season he has scored 7 goals in all competitions. Verdict: If Diaby is able to remain healthy he has the capabilities to make left central midfield his own spot. Diaby's weakness tends to be overplaying the ball, he needs to learn to pass the ball whenever defenders try to overpower him.

Gilberto Silva: Gilberto remains one of the few veteran players from the Arsenal's winning era. Last season he returned home tired from International duties and lost his starting role as defensive midfielder to Flamini. Flamini's impressive display lead to the Brazilian staying on the bench for the majority of the season. It has been a rough season for Gilberto who felt disowned at the club but remained loyal to the cause. As the season came to a close he was granted more and more appearances by Wenger. Gilberto despite such a lacklustre season has expressed his desire to stay with the club. Verdict: I believe with the departure of Flamini we should keep Gilberto, he provides the team with experience and I believe that he can gain his magnificent form back once more if Wenger gives him the opportunity to play.

Emmanuel Eboue: Many critics believe that Eboue should be dropped from the team. I do not share this view. Wenger decided this season that Eboue was capable of the right midfield role instead of right back. Eboue fit into his role well during the early part of the season. His partnership with Sagna on the wing proved to be almost unstoppable and contributed to Arsenal's many goals. He also contributed to the goal tally with 2 of his own. Eboue however began to become erratic as the season went on drawing attention from the officials that resulted in cards and sending offs. I believe that during this time the player had a lack of focus and dont believe he should be judged by these actions. He is still fairly new in the midfield role and it will take time for him to become accustomed to it. I believe his partnership with Sagna is the main reason he is able retain the starting role over Walcott. Verdict: I expect Eboue to start off the bench next season with Walcott becoming more of an attacking force. Eboue needs to improve in the mental aspect, his pace is perfect to provide passes and crosses from the right, however he needs to calm down and improve on his shot selections.

Years ahead of Time..Cesc Fabregas PFA Young Player of the Year

Cesc has taken this season's award for Youth player of the year and no one can deny the fact he rightfully earned it. The young Spaniard has become the key figure in Arsenal's midfield before he reached the age of 20. The youngman who hails from Spain left the giant of Spain, FC Barcalona for English shores in 2003 and has not looked back since. Wenger was so impressed with his talents that he granted Fabregas the role of central midfield when Patrick Viera departed to Juventus. The young Spaniard did not disappoint and soon found himself to be the central figure at Arsenal...at age 21. The youngman has a number of qualities that has made Arsene place his faith in him. Fabregas' mental insight of the game is second to none, he is able to plot out modes of action and then passes the ball to his team mates in precision. He has the ability to score goals. He somtimes sets aside his playmaker role and pushes forward to score a goal or two. He is known to be tenacious in defense. His baby face and small stature have proven to be deceptive. The midfielder has gained a reputation for dishing out crunching tackles that leave his opponents thinking twice before crossing his path. Earlier this season, premiereship bully Robby Savage felt the full force of the Spaniard after mentioning he felt he was too soft for his role. Savage then found himself on the worst end of a tackle by Cesc that forced him out of the game prematurely.

Cesc has been on a continual path of maturity since the day he arrived in Highbury. He arrived at the tender age of 16 and spent most of his first season adjusting to environment. He spent most his time on the sidelines observing midfield masters Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Da Silva work their magic on the pitch. That season he only made 3 appearances and made no significant contributions. He was not even eligible for a Premiereship winners medal because he did not participate in any of the league matches. He still managed to break a club record that season, becoming the youngest player to play in a game, at the age of 16. In the following season Cesc finally gained extensive playing time due to injuries in the midfield. He made 46 appearances, scored 3 goals and created 4 assists. He then broke 2 records one for his club and the other for the Champions League. He became the youngest player to score for his club in a victory over Blackburn and second youngest player to score in the Champions league after scoring in a victory over Rosenburg. His numbers gradually improved as the seasons went by. In the 2005/06 season the departure of Viera meant he had to take up more responsibility in midfield. He managed to score 5 goals and created 5 assists. The next season saw him maturing into his play maker role and his assists increased to 16.

This brings us to the present season where Fabregas continues to shine. In this season his determination to regain his tact for goal (In Bara's Academy he scored over 30 goals in a season despite playing defensive midfield). He racked in 13 goals, 10 of which came before the January transfer window. He hit in long range shots and low shots close to goal. He improved his assists rate bringing his tally to 24 to date. Throughout the season Cesc supplied the likes of Adebayor, Eduado and Van Persie beautiful passes that left defenses open. His partnership with French defensive midfielder Flamini helped the club remain at the top of the tables for most of the season. The two evolved into an inseperable force that provided Arsenal with precision passes and tackles that left opponents in bewilderment. His side is now 3rd place in the league with two games to go. This season was again was trophyless for Arsenal but with a natural playmaker like Cesc their challange to the title may soon return positive results.

Arsenal...Wenger has nothing to worry about Prt 1

This season was a crazy season for myself and fellow Emirates faithfuls. The end of last season was greeted with the news that Thierry Henry, talisman and captain of the squad had made the decision to move on to new grounds in Barcalona Spain. The media had a great time projecting the end of Arsenal's reign in the top echelons of the BPL and some went as far as to predict regulation threats. They felt that Arsene's side was too young, too inexperienced to take such a defying blow of their captain and leading goal scorer's departure to continue playing top quality football. I myself was surprised of the move but was not worried much about the impact.

In Henry's final season with Arsenal he fought many injuries, including a painful groin strain. These injuries saw Henry play limited time for the season. Despite Henry not playing I noticed that the team continued to play well and were undefeated coming into the final stretch of the season. The likes of Robin Van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayer closed the slot left by Henry and pushed on valiently. The young team even beat thier greatest rival Manchester United without their captain due to a goal by Adebayor. Based on this fact I was not worried about the departure however I was concerned about who Wenger would bring in to bolster the team for the following season.

Shortly after Henry said his goodbyes. I was shocked to hear that another member of the "invincibles" would also make an exit. I am talking about left midfielder Freddie Lmuberg. This took me by a surprise because I was hoping that Wenger would hang on to the experienced players so that they would help bring the youngsters to their full potential. My thoughts were now on who Wenger would bring in. I hoped for a experienced striker, midfielder and defender. I wanted the empty slots to be filled while gaining a defender so that the team would no longer be held ransom by relying on the cumbersome CB known as Senderos.

The first news of summer signings did not amuse me. I constantly heard Arsenal's name being called along the sides of major players only to see another team pick them up. When the news finally arrived that we signed new players. I was excited who are they I asked, Torres, Ribeiry, Babel? The answer was no, instead I heard Bacary Sagna and Eduardo Da Silva. Who? was my reply. I decided to do a little research to find out about the striker Da Silva, to see if he was a worthy acquisition.

My research led me to videos on YouTube highlighting of a young Brazilian Croation International with zen like composure and an almost instinctual talent to score goals. His goals were not flambouyant like Henry's but he got the job done and I said fair enough I welcome him. The next player Sagna a defender, I waited until the pre season to look at. First impression would have it that this kid was crazy to have such dark skin and flaunt bright blonde extentions in his hair. Tis first impression soon gave way to admiration of his amazing talent of running down the wing and servicing the midfield. He also did an effective job of defending his line from attacking forwards. The future looked very bright and I decided to look at the existing squad....Prt 2 Those that Henry left behind.