Fever Pitch 2, Twenty Years On, Spank The Mancs
May 4th, 2009 by 'holic
I had barely clicked on the ‘publish’ button on Saturday’s match report when the first comment (ok, drink!) was posted by a Manchester United fan pointing out all of the reasons why they feel they will be ultimately successful in the Champions League semi-final. OK Richard, if that really is your name, I cannot argue your immaculate logic. The reigning champions with the benefit of not having conceded at home really should go through again, shouldn’t they?
‘United don’t crack—way to much experience in BIG, BIG games.’ Damn, I wish Arsenal had played some big games down the years.
‘… never lost to Arsenal in the 4 cup semis played against arsenal; are tougher, both physically and mentally and have Rooney,Ronaldo,Tevez,Berbatov up front (real goal scorers).’ Curses, I wish we had some goalscorers.
‘And they have Fergie!’ They? Didn’t you mean we?
Well Dick, whoever you are, your boys have the advantage, no question. We really could have done with an away goal or two last week but it wasn’t to be. Perhaps I should point out that…
Manchester United have never won at the Grove.
Arsenal have never lost a semi-final in a European competition.
Enough of that Dick, and the stream of articles suggesting a number of United players think the job is as good as done. The time for talking is almost over. The time for those lucky enough to have tickets at the Grove to sing their lungs out is nearly here. Arsenal will provide the flags, but you must provide an intimidating atmosphere
The aura generated at the big night games at the Grove is special, but this time around it needs to be magnified further. There is no question that the team responds to the feeling from the crowd. The negatives of earlier in the season have to be left in the past, where they belong. Tuesday night is the time for every single supporter to get behind every single player and give it one hundred percent.
Just who we will be cheering is still a major question. Arsene Wenger’s recent words have been interpreted as suggesting we will revert to a 4-4-2 formation if Robin van Persie is fit. It is being reported that the Dutchman has trained ahead of the game. I’m not sure we will discard the 4-5-1, regardless of personnel.
We learned twenty years ago that in order to win a game by two goals the key is to keep things tight early on and not panic if the first goal doesn’t arrive before half-time. Denying United the early away goal is crucial. It would not be a surprise to see the visitors throw everything but the kitchen sink at us early doors. We will need to be disciplined, and ready to hit them on the break if given the slightest opportunity.
Mikael Silvestre has also trained and his experience could well be preferred to Johan Djourou on the night. If van Persie is ok I would expect him for Diaby as the only change from the first leg line-up. Cesc is likely to drop into a more familiar role alongside Song, with Theo and Nasri on the flanks, and van Persie as the advanced midfielder. That line-up could switch to a more conventional 4-4-2 as and when the circumstances demand.
The ‘holic pound, and then some, is already placed. Paddy Power offers 3/1 against Arsenal qualifying for the Final. That is make the Final any way you like. It could be by a two goal margin on the night, or on penalties, or because the entire United squad is claimed by food poisoning in some bizarre overnight-stay related incident! (The chef at their hotel is an old friend.) Think about that. 3/1 at home. I like it.
So that’s it. I don’t need to tell you about the growing nerves as the big game gets ever closer. You know that already. There is no point in considering the negative possibilities. We’ll have plenty of time to do that if and when it happens. It is time to summon up the spirit and belief of 1989. How incredible is it that once again that two goal winning margin is required in a massive contest?
Nobody gave us a chance back then, and few apart from us think we’ll do it this time. I’m getting a mighty big buzz that we just might shock, and delight, everybody all over again.
Fever Pitch again, anyone?
35 Responses to “Fever Pitch 2, Twenty Years On, Spank The Mancs”
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Well said ‘holic. I think I’ll leave my drink for tomorrow night. Everybody get behind the whole team.
Come. On. ARSENAL!!
fever pich. one of my favorite films of all time and the only none where colin firth wasn’t a wanker!
Too early for a drink for me but you lot fire away.
cheers
Here’s to hoping!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
It’s just like the Arsenal to go and surprise everyone – I’ll never forget 1989 when Brian Moore was virtually congratulating the sc*use for winning the league before that magical Mickey moment! What poetic justice to see us go through against the reigning Euro champs… wouldn’t it be great! You never know! C’mon you Gunners… wish Arshavin could play!
you no how united had ‘believe’ b4 the match against us maybe we should do a similar thing perhaps ‘spirit of ’89’
COME ON YOU ARSENAL
Tense as hell.
the wait is killing me
Cant concentrate on work or anything else for that matter.. Just wish time flies till the match starts..
With RvP fit, I’m guessing for 4-4-2 formation from the start… Hope for an awesome performance from the lads…
Absolutely spot on regarding the early part of the game, ‘Holic. No score by either team after 45 minutes won’t be a bad outcome. Agree too that Silvestre’s experience may be worth quite a lot on the night. He had a good game in the first leg and I’m sure he will have taken a lot of positives from his first visit back to Mancunia.
RVP’s return will have a big psychological impact. A positive for us and a negative for them. I’ve got everything crossed that he makes it.
I think too that we will see Cesc and Alex Song together in the deeper central roles. Alex has become a super contributor this season and Walcott, Cesc, Alex, Nasri is exactly the right mid-field pick with Robin just behind Ade.
I’m just about to jump on a plane to Chicago and I’ll need to do some “home office” work in one of the local hostelries there tomorrow afternoon. I elected to take my Fabregas top rather than either the Denilson or Van Persie alternatives to brighten up Chi-town. Maybe Cesc can score to complete the pretty picture?
OK, OK, I’m coming……being yanked out of the office by some yanks! Come on you Gunners! Make old red nose choke on his chewing gum.
We’ve seen before that when United fear us and expect a real challenge, they are able come through with a result. When they are in their current state of mind, as they were when they lasted visited the Emirates, they have come apart. In November they had beaten Hull and West Ham prior to their visit to the Grove, we had lost to Stoke and drew with Spurs. United were firing and we were lacking fight and concentration, but we got the result. The two times we played them last season in the league they expected tough games and were able to get 4 points. But they underestimated us the season before and lost 1-0 and 2-1 to late goals. If Fabregas plays a little deeper, if Nasri and Walcott can get at the fullbacks, if RVP can help link the midfield with Ade and if the defence can concentrate properly, we can take advantage of their arrogant mindset as we have in the past.
lol… first time im seeing holic pumped up. I guess thats an effect yoonited scum have on everyone – they piss everyone off.
Game of the season for Wenger and his boys.
Only request I have to the team is not to go down without a fight – last leg and the Chelsea FA cup semi finals were bad examples of when we bowed down without offering any resistance.
Is this the Time for someone (maybe Eboue) to enter the Arsenal Folklore forever!
Unlucky thirteen for you fella.
Fuck it
Pint please mine host
Pint? or two halves?
Getting quite excited now. This is what the season is all about. Think I will save the drinking until after the final whistle tomorrow night.
Keep the faith….
holic…was this you and your dad??
http://tinyurl.com/c7vnw6
it is gonna be 2:0 to The Arsenal. 1st goal around 75th minute, and 2nd at the death.
What a buzz going on already. This game is what us fans crave. Of course we can do it. It won’t be easy, but with RvP playing, i feel this gives sooo much balance to the team. Our best/better players can play in their best positions. (Providing RvP doesn’t play left wing!) And that, for me is the key to winning this.
COME ON YOU REEEEEEEEEEEEDS!
This from Arseblog…
“This is probably the biggest ever game at the new stadium and there’s no question the fans have a part to play. There’ll be 60,000+ people there tonight. The club are providing red flags, urging everyone to wear read, and to make as much noise as possible. Every single Arsenal fan there tonight needs to shout and roar and sing the songs. Ultimately it’s down to the 11 players on the pitch but if they know the crowd are with them then it does make a difference. It can provide tired legs with that last surge of energy that might stop a goal or score a goal.
We have to rock the Grove tonight, ladies and gentlemen. This is Arsenal, fighting for a place in the Champions League final, against Manchester United. If that’s not a reason to support the team as loudly as possible then I don’t know what is. You don’t need to have a voice like Pavarotti to sing, you just need to open your mouth and make noise. And if someone said to you ‘Arsenal will win if you sing the songs tonight’, wouldn’t it be an easy task to ensure our qualification?
Remember, the guy or girl to your left or right is an Arsenal fan. The boys in red are your team. Our team. United are the enemy. United would kill your mum. They’d run over your puppy and then point and laugh. They would make you listen to Phil Collins. They would insist on putting cloves on everything. They would dip their pizza in ketchup. They would offer you a cup of coffee then serve you chicory. They would force you to watch Tom Hanks films. They would kidnap you then read to you from the novels of Dan Brown. They would drive really slowly in front of you when you’re in a hurry then speed up so they get through the amber light and leave you stuck at the red. They would chew gum loudly in your ear. They would come on our pitch and dance after getting one of our players sent off because of their theatrics. They would score a goal in the last few minutes of a semi-final then show everyone their hairy chest. They would dive to win a penalty to stop us going 50 games unbeaten. They would sing disgusting songs about our manager.
Need I go on? They are not our rivals, not our competitors, not our competitors, not our peers: they are the enemy. Treat them as such.
And in the face of such monstrous evil, such hideous, diving, tantrum throwing, ballerina, monster faced malevolence, make sure you let our lads know that they are fighting the good fight, on the side of truth and righteousness. For, after all, we are The Arsenal.”
tampa2, funny thing is he lived very close to where we did back then and I would have been at all of the games he went to.
How are we feeling today then, ‘holics?
Coming up to the end of my workday. Have to be up at 2:45am for it, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Lets hope RVP really is available and good to play, he will make some difference thats for sure, and he gets more out of adebayor too.
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Words cannot express how I’m feeling right now ‘holic. My 3rd whisky so far today has done little to steady the nerves. Great pearls of wisdom, as ever, as I type whilst ‘working from home’, [un]dressed in jammies and my fave retro Arsenal top.
I’m sure I am not alone in saying the team is pretty well what most of us expected and a fit Robin, capable of both assisting and scoring, could be all the difference the squad needs for a triumphant Arsenal win. The other great boost to the side will be Cesc playing in his natural deeper position……weaving and bopping and coniving those pinpoint passes as he has done so many times before.
There is now just short of 7 and a half hours to go until a game I am sooooo’ looking forward. If you allow ‘holic’, I must stop distracting myself of these images that keep flashing in my head…..
http://www.virginmedia.com/microsites/sport/slideshow/iconic-moments/img_9.jpg
UP THE GUNNERS!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Squeaky bum time.
Good stuff Don. Four hours to go and my first Guinness is sliding down a treat. Be strong, ‘holics.
3.5hrs more to go.. Why cant the time fly???
At work place now.. will be leaving for home soon… Wont be able to do anything until the match is over..
[…] read ‘holic’s preview earlier and was struck by the price bookies are offering against us going through – 3/1. That […]
A. nervous. wreck.
Jebus – I feel sick – COME ON YOU GOONERS!
fuck. why are we such masochists? i hate them mancs.
You know that already. There is no point in considering the negative possibilities. We’ll have plenty of time to do that if and when it happens.
—————-
Let the games begin
THE FA CUP WAS THE BEST CHANCE OF SILVERWARE THIS SEASON & NOT…I REPEAT..NOT THE champs league..
But what does wenger do there..leave our best player of the domestic squad on the bench for the semi-final !!!
Well our best players hardly showed up over two legs of this one either, so I’m not sure what difference it would have made. We’re clearly short in a number of areas, the key one being experience.
Some will also say that luck was not on our side but I’m a firm believer in the old adage that you make your own luck.
We need to go back to the basics.
o well, thats that then!!! its over, lets hope the players put 08/09 in the experience bank and come back stronger next time!!
I am absolutely gutted, but The Arsenal have given me alot more than i was expecting a few months ago. It was an emotional season to say the least and i am sure the players all felt it as well and i know they will lean and be a force in years to come!!!
Secure those contracts, sign some players, and let it all begin again!!
Cant wait for August!!!
You reap what you sow and in our case it appears to be weeds.