Champions League thoughts!

[Rick B]

So after both Juventus, Stuttgart and that little team just north of London have been knocked out of the Champions League, we have to think that this could be the best chance Arsenal have ever had to progress further in the competition. Left in are Porto, Deportivo, Lyon, Chelsea, Milan or Prague, Monaco or Moscow and Madrid or Munich, so only Milan and Madrid or Munich to really worry about!! I know that's a flippant comment, but in reality we should be able to beat the other teams. Not only that but as has been shown time and time again this year, Madrid are very poor defensivly, they are great going forward but when a goal has been conceded there is always the chance they could collapse. Munich are if anything a stronger side but again have shown they are defensivly weak in the Bundesliga. Usually in the last eight, there are 5 teams you would say are good enough to beat any team on their day. This year I believe that it has been reduced to three. Madrid, AC Milan and Arsenal. And I think we can beat Madrid over 2 legs. This must be the greatest chance in our history to win the competition.

[HighburyGoon]

You know, I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but you may very well be right.

Fingers firmly crossed.

[CDNGooner]

I think the players will see this as an opportunity and get the job done for 90 minutes tomorrow night. They've learned not to get their foot off the gas based on the game vs. Pompey. Sure, different class but I suspect Arsenal will go full out to kill Celta off. Or else we'll be reading more articles about Arsenal's failure in Europe.

[otterulz]

Before we get ahead of ourselves, lets worry about the second leg tomorrow. If ManUre can get knocked out at home, I don't see why we can't get knocked out at Highbury. Maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic, but I just don't wanna get my hopes up too much.

Of course since this is hypothetical, I do agree that this is our best chance to win our first European Cup. I haven't seen enough of the other teams to make a fair judgement, but it seems like these sides aren't as strong as they have been in the past, like Real Madrid for example. Usually I think of them as a lock to win it every year, but this year they seem vulnerable. I think of all the teams there to worry about, it'd be AC Milan. Well whoever it is, we have to worry about Celta Vigo tomorrow first.

[yankeeSOT]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rickbreese
[B]so only Milan and Madrid or Munich to really worry about!!

Might want to add Deportivo to that list. They already rolled through Juve and are always dangerous.
I've learned not to be overly optimistic where Arsenal's sucess in Europe is concerned, but it's hard not to now these days. Especially since I was resigned to getting dumped out in the first leg. Everything from here on out is diamond.

[bigp]

I would say that AC Milan and Deportivo are the teams Arsenal will have the most trouble with. I only say Deportivo because they are a spanish team and Arsenal always seem to have trouble with them (even though they're ahead of Celta). AC Milan has a stingy defence and Arsenal will have a tough time scoring against them. The only way to score against them is to attack the wing as they can outpace Milan's wingbacks. But Milan quite a few good forwards and if Kaka is given any space then he could really hurt Arsenal. I think Arsenal could beat Real as Real's defence is crap. I think if Arsenal are to win the Champions League then they will have to really tighten up their defence. If they can keep out Real's offence then they should win this competition. Let's hope.

[NY via SE18]

Am I the only one who thinks we can beat any team in the CL no matter who advances? Hats off to Wenger for making the team believe it can win any and every game if it plays the full 90 minutes hard. This, and the collective skill of the squad, and the individual brilliance of henry, makes me look at every game as a game we can win no matter the opposition. I truly think its all within our grasp no matter who we face, and Wenger has the team thinking this way too.

Hats off to Wenger also for integrating Reyes into the squad so smoothly. I know he's still developing but with each training session his fit in the team gets better. The flowing move in the first 2 mins at Portsmouth that ended with Reyes hitting the crossbar was spectacular - -and it shows he knows where to be at the right time in the context of a blistering Arsenal attack. He'll do well in Europe THIS season when King Bergy stays home, and even better I'm sure next season.

I am however concerned about our ability to defend the crosses into the box in the air, but Ash will be back in the team tomorrow and he'll close down the wingers better than Clichy did in the 1st leg.

[juice013]

I don't even know why this thread was started. There is still a very, very long way to go in this competition, starting with 90 minutes against Celta tomorrow. Some of the clubs who made it through may not be as good as us on paper, but they must have done something right to make it this far.

[billyho96]

Originally posted by juice013
I don't even know why this thread was started. There is still a very, very long way to go in this competition, starting with 90 minutes against Celta tomorrow.

Totally agree, one at a time please folks