{"id":13293,"date":"2026-04-28T11:57:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T10:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13293"},"modified":"2026-04-30T11:48:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:48:37","slug":"dig-deep-fellas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13293","title":{"rendered":"Dig Deep, Again, Fellas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image spotted on Edinburgh Gooners WAG<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It was the London Marathon on Sunday and I didn\u2019t spot a single Arsenal shirt amongst the 59,000 participants. It\u2019s hardly surprising that none of our players participated given the number who are already walking wounded and the risk of serious muscle injury. The Arsenal’s players are already undertaking a marathon – I\u2019ve lost count of the number of games they have played this season but the absence of a midweek game last week felt very unusual given the treadmill they and we have been enduring. Yet, I found it surprising that there wasn\u2019t a single Arsenal shirt to be seen amongst the runners as it\u2019s been seen in the Arab Spring protests in Egypt and various other televised global events (I do know there were many incognito Gooners among the runners). Perhaps that is because the team and its fans are all in the midst of their very own marathons. Talking to people in the ground and reading a few comments in social media, there\u2019s a massive sense of tension and exhaustion amongst the fanbase. We all need to dig deep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, another big game comes swiftly along. Will these CL matches prove a relief from the pressure of a series of \u2018must win\u2019 league matches that liberates the team to play the free-flowing football we used to play, or, will it be another straw on the camel’s back? Clearly, it\u2019s a privilege and the result of a great deal of hard work, all season long, for the club to be in the frame for the two biggest trophies in club football but, like Chinese torture, each stroke of the lash wears you down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our opponent in the Champions League semi-final, Club Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, S.A.D was founded in 1903 by three Basque students as a youth branch of Athletic Bilbao – hence, the similar shirts and badges. The club became independent of Bilbao in 1926 and adopted their current name only in 1946. Atl\u00e9ti, as they are known locally, have won 11 La Liga titles, 10 Copas del Rey, 2 Supercopas de Espa\u0144a, 1 Copa Presidente FFF and 1 Copa Eva Duarte (me neither!). In European competitions they have won the Cup Winners Cup (1962), the UEFA Europa League (2010, 2012, & 2018) and the UEFA Super Cup (2010, 2012 & 2018) plus the Intercontinental Cup (1974). Like the Arsenal, they have not yet won the Champions League\/European Cup but they have been beaten finalists three times (1974, 2014 & 2016).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tony Soprano wannabe, Diego Simeone has been their coach since 2011 and has revived the club which was sitting 10th in La Liga and had appointed 5 managers in less than 3 years, at the time of his appointment. He has transformed the club into a domestic and European force with a \u2018relentless, win-at-all costs mentality\u2019 though, in truth, only a pale imitation of the notorious early 70\u2019s team of Lorenzo, replete with Argentinian thugs and immortalised in the annals of the European Cup when the first-leg of their semi-final against Glasgow Celtic was described as \u2018one of the worst cases of cynical fouling the tournament has seen\u2019 with three of their players sent off. Quite a tradition to uphold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have, of course, played Atl\u00e9ti already this season, in October, in the league phase of this competition, when we were at our imperious best, and smashed them 4-0 with second half goals from Gabriel, Martinelli and a brace from a certain Viktor Gy\u00f6keres. However, as last season\u2019s meetings with PSG and a good investment broker would remind you, past performance is no guarantee of future results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simeone  tends to use a base 4-4-2 formation with a strong midfield press but with tactical flexibility so that the formation frequently morphs into a 5-3-2 or 4-5-1 according to the phase of play. His fundamental philosophy remains defensive resilience and explosive transitions. Atl\u00e9ti\u2019s defensive solidity has been less evident this season due to rotation and injuries and their defence has frequently looked fragile, been easily broken down and has struggled with gaps. In response, the defenders have often had to sit deeper.  Their build-up is described as controlled but lacking incision with a predictable final third (sounds familiar?). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slovenian goalkeeper, Jan Oblak returned in mid-April for the second leg of their CL quarter final against Barcelona after a 5 week absence due to a muscle strain and he will certainly start this game. The first choice central defensive pairing a couple of months ago was Pubill and Hancko but the latter is \u2018out until early May\u2019 with a muscle injury. Lenglet started in Hancko’s place against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Le Normand is another regular option at centre back when fit, as is Gim\u00e9nez who is currently \u2018out with a muscle injury until early May\u2019. AI suggests that Le Normand (one booking away from suspension) and Lenglet will be the starting centre backs in this match. Molina and Llorente have shared the right back\/wing back slot with the latter replaced by the former after 60 minutes on Saturday. Molina is expected to start this match. Ruggeri generally starts in the left back slot. However, Simeone regularly shuffles his defenders\u2019 positions to meet the perceived threat from opponents. Expect any permutation of these defenders in his lineup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In midfield, 34-year old, Koke. is team captain and their mainstay, holding midfielder and sometimes drops back to form a back three and against strong opponents (like us), often plays in a double pivot with either of two energetic young talents: Barrios or Vargas. However, Pablo Barrios is out for a month and both semi-final legs, having sustained a \u2018thigh muscle injury\u2019 in Saturday\u2019s match against Bilbao. Cardoso and Mendosa are other options in central midfield and Cardoso replaced Barrios when he came off injured against Bilbao and is expected to start this tie. The coach\u2019s son, Giuliano Simeone and Baena generally provide the width, though Simeone Senior has multiple wide options in Lookman, Gonz\u00e1lez and Almada, especially on the left. Lookman has recently been unavailable with an adductor muscle injury but he is aiming to return for this match. AI expects Giuliano Simeone and Gonz\u00e1lez to be the wide men in this game. Julian Alvarez (our latest crush) missed the weekend game \u2018as a precaution\u2019 with \u2018thigh discomfort\u2019 and his fitness is being closely monitored. I expect him at least to make the bench for this game and probably to start. Against Bilbao, Simeone started Griezmann and S\u00f8rloth up front and they shared three goals, the latter, returning from injury, with a brace. In that game, Griezmann was subbed after an hour. If Alvarez doesn\u2019t make the cut (which would surprise me hugely), I expect the same pairing to start up front against us. Raspadori who joined from Napoli for EU22m last August is an alternative striker. AI expects Griezmann and Alvarez to start this game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know how they will play: snarling, scratching, diving, fouling and complaining. Simeone\u2019s Atl\u00e9ti were ever thus. This is no tie for shrinking violets, not that we have any of those any more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having referred to AI about Simeone\u2019s options for this game, I should qualify its predictions as, out of curiosity, I also checked its predicted Arsenal XI: this included Merino in midfield, instead of either Eze or \u00d8degaard, whom it states has a knee injury (please Dennis, NO!). It’s VAR quality, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Predicting the Arsenal\u2019s starting XI is more of a challenge than I had expected after Havertz and Eze both left the field injured on Saturday. I am writing this before Arteta\u2019s press conference, keeping my fingers crossed that Timber and Calafiori are fit and that the news on both Havertz and Eze\u2019s fitness conveys a recovery of Lazarus proportions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya is clearly unassailable in goal. Our full-backs will need to be ready for the challenge of Atl\u00e9ti\u2019s fast breaks on the wings so, in the absence of Timber (fingers crossed for a full recovery facilitating a start), I would start White at right back, despite an obvious recent fall-off in his powers, for his full-back instincts, over Mosquera and start Hincapi\u00e9 over Calafiori, even if fit, or MLS, for his outstanding defensive contributions. A fit Calafiori would be a useful addition to proceedings in the second half. The centreback pairing of Saliba and Gabriel is unimpeachable. As is a midfield of Zubimendi, Rice and \u00d8degaard, even if the Norwegian isn\u2019t yet firing on all cylinders, and hopefully AI isn\u2019t Nostradamus! The holding midfielders will have to be on their toes to cut off the supply to Griezmann and Alvarez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up front is a more difficult question because of injuries. These are a damn shame as the combo of \u00d8degaard, Havertz and Eze looked so good against Abu Dhabi Creative Accountants. Will Saka be fit to start? Was Eze\u2019s substitution precautionary as he implied post-match? Is Havertz capable of a miraculous recovery? There was also a rumour about Martinelli having a muscle issue after Saturday\u2019s game – is that true? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think that Saka and Eze will start on the bench – after all, we do have another \u2018must-win\u2019 league game on Saturday! I don\u2019t expect Havertz to be in the squad (unless Jes\u00f9s really has his namesake\u2019s miraculous skills) – I hope he will be available for our forthcoming games, despite his body language as he left the field on Saturday. Despite a lack of end product, I expect Madueke to start on the right with the instruction to run Ruggeri ragged and be replaced by Saka during the second half. On the left, I would start Martinelli, if fit, to run at Atl\u00e9ti\u2019s right back. If the Brazilian isn’t fit, I would start Trossard over Eze, despite the Belgian’s low profile this season, given the question over Eze\u2019s fitness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, we come to the \u00a360m question. I can\u2019t see Havertz, whom I would otherwise choose over our other \u2018centre forward\u2019 options, starting this game, or even next Saturday\u2019s game. Thus, it\u2019s another opportunity for Gy\u00f6keres to make his case for a career at the Arsenal. He did, after all, score twice in our 4-0 victory in the CL league phase. Jes\u00f9s now appears to be a peripheral figure and a shadow of his former self; at best, he may be a late substitute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timber\/White Saliba Gabriel Hincapi\u00e9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8degaard Zubimendi Rice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madueke Gy\u00f6keres Martinelli\/Trossard<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I expect a tight, nerve-jangling match with Atl\u00e9ti proving determined and obdurate defenders and throwing the kitchen sink at us offensively whenever we turn over possession. I believe a draw in Madrid would be a good result but I think we are capable of pulling off a victory, albeit one close enough to allow our critics to pour scorn upon us for failing to play like Brazil 1970. 1-0 to the Arsenal has that \u2018classic\u2019 ring to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy the game, Holics wherever in the world you watch it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COYG<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was the London Marathon on Sunday and I didn\u2019t spot a single Arsenal shirt amongst the 59,000 participants. It\u2019s hardly surprising that none of our players participated given the number who are already walking wounded and the risk of serious muscle injury. The Arsenal’s players are already undertaking a marathon – I\u2019ve lost count […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13293"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13293"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13340,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13293\/revisions\/13340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}