{"id":13362,"date":"2026-05-04T18:12:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T17:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13362"},"modified":"2026-05-05T23:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T22:24:59","slug":"realise-your-dreams-gunners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13362","title":{"rendered":"Realise Your Dreams, Gunners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We are now at the business end of the season and the Arsenal are in contention for the two biggest trophies in club football! The proximity of such massive silverware and near misses in the last three seasons, not to mention sniping from media hacks and fans of also-rans, has generated nervousness and tension in some of the fanbase but that should be assuaged by recognition that this team has a massive opportunity to deliver a truly historic season for this club. It was delightful to see the return of front-foot football against Fulham, driven by a red hot Saka and top performances by the whole team and this generated a much more relaxed and positive mood on the terraces. Our players showed no nerves; they showed focus, determination and not a little authority and strategic awareness. Saturday’s crowd was lifted by the dynamism of the team and reciprocated at full volume. We are now six points clear at the top of the league table with a goal difference, 4 goals better than our only rival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the match, I did hear some carping about us not pushing on in the second half to score more goals as \u201cgoal difference could be important\u201d, Sure, it could be, but that ignores the need to conserve energy and preserve fitness for immediate battles ahead. Certainly, 5-0 or 6-0 would have been better but recent games have seen our level drop off in the second half and I\u2019m happy with us conserving energy at 3-0 by playing within ourselves and seeing the game out. At this stage of the season, with four or, hopefully, five more, vital games coming up, there\u2019s absolutely no sense in breaking a leg (even figuratively) to score a fourth. Moreover pushing for another goal could have jeopardised the clean sheet and diminished rather than extended the improved goal difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A further gripe yesterday heard from the Monday Morning Quarterbacks was that, in the light of his performance yesterday, MLS had not been used in midfield earlier in the season to save the legs of Zubimendi and Rice, both of whom have certainly looked leggy in recent games. Of course, the retrospectoscope has 60\/60 vision, but these carpers haven\u2019t seen the training sessions at which MA8 makes his selection decisions and these same carpers would have whined loudly if our midfield was overrun by a powerful opposition midfield because MA8 had started an, albeit talented, inexperienced 19 year old. I expect MLS to start against Wham but not in this game. The same \u2018fans\u2019 also moan that we haven\u2019t utilised N\u00f8rgaard enough in league games (he has played under an hour all season!) to relieve the pressure on Rice and Zubimendi, but again, they haven\u2019t seen our training sessions. I have no idea why he hasn’t played more but it must be clear to even moderately unintelligent sixth formers that Arteta simply doesn\u2019t trust him to maintain the standards set by his preferred midfield pairing. The selection of MLS against Fulham conclusively proves that N\u00f8rgaard has even slipped further down the pecking order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This team have achieved the amazing feat of being in pole position in the Premier League and in the semi-final of the Champions League despite a season littered with serious and recurrent injuries to key players, most noticeably upfront where Havertz, Saka and \u00d8degaard hadn\u2019t played together since 2024, but also in defence, where we have missed Gabriel and Saliba for short periods, fortunately to discover that in Mosquera we have an extremely able deputy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wallow in the position this Arsenal team have achieved, Gooners! Shed the nerves! Be proud of the boys! Revel in the culmination of a monumental season!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, we turn to the challenge of the semi-final of the Champions League for the second consecutive season. We face arch-manipulators, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid, at our place, on level terms after a first leg that we should have won. I will be intrigued to see the tricks that Simeone and his gang will try to pull off to get the result they want, given the 4-0 drubbing we meted out in October with goals from Gabriel, Martinelli and Gy\u00f6keres (2) in 13 second half minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simeone has had this game in his sights since the final whistle on Wednesday. His team is securely in a Champions League place in La Liga with nothing else to play for. He made 11 changes to the team for their away game to Valencia on Saturday, bringing on regular starters Griezmann and Koke only after 73 minutes to swing the match with two late goals. So, their first XI are all well rested. Sky Sports showed the Atl\u00e9ti line-up as a 4-5-1. I don\u2019t expect them to persist in this formation in this game though it will be their line up when we have possession. The midfield five will attempt a mid-block press but will drop back to supplement the back line if the midfield press fails to regain the ball. I, actually, expect Atl\u00e9ti to attempt a sustained, high tempo start akin to their second half in Madrid, hoping to score an early goal and gain control of the tie. However, their default position will undoubtedly be rugged defence and rapid assaults when we turn over possession. For more on their likely approach to the game and dramatis personae,<\/em> I refer you to last week\u2019s preview<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AI-generated updated fitness report suggests Alvarez will be fit despite an ankle knock, striker Sorloth is apparently still suffering from discomfort (but I expect him again to make the bench), Lookman is apparently a doubt (believe that?), defender Giminez is said to be unlikely to recover in time, winger Gonzalez is expected to miss this match while midfielder Barrios has a season-ending injury (I believe this last one!). Defenders Le Normand, Lenglet and Molina played 90 minutes on Saturday, so I expect them to be on the bench alongside midfielders Vargas, Molina, Mendoza and Almada. It\u2019s quite likely that we will face the same starting XI as in last week’s first leg: Oblak in goal; a back four of Llorente, Pubill, Hancko (the perpetrator of two fouls in the box last week) and Ruggeri; a midfield of Giuliano (Simeone Jr), Koke, Cardoso and Lookman (though Gonzalez may make a surprise return); up front it’ll certainly be Griezmann and Alvarez. I hope that Atl\u00e9ti will be as intimidated by a vibrant Arsenal crowd as they were in October and that the adventurous full backs leave lots of space in behind for our wingers to exploit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arsenal were superb in the first half in Madrid and found their mojo again late on when they got a second wind with three technically proficient attacking substitutions. They were also simply unstoppable in the first half against Fulham. While Atl\u00e9ti will provide a far sterner test than the Cottagers, I hope that we see a reprise of Saturday\u2019s performance with first half goals to establish a commanding half-time lead followed by a controlled second half to see the game out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya, Saliba and Gabriel are, of course, shoo-ins. It would be fantastic to see Timber return to stiffen our right flank but that does seem literally \u2018fantastic\u2019, and a start against this opposition after so long out seems very unlikely. In his continued absence, I expect White to be selected over Mosquera at right back, but to be replaced by the Spaniard late in the game. For me, Hincapi\u00e9 gets the nod over Calafiori at left back because of the Ecuadorian\u2019s defensive solidity though the latter will certainly get a run out after 45-60 minutes especially if his creativity is required. His interplay with Trossard looked very promising on Saturday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are clearly questions over \u00d8degaard\u2019s knee but if he\u2019s fit enough, I expect MA8 to start him alongside Zubimendi and Rice. However, he, along with Merino Timber and Havertz, missed the open training session today. I was hoping to get an update from MA8’s press conference but that must be late this afternoon and is not yet publicly accessible. After his storming performance against Fulham, MLS will probably get a late run out if Zubimendi’s legs begin to flag. If the captain doesn\u2019t make it, Eze will take that ‘8\/10’ role but if Eze doesn\u2019t start there, he will start wide left and drift in. Up front, I think we will see Saka, Gy\u00f6keres and Eze or Trossard whose performances recently suggest a return to form. Havertz may be fit enough to make the bench and perhaps come on to change the thrust of our attack late in the second half. Thus, subject to the fitness of \u00d8degaard, I expect the following starting XI:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

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

Saka Gy\u00f6keres Eze\/Trossard<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expect a scrap, fouls, black arts and intimidation. Hopefully, our boys can rise above this, continue their recent upswing in form and finish the job they started at the Metropolitano. 2-0 to the Arsenal feels like a good outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May Light triumph over Darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy the game, Holics wherever ye may be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

We are now at the business end of the season and the Arsenal are in contention for the two biggest trophies in club football! The proximity of such massive silverware and near misses in the last three seasons, not to mention sniping from media hacks and fans of also-rans, has generated nervousness and tension in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13362"}],"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=13362"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13386,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13362\/revisions\/13386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}