{"id":2739,"date":"2021-04-14T19:13:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T18:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=2739"},"modified":"2021-04-16T11:43:33","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T10:43:33","slug":"going-through-or-czeching-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=2739","title":{"rendered":"Going Through Or Czeching Out?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\"><div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1311527899\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div><div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:62.62626% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1311527899?et=S8l2HyUpQjRBp9J0y1-PlQ&amp;tld=co.uk&amp;sig=9h9j-IFWcSn58H7ZQINou9O_qoDE6uQURz2_aD3WSyI=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"372\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, by now there is no denying that our two-faced team have hit the point where the success of our season is going to be defined by the next game in the Europa League. Unless we win it, of course, in which case we get two more season defining matches to give ourselves a chance of playing in a season-defining final. I\u2019m drained just thinking about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scary thing is that we have no idea what this team might produce tomorrow evening. Writing a preview is a bit like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey (be honest &#8211; who just thought of Xhaka?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We could score two early goals and go through comfortably. We could concede two early goals and go out pathetically. We could get a red card &#8211; by our own standards we are long overdue one. We could definitely concede a last-minute goal to go crashing out. Or draw 3-3 with a last-minute goal of our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no result this team is not capable of. Oh joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the pre-match presser in London, before the flight out to Prague, Bernd Leno had this to say<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnce we score one goal, they are under big pressure. This should be our target: to score the first goal and then with a second goal we can almost finish the game because they\u2019ll have to score three goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, his plan does rely on us scoring goals. Who knows if that will happen? And I love his assertion that trying to score the first goal should be our target. When he hangs up his gloves, a career in management beckons the astute German. I am also a fan of his follow up plan \u2013 to score a second, unanswered goal. Top stuff that man. I am on board for that particular ride!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am also glad that he seems optimistic that if we do manage to score two then we will not concede three. I hope that indeed comes to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Slavia Prague<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unwelcome news has come out today that Ondrej Kudela has been banned for ten matches for racially abusing Glen Kamara in the previous tie win over Rangers. He maintains his innocence. Regardless, he will not feature tomorrow. Apart from that update I shall point you all in the direction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=2692\">The Doc\u2019s excellent preview<\/a>, which cornered the market on details about our opponents tomorrow and which I have nothing to add to &#8211; apart from my praise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, with the greatest of respect, if we turn up and play at anything like our best level then we will beat whatever team Slavia field. So, I do not want to get too bogged down in what they are up to, and neither should our team or coach. Rather than negating them we should play to our strengths. We need to score, and we are crap at managing games anyway, so best just to play with some freedom and create some chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is tough to call. El Jefe has a variety of things he could do. Saka and ESR both trained and have travelled with the squad. At the time of writing, I don\u2019t know about Auba or Odegaard. Lacazette got a brace at the weekend, Gabigol got his first goal in a while and played well. Pepe keeps providing tangible moments in games \u2013 goals and assists, that are exactly what we will need tomorrow. Willian may play. He is not my favourite player, but he is gradually improving, and his on-field class is such that he might find some form and spark into life at any time. If the boss did not believe this, he would never get a game, although personally I would like to see him on the bench tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Left-back is a problem. No two ways around that. Will it be Xhaka again? Or Cedric? Ceballos had his best game in a while at the weekend. He could keep his place. Mari looks solid but Gabriel may partner Holding. Chambers or Hector at right-back? A lot depends on what combinations Arteta sees working on the wings, and I really don\u2019t know what he is going to go for tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, I will take a punt\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Leno<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Chambers Holding Mari Cedric<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Xhaka Partey<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Saka ESR Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Laca<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key for us will be getting on the front foot, asserting pressure and creating chances. And then, for the Love of God, scoring some of those chances! Laca best have his shooting boots on (he is up to 13 league goals this year, which ain\u2019t half bad). Saka is due one, given the quality of chances he has had in recent games without finding the net. Partey is yet to get off the mark. Now is the time, Thomas! We have a lot of players capable of creating and scoring chances but if we do not show up, or labour around the pitch with sloppy passes then we will go out. And that would be entirely our fault. By conceding a stupid goal in the first leg we have left ourselves with no margin for error here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We must be up for this. We must outwork them. Pass crisply, track runners and lose our own markers. Our midfield must not look like they are running through a bog. During a blizzard. In blindfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This one is not rocket science \u2013 just do your jobs and play a good game of football, lads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Holics\u2019 Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having pointed out that any result is possible, I now have to plump for one. However, somewhat surprisingly, I have no hesitation in going for 3-1 to us, available at 14\/1 with William Hill, and slightly better if you shop around. Sorry Bernd, but I can\u2019t see us keeping a second clean sheet in a row. However, I do think our firepower will see us over the line in this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, let me share that I have a friend who has family in the Czech Republic. They are Sparta Prague fans, so, brilliantly, she described Slavia as \u201cthe Czech Spurs\u201d. That made me laugh, although perhaps it is somewhat harsh on the Czech team, who, unlike the LWCs, are still in the Europa League this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope that when the dust settles after Thursday night we are too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy the game, wherever you are watching it. TTG recommends from behind a sofa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a good one \u2018holics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some dates for your diaries and more details on the signatories to the items on auction. Note the blog on &#8216;Fan Recollections of the FA Cup Final at Wembley 1971&#8217; is now on 10th May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"642\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-14-at-20.06.02.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-14-at-20.06.02.png 642w, https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-14-at-20.06.02-300x171.png 300w, https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-14-at-20.06.02-75x43.png 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images Well, by now there is no denying that our two-faced team have hit the point where the success of our season is going to be defined by the next game in the Europa League. Unless we win it, of course, in which case we get two more season defining matches to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"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\/2739"}],"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\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2739"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2760,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2739\/revisions\/2760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}