Morning all.
There’s Fergie time and now there’s Guardiola time. 6 minutes of added time last night turned into 9. City equalised in that 9th minute! Having gone from 1-0 down to 3-1 up, David Moyes would have every right to be cheesed off with the time keeping just as we were when John Stones scored after the allotted additional time was up a season or two ago. The common denominator – Michael Oliver!
But you know what, we might just get to the end of the season feeling the need to send thank you cards to Everton FC. West Ham, fighting for Premier League survival will be a tough tough challenge this weekend.
Tonight though, thoughts of the Premier League have to be put to one side as a place in the Champions League Final is up for grabs.
Mikel Arteta:
I can’t wait. I mean, I feel the energy in and amongst the team, our supporters, so these are the moments that we want to live together.
“We had a lot of work as a club, as a team, after 20 years to be in this position again, and we are so hungry to get a game that we want tomorrow and go through to the final.
“Huge excitement, really hungry. It’s difficult to express the desire to live that moment, especially with our people in front of them, they’ve been waiting for so long to have these kinds of nights. Push hard tomorrow, because it’s something amazing that’s going to happen.
I’m not keen on Arteta making such bold statements. Something amazing might happen but so might heartbreak. Feet on the ground, respect Atletico but go out there without fear but play with freedom. Ride whatever nerves might be jangling inside and then enjoy the challenge. Rise to it and win the game. Easy eh…
Mikel Arteta that Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz will be included in the tonight’s squad but Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino remain sidelined.
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Not too many head coaches at the highest level use a 4-4-2, but it’s a shape which suits Diego Simeone’s industrious side very well. During the first half last week, they were relatively circumspect out of possession, but after the break that strategy changed dramatically as they got touch-tight all over the pitch, pressing us with ferocious intensity.
Atletico are highly dangerous on transitions, and no team in this season’s Champions League has netted more goals from fast breaks (7). The Spaniards are fit and physically strong, so athleticism plays a key role in their success. Boasting a great appetite to disrupt opponents, none of the 36 sides in the competition has won more duels, tackles or interceptions.
Alvarez is a brilliant all-round striker, capable of winning any match with a moment of magic, while his corners and free-kicks are also of the very highest standard, helping Atleti score the highest number of set-piece goals (10) in this season’s competition, as well as net in all 15 European outings this term.
On the flip side, they have faced 202 shots in those matches, so there is a sense that you will get opportunities to score against them. Defending set pieces has been problematic, and after letting in nine goals from corners and wide free-kicks, they may be apprehensive whenever we stand over a dead ball.
German referee Daniel Siebert will on duty for this game, the same ref who officiated our 1-0 win over Sporting Lisbon. In the eight Champions League games he’s refereed this season, he has issued 38 yellow cards, two reds and awarded one penalty. Hopefully he and his fellow countrymen officiating this game are better than the muppets in the first leg who failed to send off David Hancko for a “last man” foul and overturned a penalty against the rules.
Many Atletico players will be well rested after having the weekend off, Arsenal however played on Saturday although it has to be said, it turned out to be what I’d call a kind opponent in Fulham. No bad challenges, they didn’t really push us too hard and Mikel Arteta was able to make changes. Regardless, there should be an extra spring in their step today because of last nights result on Merseyside.
This is our second attempt at reaching a Champions League Final under Mikel Arteta so let’s breach the third time lucky saying by beating Atletico tonight…
Catch up in the comments.
