I do not care how some pundits would rate this game. But to hold on for 120 minutes in The Olimpico in front of 65k angry and frustrated fans in a tense game

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR VISION ARTICLES ARE SENT IN BY READERS AND ARE NOT WRITTEN BY ARSENAL VISION WRITERS.

We went to the Eternal City with one goal advantage and a few players back to fitness. All we need was either to keep a clean sheet or score one goal and qualifying to the quarter finals would have sounded like a formality.

If that had happened, the referee would have whistled and the players would walk around shaking hands and patting each other’s backs then disappear in the tunnel to hear some congratulating words from Arsene ahead of the flight back home.

However, it was not that straight forward and I do honestly believe that what happened during that game have done us a world of favours.

Let’s be honest, we were not at our best and we were very lucky not to have been a couple of goals down, some players did not turn up and others struggled to leave a mark on the game.

But THAT is not the point. This is Europe, it’s the win that counts and we did it. We might not have looked convincing in Rome, but the Giallorossi and their fans have possibly helped to put a lot of doubt.

I do not care how some pundits would rate this game. But to hold on for 120 minutes in The Olimpico in front of 65k angry and frustrated fans in a tense game, and then convert 7 penalties, one after the other, surrounded by frantic whistling and taunting is one hell of an achievement for many of our players.

AND to top it all, instead of the formal handshake and pat on the back then exchanging shirts, the WHOLE team running towards Almunia and jumping up and down, and screaming at each other has made my day.

I am not running ahead of myself, but if you did watch the game you would have probably missed it as you were celebrating yourself. Go and have a look at the pictures or watch the celebrations after the shootout and you shall see that they were not just celebrating the win………. They were celebrating…. ARSENAL.

There is nothing better to push ahead and save this season, than these players to know that they can be composed enough under pressure in hostile environments.

The way they celebrated in the end showed that they now understand that to succeed they need to be a team and a family.

Lads, This group of players has just graduated, and I am so proud of them