Theo Walcott has been given the green light to be in the squad but the fact that he is battling with his injury and that we need to be able to track back may give Eboue the chance to continue his superb cameo on the weekend

It is here, crunch time is not very far away. It could well be our crunchiest game so far this season. I mean you cannot get much crunchier than the quarter finals of the Champions League. We face Villarreal in Spain in the first leg. Much is often made of the advantage of playing at home in the second leg but I am not quite sure if I buy into that. Getting off to a good start is vital home or away. I would rather beat them at home first and know that a second leg goal would put us in with a good chance of getting through.

But that is not for now, right now is the time for trying to second guess the boss I suppose.

Mixed injury news for Arsenal, Van Persie and Eduardo continue to sit out due to groin strains, whilst Samir Nasri has been drinking his lemsip’s to overcome his bout of flu. Theo Walcott’s knee has passed the physio’s test.

Well as far as I am concerned Wenger has the choose between Alex Song, Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Eboue for two starting spots. The rest of the team will pick itself. There is not much room for rotation in massive games like this but I am guessing that Wenger will want to try and keep a tight look to his side as well as having the players to create chances at the other end of the pitch.

Alex Song and Denilson played so well against Manchester City and in recent matches that I would not be surprised if he continues with those two in the middle of midfield. Cesc could continue in the role behind the striker which is likely to be Emmanuel Adebayor, especially as Robin Van Persie has been ruled out through injury.

Theo Walcott has been given the green light to be in the squad but the fact that he is battling with his injury and that we need to be able to track back may give Eboue the chance to continue his superb cameo on the weekend.

Samir Nasri should replace the cup tied Andrey Arshavin and is likely to play wide left unless Cesc plays in midfield alongside Denilson, then Nasri could play behind Adebayor but that is unlikely.

Arsene Wenger usually springs a surprise so I wouldn’t be shocked to see someone like Bendtner playing in a wide area.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up

The team who start the quickest will control the start of the game. Arsenal are in great form coming into the game and will have the self belief to go for it from the start. Arsenal can control the midfield if Cesc can tuck back into midfield and outnumber Senna and Eguren.

Sagna and Eboue/Walcott will have to deal with Robert Pires. Denilson will be aware of him when he drifts inside.

Mean Lean’s Match Prediction

I have a positive feeling about this game, I am hoping that we witness a different display to the one in Roma. The same resolve but back to our creative best. Adebayor will cause them all sorts of problems with his powerful running. He has scored 3 in his last 2 including his goal for Togo so I expect him to open the scoring once again. The second goal will come from midfield.

Arsene Wenger has seen a change in Emmanuel Adebayor since his return to the first team.

“I believe he was like the team with a start that was not completely convincing and now he is back on track,” said Wenger. “He looks confident and is determined again. And his body language is positive.

“He is there to get on the end of crosses, and we have a few players who can do that. ”

So much happens behind the scenes, that it is almost certain that we will not find out exactly what state of mind certain players. During our not so good period we did notice a change to Adebayor’s body language, similar to Thierry Henry’s before he departed, very frustrated and static but this was not evident on the weekend. Perhaps Arsene and Adebayor have had a heart to heart, maybe he purely suffered a lack of form we will not know but the main thing is that he is hungry and confident the rest will follow.

Denilson has been one of our players of the season so far. He has grown in stature, learning from mistakes and establishing himself into this Arsenal first team. With all of our players coming back you would forgive the young lad for being nervous about his place in the Arsenal team. Not Deniboy, he doesn’t see it like that.

Denilson said:

“We don’t see it as a threat, we train hard and have been helping the squad as well as we can. We all apply ourselves the same way in training whether we’re playing or not – it doesn’t really matter.

“Cesc being back will help the team greatly – and as far as I’m concerned I’ll give 100 per cent whether I’m playing or not, and leave selection decisions to the boss.

“It’s great news [having the injured players back]”, he added. “We had established quite a strong team before the international break, but with people like Theo, Cesc and Ade the side can only become stronger. We’ll have these key players among us at an important time of the season and that’ll be fantastic.”

Denilson has played the most amount of games at the club, not only that but he was almost ever present during the pre season from the word go. He must have a splendid engine on him.

Robert Pires will be playing against Arsenal for the first time and he is confident of upsetting his former side.

Pires said:

“We are a good team and really we are prepared to defeat Arsenal. Our dream is to get to the final and for that to happen we have to knock out Arsenal.

“I am an ambitious footballer and will be very unhappy if we cannot qualify.

“I have confidence in my team and our chances of a win against the Gunners. Many people do not believe we are favourites in this round but in football it is not always the team with money and history (that wins).

“We want to enter the history books. I still want to win a Champions League title and with Villarreal it would be magic.”

Bobby was a player that made goalscoring look so easy. I wouldn’t mind him scoring at the Emirates as a consolation just so we can give him a round of applause, a sort of thank you for all his good work. However if he scores a winner then my hands will be kept firmly down by my sides.

I can feel the very beginning of the nerves already, lets hope the boys can do us proud tonight. WE LOVE YOU ARSENAL, WE DO!….WE LOVE YOU ARSENAL, WE DO!….WE LOVE YOU ARSENAL, WE DO!….OOH ARSENAL WE LOVE YOU!

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