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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
07 Apr	7:45 PM	CL	Villareal (A)	1	1	Draw

I think, after writing this blog for the last 6-7 months, one of the themes that have emerged is how things can change in the blink of an eye. We've seen it time and time again over the season and we saw it again last night.

Arsenal, unsettled by that wonderful goal by Marcos Senna after ten minutes, injuries to Almunia and Gallas, were all over the place in the first half and lucky to be still in the tie. They will feel this morning that perhaps they should have won the tie after a much improved second half.

The team was picked, and set up as predicted, not to big myself up or anything but when you do eventually get one right, well, I do believe it's worth mentioning. Despite being happy with the team selection and formation, the boys were on the rack almsot instantly as Clichy's goal line block prevented an early goal for Capdevilla. Theo Walcott was making inroads on the right, as I thought he might, but too often, every time in fact, he got into a position to be decisive with the ball, his delivery, or "shot selection" went awry.

They scored, perhaps Senna could have been closed down quicker, I don't think it should detract from the quality of a strike that Almunia can only have seen as the ball bounced back out of the net and past him. His evening would come to a premature end after being clattered as he cleared his lines and so Lukasz Fabianski, who (if I haven't made it clear before) I think has got a big future at the club, entered the fray and was soon called upon to make a smart double save as Villarreal worked the ball round us. A foul by Song on some dude who managed to fall into the penalty area - Rossi? - somewhat theatrically and land on William Gallas saw an early departure for Gallas and he was replaced by Djourou, who grew into the game and really, in my opinion, improved things at the back.

Half time arrived at the right time for us, and the second half saw a different Arsenal. With our main line of attack in the first half being aimless crosses into the penalty area for non existent attackers, something had to change. And it did.

It was as if, having taken the best that Villarreal had to offer, we suddenly remembered how to play. Okay, so we didn't create much in the way of gilt edged, put your house on it, scoring opportunities, but when the equalising goal came, it can't be said that it wasn't deserved.

Too often, it has been easy to criticise Arsenal for not making the most of being on top, well, thanks to the *cough* goalscoring genius of Emmanuel Adebayor, it wasn't the case. As he controlled Fabregas' flighted pass on his chest, there couldn't have been much on, but only for as long as it took Ade to fall to the ground, executing an overhead kick as he dropped, which completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper and rolled into the corner of the Villarreal goal. Lifeline.

From that moment even as Robért Píres entered the fray, to the moment Eboue replaced Walcott, it was all us. Confidence restored, we looked like we could score at any time. To me, anyway. That unneccessary substitution, the last one available, seemed to put us on the back foot and in the last ten minutes, we conceded a couple of opportunities that would have put a rather different complexion on the evening. I am reminded of the night in 2004 when we recovered from a Gudjonssen goal to equalise at Chelsea through - hey! - Píres and when Desailly was sent off, we chose not to attack, thinking we could win the game at Highbury. We all remember what happened then.

But to dwell on that is to look back at another team, if not another manager. Villarreal will have to make Ashburton Grove European history if they are to halt our progression to the semi final, it is with some amusement I note that Manchester United will have to acheive something similar in Portugal if they are to make that date too. No chickens counted here though, it's advantage Arsenal. But only just and a nervous night awaits.

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