CL: Arsenal vs Villarreal | 19/04/06

[choi12911]

I definitely, definitely would have preferred Inter over Villareal. Inter would have been favourites for sure and we perform so well as underdogs.

The Yellow Submarines aren't a team to be trifled with at all and if we just look at the teams on paper and say "Heh, we can beat them!", we might lose. I'm sure Real Madrid and Juventus were both looking the EPL table and going "It's gonna be easy for us!" and look what happened to them.

These guys attack with a lot of trickery and Riquelme was world class against Inter. We should adopt some of the EPL all action style against them, closing them down quickly, keep hassling Riquelme and muscle out Forlan.

Another danger to watch out for is Juan Pablo Sorin, against Inter, the guy kept popping up all over the place!

I wouldn't be too sure about us being underdogs if we were to face Inter ......

As for Sorin, I agree with you that he keeps popping up all over the place, but he can't do **** with the ball....We must exploit his absence in the back four when we are counter-attacking because I know that Sorin bastard will be far out of position.

(I personally hate him, I don't know why...Maybe it's his face. He's just not a likeable person.)

 

[mariaines]

i've been reading spanish press from today and i'm impressed.. they actually think villarreal is going to pass..

i don't know if that can be consider as cute and innocent or simply ignorant. But that's the press. I don't think villarreal players and coach are that naive..

 

[jgunner84]

Hi guys great match at Delle Alpi. I feel so great and thanks Arsenal for making my day brighter!

Anyway, Villareal are going to be a tough team to beat. I don't agree that the players will become overconfident because remember this is the first time in Arsenal history that we are in semifinals.

I am confident that Arsenal players will stay level-headed and in my opinion Us and Villareal are still the underdogs and either of us can surprise Barca(Hopefully us ).

 

[Meek]

yeh Toure must get booked in the first leg, if he is to get a yellow. perhaps we should play Sol in CB for the semis. And bring back Toure for the Final, if we get there. Cos Toure will be devestated if he misses a match. but I guess thats football, if he misses a match then so be it. it has happened to so many players over the years. and whose to say that someone like Henry might be red carded in the 2nd leg. you just never know with football, you have to take risks like this.

by the way can the author please fix their name to Villarreal :wink:

 

[celestis]

Villareal will be our toughest challenge yet . Villareal have a lot more creativity than Juventus who were predictable as ****. We are going to have to treat them with the same respect as any other team because thats when we seem to play best when we respect our opponents ability.

 

[fatalfury]

Villareal will be our toughest challenge yet . Villareal have a lot more creativity than Juventus who were predictable as s**t. We are going to have to treat them with the same respect as any other team because thats when we seem to play best when we respect our opponents ability.

Agreed, Juventus were so boring yesterday, resorting to hoofing the ball around and generally looked so pedestrain. It was a poor imitation of Bolton and it was pitiable the way they just let themselves go out with a whimper.

We haven't faced a truly creative attacking force yet and Villarreal will be one of the more mobile sides that we have faced. I wished for Inter also due to the fact that we've played them before. But Villarreal is a big ????

I truly hope that the tie will be as easy as most people think it is.

 

[Hershamgooners]

It is going to be the toughest game yet........................
Riquelme is looking tip top..............
but on our current form i have belief that we will do them over and get to the final.

 

[nidza7]

IMO we`re much stronger than Inter defensevly.And playing 1st match home is a good thing for me.Reyes is not playing so at home it`s less important.We need him at Villareal more.

 

[Fin_Gooner]

I'm expecting a home win with a clean sheet... then at Villarreal 0-0 is just enough for Arsenal, just like it was against R. Madrid and Juve.

 

[f4evo]

if so hope we dont play 4-5-1 again, Gilberto has been so crap i would rather play with 10 men, i know some of you say he has been great defensively,ok he makes a couple of good tackles at most, but makes so many dodgy passes
Hleb takes too much time on the ball in this system, Reyes is suspended, time for the 4-4-2

 

[pablinho]

i live together villareal, in the Capital city of the province, Castellon , i can say you villareal is very dangerous, they have OK team , seriusly you ll need to stop riquelme to stop them, if you do it their machine dont work.

good look Arsenal!

 

[clockwork orange]

No lack of faith in Arsenal over here in Holland.

Results of a online poll "What will the Champions League final be?" by the most popular Dutch footballl magazine VI (5824 votes so far):

80% Arsenal - Barcelona
12% Arsenal - AC Milan
4% Barcelona - Villareal
2% Villareal - AC Milan

Think my fellow country(wo)men are underestiming both Milan & Villareal. But what a great chance for us on a dream final.

Have all the confidence Henry & RVP will torpedo that yellow submarine

 

[GunneDown]

let hope they are right. Arsenal V's Barca would be amazing... but lets not get carried away.. We need to play like the underdogs again!!

 

[f4evo]

^we shouldnt play like the underdogs

 

[pablinho]

btw for the supporters of Arsenal, if you plan to go Spain, you will need to look for hotels in Castellon , because vilalreal only have 2 hotels and 16 taxis in whole town

 

[GlasGreenGunner]

Riquelme is the main man in this team.
He was outstanding against Celtic a couple of seasons ago, and has got even better.
Less than half fit, he ran the game against Rangers at Ibrox.
His performance the other night against Inter was sensational, almost resulting in a goal from an impossible angle.
A great team to watch, and one that Arsenal should be very wary of.
But I don't think AW will underestimate them.
But no doubting the English media is already doing that and have the Gunners in the final already.
Thank God they aren't the ones playing the game.

Those who go there will also realise that the people are very friendly and accomodating.
When Celtic went there we all got on so well that they set up the Celtic Submari CSC, banners of which can be seen at every game at El Madrigal, as well as amounts of hooped jerseys.
You will enjoy it.

 

[vin de guerre]

I have been watching quite a few of Vilarreal's games this season and I am not convinced that they are a one man team. There are enough players out there including Sorin and Forlan that can change the flow of a game even when Reqelme is absent. In general they do rely on their general a lot but they are still a very good and organised "TEAM". Inter had no idea how to stop them other than using elbows. I can see us concedeing goals in these matches.

 

[Liberace]

you lot sound too confident. Remember the highbury pitch is small + they are hard working and press teams down very fast + Riquelme + They knocked out Man utd + they are very good at home.

It's going to be tough.

 

[Goooooooooooooooner]

We have to rate Villareal as Real and Juventus and AC milan and Barcelona than we will beat them but if we understimate them it is gonna be tough and very difficult.

Riquelme is gonna be outnumbered by our midfielders and won't get any space to do his trickery and passes.

Their goalkeeper Viera is suspended and they've got three players (Sorin, Senna and Rodriguez) on 2 yellow cards.

I hope we the first leg 3 -0 to Arsenal and these three players get yellow card and Toure gets Yellow as well for the last 5 minutes.

Come on Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GlasGreenGunner]

Oh they are not a one man team by a distance.
Sorry if that came across as that, but he is their main dangerman as far as in a creative sense.
Forlan is also a totally different player than he was at Old Strattford.