Okay, the Carling Cup isn’t the biggest trophy in the world. But if it will shut up the morons who think we’re in complete downfall, because we haven’t won anything in 5 years, then please, let’s just win the bloody thing!
So we’re only 90 minutes away from our first (new) Wembley final, only with Ipswich Town in our way. But we all know that we have a hill to climb after the awful first leg at Portman Road. Since that disappointing night in Suffolk, we’ve found encouragingly consistent form, where we’ve scored 9 goals and conceded just 1 in 3 games against West Ham, Leeds and Wigan.
Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas are working very well with each other, while Robin van Persie has found his shooting boots (excluding his penalty against Wigan of course!), scoring 6 goals in 3 games. And without that wonder strike from Bradley Johnson, our back five would have claimed clean sheets in all of those games too.
It’s safe to say that the team have clearly gotten over the Carling Cup defeat! But with the 2nd leg approaching, we need to continue this good run of form and get a result,and book our place in the final. I feel we will play a strong side. Despite all of our substitutions coming in the last 15 minutes, Wenger suggested he will do this, as he took off (rested?) our key players – Cesc, Nasri and RVP.
Also, the fact that our game against Huddersfield is on a Sunday, could allow us to play a strong side on Tuesday. I’d like to point out that in no way, am I disrespecting Ipswich but ideally, we could go 3-0 ahead after an hour, and cruise the game out. This is obviously the best-case scenario.
I would like to stress that I am not under-estimating the Championship side. We could have lost the first leg by more than one goal and maybe on another night, we would have done. They still have a great opportunity to knock us out, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be up to us whether we progress to the final.
On a final note, if you are going to the game, wear your colours, make some noise and wave your scarf. The lads are going to need us behind them!
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
