Arsenal V Atletico Madrid Is A Great Draw For Fans by Neil Watson / The Screens
Without question the last team Wenger would have wanted to draw in the semi finals is Atletico Madrid and yet somehow as fans, maybe, just maybe, its a game we need.
In the Champions League we have of recent years been knocked out by Europe’s elite, Bayern and Barcelona quite regularly. In all fairness there’s no shame losing to either of those teams (although the manner in how we lost to Bayern last time out was embarrassing for everyone associated with the club). But Atletico….they’re a solid club BUT are second tier. Manchester City, United and Liverpool, and probably Spurs would be too much to handle for Atletico and that’s a group of clubs who we were once comfortably regarded as being as good as.
But for those of us who, regardless of recent results, still want to see the departure of Wenger this summer, we’ll see first hand if we have fallen behind the premier leagues elite or not. I get no pleasure from saying I firmly believe we will struggle against Atletico over both legs and it will demonstrate to the board, and any supporters who are still questioning those who are demanding change, that our set up is not even the strongest in the European second tier.
If we’d have drawn a softer option our route to the Europa final would have been a lot easier and then, hypothetically, if we lost against Athletico in the final Wenger could argue it was a one off match and the referee was…blah, blah, blah….But this is not a final, its a two legged semi and you can’t blame one decision for losing that (subject to Michael Oliver getting the gig as referee! ).
And, from a positive perspective, we play Atletico and is goes the way the bookies and form guide would have it. We won’t make the final, our season will be over and the Board will have time to start negotiating replacement managers, Wenger will have time to look for another job and everything will be rosie in north London come 1st June!
I’ll have to end this here as I’ve just seen six pigs fly past my window……
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Neil Watson