If this turns out to be true then Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players should be rubbing their hands with anticipation and preparing to fill their boots with goals. And although it might sound like a bit of a reckless approach from Tim Sherwood, it would not be out of the ordinary for the new manager of Aston Villa to go on the attack.
As reported by The Mirror today, Sherwood has played down the fact that his team were beaten at home by Burnley in their final Premier League game and suggested that he will instruct his players to go out with an open and attacking frame of mind in the FA cup final at Wembley on Saturday.
This would seem to fly in the face of logic after the Gunners produced some scintillating football in tearing West Brom apart yesterday, especially when the very defensive tactics of Swansea, Chelsea and Sunderland in recent weeks caused us all sorts of problems.
Sherwood said, “We will go there and try and grasp the occasion like we did at the semi-final. I said after the game that we felt like we belonged there and were not just making up the numbers.
“The fans believed we could win, the players did and I certainly did. I didn’t see anything other than a win when we were out there on that pitch – even when we went 1-0 down.
“Liverpool can damage you. So can Man City. We outplayed them at the Etihad Stadium.
“We have respect Arsenal for their talents. We know Alexei Sanchez is an extraordinary talent. They have Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud can score goals. They have talents all over the field. But so have we. We have players who can hurt them.
“There is no point shackling our players and taking it on the chin until we get knocked out. I don’t think our fans want to go there and watch that. Let’s go toe to toe and see what happens.”
I think I have a pretty good idea what will happen Tim, or at least what would happen if Villa do go toe-to-toe with us but I have my doubts about whether they will, no matter what their boss says and I think Wenger will as well. However, that open style of play does suit them and their pacy players so we can only hope. How do you see the final going Gooners?