Let’s park the bigger discussion about the club’s continuous failure in the TW, and focus for now purely on the CL qualifier against feisty Fenerbahce tomorrow. Nothing is better after a disappointing defeat than to get a chance to make up for it a few days later, and the Fenerbahce game gives the boys a fine opportunity to bounce back.

Would it not be nice to see a repeat today of the score line almost five years ago, when we beat Fenerbahce 2-5 in Istanbul. This was the team that played for us back then: Almunia, Eboue, Song, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott (Djourou 84), Fabregas, Diaby (Ramsey 73), Denilson, Nasri, Adebayor (Vela 86).

Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Van Persie, Bendtner, Gibbs.

Only Ramsey, Walcott, Gibbs, Fabianski and Diaby are left from that squad, and especially Ramsey (late substitute), Diaby (played 70+ minutes) and Walcott (was unstoppable on the night) will have good memories from that game with all scoring a goal (Song and Adebayor were the other scorers).

Fenerbahce were recently banned from playing European football for match fixing, but as they appealed the decision they are still allowed to play pending the outcome of the hearing, which will take place a day after the return fixture. But of course, we cannot take much notice of this and just have to focus on beating the Turks over the two legs fair and square.

I am not too worried about tomorrow’s game, as I expect Arsene to use his European experience to get the best out of the team and a positive result to take back home. However, Fenerbahce should not be underestimated as a hostile atmosphere combined with an early Turkish goal could lead to considerable trouble, if we do not keep our cool.

Therefore, Wenger will have to select his best and most experienced team for this encounter, and he will have to get his players to totally focus on tomorrow’s game and nothing else. We need a calm and well organised defence/GK, we need a well organised, solid and multi-disciplined midfield, and an energetic, continuously pressing, and lethal attack tomorrow. So, that means a step improvement of all three lines from Saturday’s under-par performances against the shitty Villains.

I reckon Arsene will have to make one big change and that is in midfield. The Rambo-Wilshere combo did not work as we were left far too exposed in the centre of midfield throughout most of the game. I am a huge fan of Wilshere but I reckon he will start on the bench tomorrow, and Frimpong will replace him. He is our best defensive midfielder at the moment – which says a hell of a lot – and I reckon he will play in front of our defence and shield it with his life. I expect Ramsey to play in the more box-to-box like position and Rosicky, because of his experience and his truly fantastic performance on Saturday, will be back in the hole again.

Up-front it is likely to be Cazorla, Giroud and Theo, with a second half cameo by Podolski.

At the back, we have had some fantastic news that Sagna somehow has got over his horrific fall on his neck and that Gibbs can play too, so they are likely to play; although both Jenkinson and Monreal (appears to have recovered from his pre-season injury) are also available tomorrow.

My predicted line-up looks like this:

Enjoy the game fellow Gooners and let’s get behind the boys with all that we have tomorrow night.

COME ON YOUR RIP ROARING GUNNERS!

Written by: TotalArsenal.