All talk is of ‘The Title’ The Champions League 25 September, 2006

A couple of weeks ago when results weren’t going our way we were still confident about the Premiership and all talk was of ‘The Title’. Now after a one nil win against Manchester United and a three nil win against Sheffield United we’re talking about going one step further that Paris last year. I know we can do it, I was in Paris in May and felt the emotion of coming so close. Even with ten men and playing against Barcelona I thought we could hang on and win the biggest prize in football, in the end it wasn’t to be and I left thinking of what could’ve have been.

Now our target is to make it to Athens and pick up the trophy. Kolo Toure reckons we can:

It’s very important to win the first game and I think we did that very well in Hamburg. That gave us some belief to show that to the others teams that we are really ready again to make it. This time we try to win it, definitely. It was all okay last season, but it’s a new season and we’re doing well for the moment. We hope on Tuesday it will be a good game for us again.

Last year we beat Real Madrid and Juventus on the way to the final and to do it again this year we’ll have to put in some great performances like that again. Thierry Henry for one is determined to win the Champions League, he chose Arsenal over Barca in the summer because he felt we had the best chance of winning. The skipper has been talking to the Daily Star:

As a youngster I looked through big wide eyes and wanted things, I have achieved a lot, the Champions League is the last thing left. The desire here this season is amazing. We all want it very much, possibly even more now our manager is celebrating 10 years with the club. I would like the players to buy him something to celebrate 10 years, maybe the Champions League and title will do?

I hope he doesn’t mean ‘buy’ the trophy like Chelsea do and you won’t find that kind of thing on eBay either Tel. But I think he’s right, what could be better than celebrating Wenger’s decade by winning the Champions League? There’s nothing that they could buy him that could be better than a Champions League medal, or is there?

Wenger also believes we can win the Champions League and it all starts at our next game against Porto tomorrow night:

We had to gain respect and we are looked upon as a big scalp. The next step is to win not once but two or three times to go into the history of European football. I want to win the Champions League but it’s step by step.

I am convinced that if we beat Porto we are close to qualifying. But when you look at the Portuguese teams they do not lose easily in England. It’s a big, big task. I hope we are able to keep the ball and adapt to their pace and take advantage of any situation created.

Arsene’s right that Porto wont be a walkover, they are not the same team that they were under Jose Mourinho and have made lots of changes including the addition of Tottenham’s Helder Postiga, Wenger also had a word to say on the ex-Spurs striker:

cunt

But seriously, he had this to say:

We do fear him, I rate him very highly. I was surprised he didn’t make it at Spurs. He is a player we must overcome if we want to progress in a competition where I feel we are now one of the feared clubs.

I’m sure he’ll get a wonderful reception at the Grove tomorrow, but I don’t see him as a threat. Porto are a strong team but I still think we should be winning these sort of games if the ambition is to go all the way. We certainly want to be winning our home matches even if the Grove doesn’t feel like home yet. For me, Ashburton Grove feels familiar and ‘homey’ since Saturday, I don’t know how it is for the players but for me it feels like home now.

That’s enough for today, hope to be back tomorrow. If not, enjoy the game. Bye