First, I’ll start off with a massively essential plug, calling on any Brisbane Arsenal fans out there to get to the Pig and Whistle on Eagle Street tonight. We need all the numbers we can get to make it as memorable a night as possible.

Right, to the game, and it’s the big one, folks. We all know what happened last season with that horrible, horrible night at the Emirates which ended 4-4 after we were leading 4-2 with 35.2135 milliseconds to spare.

There’s only one word on everyone’s lips, and it’s revenge. Sweet, merciless, unholy revenge for that night, and also to put Spurs in their place after they have done all the talking before this game. Arsene Wenger did reply to some of it, but he was quick to say it’s all going to happen on the pitch tonight, so I think Spurs have put too much weight on themselves in that department.

My pre-match ritual of watching last season’s corresponding fixture was no doubt unpleasant, but some home truths came to the fore. One, Spurs’ only weak spot in that team last year was Corluka as a centreback, but otherwise they had a lively midfield including Modric in there. Yet still, up to the 89th minute, we tore them to pieces and responded brilliantly after that shock Bentley goal.

What’s more important to note is that we did it with a very misbalanced side. The 4-4-2 just wasn’t working last season, Denilson and Fabregas alongside each other in that formation is very powderpuff and Silvestre partnered Gallas that night. Yet still, we were a level above them for much of the match and it was only down to ourselves and some very haphazard Almunia keeping that we snatched a draw from the jaws of easy wins.

Our side is twice the side last season’s was, and tonight they will miss Modric and Defoe while question marks lay over Ledley King and Woodgate.

Of course, there is a little doubt over both who will play up front with Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie, and also who on earth is going to deputise in goals. Firstly, after completing 90 minutes against Liverpool in the Carling Cup, I think Eduardo might just sneak into this side and shift Arshavin over to the right. Perhaps Bendtner might get a look in, but other than those two, the only other player who has experience there is Eboue.

I just think it will be Eduardo for counter-intuitive reasons, given that it results in an interchanging support on the flanks for van Persie, and perhaps the opposition aren’t banking on that player just at this moment.

To the goalkeeping situation, and while I was saying Mannone’s inexperience has shown in the last match, I have had a small change of heart and expect him to continue deputising with Almunia on the bench. Why? Because I don’t think it makes much sense to throw a keeper right into the thick of a game like this without another game behind him. For me, it made Fabianski the number one candidate for tonight’s match, but then he got himself injured yet again.

The exact opposite reasoning is just as valid, though, given that Almunia has experience, and should be able to slot in if called upon, regardless of his ‘break’ from the side. Whoever goes in, they have my support, and possibly even ardent prayers.

The rest of the side is as you expect. The stable back line will continue, while Song and Fabregas should continue their excellent partnership in midfield.

I also expect Diaby to start to offer that physicality, but expect Nasri to come in for him late on. That could be a potentially exciting moment as the Nas offers us something genuinely different, and a midfield of Fabregas, Arshavin and the Frenchman, behind van Persie and supported by Song, is very appetising.

Any win will do for me, but I’m going into this match fully amped and pumped. The longer our run goes on against Spurs, the closer we come to ending it, so I acknowledge the danger there, but doing so won’t stop the Scum jumping on us if things go there way.

So sod the lot of them. Let’s go out there with blood on our minds, boys. The noon-time sun might placate the bloodlust for a bit, but we’re at home, the crowd will be INTENSE and we should come home with the goods.

One: Two: Three: COME ON ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!

Filed under: Arsenal, English Premier League, Tottenham