Arsene Wenger is confident of a "magnificent" team display by his Arsenal side at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night as they look to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Manchester United and reach the Champions League final.
Too many of Wenger's main men failed to fire at Old Trafford last Wednesday evening, when only a superb individual performance by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia prevented the tie already being beyond the Gunners.
However, with just one goal separating the sides, Wenger - boosted by the return of fit again leading scorer Robin van Persie - is confident the likes of captain Cesc Fabregas, England winger Theo Walcott and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor can carry Arsenal to an historic victory.
"Everybody is focused and ready for the game," declared Wenger, whose side lost the 2006 final to Barcelona in Paris.
"We are all aware it is our team performance that will be important rather than the responsibility on any individual.
"I am very confident the team will produce a magnificent performance and that we will manage it.
"We lacked a bit of sharpness in the first leg. We will make sure that sharpness and decisiveness in the duels will be on our side tomorrow."
Wenger could deploy a front two having seen Adebayor, who netted a brilliant scissors-kick in the quarter-final away to Villarreal, become somewhat isolated at Old Trafford.
However, the Arsenal manager maintained: "Emmanuel Adebayor is like everyone else. When the team dominates he will have chances.
"You would not want to put more responsibility on his shoulders than anyone else.
"We are more than a selection of individuals. We are first a team.
"We have developed like that and our game is based on the collective play.
"I want them to focus on that. How well we play collectively will make the difference."
Arsenal beat Manchester United at Emirates Stadium in the Barclays Premier League during November, and have not lost a home European tie over 24 matches since their clash with Chelsea at Highbury in April 2004.
Indeed, the Gunners rearguard has not conceded a goal at Emirates Stadium in this season's elite European competition.
"We play a home game where we have a strong record in the Champions League," said Wenger, who will hand former United defender Mikael Silvestre (groin) a late fitness test
"For many people we are outsiders, but I personally believe we will do it.
"Against a team like United you need the team to defend well and that starts up front. We will want to put pressure on them."
Wenger, his side now safe in fourth place in the Premier League, added: "The progress this team has made since the start of the season has been remarkable.
"We are 21 games unbeaten in the Premier League, we were in the semi-final of the FA Cup, we are in the semi-final of the Champions League and can make it to the final.
"We have to be positive about the team and optimistic about this team."
Wenger has once again been linked with a summer move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
However, the 59-year-old Frenchman, who has transformed the Gunners since his arrival in September 1996, maintains: "I believe Arsenal is my club because it is my club, it is the only club.
"I believe in the potential of this club and want to give this club the opportunity to win the Champions League. That is why I work so hard."
Wenger, contracted until 2011, added: "My obsession is to play as well as possible and win as much as possible.
"I don't think that winning the Champions League is the sole motivation to continue as a coach."
Your Comments
ohno
"rapudo spot on mate i am going 2night and if Diaby or Delnison are in the first team i might give it a miss and have an early night.
Lets hope tonight that Wenger picks an attacking team - well not even that lets hope he picks the right players in the right positions - give us a chance Wenger !!!"
stampy_d_monky
"SomersetGunner : Eddie MaGoldrick is a hero. Still remember him missing a peno for ye gunners in one of the cups. Then stepping up for Ireland and doing the exact same thing...magic!!"
cazza
"We've already beaten Manure once this season, I don't see why we cannot do it again. It'll be fun watching Rooney
running around like a headless chuck, when things don't go
hs way. I thing fege will need a whole packet of gum in his mouth tonight, maybe if we're lucky he'll choke on it."
SomersetGunner
"Just shows how the pressure has changed over time.....When I first started to attend games at Highbury, 4th in the league and an FA cup semi would have been a brilliant season! ........And for the Wenger knockers.....just remember what the club was like before he came....we were buying reserves from Chelsea!!!....and does anybody remember that waste of space Eddie McGoldrick!!"
UNITED999
"my hope for tonights game is that Wednesdays papers are full of what could be a great game and not a stupid referees decision!"
Drunkenmaster
"Arsenal have the team to win this game, maybe even the final, but if it includes any out of Song, Denilson, Diaby or Adebayor we won't win, its really that simple. Against a great side you need 11 players on form who can all, you know, pass. You can get away with beating West brom with 7 players and 4 jokes,maybe you can beat a Wigan with 8 players and a few crap guys. A Everton with 9 great players and 2 crap guys but a top table team, or a Barca, you need all 11 on the pitch to be doing something usefull. All year Ade, Diaby, Song and Denilson have done more to hinder than help and you CAN'T play well when that happens.
Its embarassing the number of goals we've conceded through two methods this year, late runners coming into the box without any of the aforementioned players tracking their runs. The cornerstone of a DM player is tracking the Lampards, Cahill's, Gerrards on their late run into the box. Defenders are supposed to contain the strikers, thats not Arsenal's problem, its the complete lack of tracking back by the midfield, Song and Denilson's insistance in running full speed into a onrunning midfielder, missing and ending up chasing the play 10 yards behind, even then they make no effort to get back. Gilberto, Makelele, they didn't tackle constantly, they cut off the passing angles, and tracked the runs, thats all you have to do and none of our "DM"'s do it even once. LIkewise we concede from corners where Song, Diaby and Adebayor are culpable for most of the mistakes. Song and ADebayor are who ran away from who they were marking leaving O'shea completely free, Adebayor the worst as he was on the far post marking that area, then ran off.
The irritating thing is Wenger promised a different ARsenal for the first leg, which I knew was nonsense, he's promised it now, and I kow its nonsense. 5 years ago when we won things, 4-5-1 was unheard of."
rapudo
"4-4-2? do not count silverste in the back, denilson and diaby in the middle and adebayor upfront.... that is effectively a 3-2-1."
Wenger_hole
"Drunkenmaster: The 4-5-1 against Boro at home was an experiement for the first leg, it's not a plan that Wenger can afford to use at home when we need goals, and he knows that. He's already said this week that 'if Fabregas plays behind the striker, the striker looks to be a little isolated so you have to get the balance of the team right.' Especially now that RVP's back, it seems that he's going to use a 4-4-2."
waynoph
"I agree that Arsenal will perform much better tomorrow night than at Old Trafford but I still think United have too much for them and will score at the Emirates which means Arsenal need 3 to win the tie and I cant see that happening.
Im going to go out on a limb and say Chelsea will get through and it will be a repeat of last years final."
indi_manc
"I bet another pants Arsenal performance is on the way on Tuesday.Wenger can big mouth all he likes,but he knows he wont win with a half crocked team with a sh**e defence & 10 year olds(talented though!!) Its going to be a United-Barca final. Chelsea will concede at Stampede Bridge.. "
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