By Boris Mellor
May 16 2006

Relax, keep calm, support the youngsters – best advice - don’t overeat or over drink, have a light pre match meal. Keep an eye out for those who have not been involved at this level before.

 Well that’s my advice to the fans, who, no doubt, can feel the tension rising. What the team do for pre match preparation is their business.

 

Ever since Middlesboro beat us 2-1 I have been convinced that this would be our year in the Champions League, and I see no reason to change my conviction now. After the Juventus home leg some mates, and me, celebrated the fact we were off to the final. That wasn’t popular with the other regulars at the Bank who felt we were tempting fate. That it could a Wigan Ole moment, but we just felt it was right.

 

When Lehmann faced that penalty I felt calm, so did Arsene, and he knows. Of course feelings and hunches do not win anything; the team will have to perform. It’s just that the team has delivered without fail on European nights. Do you remember those far off days when some fans, or at least I did, dreaded CL nights? Those awful treks back from Wembley after losing yet again.

 

Yet here we are the first London team ever in the final, in 50 years of the competition. We are there as the underdog, and in the last week two underdogs have been beaten in finals, West Ham and Boro. In West Ham's case they could have won by remaining composed for one more minute. That’s how fine the line is between success and failure. But with two underdogs defeated I can’t help feeling our chances are slightly improved.

 

A year ago Arsenal were underdogs to Manchester United, the Gunners played 4-5-1 and were awful. They emerged with the cup, it wasn’t just luck, it was also great goalkeeping, and keeping nerves calm when the chips were down. Wenger claims he swore never to use the system again. But then he started to use it again in Europe – why? Not tactical genius but the fact he only had one striker available, and at times that wasn’t Henry. His attempt to solve the striker problem solved something else – the defence problem.

 

Suddenly the leakiest defence in the CL became the best ever defence. At the same time the team learnt that 4-5-1 can be attacking formation, as Real and Juve learnt to their cost.

 

Barca have two deadly goal scorers, to perhaps the Gunners only one, that gives them an edge. But will Eto do it against a tight Premiership style defence? There again will Reyes, Pires or Freddy find their shooting boots again? Freddy loves scoring in finals.

 

I don’t think the gap between the two teams is as big as some people insist. On form Arsenal are a match for anyone. Arsene has a full squad to choose from, apart from Lauren, Walcott and Adebayor.

 

This is the most important single game in Arsenal’s history; nothing worth having ever comes easily. So fasten your seatbelts.

 

Good luck to the Clock End Bank of Friendship Posse on their way to Paris.