Will Wenger take Porto Seriously? Age of Miracles

Arsenal will get back from Portugal in the early hours of Thursday morning, just over 48 hours later they will play away at Middlesboro. For the mammon that is Sky insists that Arsenal kick off at 12:45 on Saturday. I wonder how many people will be glued to the box with so much to be done before Xmas?

Yes of course you and me will be watching; but Sky doesn't just depend on the football mad. I digress what has this to do with Porto? Well it has a lot to do with schedules. Arsenal are at their worst when having to fulfill three fixtures in a week. Such a congested fixture list caused Arsenal to lose at Boro last year. Indeed it was the first Premiership defeat of that season. Indeed it was one of only three defeats all season. Ah those were the days.

The age of miracles

Now as Arsene has observed it is a miracle we are still in the title race, how very true. That means that Boro is a must win game; having already qualified for CL Wednesday's night game is not crucial.

Of course it can be argued that it is imperative that Arsenal top the group to avoid Soccer's big clubs. However I am not convinced by that argument. Last year we finished second and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth for we would play a big club. And lo it came to pass that it was AC Milan; yet Arsenal were not sore afraid and did smite them - a miracle.

But then the pundits noticed that AC Milan were rubbish anyhow, so we had got an easy team after all, what a cunning plan Wenger had hatched. However the year before we got PSV Eindhoven, and all the pundits did say they were rubbish and a little team. And lo it came to pass that PSV were not sore afraid and did smite Arsenal - a miracle. For Arsenal are a big team who are rubbish when playing "little" teams. For they are only great when they are a little team playing a big team, but when they are the big team..(Shut up for gawd sake. Enough of this big and little team garbage. We get the point we aren't Spurs fans. Ed).

The moral of this story? It's better to play big teams who are really rubbish, rather than little teams that can defend. Also three points is essential at Boro if the season is not to be over by Xmas. I am not expecting to win the league, but Arsenal need every point it can get if 4^th place is to be won.

So my guess is that Arsene will rest as many players as he can against Porto. Maybe not a Carling team, but we may have to endure Bendtner again, and injuries mean that midfield options are restricted. Nonetheless it would be good to see Ramsey get another start.

A draw could give Arsenal top place, but Porto will want to win and will probably play a first eleven. If Porto score early expect the worst, if Arsenal score first we have a chance. But I am not expecting too much in Portugal, but I am expecting much more on Teesside.

Good luck to the Bank of Friendship posse who decided Porto was a must see match.

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