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ARSENAL v CELTIC Champions League Qualifying Play-off (Second leg)
It will take a minor miracle for Celtic to turn this tie around at in-form Arsenal.
The Gunners were brilliant last week to win the first leg 2-0 at Parkhead and followed that up in the Premier League on Saturday with a 4-1 trouncing of Portsmouth at the Emirates. Indeed, Arsenal could have won by much more than three goals. Pompey were lucky to get their goal.
Arsenal are full of running at the moment and are very strong and skilful going forward. Diaby took his two goals wonderfully and Fabregas was his usual brilliant self. Gallas was fortunate in the way he scored, but he seems to have developed a good understanding with new recruit Vermaelen at the heart of Arsenal’s defence. The only slight worry could be that Van Persie has yet to hit the back of the net. However, the goals are flying in from lots of other sources. When Van Persie finally begins to score, the only worries will be coming from opposition defences.
Celtic beat an average St Johnstone side 5-2 at the weekend showing yet again that they can proficiently finish off teams of decidedly less ability than their own. However, until the overall standard of the Scottish Premier League improves, Celtic will always struggle on the European stage.
Gary Caldwell made a terrible mistake to allow one of St Johnstone’s goals, adding further misery to the player who scored an own-goal against Arsenal last week and was sent off for Scotland the week before. Van Persie must be hoping that out-of-form Caldwell starts on Wednesday night.
Taking all that into account, it is very difficult to see anything other than a home win in this game, though at 1.33, Arsenal do not represent any value at all.
Celtic may start the game very well, knowing that an early goal will set the cat amongst the pigeons and rattle Arsenal a little bit. Expect Arsenal to be hemmed in early doors as Celtic probe for an opening. However, I don’t expect them to break through. The longer the game goes on, the more Arsenal will settle down and play that exciting football we’ve already seen this season. And don’t be surprised if Van Persie pops up and scores the winner. The law of averages says that he is overdue a goal.
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