Keep The Faith

I watched the highlights of and read all online articles I could find on the Roma-Arsenal match/penalty shootout and felt the sheer power of it all rush over me. When I saw the action on the tube, my eyes welled and my throat tightened so much with pride. I felt so much pride for the young Arsenal lads for their mental strength and amazing focus (even when Dudú missed his penalty). And when I read the online articles, I felt a lump in my throat.

Whatever you do or say, don’t count us out or write us off. And never ever question the lads’ character, maturity, nerve and impressive resilience.

Arsenal’s players made it through the penalty ordeal - scoring a fantastic seven of their eight attempts – despite them probably feeling like they were being forced to walk on a plank twenty feet in the air blindfolded and handcuffed. But for the grace of God, any of them could have woken up the next morning feeling like poor Max Tonetto.

The best thing about Arsenal’s penalty experience is that the drama detracted from what was a truly ragged performance in Rome. But the way the Gunners huffed and puffed against the weakest opposition any English team faced in Europe this week (top-of-EPL ManUre met top-of-Serie-A Inter; second-place Chelshit met second-place Juventus; third-place Liverpool met second-place Real Madrid; and fifth-place Arsenal met sixth-place Roma – how fitting is that?), the way they failed to shine on a stage that inspired so much more from Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United, makes the gap between them and the top three even more imposing. And mind you, they never practised taking penalty when training on Tuesday; heck, some like Walcott had never taken penalties before.

If they can survive last night then they can come through virtually anything. No wonder Wenger insists time and again the faith that he has in his young team.

Because in life, you need a combination of a dose of luck, determination, perseverance, hard work, self-belief and confidence, especially - and even more - when it looks like the odds are against you. And as Dudú told Croatian newspaper Sports Novosti, ‘No problems last forever.’ (Yes, you relate lessons in life to footie and vice versa).

For pictures of the penalty shootout drama, go here.