Young Gunners seize the day

Arsène Wenger had called on Arsenal FC to seize the moment. After eight years of trying to get this far, he was not going to let the opportunity pass. The Arsenal manager had been through too many post-mortems, too many disappointingly early exits from the UEFA Champions League, to sign off from Highbury for the last time in Europe on anything but a winning note. The crowd could sense it. Unlike against Juventus and Real Madrid CF in previous rounds, expectation was high. Once underdogs, now favourites, against Villarreal CF would the importance of the match finally get to Wenger's young side?

Emergency measures
For all the formulas for success Wenger has planned and puzzled over down the years, none would have taken this shape. Wenger has produced stronger, more experienced teams, but in Europe, no more successful side than this one, hastily assembled and honed as injuries dictated. A left-back playing out of position, a right-back few had heard of before Madrid were eclipsed, a stand-in centre-back considered error prone and a teenage midfielder thrown in at the deep end, many thought, a season too soon.

Reduced expectations
When least was expected of Wenger's men, they have produced their best. Perhaps he could see it coming. After all, in recent years in the UEFA Champions League, overachieving underdogs are nothing new. It is not a tag normally associated with Arsenal, but with the pressure off they have performed with confidence and conviction. FC Porto and AS Monaco FC reached the final two years ago, Bayer 04 Leverkusen enjoyed their moment in the sun two years prior to that. When expectations are lowered, determination rises, as Liverpool FC showed when coming from three goals down to overcome AC Milan in last season's final.

Fairy tale
The unforeseen is fast becoming the norm. Just ask supporters of Villarreal, as they added London to their European tour in their club's first term in the competition. Diego Forlán and Juan Román Riquelme might both have dreamt of playing in a UEFA Champions League final when they signed for Manchester United FC and FC Barcelona, but who would have thought that chance would come after leaving those heavyweights for Villarreal?

Nerves take over
Both had central roles in a tense opening half at Highbury as Villarreal showed why they have got this far. Arsenal opened with the spark and drive the home crowd have come to anticipate in the latter stages of this extraordinary campaign, but when the goal didn't come, for the first time nerves seemed to tell. Emmanuel Eboué stayed deep where before he attacked, Cesc Fabregas's passes went astray and Thierry Henry looked isolated as Arsenal's lone striker. Villarreal grew into the match, congesting the space in front of their own area and disrupting Arsenal's passing game. Alessio Tacchinardi, Marcos Senna and Juan Pablo Sorín took a stranglehold in midfield, giving Riquelme the platform from which to dictate play. Highbury's party atmosphere turned tense.

Job done
Wenger, though, has spoken of belief and togetherness in this side, and when it mattered most they proved it. Kolo Touré has been immense at the back as Arsenal have kept clean sheet after clean sheet – they recorded a record ninth one here. This time he added muscle to an attack being pushed off the ball. His goal shortly before half-time brought the victory but it hadn't come in the manner Highbury has grown accustomed to. Villarreal had prevented Wenger's youngsters from displaying their usual free-flowing football, but as the final whistle blew and tension gave way to relief, they had done exactly what had been asked of them – seize the moment.