They may be faced with injury concerns, but the first leg of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League semi-final clash between Arnett Gardens and Cavalier FC is by no means expected to be short of its usual excitement as they are set to reignite their fierce rivalry at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall on Thursday.

The contest, scheduled for 6:00pm, is a repeat of last year’s last-four meeting that saw Cavalier emerge victorious en route to the title. While the stakes remain high, both camps are limping—literally—towards the showdown, plagued by injuries and fatigue, Cavalier more so. Still, if you listen to Arnett Gardens' head coach Xavier Gilbert and his counterpart Rudolph Speid, you would never suspect either team was under siege.

"This is a different year, but we take the same route that they took last year. You know, we want to try and secure the title this time around, and hopefully we can come out and get the job done. It's not going to be easy. There's one thing with them, their mentality, hence why they are champions. So we know how tough it's going to be for us, and we want to make it more difficult for them, and hopefully we can head into the second leg with an advantage," Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.

Last year, Cavalier's tactical discipline and mental fortitude saw them knock out Arnett with a convincing second-leg performance. But this time around, the “Junglists” are seeking redemption.

"You can’t do the same thing and expect a different result, so we have to be smarter, more strategic. That's what we're focusing on, and hopefully we can stop them from playing their transition game. They are also a team that makes use of opportunities and set pieces, so we have to pull out our stuff to stop them," he said.

Despite nursing multiple injuries, including confirmed absences like Rushike Kelson and uncertainty surrounding others like Shai Smith, Gilbert remains undeterred.

"We are pretty confident that we can get the job done as long as we come out and execute and curtail their strengths and exploit weaknesses that are on offer. We won’t be at full strength; that’s a fact. But those who will play must step up and execute so we can put ourselves in a good position for the second leg," Gilbert noted.

Meanwhile, Speid cuts a more battle-hardened figure, and understandably so. His team is coming off a grueling two-leg quarterfinal against Portmore United and have now played 55 matches this season—a staggering tally unmatched by any other local team.

"We still have two serious injury concerns towards strikers Shaquille Stein and Jalmaro Calvin, so we have that issue and fatigue, and as I said before, our squad is kind of small, and a lot of it is inexperienced. So, we have issues. Just the recovery after playing those two games is one, while Arnett was just sitting there waiting and resting, so we expect them to come out hard at us and try to keep up the tempo right throughout the game. But  everybody knows Cavalier is very resilient," Speid said.

In fact, the tactician pointed out that honesty should not be mistaken for weakness, as his steely demeanor betrays a confidence that is deeply ingrained in the Cavalier DNA.

"We are not leaning on optimism; we’re powered by confidence. We know we have issues, but we're still confident, and we want to go about business as best as we can. This group of players has grown up in our system. Over 90% have been with us since the youth level. The culture is strong, the belief is deep, and we always find a way, no matter the odds," he declared.

Cavalier’s consistency is unmatched, as they are making a seventh consecutive Premier League semi-final appearance, a streak no other club can claim. But Speid is under no illusions about their form.

"Arnett Gardens have been better than us...they finished second, and we were fourth, and we really got that fourth spot via a late run. So I would say they are the form team, but we have a winning mentality. We are really one of those teams that hate to lose regardless of what is happening around us. So we have to try and find a way. It's going to be hard, but we'll have to try and find a way. The truth is that it is better for us to try and make sure that the game is not beyond us from the first leg," Speid shared.

Though Arnett Gardens enjoys the benefit of fresher legs and a longer break, Cavalier is clinging to experience, unity, and tactical maturity.

"We play for each other, so the players have a loyalty to the team, and sometimes, we have a lot of people coming at us, which just binds us together even more. The camaraderie, the management unit, the technical team—it's a complete system. Even our manager has a C coaching license. I think all of that put together is what makes us such a formidable team," he ended.