Absolutely brilliant match - one of the best I've seen in Europe for quite some time. Walcott's run was class as was Torres' finish - any other season he'd be a shoe in for player of the year. Adebayor's miss at the other end just afterwards pretty much summed up where Arsenal have gone wrong this season.
My enjoyment of the match was tempered slightly when I realised we were getting another Chelsea Liverpool semi final. I can't think of another team so close to victory in Europe and the premier league who have managed to play a whole season without ever approaching exciting football.
Also, good to see Wenger rolling out quotes like "All the big decisions went against us" again. And he wonders why his teams have emotional problems.........
I was riding slightly for LFC at the kickoff, but you can't deny Arsenal played the better football. Not to detract from the first two scouse goals, which were class, but 2-2 didn't reflect a fair scoreline for the night.
When Adebayor scored, I thought it was The penalty at the other end seconds afterwards felt a bit unfair, but those 50/50s get given on the regular.
Adebayor was still celebrating when the scouse mounted that attack.
I was riding slightly for LFC at the kickoff, but you can't deny Arsenal played the better football. Not to detract from the first two scouse goals, which were class, but 2-2 didn't reflect a fair scoreline for the night.
When Adebayor scored, I thought it was The penalty at the other end seconds afterwards felt a bit unfair, but those 50/50s get given on the regular.
Adebayor was still celebrating when the scouse mounted that attack.
Yeah the first twenty minutes or so of the match Arsenal were on absolutely fire - basically came to Anfield and beat Liverpool at their own game by upping the tempo and throwing everything at them. The move for the first goal was beautiful as well.
Watching it from a neutral position I thought Arsenal were a bit hard done by (especially the penalty which i agree was 50/50) but once again they just got punished for not finishing a game off when they had the chance.
Last night was another frustrating dissapointment as a fan of the Arse. In fact the whole season has been. In the pre-season, I watched an Arsenal team shorn of T.Henry, and featuring some squad players I've never heard or seen of since, make monkeys out of a full-strength Inter Milan. Van Percy scored two goals (the second of which was worthy of Bergkamp in his pomp), and the whole squad performance suggested a season of slick passing, intelligent movement, and gloriously crafted goals. For the first 3 months, against the bookies odds, Arsenal sprinted to the top of the league table and appeared to be playing a different brand of football to other teams.
Then Van Percy got injured playing for his national side. It didn't seem to matter, as Fabregas was scoring freely, and Adebayor looked like the ideal striker to finish the one-touch build-up play. But the African Cup of Nations was just around the corner... and it was Toure's absence, more than any other player's, that seemed to interrupt the team's rhythm. Even when he came back, alongside Eboue, the two players haven't looked quite the same since the ACN, and then Rosicky was injured. The team's passing wasn't the same, and the goals from midfield dried-up. Rather than thrive under the extra work-load, Adebayor was burdened with being the focus.
But around the turn of the year, Eduardo had begun to show that he might be able to score goals in consecutive games. Problem solved - he was actually quite good at doing the deceptively simple, but sometimes psychologically difficult task, of putting the ball into the net whether it was by toe-poke or tap-in. And then his season was finished just as it felt like we were about to see the best of him. No Van Percy. No Eduardo. No Rosicky. Bendtner no chance of being first team material. No long-hair on Adebayor = no goals. Arse lose all momentum, seem unable to find their own feet or the net, and lose their lead of the league.
But again, a little used impact sub starts to have serious impact, and shows the potential to be a match winner: Theo Walcott offers Arsenal the raw pace to run with the ball faster than the team can pass it round obstinate defenders, and he's developed enough maturity and striker's instinct to finish his slalom runs with goals (against Birmingham) or opportunities for Adebayor to slot home (against AC Milan and last night against Liverpool). But with so little of the season left, it again feels like too little, too late. It's been a season of great promise, but the Arse haven't taken the opportunities.
I was unable to see the game yesterday, so I had to be content with ESPN updates and now pundit reviews of what took place. Although the opportunity was there to finish, a questionable call and poor concentration apparently spoiled the fun for RSNL fans. That said, i think after the 1-1 at the Emirates, it was hard to see the Gunners going through at Anfield.
as to this though:
It's been a season of great promise, but the Arse haven't taken the opportunities.
I agree perhaps, but I think Arsenal fans are perhaps viewing the current season with very little sense of how far we progressed over the year. I can recall multiple articles that had suggested that RSNL would be struggling to make it into a UEFA Cup position when the season started. To be still challenging for a Prem title (granted not likely to win), and to make it to the round of 8 in the CL seems like achieving a lot compared to where most (even Arsenal supporters) expected us to end this season.
As it stands now, we were knocked out of the Carling Cup by the inevitable winners, and the FA cup by quite possible one of the most dangerous teams in Europe (albeit that team is full of dick-eaters too). And now knocked out by L'Pool, which routinely plays at a level beyond normal in CL games.
I am rather content with how this season has progressed. My reservations towards Theo have subsided a lot over the past few games. I still believe in Arsene's ability to grab less well known (if not lower priced too) talent (Sagna & Eduardo).
But with that said, barring any huge departure from the team this summer, I think Arsenal will have to bring home Trophies next year or their will be a large fall out. Obviously one needs to ask serious questions about our depth and perhaps suggest that Arsene take some of the mysterious 70M war chest and spend on some tenured talent.
Seriously, Arsenal were in the semis once Adebayor scored. They just had to punt the ball into the stands and it was all over. You were 7 minutes away from everyone saying how far the team has come sans Henry.
However, LFC just refuse to give in.
It's been worse watching City. Promising start, beating Un*ted twice, but then failing to get 3 points from the mighty Derby and getting shafted by Reading. Elano has been invisible for 6 months.... Still, better than staring relegation in the face.
I was unable to see the game yesterday, so I had to be content with ESPN updates and now pundit reviews of what took place. Although the opportunity was there to finish, a questionable call and poor concentration apparently spoiled the fun for RSNL fans. That said, i think after the 1-1 at the Emirates, it was hard to see the Gunners going through at Anfield.
as to this though:
It's been a season of great promise, but the Arse haven't taken the opportunities.
I agree perhaps, but I think Arsenal fans are perhaps viewing the current season with very little sense of how far we progressed over the year. I can recall multiple articles that had suggested that RSNL would be struggling to make it into a UEFA Cup position when the season started. To be still challenging for a Prem title (granted not likely to win), and to make it to the round of 8 in the CL seems like achieving a lot compared to where most (even Arsenal supporters) expected us to end this season.
As it stands now, we were knocked out of the Carling Cup by the inevitable winners, and the FA cup by quite possible one of the most dangerous teams in Europe (albeit that team is full of dick-eaters too). And now knocked out by L'Pool, which routinely plays at a level beyond normal in CL games.
I am rather content with how this season has progressed. My reservations towards Theo have subsided a lot over the past few games. I still believe in Arsene's ability to grab less well known (if not lower priced too) talent (Sagna & Eduardo).
But with that said, barring any huge departure from the team this summer, I think Arsenal will have to bring home Trophies next year or their will be a large fall out. Obviously one needs to ask serious questions about our depth and perhaps suggest that Arsene take some of the mysterious 70M war chest and spend on some tenured talent.
Yeah I think both you and Duderonomy have hit it pretty much on the head. Speaking to Arsenal fans today the feeling is definitely that the somewhat unexpected brilliance in the early season set expectations very high indeed for what was to come. The media hype never helps either.
While I don't see Wenger's position being in any doubt in the near future some of the fans I know have begun to grumble about his unwillingness to spend big on established talent. As a fan of a team who have regularly paid massive amounts for players I have nothing but respect for his determination to build a team from the base up but the fact of the matter is that if your squad is small and players get injured sometimes you have to bite the bullet and spend money on name players to fill the gap rather than rely on names who may not be up to the task. I kinda feel like he got his fingers burnt over the Reyes situation as well. I hate to even go near the "I told you so" argument but I called the lack of squad depth as being their undoing back in December and it seems to have played out.
I think it would take another season without silverware to make this a breaking point argument but I do feel that Wenger's stubbornness on this matter has undone his team a little this season.
Oh yeah jlee, would highly recommend getting a copy of the match if you can, one of the best European matches in recent years whatever team you support.
LOL! That's funny. Not sure if it's as funny as Riise's diving own goal, expertly guided into the roof of the net, to silence the Scousers. If the 'Pool go out on away goals, will Riise walk alone?
What did you make of the game anyway Doc?
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
I thought we completely bossed them. They certainly didn't look like the imperious, unyielding Chelsea of the Mourinho years, although they looked a lot more purposeful towards the end of the game.
I can't get too mad at Riise. He was obviously aware that Anelka was on his shoulder and needed to make sure he didn't get a look at the ball. He could have been a bit more cautious, though. The return leg is going to be tough.
LOL! That Thompson clip has kept me amused for quite some time this morning.
Have to say that, despite it offering little in the way of entertainment it was probably the best of their European match ups yet. Chelsea's performance after the break was absolutely woeful and Liverpool really should have finished them off.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Yeah, with Chelsea, if Drogba is on form, the rest falls into place. Last night, Droggers was obviously getting frustrated, so he reosrted to falling over a lot, and there was very little movement from him - a sure sign that he was disenchanted with the rest of his team I reckon.
Anelka would have troubled Liverpool's backline with his pace and off the ball runs I think. Lampard was annonymous, Ballack doesn't work hard enough, and J.Cole didn't see enough of the ball. Why doesn't Joe start in midfield rather than isolated on the left wing? Often he's the only bright spark on their team.
Masch was good, and so was Alonso. Good sign that late in the second half Masch had the energy and vision to launch a quick counter-attacking run straight down the middle - trying to take the game right to Chelsea. Benayoun hasn't played enough lately to be brought into last nights game though. Looked off the pace. Torres didn't look very involved, but then he spent most of the game watching the midfield battle. And Dirk Kuyt once again pops up with a goal... I guess he makes the first team on work ethic alone, because it sure isn't talent.
As a neutral, would rather one of the more attacking sides (Manure or Barca) had met one of the two more defensive sides in the semis ('Pool or Chelski). I think Manure will beat Barca and beat Chelski in the final... if Liverpool make it to the final, then it's 50-50 as the Scouse have some weird voodoo going on in this competition.
Reports of high-profile players attampting to fix games in order to clear gambling debts etc etc etc..?
They didn't really get to the ref though, that was another case of Liverpool getting away with another penalty claim... although not a strong claim at all really, but a bent ref would've blew.
BTW I ride for any 3 of the last 4 left so I am not on the Chelski hatt wagon. They have quality. Should be a good match, not like the bore-fests of the last few seasons.
But yeah, the amount of TV money in the game now, and the advent of non-UK owners make me think the game is bent at the highest levels. Perhaps not as blatant as Italy, but in more sinister ways. Death threats and the like.
Still, it's like that at any level these days. Dads assualting refs at under-foetus kickabouts etc.
See I think that Chelsea reaching the final would equal a dull match. Their game plan against both Man U and Barca in big games has been to kill the flow of the match and look for a lucky goal on the break (think last season's FA cup final), only ever pushed out of it when they go behind. I can only see a final with them in as a very underwhelming defensive affair (their record of the teams they've played to get this far is also shockingly underwhelming).
Looks like Sven is getting the boot too. Too bad he did well up until December. Any decline in form seems to be seriously frowned upon, despite it being the same gang out there on the pitch.
Clown owners and their deep understanding of the game (money) will always > common sense.
Still, drawing at Derby and getting rolled by Fulham were shockers. You can't get a away with that these days, even at City.
Re: Man City, I thought the funniest thing that happened was in the same week that Elano is quoted by the press saying he's being played out of position in central midfield as opposed to libero/in the hole attacking mid, so Sven shows he's not always mister nice guy and plays him at right back!
Still, even from there Elano played a good through-ball for Benjani.
After Saturdays epic title fight between Cheslki & Manure, would a repeat in the Champ League Final be so bad? I'd happily see more action, fast tackles, goals, goal-line clearances, arguments between Ballack & Drogba, and some afters with the grounds staff in Moscow.
Thing is, up til now Manure never looked like losing a game.
IF[/b] both Manure and Chelsea only manage a draw and loss from their two remaining fixtures, then Arsenal can win the league. Anything can happen in football.
Arsenal can win the league. Anything can happen in football.
It would be nice to see the trophy get a different view, but it's not going to the Emirates. United have too much depth
I hope Big Phil has a good first 10 minutes next year, 3 up by halftime at least, otherwise he better tell the plane he caught from Rio to hang on for him...
Comments
My enjoyment of the match was tempered slightly when I realised we were getting another Chelsea Liverpool semi final. I can't think of another team so close to victory in Europe and the premier league who have managed to play a whole season without ever approaching exciting football.
Also, good to see Wenger rolling out quotes like "All the big decisions went against us" again. And he wonders why his teams have emotional problems.........
When Adebayor scored, I thought it was
Adebayor was still celebrating when the scouse mounted that attack.
Yeah the first twenty minutes or so of the match Arsenal were on absolutely fire - basically came to Anfield and beat Liverpool at their own game by upping the tempo and throwing everything at them. The move for the first goal was beautiful as well.
Watching it from a neutral position I thought Arsenal were a bit hard done by (especially the penalty which i agree was 50/50) but once again they just got punished for not finishing a game off when they had the chance.
Precisely.
Then Van Percy got injured playing for his national side. It didn't seem to matter, as Fabregas was scoring freely, and Adebayor looked like the ideal striker to finish the one-touch build-up play. But the African Cup of Nations was just around the corner... and it was Toure's absence, more than any other player's, that seemed to interrupt the team's rhythm. Even when he came back, alongside Eboue, the two players haven't looked quite the same since the ACN, and then Rosicky was injured. The team's passing wasn't the same, and the goals from midfield dried-up. Rather than thrive under the extra work-load, Adebayor was burdened with being the focus.
But around the turn of the year, Eduardo had begun to show that he might be able to score goals in consecutive games. Problem solved - he was actually quite good at doing the deceptively simple, but sometimes psychologically difficult task, of putting the ball into the net whether it was by toe-poke or tap-in. And then his season was finished just as it felt like we were about to see the best of him. No Van Percy. No Eduardo. No Rosicky. Bendtner no chance of being first team material. No long-hair on Adebayor = no goals. Arse lose all momentum, seem unable to find their own feet or the net, and lose their lead of the league.
But again, a little used impact sub starts to have serious impact, and shows the potential to be a match winner: Theo Walcott offers Arsenal the raw pace to run with the ball faster than the team can pass it round obstinate defenders, and he's developed enough maturity and striker's instinct to finish his slalom runs with goals (against Birmingham) or opportunities for Adebayor to slot home (against AC Milan and last night against Liverpool). But with so little of the season left, it again feels like too little, too late. It's been a season of great promise, but the Arse haven't taken the opportunities.
as to this though:
I agree perhaps, but I think Arsenal fans are perhaps viewing the current season with very little sense of how far we progressed over the year. I can recall multiple articles that had suggested that RSNL would be struggling to make it into a UEFA Cup position when the season started. To be still challenging for a Prem title (granted not likely to win), and to make it to the round of 8 in the CL seems like achieving a lot compared to where most (even Arsenal supporters) expected us to end this season.
As it stands now, we were knocked out of the Carling Cup by the inevitable winners, and the FA cup by quite possible one of the most dangerous teams in Europe (albeit that team is full of dick-eaters too). And now knocked out by L'Pool, which routinely plays at a level beyond normal in CL games.
I am rather content with how this season has progressed. My reservations towards Theo have subsided a lot over the past few games. I still believe in Arsene's ability to grab less well known (if not lower priced too) talent (Sagna & Eduardo).
But with that said, barring any huge departure from the team this summer, I think Arsenal will have to bring home Trophies next year or their will be a large fall out. Obviously one needs to ask serious questions about our depth and perhaps suggest that Arsene take some of the mysterious 70M war chest and spend on some tenured talent.
However, LFC just refuse to give in.
It's been worse watching City. Promising start, beating Un*ted twice, but then failing to get 3 points from the mighty Derby and getting shafted by Reading. Elano has been invisible for 6 months.... Still, better than staring relegation in the face.
Come on Ronaldinho...
Yeah I think both you and Duderonomy have hit it pretty much on the head. Speaking to Arsenal fans today the feeling is definitely that the somewhat unexpected brilliance in the early season set expectations very high indeed for what was to come. The media hype never helps either.
While I don't see Wenger's position being in any doubt in the near future some of the fans I know have begun to grumble about his unwillingness to spend big on established talent. As a fan of a team who have regularly paid massive amounts for players I have nothing but respect for his determination to build a team from the base up but the fact of the matter is that if your squad is small and players get injured sometimes you have to bite the bullet and spend money on name players to fill the gap rather than rely on names who may not be up to the task. I kinda feel like he got his fingers burnt over the Reyes situation as well.
I hate to even go near the "I told you so" argument but I called the lack of squad depth as being their undoing back in December and it seems to have played out.
I think it would take another season without silverware to make this a breaking point argument but I do feel that Wenger's stubbornness on this matter has undone his team a little this season.
Oh yeah jlee, would highly recommend getting a copy of the match if you can, one of the best European matches in recent years whatever team you support.
In the visitors box maybe!
The last thing Arsenal need right now is the return of Le Ego.
"CAAALM DOWN!"
LOL! That's funny. Not sure if it's as funny as Riise's diving own goal, expertly guided into the roof of the net, to silence the Scousers. If the 'Pool go out on away goals, will Riise walk alone?
What did you make of the game anyway Doc?
I can't get too mad at Riise. He was obviously aware that Anelka was on his shoulder and needed to make sure he didn't get a look at the ball. He could have been a bit more cautious, though. The return leg is going to be tough.
LOL! That Thompson clip has kept me amused for quite some time this morning.
Have to say that, despite it offering little in the way of entertainment it was probably the best of their European match ups yet. Chelsea's performance after the break was absolutely woeful and Liverpool really should have finished them off.
We're doomed.
Anelka would have troubled Liverpool's backline with his pace and off the ball runs I think. Lampard was annonymous, Ballack doesn't work hard enough, and J.Cole didn't see enough of the ball. Why doesn't Joe start in midfield rather than isolated on the left wing? Often he's the only bright spark on their team.
Masch was good, and so was Alonso. Good sign that late in the second half Masch had the energy and vision to launch a quick counter-attacking run straight down the middle - trying to take the game right to Chelsea. Benayoun hasn't played enough lately to be brought into last nights game though. Looked off the pace. Torres didn't look very involved, but then he spent most of the game watching the midfield battle. And Dirk Kuyt once again pops up with a goal... I guess he makes the first team on work ethic alone, because it sure isn't talent.
As a neutral, would rather one of the more attacking sides (Manure or Barca) had met one of the two more defensive sides in the semis ('Pool or Chelski). I think Manure will beat Barca and beat Chelski in the final... if Liverpool make it to the final, then it's 50-50 as the Scouse have some weird voodoo going on in this competition.
Final is in Moscow (home of biggest gangsters on earth) =
Chelsea's owner is one of them =
29 minutes of extra time last night + they got to Riise + the ref =
I would put the house on Chelski if I was a gambling man.
Reports of high-profile players attampting to fix games in order to clear gambling debts etc etc etc..?
They didn't really get to the ref though, that was another case of Liverpool getting away with another penalty claim... although not a strong claim at all really, but a bent ref would've blew.
But yeah, the amount of TV money in the game now, and the advent of non-UK owners make me think the game is bent at the highest levels. Perhaps not as blatant as Italy, but in more sinister ways. Death threats and the like.
Still, it's like that at any level these days. Dads assualting refs at under-foetus kickabouts etc.
Clown owners and their deep understanding of the game (money) will always > common sense.
Still, drawing at Derby and getting rolled by Fulham were shockers. You can't get a away with that these days, even at City.
Re: Man City, I thought the funniest thing that happened was in the same week that Elano is quoted by the press saying he's being played out of position in central midfield as opposed to libero/in the hole attacking mid, so Sven shows he's not always mister nice guy and plays him at right back!
Still, even from there Elano played a good through-ball for Benjani.
After Saturdays epic title fight between Cheslki & Manure, would a repeat in the Champ League Final be so bad? I'd happily see more action, fast tackles, goals, goal-line clearances, arguments between Ballack & Drogba, and some afters with the grounds staff in Moscow.
Thing is, up til now Manure never looked like losing a game.
IF[/b] both Manure and Chelsea only manage a draw and loss from their two remaining fixtures, then Arsenal can win the league. Anything can happen in football.
It would be nice to see the trophy get a different view, but it's not going to the Emirates. United have too much depth
I hope Big Phil has a good first 10 minutes next year, 3 up by halftime at least, otherwise he better tell the plane he caught from Rio to hang on for him...
Wazzat? Scholari is going to manage City?