veni vidi vici
i wouldn't go so far to proclaim that an old chapter of european football closes and a new one begins.
but if you were at the san siro, if you were watching it on tv, surely you could feel it: it is time for the old milan masters to take their final bow. it's a pity that they won't be able to do it in style. even if you are not a fan, just by looking at their achievements should suffice to invoke a degree of awe and respect.
but time waits for no one.
for 60 minutes, we played like champions. only the first 20 minutes and the 10 minutes in the middle of the second half, where we briefly let kaka run the show, were blotches. and of course, as with the first leg, we should have scored a lot more.
but all these shortcomings can be briefly forgotten for a while. even if we left it late, even if we suffered a few scares.
fabregas' goal was simply a moment of magic. the moment of magic we talk so often about to break a deadlock. only special players can do that. and he has.
almunia- 6
the scares from the corners came about largely because the defence didnt clear the ball when the ball came in. and the deliveries were good. other than that, he did everything that was required. and to be frank, there wasnt much for him to do.
clichy- 6
a few mistakes here and there in the opening 20 minutes, a really last-ditch clearance. very much improved from the last few times i have seen him. i think he and sagna played an important part in retaining possession from our corners, in that they stayed behind and were able to retrieve the balls.
senderos- 7
after a shaky start, he recovered and was strong and calm(mostly) with a few good interceptions
gallas-6
there was one occasion when he shielded the ball away from pato before clearing it. experience v inexperience. tts all i can say.
sagna-6
usual steady game.
flamini-7
i think he did very well, putting the pressure, winning the ball back. that kaka was relatively quiet surely has to have something to do with him. i think he distributed the ball effectively. if a dm can only win the ball only to lose it, then you might as well put an attacking midfielder there.
fabregas-8
match winner. a few brilliant passes and touches. dictated the play. he really rose to the occasion.
hleb-8
he made everything tick, linking everything up. and it was ridiculous that he got a yellow when he was fouled. he is an honest man; i have never seen him dive before, because he just loves to have the ball at his feet, to keep going.
diaby-5
to be frank, he had a few good touches, but basically alot of moves broke down because of him. either he slips, or he loses possession. naive is the best word to describe him.
eboue-5
largely disappointing on the right. didnt really make any inroads. even got himself a yellow. i am glad we got him out before he got a red.
adebayor-7
there were a few irritating moments, as always. but he did what he had to do. and at last he scored.
walcott-7
he should ahve scored, but tried to square the ball. you put a striker on the flank to shoot. but that was wonderful pace to set adebayor up. it could have been more, of course.
gilberto-6
can't really comment, cos he was on the field for a very short amount of time. but he didnt screw us up, and that's always nice.
art, poetry, whatever you may call it, but you know, those 60 minutes was probably the best football we ever played this season. we played like this against a world class opposition in their own backyard. no english team has ever beaten milan at the san siro. i think you can even say that no team has ever played milan the way we did over two legs, and more importantly, in san siro itself.
it is a great, great european night. we came here with so much baggage, with a point to prove- the 0-4 loss to man u, the eduardo injury, the 4 points dropped in the last 2 games, the need to score here. and yet, we did it. with style and conviction i should say. i am proud of what we have achieved. this, together with the switzerland trip, has inspired and given me strength and belief.
but we will win, we will win.
it had certainly felt like a final. but nothing is won yet. we are only in the quarter-finals. but for now, even I can't deny us the privilege of reveling in our victory. we thoroughly deserved it.
god bless arsenal
but if you were at the san siro, if you were watching it on tv, surely you could feel it: it is time for the old milan masters to take their final bow. it's a pity that they won't be able to do it in style. even if you are not a fan, just by looking at their achievements should suffice to invoke a degree of awe and respect.
but time waits for no one.
for 60 minutes, we played like champions. only the first 20 minutes and the 10 minutes in the middle of the second half, where we briefly let kaka run the show, were blotches. and of course, as with the first leg, we should have scored a lot more.
but all these shortcomings can be briefly forgotten for a while. even if we left it late, even if we suffered a few scares.
fabregas' goal was simply a moment of magic. the moment of magic we talk so often about to break a deadlock. only special players can do that. and he has.
almunia- 6
the scares from the corners came about largely because the defence didnt clear the ball when the ball came in. and the deliveries were good. other than that, he did everything that was required. and to be frank, there wasnt much for him to do.
clichy- 6
a few mistakes here and there in the opening 20 minutes, a really last-ditch clearance. very much improved from the last few times i have seen him. i think he and sagna played an important part in retaining possession from our corners, in that they stayed behind and were able to retrieve the balls.
senderos- 7
after a shaky start, he recovered and was strong and calm(mostly) with a few good interceptions
gallas-6
there was one occasion when he shielded the ball away from pato before clearing it. experience v inexperience. tts all i can say.
sagna-6
usual steady game.
flamini-7
i think he did very well, putting the pressure, winning the ball back. that kaka was relatively quiet surely has to have something to do with him. i think he distributed the ball effectively. if a dm can only win the ball only to lose it, then you might as well put an attacking midfielder there.
fabregas-8
match winner. a few brilliant passes and touches. dictated the play. he really rose to the occasion.
hleb-8
he made everything tick, linking everything up. and it was ridiculous that he got a yellow when he was fouled. he is an honest man; i have never seen him dive before, because he just loves to have the ball at his feet, to keep going.
diaby-5
to be frank, he had a few good touches, but basically alot of moves broke down because of him. either he slips, or he loses possession. naive is the best word to describe him.
eboue-5
largely disappointing on the right. didnt really make any inroads. even got himself a yellow. i am glad we got him out before he got a red.
adebayor-7
there were a few irritating moments, as always. but he did what he had to do. and at last he scored.
walcott-7
he should ahve scored, but tried to square the ball. you put a striker on the flank to shoot. but that was wonderful pace to set adebayor up. it could have been more, of course.
gilberto-6
can't really comment, cos he was on the field for a very short amount of time. but he didnt screw us up, and that's always nice.
art, poetry, whatever you may call it, but you know, those 60 minutes was probably the best football we ever played this season. we played like this against a world class opposition in their own backyard. no english team has ever beaten milan at the san siro. i think you can even say that no team has ever played milan the way we did over two legs, and more importantly, in san siro itself.
it is a great, great european night. we came here with so much baggage, with a point to prove- the 0-4 loss to man u, the eduardo injury, the 4 points dropped in the last 2 games, the need to score here. and yet, we did it. with style and conviction i should say. i am proud of what we have achieved. this, together with the switzerland trip, has inspired and given me strength and belief.
but we will win, we will win.
it had certainly felt like a final. but nothing is won yet. we are only in the quarter-finals. but for now, even I can't deny us the privilege of reveling in our victory. we thoroughly deserved it.
god bless arsenal
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