my wish comes true
we got juventus in the quarter finals. it's going to be tough, and the presence of patty against us could sink us. it could also rise us to levels previously unseen. i'm hoping for the latter. and if it is the latter, if arsenal can exorcise the demons of patty's departure on the pitch against him in the same season he left our team of boys will become a team of men. and if we can beat juventus, no matter what else happens this year, if we can beat the old lady and get to the semis this really will be a successful season.and i send my sympathy to taras. that's the worst draw milan could have got.
posted by bananas @ 10:08 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Lots of good storylines in this match: Vieira's return to Highbury. Henry against his old team. Henry versus his partner in the French attack, Trezeguet.
If we can survive this one you have to believe we have a real chance to win it all, especially with Milan, Barcelona and Lyon on the other side of the draw. And while Lyon is a very strong team, I think Barcelona would have been the worst draw Milan could have gotten.
barcelona would be tough on anyone, i think we can all agree with that, but here's why i think lyon is particularly bad for milan:
one. there is no way milan, or anyone else, would underestimate barca. you simply can't underestimate a team with ronaldinho.
two. everyone has a tendency to underestimate lyon. they've been doing it for the last three years in this competition, and many have paid the price.
three. this is the best lyon team yet, and they just keep getting better.
four. barca's main threat is in full out attack, while milan's greatness is in defense. from their defensive midfield to their back four, milan are a rock of defense. i think they can handle ronaldihno and catch barca on the counter attack.
five. lyon's threat is in the midfield, and while milan have a strong midfield, they can occasionally be torn apart there, especially if kaka is ranging too far forward or gattuso is frustrated.
six. juninho is lyon's greatest asset, he is underestimated by everyone, and when he is taking free kicks, of which he will have many because the milan midfield will be forced to foul the wily lyon midfield, he is unstoppable. and while i like dida, he's not great enough to be win a two leg duel against his countryman.
seven. the cup final is in paris, and lyon want to be there. they are hungry for themselves, and even hungrier to prove that the french league is a worthy place to play.
so there's my reasons, but i do agree with canadian gooner that barca's a brutal draw for anyone. wouldn't it be nice, though, to see the underdogs of benfica take it against them? and, of course, the truth is at this point that everyone one of these teams, under the right circumstances, could beat the others. no one is safe.
well, yeah, not the best draw for us by any means.
let's look at the big 2 ties.
Lyon - AC Milan
Lyon are strong but we have a few things going for us.
One, the 1st leg is in France.
Two, Juninho will not play the 1st leg as he collected his 3rd yellow card vs. PSV, which is huge.
What does suck is, Lyon play a lowly Toulouse on the 25th, while we host Fiorentina (4th Serie A club) on the 26th.
If Milan can get a draw in Lyon, they will progress, but we MUST capitalize on Junihno's absence.
prediction: 2-1 Milan AGG win. (cross fingers)
Arsenal - Juventus
Well, Juventus shouldn't even be here after watching that encounter with Werder.
Arsenal should do fine even in Turin as Della Alpi stays empty even for Champions League games.
3 days before the match, Arsenal will play a dreadful Portsmouth, while Juventus have their hands tied with AS Roma (who are on fire as of late).
I think this tie is a toss up, despite me predicting a Juventus - Barcelona final prior to the Knock Out Round. But with Juve's sad display vs. Bremen and Arsenal's much improved defense, it could go either way.
prediction: no prediction, way too close to call.
Barcelona and Inter should both advance with ease, unless Villareal and Benfica both play out of this world.
Which sets up a semi-final of ..
AC Milan - Barcelona
Arsenal/Juventus - FC Inter
from than on, it's anyone's.
too bad we won't see another Milan - Barca final. :(
good luck Bradley and no matter what, we are watching the final together.
good luck to you taras. and it's a date.
oh, and good analysis of what's to come. i didn't know junihno got the yellow. that is GREAT news for milan. even without junihno i think the lyon milan tie could be the most exciting of the entire tournament (well...except madrid and arsenal).
our date will be one of many steps towards breaking the homoerotic triangle.
hahahaha...nice
i'm having brain drain in houston. its all about baseball and football here...
but i think Arsenal has an uphill battle with Juventus (from the few games i've seen juv play).
i too send my apologies to taras...the carnage ain't pretty when its over.
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