a tale of two keepers

it was the best of the arse; it was the worst of the bianconeri (well...not quite, but i had to keep the dickens homage going).

what tonight's game really boiled down to was the keepers. buffon was his in form best tonight, making some good saves and showing his bravery whenever henry and freddie were in the box. he saved a beauty off of fabregas, and he picked three goals from the feet of the aforementioned arsenal attackers. if any had gone in juventus would have been finished long before nedved's red-card (and about that card: it was certainly deserved, but i felt bad nonetheless. apart from buffon, the czech-midfielder was the only juve player who seemed to give a shit, and the only threat they had. it was a shame he had to go. the game was over as soon as he left the pitch).

the other keeper was our very own mad jens. he made two amazing saves off of two redirected balls. he was his usually powerful self in the box. he was the first on the scene -- screaming at nedved -- when nedved took out eboue (god i love his passion for the gunners and the game), and he has proven once again that oliver kahn is not the only keeper, nor is he the sure keeper, for the world cup. and if arsenal manage to surprise us all and win the champs league, how can germany and klinsmann possibly not give mad jens the nod? screw tradition deutschland -- you've gotta go with the in form man.

the whole competition is far from over, and i am not as happy as some about our drawing villareal. they are a tough team. they took out man utd. they took out inter milan. and they can take out arsenal. but if any manager and any team can avoid giving a surprise team too little respect it is arsene and the baby gunners. they know they can't take anyone for granted, and if they don't they will be in the final.

and a final note on our commanding performance tonight: we have beaten ac milan's record of seven straight champs league games without conceding a goal. the record is now eight, and the record is ours.

p.s. did i mention that arsenal are in the semis for the first time in european history? take that patrick vieira. the grass may be greener in the stadio delle alpi, but that's only because less games will be played on the pitch than at highbury.

p.p.s. congrats to taras for the ac milan victory over lyon yesterday. too bad about barcelona though. that should be a hell of a game.