Ally
Active Member
Arsenal 1 (Vieira 12) Roma 1 (Cassano 45)
There's a glitch in the matrix, everyone. I've seen this before. Uncanny. Deja vu. All three home games have been identical, triplets identified by slack build up work, abysmal shooting and downright lack of luck.
There has also always been a team who know how to counter-attack; Valencia, Ajax and now Roma utilised just one hitman who has toyed with the centre backs but somehow has always failed to score in the second half when the pressure was on - Carew gave Cygan the run-around, Ibrahimovic had the ability to win the second tie if he could have been bothered, and now the wonderful Montella (On for the equally impressive Cassano) mysteriously failed to trouble the Arsenal netting.
Each time, Pires has temporarily mislaid his ability to supply the killer pass. Each time, Henry has badly disappointed when being surrounded by three defenders under strict instructions to enforce a 50 yard exclusion zone between Titi and the ball. Each time, Kanu has been trundled out when it was too late to make a difference. One thing which became obvious to me tonight is that we've had no breaks. Not one bit of luck. (Maybe just one, when Luzhny's cross bounced off Cafu for Thierry to give us the lead in Rome) I'm not too sure exactly what this says - incredible misfortune? A shabby approach to games which overall leaves us with exactly what we deserve? Or just a failure to create chances and therefore a failure to create our own luck?
We flatter to decieve too often. After 12 minutes, you could smell the quarter finals. Gio delivered a completely impossible-to-defend inswinger, and Vieira rose nonchenantly to flick it into the net. A carbon copy of a goal that the same player scored against Sp**s at White Hart Lane two years ago in the last minute to scrape a draw - not such a salvage operation this time, but a crucial goal which surely would lead to a thrashing a la Manchester City. A flowing, fast display of one-touch passing followed up by penetrative through-balls for Henry to stride onto and score five goals, breaking a variety of club records.
Aye, that'll be right, then.
It did look that way, for eight minutes. Vieira got free again and had to score, but instead had a downward header that was sadly without the necessary power, and the titanic Pelizzoli clawed the effort away brilliantly. Wiltord, who frankly had a completely rank rotten game uncharacteristic of his European form this year, was flicked in by Bergkamp, took two touches too many and had a tame drive easily kept out at the near post.
After 20 minutes, things seemed to have fallen apart for the men from Rome. It was clear from the off that Totti had singled out Keown for some special attention, backing into him twice when the ball was 50 yards away. Cynical behaviour desgined to provoke a reaction - Martin just stood there with that demented/"Ya talking to me?" look in his eyes. The sort of stare that sends little kids running to their parents and renders grown men unable to sleep at night without the light on. Evidentally this had a profound effect on the Italian pin up, who decided to have an attempt at poking the offending objects out. Leading with his arm and knowing exactly what he was doing, he charged into Psycho on the jump. Raised hands resulted in the inevitable conclusion.
Capello went for the reshuffle and swtched to a back three with one striker, Cassano, who before the half was up had unceremoniously equalised, scandalous given the run of play. Or maybe not. A midfield five seemed to be easily dealing with anything we were throwing at them (In truth, our rhythm had gone along with Totti) Somehow, a ball was slashed across the field (Another wierd repetiton - remember the distribution for De Jong to equalise four weeks ago? This suggests to me that anyone coming to Highbury has been immaculately drilled on how to beat our defensive line. The same doesn't seem to be true of our frontmen), Cygan wasn't on the same page and Seaman came...and he shouldn't have. Cassano ghosted in, easily rounded Dave on the edge of the area and rolled it in with no fuss. This was in the 46th minute and as far as our attacking tendancies were concerned, that was that.
Roma tightened up with suffocating and immediate consequences - there were chances though, three in three minutes actually, when Wiltord and Pires, twice, got space and each time tore a drive (sans control) over from the edge of the box. Cassano was withdrawn on the hour mark, presumably due to an earlier knock he had picked up, and on came Montella, sublime on the right wing, a drifter who took turns to run at Gio and Cygan and stroll into the middle to try and connect with Cafu's crosses.
Arsène's response was to sacrifice Bergkamp, again a shadow of what we're used to, and Wiltord (Sh*t, for a change and no excuses. Stupid intricacy and arrogant flicks being the order of the day, inevitably none of which worked) and throw Jeffers and Freddie into the mix, neither of whom got a sniff of a chance, Join the club, lads.
Arsenal were never, ever going to get a second goal tonight, although Roma contrived to waste the unwastable [sic?]. Mercifully, the otherwise inpeccable Vincenzo Montella headed over from six yards from a sublime Cafu delivery - he was totally unmarked, had all the time he needed and had the ball at a perfect height to win the game. Honestly, it would have been deserved, too. Simply because we didn't have the guile to win tonight (Am I repeating myself? Maybe I should have just pasted the Valencia report, changed a few names and see if anyone noticed...) and the visitors weren't afraid to give Cygan and Keown an examination (Barely passed, this time), adapting to their situtation whereas we were content to play pointless passes along the back four before trying but failing to extravagantly touch in Henry (Who doesn't operate properly this way. Surely, surely Pires and Wiltord know this?).
A point at the Mestalla. Against a Valencia team desperate to win, featuring perhaps Europe's best central defensive partnership (Ayalas and Pellegrino). Keep your money in your pockets on this one, folks.
The treble? In your dreams.
Man of the Match
Vieira had won this after 20 minutes. Majestic passing and one of the finest displays of ball-winning I've ever seen. Devalued slightly by the performance of those around him.
Moment of the Match
Pires weaving through three Roma defenders before slicing his shot. Just the one moment of pure genius this week, then.
Moan of the Match
Arsenal - learn to shoot. For pity's sake.
Ally Winford
There's a glitch in the matrix, everyone. I've seen this before. Uncanny. Deja vu. All three home games have been identical, triplets identified by slack build up work, abysmal shooting and downright lack of luck.
There has also always been a team who know how to counter-attack; Valencia, Ajax and now Roma utilised just one hitman who has toyed with the centre backs but somehow has always failed to score in the second half when the pressure was on - Carew gave Cygan the run-around, Ibrahimovic had the ability to win the second tie if he could have been bothered, and now the wonderful Montella (On for the equally impressive Cassano) mysteriously failed to trouble the Arsenal netting.
Each time, Pires has temporarily mislaid his ability to supply the killer pass. Each time, Henry has badly disappointed when being surrounded by three defenders under strict instructions to enforce a 50 yard exclusion zone between Titi and the ball. Each time, Kanu has been trundled out when it was too late to make a difference. One thing which became obvious to me tonight is that we've had no breaks. Not one bit of luck. (Maybe just one, when Luzhny's cross bounced off Cafu for Thierry to give us the lead in Rome) I'm not too sure exactly what this says - incredible misfortune? A shabby approach to games which overall leaves us with exactly what we deserve? Or just a failure to create chances and therefore a failure to create our own luck?
We flatter to decieve too often. After 12 minutes, you could smell the quarter finals. Gio delivered a completely impossible-to-defend inswinger, and Vieira rose nonchenantly to flick it into the net. A carbon copy of a goal that the same player scored against Sp**s at White Hart Lane two years ago in the last minute to scrape a draw - not such a salvage operation this time, but a crucial goal which surely would lead to a thrashing a la Manchester City. A flowing, fast display of one-touch passing followed up by penetrative through-balls for Henry to stride onto and score five goals, breaking a variety of club records.
Aye, that'll be right, then.
It did look that way, for eight minutes. Vieira got free again and had to score, but instead had a downward header that was sadly without the necessary power, and the titanic Pelizzoli clawed the effort away brilliantly. Wiltord, who frankly had a completely rank rotten game uncharacteristic of his European form this year, was flicked in by Bergkamp, took two touches too many and had a tame drive easily kept out at the near post.
After 20 minutes, things seemed to have fallen apart for the men from Rome. It was clear from the off that Totti had singled out Keown for some special attention, backing into him twice when the ball was 50 yards away. Cynical behaviour desgined to provoke a reaction - Martin just stood there with that demented/"Ya talking to me?" look in his eyes. The sort of stare that sends little kids running to their parents and renders grown men unable to sleep at night without the light on. Evidentally this had a profound effect on the Italian pin up, who decided to have an attempt at poking the offending objects out. Leading with his arm and knowing exactly what he was doing, he charged into Psycho on the jump. Raised hands resulted in the inevitable conclusion.
Capello went for the reshuffle and swtched to a back three with one striker, Cassano, who before the half was up had unceremoniously equalised, scandalous given the run of play. Or maybe not. A midfield five seemed to be easily dealing with anything we were throwing at them (In truth, our rhythm had gone along with Totti) Somehow, a ball was slashed across the field (Another wierd repetiton - remember the distribution for De Jong to equalise four weeks ago? This suggests to me that anyone coming to Highbury has been immaculately drilled on how to beat our defensive line. The same doesn't seem to be true of our frontmen), Cygan wasn't on the same page and Seaman came...and he shouldn't have. Cassano ghosted in, easily rounded Dave on the edge of the area and rolled it in with no fuss. This was in the 46th minute and as far as our attacking tendancies were concerned, that was that.
Roma tightened up with suffocating and immediate consequences - there were chances though, three in three minutes actually, when Wiltord and Pires, twice, got space and each time tore a drive (sans control) over from the edge of the box. Cassano was withdrawn on the hour mark, presumably due to an earlier knock he had picked up, and on came Montella, sublime on the right wing, a drifter who took turns to run at Gio and Cygan and stroll into the middle to try and connect with Cafu's crosses.
Arsène's response was to sacrifice Bergkamp, again a shadow of what we're used to, and Wiltord (Sh*t, for a change and no excuses. Stupid intricacy and arrogant flicks being the order of the day, inevitably none of which worked) and throw Jeffers and Freddie into the mix, neither of whom got a sniff of a chance, Join the club, lads.
Arsenal were never, ever going to get a second goal tonight, although Roma contrived to waste the unwastable [sic?]. Mercifully, the otherwise inpeccable Vincenzo Montella headed over from six yards from a sublime Cafu delivery - he was totally unmarked, had all the time he needed and had the ball at a perfect height to win the game. Honestly, it would have been deserved, too. Simply because we didn't have the guile to win tonight (Am I repeating myself? Maybe I should have just pasted the Valencia report, changed a few names and see if anyone noticed...) and the visitors weren't afraid to give Cygan and Keown an examination (Barely passed, this time), adapting to their situtation whereas we were content to play pointless passes along the back four before trying but failing to extravagantly touch in Henry (Who doesn't operate properly this way. Surely, surely Pires and Wiltord know this?).
A point at the Mestalla. Against a Valencia team desperate to win, featuring perhaps Europe's best central defensive partnership (Ayalas and Pellegrino). Keep your money in your pockets on this one, folks.
The treble? In your dreams.
Man of the Match
Vieira had won this after 20 minutes. Majestic passing and one of the finest displays of ball-winning I've ever seen. Devalued slightly by the performance of those around him.
Moment of the Match
Pires weaving through three Roma defenders before slicing his shot. Just the one moment of pure genius this week, then.
Moan of the Match
Arsenal - learn to shoot. For pity's sake.
Ally Winford
