brady
Active Member
A triumphant return to winning ways, if not quite to the all-conquering movement and passing form earlier in the season. This was one for the ages, a classic display from a team that simply refuses to follow the script.
Fergie and Tinkerman were positively salivating over the possibility that we would crash and burn like last season. Someone should tell Tinkerman that he should worry about where his paycheck is coming from next season instead of doing Fergie impressions. I thought he was an OK guy and almost did not begrudge Chelsea winning the quarter final (they were better over the two legs) - let's see whether he would have another bout of delirium if Monaco dumps them out (and who would bet against anything anymore after all the upsets this season?). Giggs' almost laughable comment that the title race is not over is not even worth rebutting. wake up and smell the coffee giggs! you are hoping for two teams to screw up, and in case he forgets, they still have to play chelsea.
anyway back to the match. a strange start, and one that did not bode well when we seemed almost reluctant to come out for the match... was it a psychological ploy to keep pool waiting? whatever. it did not work and we looked asleep when gerrard powered his header goalwards from a corner unmolested. hyppia, somewhat overrated in my book as a defender, though he does get his fair share of goals, and he got another one this time. 5 minutes gone and not the start we were looking for.
we were settling down though and with so much of the match left, there was always hope. when henry finally got behind the defence and scored, a great wave of relief seemed to wash over the team and the ground. a bout of sustained attacking followed and it seemed a matter of time before we would score again. then we got hit with a sucker punch from owen. again too many players guilty of ball-watching. were we up for it?
two goals in a minute after the break meant the answer to that question was a resounding YES! henry's second was magnificent. it was a fitting response to all the criticisms directed at him for the last two matches, though in my book, some of them are valid. the theory that he and reyes don't get along is purely speculative. when he is on the pitch and on fire, he often comes across as arrogant but that is just the nature of the artist.
there is a fine line between passion and arrogance and to the undiscerning, he may seem to cross it too easily. maybe some will argue that he needs to be more consistent, especially in the big games but I would think that is due more to the fact that the team has not quite learnt how to deal with opponents who put a man on him. his scoring record is proof that he has achieved a quite remarkable rate of consistency.
but i do agree, and maybe it is churlish to do so after yesterday's bravura performance, that he could improve his finishing. wouldn't that be an exciting prospect! he could have scored 5 yesterday.
and he and reyes definitely can play together - good players instinctively know how to adapt - as was evident from the chelsea game when reyes carved chelsea open and henry was left with a chance similar to wayne bridges' winner. he also set up henry for the united rocket. i also recall that when reyes first got into the team, everyone, including henry was trying to set him up to score. they all know he is a special talent and i can't wait to see this partnership mature. both are providers and scorers extraordinaire and if they can develop an instinctive understanding and interplay, we will be unstoppable.
the other important aspect of the match was our fighting qualities though i am worried about the effects for tomorrow. whenever a pool player got into a dangerous position, two gunners would have him in their sights. everyone put in a massive effort. parlour would have been proud of some of the running and tackling. bergkamp was also spectacular and is almost a certainty for next season. i hope he stays for a long long time. i hope henry gets a rest tomorrow and reyes shows his stuff. i have a feeling that we might see something special from him. if we can score two, we will win. we still want that record preserved. a point would do nicely but the main thing is to give no hope to those pursuing us.
You want the title? Not if we can help it.
Fergie and Tinkerman were positively salivating over the possibility that we would crash and burn like last season. Someone should tell Tinkerman that he should worry about where his paycheck is coming from next season instead of doing Fergie impressions. I thought he was an OK guy and almost did not begrudge Chelsea winning the quarter final (they were better over the two legs) - let's see whether he would have another bout of delirium if Monaco dumps them out (and who would bet against anything anymore after all the upsets this season?). Giggs' almost laughable comment that the title race is not over is not even worth rebutting. wake up and smell the coffee giggs! you are hoping for two teams to screw up, and in case he forgets, they still have to play chelsea.
anyway back to the match. a strange start, and one that did not bode well when we seemed almost reluctant to come out for the match... was it a psychological ploy to keep pool waiting? whatever. it did not work and we looked asleep when gerrard powered his header goalwards from a corner unmolested. hyppia, somewhat overrated in my book as a defender, though he does get his fair share of goals, and he got another one this time. 5 minutes gone and not the start we were looking for.
we were settling down though and with so much of the match left, there was always hope. when henry finally got behind the defence and scored, a great wave of relief seemed to wash over the team and the ground. a bout of sustained attacking followed and it seemed a matter of time before we would score again. then we got hit with a sucker punch from owen. again too many players guilty of ball-watching. were we up for it?
two goals in a minute after the break meant the answer to that question was a resounding YES! henry's second was magnificent. it was a fitting response to all the criticisms directed at him for the last two matches, though in my book, some of them are valid. the theory that he and reyes don't get along is purely speculative. when he is on the pitch and on fire, he often comes across as arrogant but that is just the nature of the artist.
there is a fine line between passion and arrogance and to the undiscerning, he may seem to cross it too easily. maybe some will argue that he needs to be more consistent, especially in the big games but I would think that is due more to the fact that the team has not quite learnt how to deal with opponents who put a man on him. his scoring record is proof that he has achieved a quite remarkable rate of consistency.
but i do agree, and maybe it is churlish to do so after yesterday's bravura performance, that he could improve his finishing. wouldn't that be an exciting prospect! he could have scored 5 yesterday.
and he and reyes definitely can play together - good players instinctively know how to adapt - as was evident from the chelsea game when reyes carved chelsea open and henry was left with a chance similar to wayne bridges' winner. he also set up henry for the united rocket. i also recall that when reyes first got into the team, everyone, including henry was trying to set him up to score. they all know he is a special talent and i can't wait to see this partnership mature. both are providers and scorers extraordinaire and if they can develop an instinctive understanding and interplay, we will be unstoppable.
the other important aspect of the match was our fighting qualities though i am worried about the effects for tomorrow. whenever a pool player got into a dangerous position, two gunners would have him in their sights. everyone put in a massive effort. parlour would have been proud of some of the running and tackling. bergkamp was also spectacular and is almost a certainty for next season. i hope he stays for a long long time. i hope henry gets a rest tomorrow and reyes shows his stuff. i have a feeling that we might see something special from him. if we can score two, we will win. we still want that record preserved. a point would do nicely but the main thing is to give no hope to those pursuing us.
You want the title? Not if we can help it.
