5 March 2008
Arsenal Turn the Wheel on Milan
Supposedly the most precariously placed of all the English teams in the Champions League, Arsenal produced a masterful performance of skill, will and authority and in doing so became the first English team to beat AC Milan an the Giuseppe Meazza.
Late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor ended the reign of the champions but in truth they were dominated for almost the entire game. With Manchester United through and Liverpool and Chelsea well placed, yet again it looks like the biggest obstacle between the English clubs and the Champions League trophy will be each other.
Italy meanwhile continue to have their standing as one of the three elite leagues in Europe further eroded. Perhaps their tenants of organisation, patience and defence are no longer applicable in the modern Champions League?
To be subjected to such a thrilling dismantling as they were at the hands of Arsenal suggests which brand of football is currently the more dominant. There were times when AC Milan were simply outclassed much like English teams once were by the great Milan team of the early nineties or Romario and Stoichkov’s Barcelona. This was to be the night that Arsenal’s season was to unravel but instead it provided fresh impetus and belief in what their thrilling football can bring this year. While Manchester United still stand in their way of both the Premiership and Champions League they still may win nothing, but even if that happens they will do so in consummate style.
The first fifteen minutes were as you would expect from a Champions League knock-out tie; two teams level in the tie and matched in their respect for each other. Milan wary of youth, pace and movement flickered with threat. Arsenal wary of the champion’s experience and of course, Kaka were eyeing their prey. Each side postured, probing the defence, testing the resolve in midfield and just as it seemed that Milan had coaxed the matched into an Italian-style torpor, ripe for a conclusive moment from Pirlo, Kaka or Pato, Arsenal stepped on the accelerator. Where before there was an equal contest in midfield, now the ball never found its way back to the hosts. For a ten minute period, Arsenal camped in the attacking third like children crowded round a coconut shy. Alexander Hleb’s dreadfully unlucky booking for what was actually an edge of the box foul could not staunch the tide as Fabregas slammed the ball against the crossbar soon after. Even one of the eras great central defenders, Allesandro Nesta began to stutter as the lithe Arsenal machine slipped smoothly into overdrive.
Fabregas was every inch the world class play maker; always available, passing short and long, driving past a midfield stuck in relative slow motion - an ever-ready fulcrum. But attack is one thing - Arsenal never want for a cutting edge - however the real feature of their play was how they harried and pressed in midfield. The world’s greatest player, Kaka barely got the ball let alone did anything with it such was the intensity and work rate from the men in white, specifically Mathieu Flamini. We knew of Fabregas and the potential of Adebayor but along with Hleb, Flamini has been the one who has genuinely taken their game to another level this season.
The second half was a mildly more even contest yet Arsenal were still the better team with a brand of football that must have almost looked alien to the home fans. Still, it felt like the experience and individuality of Milan could usurp their superior opponents as the game wore on and Arsenal squander chances, but they never relinquished their advantage. The tempo never dropped and Milan played like they were waiting to catch their breath. Then came Fabregas’ moment finality, a typical drive inside and at 30 yards he barely had space to shoot. Shoot he did and the ball lanced unerringly between a defender and an attacker and on, inside the post. As Fabregas ran to his team’s bench he had the look of a man who only barely comprehended the magnitude of his achievement.
With Milan having no choice but to attack needing two goals, Arsenal still up-tempo and now with Theo Walcott’s pace on the pitch, the result was all but guaranteed and Adebayor’s coup de grâce came as little surprise. Not that you would have thought so looking at the faces of the Milan supporters.
More and more it is beginning to look like the Wheel of European style is turning back to attack and never does such a trend favour the Italians.
On a popular radio phone in, an English-based Milan fan voiced his incredulity, “When Arsenal kicked in… is that how they play in the Premiership?!”. At some stage people will come to realise that there are no longer three great leagues in Europe. Italy may be world champions but their clubs have stood still while the world has evolved around them.
At the end of the match the camera lingered on the faces of the Milanese supporters. Faces in more than shock that seemed to wail, can you really do that on a football pitch?
Indeed you can, and Arsenal did.
Great result and a fantastic win for Arsenal.
After going through 2 horrible weeks, Arsenal came back with a “BANGGG” and shocked the world by beating the best team on earth with world class youngsters. This win will pro
#SNIP - Spammish#
ment but that described how happy I am with Arsenal’s win yesterday..and very happy looking at the disgraceful media and pundits that try to write Arsenal off in every point but they failed horribly and proved how idiot and fool they were..lol
ARSENAL ROCKS!!
Wow, that’s a first; a comment longer than a post. Anyone who has been on this site before will realise just how absurd that is
Not so sure writing about Arsenal was a good idea now…
this general dude is pasting his long comment everywhere. u should go check out caughtoffside.com too. did u get rejected from journalism, general?