Thursday, May 26, 2005
AC Milan 3 Liverpool 3

(The following post is entirely about football.If you don't like the sport or have no interest in it,don't read.And if you are curious about why people watch football,watch the return of today's Champs' League Final.This is the reason why.)

Simply Astonishing.

These are the only two words I can use to describe this morning's UEFA Champions' League Final between Milan and Liverpool.The Reds managed to,somehow,fight back from three goals down to level the scores and then win it on penalties.To tell the truth,it was possibly one of the best matches I've ever watched on TV...and the comeback,because of its nature,is more amazing than Man Utd's 1999 last-minute smash-and-grab win over Bayern Munich.

The Man Utd match,despite its amazing result at the final whistle,could always be attributed to sheer luck.This fightback had its element of luck of course but also sheer grit and a certain level of brilliance (it's pretty difficult to call Beckham's two corner kicks in 1999 as brilliant or even the finish).And just to clarify,I'm no Reds fan so you can't say I'm biased.

Now,like most neutrals,I had thought that the match was over by half-time when Milan went 3-0 up.As to how they did that,I still have no idea.The idea that Carlo Ancelotti gave me was that Milan would try to gain an early lead and then defend like hell to win it.Oh well,Milan went 1-0 in less than a minute.

After that,it really seemed like they were settling for a 1-0 as they sat back and allowed Pool to attack.That Pool failed to find a way through is really none of Milan's problem of course.But Pool manager Rafael Benitez didn't make things easier for himself by selecting an "attacking" line-up that included Harry Kewell in the starting 11.Harry Kewell?For God's sake,what has he done for the past few years to even merit a place in the starting line-up?Anyway,I'd have thought an adventurous line-up would consist of a 4-4-2 formation,not a 4-5-1 formation.Obviously Bentitez was thinking of packing the midfield to counter the likes of Kaka,Pirlo and Gattuso.

Well,Milan did sit back...but surprised me with the speed of their counterattacking which virtually left Pool ragged at the back.That Milan scored two further suckerpunches by half-time was a real surprise.And at 3-0,Pool was supposed to be dead and buried.As the commentator,Andy Gray said,the match was over...or so we thought.

The second-half,or is it really six minutes of it,then saw the most astonishing comeback I have seen in years (do not remind me of Man Utd's comeback 5-3 win over Spurs a few years back.Spurs was 3-0 up at half-time as well but come on,we didn't have a defence then).

First,Steven Gerrard scored what is literally a textbook header.Perfectly aimed,well-powered.

Then,Vladimir Smicer scored his farewell goal with a blistering drive.I have to say that something conspired in the heavens then to aid Pool...because just before the goal,during the move which culminated in the goal,Baros had received the ball in an offside position that could have been a scoring (but illegal) chance.He didn't shoot.Instead,he passed it out wide.And furthermore,the referee didn't spot the linesman's flag.He could have stopped the move legitimately but didn't.I guess that was the heavens smiling on the Reds.

And then,of course,Gerrard then won a penalty which Xabi Alonso then scored at the second time of asking...from the saved rebound.All these happened in the space of six amazing minutes.

After that,to my surprise,Liverpool shut shop.I seriously thought they'd build on their momentum and try to find a 4th goal before pulling the blinders on Milan.But instead,they sat back and allowed Milan free rein.And then another amazing piece of luck went Pool's way.

In the 27th minute of extra-time,Jerzy Dudek,the much-maligned keeper,pulled off an astonishing double-save from Andriy Shevchenko.How he did it,nobody knows.Not even himself apparently.But it was crucial because I felt you could just see the energy sap from the Ukrainian's face straight after that,when he can scarcely believe what happened.

The rest,as they say,is history...repeating itself.Dudek did a Grobbelaar.Serginho,Pirlo and Shevchenko bit the bait.Pool ARE Champions of Europe.Game Over.
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But now my question is,where do they go from here?Because the squad needs renewing and a lot of players are really not good enough.Traore and Kewell are among the worst players I see in the EPL.Dudek is still far too suspect.Hamann and Smicer are going back to their home countries.Baros looked to have played his last match and is likely heading to Valencia.

Already,Benitez is looking to bring in Spanish international goalkeeper Jose Reina,which means Dudek,despite his hero status,is on borrowed time.And he gets to keep Gerrard.But he'd have to bring in,amongst others...a left-back (too bad,Asier Del Horno is going to Chelski,maybe Benitez could try for Roberto Carlos?!),a holding midfielder,a right-sided midfielder and another striker if Baros leaves (Owen might come back.But he's priced at £15 million...me thinks Newcastle or Arsenal,if they fancy him,is more likely to get him).To get these many players,they need good money.Do they have it?

Coming to the subject of potential transfers,I can't help but talk about the other "big" teams as well.Arsene Wenger has been promised money to spend in the summer but what does he need?A good goalkeeper for a start.Sebastian Frey might seem an appealing choice.Senderos' maturing has seen the need for a centre-back alleviated so at least he has no worries about that.But if Pires (and Reyes)leaves,there might be a gap in left-midfield.

Cheslki can basically buy anybody...and they really need a great striker,not just a good one (which they already have in Gudjohnson.Drogba and Kezman are crap.).And they need one who can play alone upfront since my good friend,Jose,plays either 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 (with two wingers,Robben and Duff).Rumours are that they are looking at Adriano or Shevchenko...with Benni McCarthy as a back-up.If they get either Adriano or Shevchenko,God bless the rest of the EPL.

Bankrupt Utd...or is that Man Utd needs a goalie (Shay Given?),a holding midfielder to replace the Keane thug (Michael Essien?) and I think a defensive partner for Rio "Ingrate" Ferdinand (no names here I can think of...).But can £20 million buy you anyone good.Anyway,with a £570 million debt,soon they'd be selling rather than buying.Great!Don't you just love Glazer or what?Bring the devils down...burn in hell!

Anyway,here's a list of whom,I think,should be (or will be - marked with a *) buying whom:

Arsenal: Sebastian Frey (Parma)

Chelsea: Asier Del Horno* (Atletico Bilbao), Adriano (Inter)

Man Utd: Shay Given (Newcastle), Michael Essien (Lyon)

Liverpool: Jose Reina* (Villarreal) Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace)

Everton: Simon Davies* (Tottenham), Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Scott Parker (Chelsea), Dario Simic (AC Milan)

Middlesbrough: Igor Tudor (Juventus), Stephan Appiah (Juventus), Luis Figo (Real Madrid)

Newcastle: Michael Owen (Real Madrid), Ricardo* (Sporting), Matthew Upson (Birmingham)

Spurs: Tomas Rosicky (Dortmund), Alessandro D'Alexandre (Wolfsburg), Wayne Routledge* (Crystal Palace)

Birmingham: Walter Pandiani* (Deportivo), Mikael Forssell (Chelsea)

Wigan: Ronaldinho* (Barcelona)