By Myles Palmer
Olympiakos were toothless, so my mind was wandering when I was watching them lose 3-0 at Old Trafford last night.
I began to think about the United players and whether they were better than the Arsenal players.
Two weeks ago, when United won 2-0 in Athens, I wondered whether they might actually win the Champions League. I had not seriously considered that possibility until that match.
Then yesterday I read that Fergie’s No.2 Jim Ryan said they were close to perfecting TWO systems of play.
4-4-2 for the Premiership and 4-1-4-1 for Europe.
That seems a very ambitious notion, and, since it took United 79 minutes to score at home against mediocre opponents,a misguided notion.
CAN I COMPARE THE PLAYERS?
CANI RATE LAST NIGHT’S STARTING ELEVEN AGAINST TONIGHT’S PROBABLE STARTING ELEVEN ?
Well, I can try :
BARTHEZ is better than Wright because he has been there and done it and won everything.
LAUREN is a lot better than GARY NEVILLE, obviously. He can pass, he can play, he has a great first touch.
KEOWN at 35 is just as far over the hill as BLANC is at 34. But a totally different kind of defender.
CAMPBELL at 27 has shown he can play under pressure in big games. WES BROWN and MATTHEW UPSON are young and have not shown that yet.
IRWIN is one of the greats, while VAN BRONCKHORST is no left back.
Yesterday’s news that ASHLEY COLE will not play is a shocker.Are Mallorca smart enough to attack Arsenal’s weakest position?
BECKHAM is a very competitive technician but over-rated. LJUNGBERG has become an important goalscorer with his runs in from the right flank.
Beckham is better at passing and crossing, Ljungberg better at dribbling and tackling.
VIEIRA is far superior to BUTT – or Keane.
VERON is the best playmaker in the Champions League now, better than Totti,Zidane or Figo. And better than honest RAY PARLOUR.
PIRES is more productive than Giggs, although Giggs has played very well recently.
On Saturday’s form BERGKAMP is far better than SCHOLES, and I really hope he keeps his place tonight.
Yes, Wiltord adds tempo, which is important when the team wants to play the high-tempo first half that Arsenal played against Panathinaikos.
But DB10 was quality against Blackburn. I was watching him through binoculars during the warm-up and he looked very serious and focused and up for it. And his fine, creative performance confirmed that impression.
RUUD VAN NISTELROY is far better than THIERRY HENRY.
He’s braver, works harder, closes down more, heads the ball, plays inventively and forcefully with his back to goal in the box.
As Fergie said last night,”Ruud is a real centre forward.”
If Henry scores again tonight, and Arsenal qualify, we can resume that comparison another time.
As Arsene says, he’s only been playing this position for two years. Thierry is scoring and doing OK.
Matchday 5 – often a glorious night. Often a tense night. Sometimes a very disappointing night.
We shall soon see.
24th October 2001.