By Myles Palmer
___________________________________
MAN UNITED could only draw 0-0 at Palace.
So Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Portsmouth puts them only 2 points behind United
If Arsenal win all their remaining games and Chelsea go to Old Trafford and beat United, Arsenal will be second.
Is that too many ifs?
Saturday saw a dull, scrappy game against a feeble Portsmouth side.
Highlight was the second goal of Henry’s hat-trick.
Flamini intercepted and Vieira played a perfect through ball and Thierry delayed his shot until the keeper went down and then clipped the ball over him.
The thing that stuck out, for me, was how much Flamini missed Bergkamp.
They all miss Dennis, obviously, but Flamini is new to the team and not such a good passer as Fabregas, so he needs a classy player in those half-striker positions, wanting his passes all the time.
CYGAN pulled a thigh muscle and may be out of Wednesday night.
Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay also pulled a thigh muscle in the 87th minute and is out.
Bayern beat Werder Bremen 1-0.
The goal was a header by Michael Ballack in the 7th minute.
So it’s Vieira versus Ballack on Wednesday night.
Some big stars have been intimidated by Vieira.
Veron never went near PV4 when Arsenal beat Lazio 2-0 in September 2000.
That game is memorable for the 4-3-3 formation which Arsene employed, using Bergkamp floating from the right.
Dennis created both goals for Freddie that night.
The first didn’t come till the 43rd minute.
As you know, 2-0 is the score Arsenal need to qualify.
Bayern lead 3-1 from the first leg. Can you see Arsenal winning 2-0 or 4-1?
Can you imagine them winning 3-1 and then winning a penalty shoot-out?
MARCH is the most interesting month of the football season and this week is the most interesting week of March.
I’ve been waiting for this week’s second legs.
We have 16 clubs who want to be top 8 in Europe.
And 12 of them think they ARE top 8.
Some think they are top 4 !
So several heavyweight clubs will get a reality check when they wake up on Thursday morning and find that they are not top 4 – or even top 8.
Further thoughts on second legs soon.
WE WERE in Oxford today and Jan asked if I wanted to go to the Ashmolean.
She took me to see the mummified cats.
Rather negligent not to have taken me to this amazing place before now.
Egyptian sculptures, amulets, statuettes, rooms and rooms and more rooms packed with antiquities that stimulate the imagination.
Saw gloves made for Elizabeth 1, spurs belonging to Charles 1, and some ancient but dangerous weapons.
Also, Guy Fawkes’s lantern, from when he was arrested in the cellar of the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
Oliver Cromwell’s watch has been temporarily removed.
Damn !
I would have loved to see Cromwell’s watch. Maybe next time.
March 6th 2005.