By Myles Palmer
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I fancy AC Milan.
But I love Rafa Benitez, who is an A-list tactician.
The main thing you need to know about Milan is this : they score goals from 6 yards and 26 yards.
They have poachers in Crespo, Tomasson, Inzaghi.
Plus, Shevchenko can head them in from 6 yards and smack them in from 26.
Seedorf, Kaka and Shev can fire thunderbolts.
MILAN MIX IT UP.
They play with variety. They give you pretty passing, 50-yard balls, right wing crosses, some left wing crosses, some dribbling in the middle third, but not risky dribbling.
When I think of Milan I think of world class players working their socks off.
Why tip Milan?
1. It’s not two legs
2. Dida is better than Dudek.
3. Gattuso is a great workhorse.
4. Kaka can unlock any defence.
5. The back four may be as old as Stonehenge but if the electric Obafemi Martins (Inter) cannot crack them then Cisse sure can’t.
6. Shevchenko is better than Rush, Dalglish, Trevor Francis, Keegan, Muller.
Key question : If you finish 37 points behind Chelsea, can you bring the Champions Cup home 10 days later?
If Liverpool win, I will be delighted.
They will need twice as much luck as Arsenal had in Cardiff.
If Liverpool win I won’t eat my hat.
But I will casserole it with rice and apricots and feed it to the birds.
If Liverpool win the fans who flew out from John Lennon Airport will be flying back to the Rafa Benitez Airport.
Are Milan vulnerable?
Of course, all teams are vulnerable.
Luis Garcia can ghost into scoring positions.
Riise or Hyypia might score.
Stevie G has a huge engine.
Two newspapers say Kewell will start.
Obviously, a tactician like Hiddink or Benitez sees every big game as different and plans accordingly.
As I understand it, Kewell came from Leeds on big wages and was never really accepted by the dressing room.
I just don’t see him becoming the hero of Istanbul.
Cafu and Nesta play against better forwards than Kewell every Sunday.
ARSENE HAS SAID that Liverpool can win it because Milan have just lost their title and looked dodgy against PSV.
I hope he is right. But he told us that Chelsea would “definitely” be in the final.
Let’s hope it’s a great game and not a bore-draw or a 1-0.
Many of these finals are 1-0.
May 25th 2005