By Myles Palmer
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MAXI LOPEZ scored a Shevchenko goal against Chelsea last night.
Barcelona are 1-0 down against 10 men, a fabulous short-passing move, typical Barca : Xavi across to Ronaldinho, into the box to Eto’o, short to blond sub Maxi, explodes beyond Gallas and blasts a shot across Cech for 1-1.
What a goal !
A sudden shuffle to the right in a crowded box and BANG !!!
The kid arrived from River Plate in January to replace the retiring Overmars.
OK, one goal doesn’t make him a great striker.
BUT ARSENAL, a team of wingers, need a Maxi.
If Arsene could afford a Brazilian striker, or an Argentinian striker, he would sign one.
He needs a Nilmar, a Ricardo Oliveira, a Maxi.
Without a Maxi-type Brazilian, and without an organised back five, Arsenal will never win the Champions League.
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Matchday 7 : Bayern Munich 3 Arsenal 1
This moment has been coming for a while.
On November 4th, 2004 I wrote : SO MATCHDAY 4 produced some really exciting football and some fine results for English clubs.
It would be lovely if Arsenal could be a part of it.
They looked tired, jittery, as if Old Trafford is still in their minds and bodies.
They want it too much, so they play anxiously.
The team that went 49 games unbeaten in the Premiership has now drawn twice with Panathinaikos and lost a lead in three of their four games.
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That was November and this is February.
A team that could only draw twice with Panathinaikos was never gonna win the Champions League.
All discerning Gooners knew that.
But at that time, four months ago, I still reckoned Arsenal could win back-to-back titles.
A New Year comes and eventually Matchday 7 arrives and it’s Bayern in Munich in the Round of 16.
It’s a big moment for a football junkie : Now for some exciting games between good teams !
This is the real football season just kicking off.
Everything till now has been pre-season, sorting the men from the boys, the contenders from the also-rans.
I have two bets on Bayern, one just before kick-off
A friend calls at 7pm when the teams are announced and I say, “I’ll be gobsmacked if Bayern don’t win this game.”
Bayern thrash Arsenal and fans are furious, despairing. They feel shocked, betrayed, gutted.
On the night, all Claudio Pizarro’s birthdays came at once.
Toure headed Kahn’s goal-clearance to him and he volleyed past Lehmann in 4 minutes.
Scholl came on as a sub and with his fIrst touch placed a free-kick on Pizarro’s head for 2-0, Toure at fault again.
Pizarro started the move for the third goal, passing into the box for Ze Roberto, who beat Cygan and crossed and Lehmann got a fingertip to the ball which dropped for Salihamidzic to steer in for 3-0.
Makaay then played a sublime pass through Toure’s legs to Frings, who shot into the sidenetting.
ITV flashed up a caption saying 4-0.
In 88, Reyes took a freekick, Frings misheaded the ball behind him, Vieira volleyed against the post and Toure made it 3-1.
Overall, Arsenals best players were Cygan and Clichy . Lehmann had no chance on any of the goals.
Bizarrely, Arsene took off Clichy, his best player, and put Cole on.
When it comes to tactics, substitutions, switches within a game, Arsene is out of his depth. If something isn’t working, he doesn’t react.
As I feared, Freddie was clueless as a striker and Thierry got no service, but Arsene did not switch the attack around.
Pires never plays well on the right and was dominated by Lizarazu.
Lauren was lucky not to get sent off for a two-footed jump into Lizarazu.
Arsene needs to own up now.
Attack is only half the game.
He needs a tactical No2 who can organise the back five and turn them into a unit.
And who can call helpful substitutions.
AC MILAN outclassed Man United but only won 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Surprised to see Milan’s skills making United look so pedestrian.
Roy Carroll spilled a Seedorf 20-yarder to give Crespo a tap-in.
Crespo played like a plank but got the goal.
That happens quite a lot in football and this was a real howler by Carroll, a gift-wrapped poacher’s goal that the keeper put on a plate for him.
Milan had far more technique and know-how than United, so it was very hard for Rooney., Giggs and Ronaldo to combine.
Ruud VN came on but managed only one header wide.
I WAS WRONG about Liverpool, who beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1.
The top 5 in the Bundesliga are Bayern, Schalke, Bremen, Leverkusen and Stuttgart.
Leverkusen are 4th and only six points behind Bayern, so theirs is a more closely-contested title race than ours.
Barcelona 2 Chelsea 1 ?
Looks as if Chelsea will qualify, along with Bayern and, perhaps, Juventus, who only lost 1-0 at Real Madrid.
Lyon are very good but I’m surprised they won 3-0 at Werder Bremen.
That is what I call a result !
Maybe Adriano IS off form. Inter drew 1-1 at Porto.
February 24th 2005