Today feels good already.
I’ve seen shock news and interesting news.
The shock news from Athens is that Avram Grant is keeping Lampard, Terry and Anelka for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday against Spurs.
He will go with Carvalho and Alex. So that solves my biggest query about Olympiacos v Chelsea. Would Grant use Essien-Ballack-Lampard in midfield ? If he did, Chelsea might blow it, I thought. But I figured he was gonna do that because Lampard now looks slim and sharp and scored twice in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Regarding the Liverpool game, and the Arsenal game, I want to see the strikers. I want to see how Fernando Torres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Adebayor perform.Their performances will be crucial in this first knockout round.
So I was delighted to read quotes from Fabio Capello and find that the £6 million coach and this old beatnik are thinking along similar lines !
Capello thinks Arsenal will beat AC Milan, which is what I’ve believed ever since the draw was made. Although I’ve had a few doubts since Saturday’s 4-0 spanking at Manchester United.
Some papers think that Liverpool are playing for Rafa’s job tonight. Don’t know about that but I’m sure that DIC will buy the club from Hicks and Gillett this year and maybe next month.
It’s good that the FA put Capello up for interview on this subject because I want to know his views. Capello’s summary of tonight’s Liverpool game is better than any journalist’s.
He says : “In Europe Liverpool play very much on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. They study their opponents in detail and we can expect a very tactical game at Anfield. Normally Liverpool are dangerous at home, they hardly give anything away, let alone concede a goal.
“But Inter are having a great season, they are one of the very best in Europe now. We are in for a high-speed match because Inter are masters of the sudden counter. Ibrahimovic is their point of reference, he can hold the ball up front while everybody pushes forward, with Cruz, Suazo and the rest.
“To see Ibrahimovic in action at Anfield and to watch Torres against the Inter defenders will be very interesting. Liverpool in Europe are always a tough proposition. They can play with a different level of concentration and determination from what they produce in the Premier League.”
A Swede in a team of Argentinians, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a monster, a temperamental giant genius, a striker of awesome abilities, and one we rarely see in England. When he is hot, he does things no other footballer can do.
Torres has a lovely repertoire of dribble-and-shoot moves. He can go left and score, he can go right and score, he can slice into small spaces in the box and slot it past the keeper’s legs or between them. The kid is a killer and as gifted as any striker in Serie A. And he has a tremendous temperament. A flair player, a team player, a very sane and sensible character. So I can’t wait to see what Torres can do against the Italian champions.
If Capello was still doing Italian TV, we would not know his views on these games. But since he’s working over here, it’s great to find out what he is thinking. I don’t use a lot of quotes on ANR unless I see something that is particularly interesting.
On the Arsenal game, Capello says this :
“Since the draw I’ve felt that Milan could not have got a worse proposition than Arsenal. I believe that at this time Arsenal are one of the very top teams in Europe. They combine great quality with great speed. They will be very different from the team beaten 4-0 at Old Trafford at the weekend.
“United prevented Fábregas from having any effect, a key factor for their dominance. But Adebayor, Flamini and Clichy will be back against Milan, for a very different Arsenal. We know that Milan can rise to the challenge in crucial matches but this is a very difficult moment to face Arsenal.
“Arsenal defend with 10 men and attack with six. They are a very organised side, full of talented players. If you leave them any space, they counter-attack with four to five players at such pace that the opposition cannot figure out what’s hitting them.
“Milan can count on their huge experience and, as I’ve said, they always give their best and more on such occasions. But to have a chance with Arsenal they’ll have to be in top physical condition. They will need their quality players in their best form and it is vital for the likes of Kaka and Seedorf to recover in time. They will need a strong midfield to face Arsenal and Pirlo is a must. If Pato recovers in time it will be a big bonus for them.
“Arsenal have Adebayor on extraordinary form but the whole team play great football. Milan will have to endeavour to score an away goal, which would give them a boost for the return leg at the San Siro.
“Both Arsenal and Milan play a very technical game, centred on possession and team organisation. As soon as Arsenal win the ball back they dash forward with great passing and deft touches. But Milan too can play great possession and it will be a massive match.”
So there you have it !
No Lamps and JT in Athens, watch Torres and Ibrahimovic, and Fabio Capello reckons Arsenal will beat his old team over two legs.
Yes, today already feels good. I’m up for it. I’ve been waiting all winter for this week and I’ve never been more up for it.