So it’s Arsenal v Chelsea in Cardiff on the 25th.
Both finalists drew their semi-final first legs away, then won at home
Rosicky came on as a sub and made the first goal and scored the third, although that was an own-goal, his shot going in off the post and Chimbonda
The first half was tepid, as you might expect from teams who lacked a cutting edge in the absence of Henry, van Persie and Berbatov. It looked as if it might be a one-goal game.
Denilson was cool, tough and constructive in the Fabregas role, hitting accurate free-kicks with whip and bend, always into dangerous areas, while Gilberto was steady for two hours and Diaby battled very well. The team played well apart from Walcott, who looked like a lost schoolboy.
Having said all that, game only livened up when Arsenal’s subs came off the bench
When Rosicky came on for Walcott in 63, Denilson moved to wide right, and the Czech was in the middle, where he is at his best. He was dire against Bolton, playing from the left wing, but excellent here. He has a quick eye and can hit a two-yard pass or a 25-yard shot.
Rosicky’s class changed the game instantly and Zokora was soon booked for a tackle from behind on him.
Clichy, on for the injured Traore, was superb.
Then Rosicky hit a shot so hard that the rebound off keeper Robinson flew three yards beyond the D. That strike rocked Spurs and lifted the crowd. Within seconds, Adebayor hopped smartly away from Dawson, like an NBA star making room for a jump-shot, then strolled onto Rosicky’s little pass and stuck it low past Robinson.
Adebayor expends colossal energy and somehow, in the middle of all his frenzied clumsiness, finds moments of composure. He doesn’t look like scoring and then he scores.
That first goal, in 77 minutes, punished a Spurs side that was too inhibited and too scared to go for it. With Aaron Lennon missing through illness they had lost their main weapon.
Jol brought on big striker Mido, who headed in a Jenas free-kick within eight minutes. Almunia had looked OK for 85 but here he came and stopped and left himself in no-man’s land as Mido’s header went through him. Mido then bamboozled Senderos but shot just past the post.
(Amazingly, the TV commentator was talking about Mido being sold during the game, as the transfer window was still open for another two hours. Would he step off the field and be told, “Well done, lad. You’re playing for Panathinaikos on Saturday.”
Martin Jol took Antony Gardner off after a yellow card and then his new boy Rocha produced a Ramon Vega moment, heading a shin-high ball to Aliadiere, who scored with a sensational shot from 14 yards.
SPURS now have to win the Uefa Cup or face oblivion. They’ve spent hundreds of millions on average footballers : Murphy, Malbranque and dozens of other mid-table players
Dimitar Berbatov, it’s up to you now. You’re the deadliest striker in the Uefa Cup because you’re suited to the Uefa Cup. You’re not a Champions League striker. This is your level, so make the most of it because Levy and Jol would like to keep their jobs.
LIVERPOOL have spent two years looking for an investor, found Sheikh Maktoum, made a deal, then lost it when Canadian George Gillett offered a different deal.
Can Liverpool lose three times to Arsenal and still finish above them in the table?
CHELSEA is a dysfunctional organisation with too many chiefs, and recent injuries make their immediate future somewhat precarious. Where would they be if they lost Drogba or Essien ?
Still, the way Drogba took that first goal in their 3-0 demolition of Blackburn was impressive. After six minutes, aiming his low left- foot shot across Brad Friedel, he looked the most effective centre forward in football today.
Drogba has 23 goals this season and it’s only February 2.
WAYNE ROONEY is gradually moving himself into a position to affect where trophies will be handed out. He might now give Manchester United eight weeks of hot form.
Sir Alex wants 11 wins from their 13 remaining league games and Rooney really wants to be a champion. If United win those 11 games, Wayne doesn’t care who scores. When they hand him his Premiership winners medal, he won’t say, “Thanks, I’m sorry I only got 11 goals.”
GENERALLY speaking, a football team is as fragile as a house of cards. A stiff breeze can blow it down or send it into a tailspin, a nasty, scary downward spiral.
WEST HAM started to collapse as soon as Kia Joorabchian, Tevez and Mascherano arrived, precipitating Alan Pardew’s sacking, Terry Brown’s sale of his shares, and set the pace in the race for relegation.
New boss Alan Curbishley has spent £18 million this month but his days are numbered. New boys Boa Morte and Upson will have to play like Pele and Bobby Moore to keep them up.
SKY SPORTS NEWS has asked viewers to choose between six players as the best deal in the January transfer window : Henrik Larsson to Man United, Montella to Fulham, Boa Morte and Upson to West Ham, Ashley Young to Aston Villa, and Lauren to Portsmouth.
Three of those players are Arsenal rejects.
THE JANUARY WINDOW was a yawn, as we knew it would be. No major talents move in January, but Henrik Larsson is a little genius and will make a big difference to Man United in the Champions League.
ARSENAL made money from the sale of Seb Larsson to Birmingham for £1m, Anthony Stokes to Sunderland for £2m, and Matthew Upson, who had a sell-on clause. West Ham signed him for an initial £6 million, with a bit more later if he is successful. The clause said that if Upson was sold by Birmingham for over £2.5 million, Arsenal would collect 25% of the amount above that figure. Which is a quarter of £3.5 million.
So AFC has raked in almost £4 million from three deals
Matthew Upson was bought from Luton, so he was not an academy graduate, but in the last ten years Arsene Wenger has sold many youngsters for over £40 million.
That profit keeps his academy open and pays the wages of his worldwide network of 26 scouts.
Most agents believe that if Arsene Wenger sends player on loan it means he won’t make it at Arsenal. Only Ashley Cole has disproved that rule. And Justin Hoyte.
Niklas Bendtner? An exciting, ambitious striker.
Let’s wait and see what happens there.