By Myles Palmer
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The Champions League is jogging along nicely.
And after Xmas, we will see the European Cup.
That could be exciting.That might give us some really good games.
Thierry Henry came on as a sub for Reyes in Prague and asked for longer balls from Toure.
Henry took the first long ball on his chest and his volley was deflected over, spectacularly, an explosive effort which seemed to contain 38 days of impatience, waiting, frustration.
Then Kolo launched a 50-yard lofted pass and Henry produced an outrageous touch and an outrageous finish.
Dropped by Renault, TH14 showed he still has plenty of Va-Va-Voom.
He stunned the long ball on his heel and then turned and bent in a killer shot with the outside of his right foot.
Astonishing stuff.
Even the Mrs was impressed. “That was unreal,” said Jan. “That was amazing.”
Arsenal lacked a dynamic ball-winner who could intercept, give it early, and increase the tempo, but when you are 1-0 up, who cares?
Henry found Fabregas with an astute pass but the kid could not find a scoring shot.
Pires was transformed, swapping passes with his mate, reading him, as you do when you know a pal that well .
On halfway line, Pires curled a superb ball forward towards the box and Henry cruised onto it smoothly and perfectly, took a second touch, made it 2-0. Masterful.
Jose Reyes will miss the Man City game, but his rib is only bruised, not broken.
WATCHED CITY beat West Ham 2-0 last Sunday.
They worked their socks off, pressurised the Hammers, kept a good shape, displayed good habits.
Everything City tried to do was simple, positive, textbook, classical.
It didn’t always work, the execution wasn’t always there, they lacked technique and experience, but everything they tried to do was what they should have been doing and that impressed me a lot.
Stuart Pearce has already made City better than the sum of their parts and Andy Cole/Darius Vassell is an instant partnership.
Cole is 34 now his first goal last week was a peach of a shot into the top corner from the left side o the box.
About 20 years ago I saw Andy Cole play for Arsenal against Sampdoria in the Makita tournament.
He was a swift, elastic predator then, but I never thought he would have such a phenomenal career.
Stuart Pearce will be one of our better managers.
He is not a fool, not a bluffer, not a stadium-coat cowboy.
Clearly, Man City are a lot better than Sparta Prague or West Brom.
TUESDAY’S MATCHDAY 3 was a night of doubt and caution, a night of fear and self-loathing, with only 12 goals in 8 games.
Man United were shabby in a 0-0 against Lille and Cristiano Ronaldo has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
LAST NIGHT I was betting that Wednesday’s Matchday 3 would produce more goals and that worked out, apart from AC Milan, who let me down with a 0-0 at home to PSV Eindhoven.
There were 21 goals in 8 games, including a 3-3 draw between Fenerbahce and Schalke.
DAVID BECKHAM had a goal and two assists as Real Madrid came back from 1-0 down to thump Rosenborg 4-1.
Madrid’s best goal was their second. Twinkletoes Robinho wriggled down the right and played in Raul for a slick finish at the near post.
Jonathan Woodgate had headed the equaliser from Beckham’s devastating cross, a delirious moment for him.
After Woody’s own goals recently, Robert Carlos had quipped, “We might have to man-mark him !”
Anderlecht 0 Liverpool 1 was a typical Rafa Benitez result.
He switches his team around. He tinkers, but he accumulates results. Rafa doesn’t lose many in the Champions League.
CHELSEA stuffed Real Betis 4-0.
“The players realised that goals will arrive naturally when we lead two zero,” said Mourinho.
If the European Cup Final was played next Wednesday, Chelsea would beat Real Madrid 4-1.
They’d beat AC Milan 3-0.
Lyon might take them to extra time.
At the moment, only Bayern Munich could beat Chelsea.
In April, May, who knows?
Juventus will not get to the final with Abiatti in goal. When will Buffon recover from that shoulder injury?
October 20th 2005.