By Myles Palmer
I’m beginning to fancy Arsenal in Rome.
Looking at the six games in Phase two, I’m thinking : 4-4-3.
Take four points from Roma and Valencia in the two pre-Xmas games, four from two games against Ajax in February, and then beat Roma at Highbury on March 11th.
Four + four + three = eleven = qualification.
So Arsenal would not need anything in Valencia, the sixth game.
TOTTI is 40% of the Roma team.
Totti takes the free-kicks, the penalties, he’s captain, he is a Rome boy, he’s the main goalscorer,the leader they look to in their big games.
If Totti is not fit, Arsenal should go for a smash-and-grab raid, a couple of early thrusts.
Ashley or Thierry flies down the wing, low cross, somebody runs into the box and knocks it past Antonioli. Could be Gilberto,Vieira,anybody.
The Rome crowd are volatile, having attacked their own players after three consecutive defeats in September.
I’ve long believed that the main component of the Latin mentality is pride.
And if their pride is hurt the Italians or Spanish or Argentinians can lose it, big time.
If Arsenal score early the crowd might start to give their own team a hard time. If that happens it could be another three points for ambitious Arsene.
Sol Campbell has seen off Batistuta in the past and should do so again.
We all remember Batitusta’s wondergoal at Wembley for Fiorentina. And his vicious early foul that almost broke Lee Dixon’s ankle.
I really miss James Richardson and Gazzetta Football Italia on C4 on Saturday mornings.
So I’m struggling to remember Roma’s style and line-up from six or eight months ago.
Tomassi and Emerson were usually combative in midfield.
Tomassi is fast and box to box and brave and pretty skilful, a current international but not anythiung special at Champions League level.
Emerson is a rugged craftsman who may be past his best.
He is prone to a strategic foul or three, and able to come storming out of nowhere to head in crosses, as Simeone does, as Luigi Di Biagio does.
I love midfielders who can score thoseBryan Robson-type goals.
Still, Gilberto will be aware of that. And Gilberto is bigger,younger, faster.
But Gilberto might be a little in awe of the man he replaced in the Brazil side. We shall see.
If Arsenal are to win this game they will need big games by Sol,Patrick and the Brazilian. Those three players will be crucial tomorrow night.
Sol will want to sign off with a performance before his suspension.
My Spurs-supporting pal and erstwhile co-author Mark Jacob told me today that if Arsenal had met Southampton on Sunday,not Saturday, Sol would have played against Man United and missed Spurs, which would have been convenient for everybody.
As I say, the more I think about Rome, the less I fancy Roma.
Because Roma are unstable and Arsenal are stable.If stability counts for as much as we think it does, Arsenal will prove they are the better side.
Italians clubs are making a big impact again. But Roma are no tone of the big three.
AC Milan will beat Real Madrid, I think, even without the injured Nesta.
Rui Costa will be back and Serginho, alightning flash on the left, should keep his place after his matchwinner against Inter.
RIVALDO knows better than most how to play against Madrid,so he may start as well.
Italy needs to say: We’re back!
And AC Milan thumping Real Madrid will have the sports editors punching up the 174-point EXTRA BOLD CAPITALS for the front page.
I fancy Basle to score goals against Man United tonight.
Whether a weakened United team can get a 2-2 draw remains to be seen.
Veron is expected to start. He is a great player but not a Manchester United player. Veron will forever tarnish Fergie’s legend.
The most interesting game of the week is Deportivo La Coruna versus Juventus.
Arsenal hammered Juventus 3-1 last season but twice lost 2-0 to Deportivo, who now have Luque from Mallorca as well as Makaay and Tristan. Three fine strikers.
Playmaker Valeron, who took Arsenal apart, could be back soon. Would rather watch the La Coruna game than the Basle game but I can’t.
On Wednesday I’m backing Crespo and Vieri to demolish Newcastle.
Both are better strikers than Van Nistelroy, who got a hat-trick against Newcastle on Saturday.
Not to mention Recoba, who has uncanny skills and a left foot shot as hard as Roberto Carlos.
Matterazzi won’t be too big and tough for Shearer (nobody is!) but Cannavaro will be far too quick and agile for Shearer.
I love Bobby Robson but I’m suprrised Newcastle have got this far.
When the Champions League started, and they had Bramble and Dabizas at the back, I feared for them. But Bramble only played one game and they were heroic against Juventus and when they won 3-2 in Rotterdam
Can Cuper’s Inter can be better than Cuper’s Valencia? Maybe,but not this season. He needs another year.
Will he get it?President Moratti demands instant success and two years is a long time for an Inter coach.
Since I got broadband I’m listening to US radio as I’m writing and all this groove-soul-funk-jazz is making me more benign.
It’s at least four days since I slagged anybody off.
26th November 2002