By Myles Palmer
Valencia is a fabulous draw !
Because Valencia are similar to Arsenal.
Both teams play technical power football, attacking with pace.
Hector Cuper v Arsene Wenger.
Always thought Wenger’s dynamic style owed something to Menotti as well as Sacchi and Capello, so it is very interesting to find him now matching wits with a fine Argentinian coach.
The winners will play Leeds or Deportivo La Coruna in the
semi-final.
The other three quarter-finals are :
MAN UTD v BAYERN MUNICH
LEEDS v DEPORTIVO
GALATASARAY v REAL MADRID
So a new season is starting for Arsenal.
The real European Cup starts here.
Forget boring mini-leagues.
Forget the arithmetic of losing but qualifying by someone else’s efforts somewhere else on the same night.
These two games against Valencia could be two cut-and-thrust cup ties with end to end football.
It is a new season !
The FA Cup destruction of Spurs starts here, and the cementing of second place in the Premiership starts here.
Liverpool were funny last night, weren’t they? An odd team. A defensive team who only generate attacking momentum when they are 2-0 up.
Second place will be hard now that Liverpool are flying.Owen is scoring goals again. He was better last night against Porto than he was in Rome when he scored both goals.
LIVERPOOL v BARCELONA in the UEFA semi-final.
All to play for now,Arsenal.
But will we see the return of the real Arsenal at Aston Villa on Sunday?
16th March 2001.