In truth, Milan looks like a shadow of the team that won the trophy in 2003 and 2007 and went to the final in 2005. The stars of those teams are either gone (Kaka, Paolo Maldini, Hernan Crespo, Andrei Shevchenko) or have had age catch with them dramatically (Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Filipo Inzaghi, and Gennaro Gattuso). The newer cogs brought to the team haven't really worked out all that well. Ronaldinho is just never again going to be the player he was four or five years ago, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar looks as if his failure in Madrid has entirely sapped his confidence, and the jury is still out on Alexandre Pato becoming the next Kaka.
I remember watching Milan completely outclass Manchester United the last two times they met in the knockout stages of the Champions League. In 2005 , Pirlo and Gattuso put on a midfield masterclass and Kaka was too fast and too good for United defense in 2007. The roles were reversed this time around. Not only did United play sharper and quicker football than Milan but they also outran and outfought them (Milan not learning to mark Wayne Rooney tighter on crosses didn't help either).
On the other hand, for the first half hour of their game against Lyon, Madrid looked like the team worth every penny of the millions Florentino Perez shelled out this summer to create. After Cristiano Ronaldo scored with six minutes gone, with all the momentum in their favor, it seemed only a matter of time before a second Madrid goal went in. But it never came. A combination of poor finishing (striker Higuain was the biggest culprit), great saves by Hugo Lloris in the Lyon goal, and a lack of cutting edge in the final third stopped them from adding to their lead before the break.
By playing rugged defense (centerback Cris in particular was outstanding) and running down and pressuring Madrid players on every single pass, Lyon slowly crept back into the game. As the second half wore on, they started carving out chances of their own. On 75 minutes, calamity struck for Madrid when Miralim Pjanic fired home a sweet volley after an interchange with Lisandro Lopez. It was the crucial away goal they needed and was ultimately enough to send Lyon through.
After a summer of record-breaking spending, a sixth straight year of elimination in the first knockout round of the competition will not be acceptable in Madrid (and those words aren't even strong enough). The deafening silence around the Bernabeu after Lyon had scored spoke volumes as to just how shellshocked the Madrid fans were. They envisioned another era of Galacticos when they signed Ronaldo, Kaka and co., and although they still sit pretty atop the Spanish League Table, this team was forged with the specific purpose of returning Madrid of its heyday of European success. Believe me when I say Manuel Pellegrini better at least lead Real to glory in 'La Liga' if he wants to have any chance of keeping his job next year. Especially now Jorge Valdano has given him the dreaded "vote of confidence".
-Wayne Rooney's sparkling form continues. There have been few teams in the Alex Ferguson era that have relied so much on one player as this team does on Wayne Rooney (Anyone who saw Man U squeak by Wolves last weekend will testify that without Rooney, this is an entirely different unit). But Rooney might just be playing well enough to carry United deep into this competition. He was too good for Milan again on Wednesday scoring two more goals, both very cool finishes. Now the question is, can he live up to Ferguson's challenge?
On the other hand, for the first half hour of their game against Lyon, Madrid looked like the team worth every penny of the millions Florentino Perez shelled out this summer to create. After Cristiano Ronaldo scored with six minutes gone, with all the momentum in their favor, it seemed only a matter of time before a second Madrid goal went in. But it never came. A combination of poor finishing (striker Higuain was the biggest culprit), great saves by Hugo Lloris in the Lyon goal, and a lack of cutting edge in the final third stopped them from adding to their lead before the break.
By playing rugged defense (centerback Cris in particular was outstanding) and running down and pressuring Madrid players on every single pass, Lyon slowly crept back into the game. As the second half wore on, they started carving out chances of their own. On 75 minutes, calamity struck for Madrid when Miralim Pjanic fired home a sweet volley after an interchange with Lisandro Lopez. It was the crucial away goal they needed and was ultimately enough to send Lyon through.
After a summer of record-breaking spending, a sixth straight year of elimination in the first knockout round of the competition will not be acceptable in Madrid (and those words aren't even strong enough). The deafening silence around the Bernabeu after Lyon had scored spoke volumes as to just how shellshocked the Madrid fans were. They envisioned another era of Galacticos when they signed Ronaldo, Kaka and co., and although they still sit pretty atop the Spanish League Table, this team was forged with the specific purpose of returning Madrid of its heyday of European success. Believe me when I say Manuel Pellegrini better at least lead Real to glory in 'La Liga' if he wants to have any chance of keeping his job next year. Especially now Jorge Valdano has given him the dreaded "vote of confidence".
-Wayne Rooney's sparkling form continues. There have been few teams in the Alex Ferguson era that have relied so much on one player as this team does on Wayne Rooney (Anyone who saw Man U squeak by Wolves last weekend will testify that without Rooney, this is an entirely different unit). But Rooney might just be playing well enough to carry United deep into this competition. He was too good for Milan again on Wednesday scoring two more goals, both very cool finishes. Now the question is, can he live up to Ferguson's challenge?
-A breakthrough game for Samir Nasri. The diminutive Frenchman has flashed glimpses of his talents and ability during his season and a half with Arsenal. But there have been very few occasions when he has shown that he can completely take over a game.
On Tuesday with Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal's midfield maestro, out injured, Nasri did just that. He played out of his skin and most of what Arsenal did ran through him; including a great, defense-splitting ball that led to the Nicklas Bendter's first goal.
And that was all before he scored one of the best individual goals I've seen all season. Expect Arsene Wenger to use him again in that role just behind the frontline where he looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.
-Goal of the Week: Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich: Pushed a long, long way by Samir Nasri's stunning jinxing run and finish. Nasri's effort was probably more technically difficult but there's nothing better than seeing a football struck as sweetly as Robben did. It also carried far more weight in the tie: it turned out to be the goal that sent Bayern through, whereas Nasri's came with Arsenal already well on their way to victory.
-Goat of the Week: Hans Jorg Butt and Daniel Van Buyten, Bayern Munich: Take your pick between these two men at the heart of Bayern's defense. Butt couldn't hold onto anything - one of his flaps led to the first Fiorentina goal- and Van Buyten was pushed off the ball as if he weighed 120 pounds rather than the 215 he does on Fiorentina's third.
-Goal of the Week: Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich: Pushed a long, long way by Samir Nasri's stunning jinxing run and finish. Nasri's effort was probably more technically difficult but there's nothing better than seeing a football struck as sweetly as Robben did. It also carried far more weight in the tie: it turned out to be the goal that sent Bayern through, whereas Nasri's came with Arsenal already well on their way to victory.
-Goat of the Week: Hans Jorg Butt and Daniel Van Buyten, Bayern Munich: Take your pick between these two men at the heart of Bayern's defense. Butt couldn't hold onto anything - one of his flaps led to the first Fiorentina goal- and Van Buyten was pushed off the ball as if he weighed 120 pounds rather than the 215 he does on Fiorentina's third.
What do you think about Donovan staying at Goodson or going back to MLS? There are rumors Chealsea are interested in the man next summer. I completely agree with your Madrid and United analysis. And Milan need to get a whole lot younger to have a chance to make it out of the group next year.
ReplyDeleteWell, as you probably seen by now, Donovan is returning to LA Galaxy. I have to say, Landon was in a very weird position especially after he called out David Beckham for wanting to do the exact same thing at Milan last MLS offseason.
ReplyDeleteI think that deep down Donovan desperately wanted to stay at Goodison (let's not forget there might not even be an MLS season). He's tried (and failed) to make it in Europe numerous times before, but despite his obvious talent, this is the first time he's had any semblance of success on the other side of the ocean. And let's be honest, that's where all the best soccer players want and need to be.
Everton say they want him back next year, but if Landon has a good World Cup, some bigger teams might well be chasing him. Can't see him playing anywhere else than the Premier League though. The pace and style suit him, and he says he loved the atmosphere and passion of the English game.