Thomas Dobby

Game in a Sentence

A valiant effort from Arsenal fell painfully short, as blood, sweat and even vomit could not keep
them from going out of the Champions League at the expense of a fortunate AC Milan.

Observations

• Few gave Arsenal any hope of making the tie a contest after getting battered 4-0 in Milan.  Fewer still gave
  them a chance of actually winning the tie. But a pulsating 1st half display nearly produced a classic night
  at The Emirates.
• The crowd at The Emirates was rocking at kickoff, and gave Arsenal them the early lift they needed. Both
  sides put out attacking lineups.  Obvious from Arsenal, somewhat surprising from Max Allegri and AC.
• Brendan Dunlop chose to go to the Valley to see Charlton-Colchester, passing up on this match. Fun!
• Arsenal desperately needed an early goal to feed the crowd, and they got just that on 6 minutes. Oxlade-
  Chamberlain’s corner  was headed in by an unmarked Laurent Koscielny. Nice start.
• On 10 minutes, the sizzling Robin Van Persie tested Christian Abbiati who saved with his legs.
• By the 15th minute mark there had been 3 bookings. Van Bommel for Milan, and both Arsenal
  wing-backs, Sagna and Gibbs. All 3 now had to be very careful not to be sent off.
• Abbiati was alert again on 19 minutes to deny a curling RVP effort from the top of the box. The warning
  signs that Arsenal were going to be a force continued.
• Arsenal needed another goal before half-time.  And they were gifted one on 26 minutes. The usually solid
  Thiago Silva played an awful clearance right in to the path of the reinvigorated Tomas Rosicky, who
  side-footed it in and nearly blew the lid of the usually subdued Emirates.
• 2-0 at halftime would give Arsenal a chance… but it got better.
• Djamel Mesbah, who looked out of his depth all night, blocked off the Ox as he broke in to the box. PEN.
• RVP stepped up. After a slight delay to get the ball back on the spot. He looked very nervous. I thought
  he might miss. He canned an unstoppable penalty top right. Ok then. 3-0. Incredible.
• Stephan El-Shaarawy  missed a great chance to possibly put the tie away just before the half. He shot
  wide though, ensuring the HT team talks would be incredibly interesting.
• HT thoughts: AC were so loose in possession in the 1st half.
• Allegri’s team selection had to be questioned now.
• It almost seemed that Arsenal were favourites as the 2nd half kicked off, such had been their dominance.
• The reversal form the dominance AC displayed in the 1st leg was simply staggering.
• For all of Arsenal’s dominance, there was always the fact that 1 AC goal meant Arsenal
  would need 6 on the night.
• Arsenal continued on the front foot, looking to level the tie at 4.  In the 59th minute they wasted a glorious
  chance to do just that. Gervinho’s deflected shot was well saved by Abbiati’s legs, before Van Persie tried
  to chip him on the rebound. Tough to question RVP, but he should have blasted it home. Too cute.
• Minutes later Wojciech Szczesny almost killed the tie for AC, as he gave the ball away to Ibra, who fired
  wide. A let-off for Arsenal.
• AC finally got a foothold in the match, looking more composed as the half wore on.
• 77 minutes in, and another chance for AC to put it to bed. Antonio Nocerino shot straight at  Szczesny
  when it would have been easier to score from 3 yards out. You sensed it would bite them in the AC.
• What-ifs flooded my brain. What if RVP wasn’t denied by a brilliant save in the 1st leg. What if Ibra didn’t
  tack on a late penalty in that same match. Arsenal still had a chance though.
• Chamakh and Park Chu-Young were brought on as Arsenal searched for a hero to take it to Extra-time.
• It wasn’t to be though. They couldn’t muster a clear-cut chance, as the match fizzled to a finish.
• Arsenal’s desire can not be questioned. I’d call it a moral victory, but I hate that term. Damn it.
• Almost worse for Arsenal fans, as it must have seemed it was going to be their night. Alas a
  prospective famous night ended up as simply a fantastic match, with AC progressing as anticipated.
  Just.

Three Stars

1.  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
2. Tomas Rosicky
3. Theo Walcott

Match stats here.

Game in a sentence

Never a dull moment, as an instant classic saw Ashley Young rescue a point for Man United after they choked away a 2-goal lead against the Swiss champions.

Observations

• Basel started brightly, not looking intimidated in the early going. How telling that would be as they looked confident throughout the night, and almost produced one of the biggest Champs League shocks in recent memory.
• United’s injury list was long, with Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez missing up front.
  Danny Welbeck was picked, with Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen left on the bench. It looked like a strike of genius by Sir Alex with Welbeck netting a brace within 17 minutes.
• United’s build-up was sublime on both of Welbeck’s goals. Antonio Valencia and Fabio were key before Ryan Giggs’ deft touch set up the goal.
• Before the Old Trafford faithful had finished applauding, Welbeck pounced for his 2nd in a minute.
  Giggs again with the set-up amongst a static defence. Game over was the general belief. Not by a long shot.
• The rest of the first half saw Basel squander a series of good chances, underlying a sign of things to come. Alexander Frei was guilty of 1 glaring miss, and on another night it could have been 3-3 by halftime. The goals were to come in the 2nd half.
• The 2nd half started much like the first ended. Basel fearlessly going forward, and creating good chances. The impressive Marco Streller was denied from point-blank by a David De Gea toe save.
  It looked like Basel just couldn’t buy one.
• Finally in the 58th minute the breakthrough came. Streller’s header from a corner was parried to Fabian Frei, whose half-volley cracked in off the post. It was coming, and the tension around the ground was palpable.
• Less than 2 minutes later and the nerves turned to stunned silence. A delightful ball by Granit Xheka released Fabian Frei down the right. A pinpoint cross was met by Alexander Frei (no relation), and sailed in. 2-2.
• Ferguson hauled Giggs off for Ji-Sung Park in the 61st, while Nani was introduced for the injured Fabio on 69 minutes.
• Man United now being thoroughly outplayed at home, by a Swiss side, was honestly a bit
  mind-blowing.
• The shocking turnaround continued in the 75th minute, with the previously impressive Antonio Valencia clattering in to Streller. It was debatable, but the protests were pretty muted from a stunned United. Phil Jones’ awful giveaway put them under the initial pressure. Alexander Frei would dispatch his 2nd, Basel’s 3rd, and the Swiss side, amazingly, led.
• Basel manager Thorsten Fink would pull off his best 3 attackers (and performers on the night), in F. Frei, A. Frei and Streller in the next 14 minutes. Meanwhile Fergie called on Berbatov in the 82nd minute, now looking to rescue a point.
• United had 2 mild penalty appeals of their own leading up to injury time, but both were waved away.
• Just before the clock hit 90:00, United were level. Nani’s gorgeous cross was met at the back post by an unmarked Ashley Young, who equalized on his Champions League debut.
• Welbeck headed inches wide a minute later as the crowd anticipated a United winner. After De Gea flapped at a bouncing ball from 60 yards away, Berbatov hit the side netting with the last chance of the match.The referee whistled, everyone caught their breath, and both teams walked away with a point.
• United now sit in a bit of danger in a group that was supposed to be a cakewalk for them, with only
  2 points form 2 matches.
• Safe to say, if Nemanja Vidic was healthy and in the team it would have been very different.
  Rio Ferdinand looked a shadow of his former self, while Phil Jones exuded no confidence in the heart of defence. Yes they’re entertaining, but United had better sort out the defensive issues quickly.

Three Stars

1. Alexander Frei

2. Fabian Frei

3. Danny Welbeck

Click here for your match stats.

Thomas Dobby

An incredible start foreshadowed what would be an incredible match, highlighted by one of the worst defensive performances you will ever see, by the defending Champions.

Observations

• A truly amazing and memorable night at the San Siro came to life inside the first 30 seconds, as Dejan Stankovic scored on a cracking volley from close to the halfway line. Manuel Neuer had come out to challenge Diego Milito at the top of the area, the ball coming out to Stankovic, who’s strike was a thing of absolute beauty. It was the 5th fastest goal in Champions League history.
• Inter have scored 3 of the past 4 CL goals that have come inside the first minute.
• Stankovic was heavily involved in the early action, clattering in to Alexander Baumjohann in the 12th minute, earning a yellow card and injuring himself in the process. He’d go off in the 24th minute, but not before being involved again.
• In the 17th minute, Schalke, who responded well to going behind, earned a corner. Javier Zanetti, playing at left-back again, gave Jefferson Farfan too much space to cross. Maicon was forced to head behind for the corner leading to the equalizer.
• Stankovic, looking hobbled, failed to clear in his own 6-yard box, and Joel Matip pounced to equalize. The questions in the Inter back-line were a sign of things to come.
• Diego Milito, making his first start since January, looked lively but his timing was a bit off early as he was flagged for offside 3 times inside the opening half hour.
• Milito got his timing spot on to put Inter back ahead however, in the 34th minute. Wesley Sneijder’s beautiful chipped ball was headed on by Esteban Cambiasso straight in to the path of last year’s Champions League Final hero. Inter looked back on course. Not for long.
• Inter couldn’t get to halftime with the lead, as their back line was carved open in the 40th minute. Baumjohann’s ball played in Edu who’s initial shot was deflected by Christian Chivu, forcing Julio Cesar in to a great save. Edu, however, beat Andrea Ranocchia to the rebound and put it away. The suspended Lucio was sorely missing.
• Farfan was booked just before halftime, so he’ll miss the return leg. It seemed like a big loss at the time, but now is an afterthought.
• Inter had 2 great chances to open the 2nd half, with Milito shooting wide when in all alone, and Eto’o robbed byNeuer minutes later.
• Then, all hell broke loose for Inter. Chivu was booked in the 52nd minute, before the dazzling Farfan set up the agelsess Raul for the go-ahead goal in the 53rd. Again, the central defensive pairing of Chivu and Ranocchia were to blame, marking thin air.
• Things went from bad to worse for Inter only 4 minutes later, as Jose Jurado’s cross was neatly finished by Ranocchia in to his own goal. 4-2, Inter crumbling.
• And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the home side, Chivu was sent off for a 2nd straight match. It was a bit harsh as Edu made a meal of the challenge. But alas, down 2 goals, Inter were now down a man as well.
• It was only Inter’s 3rd red card of the season, all in the past 4 matches (the out of favour Ivan Cordoba with the other).
• In the 75th, the destruction was complete, as the sub Cordoba failed to clear (after Farfan burned Ranocchia and hit the post), and Edu curled in Schalke’s 5th. Edu matched his season goal total to date in 29 matches in this one with 2.
• Burning question: How are Schalke so bad domestically this season?
• On a scale from 1-10, Chivu and Ranocchia were both zeros.
• Inter now need to score 4 goals minimum to have a chance to progress. Staggering.
• A massive week for Inter will be looked back upon as one of their worst in recent history.

Three Stars

1. Jefferson Farfan
2. Edu
3. Raul

Game in a sentence

A microcosm of Roma’s season: undisciplined, full of mental lapses and frustration, as Shakhtar cruised in to their first ever Champions League quarter-final.
Observations

• It was always going to be a mountain for Roma to climb, needing to win by 2 clear goals, or score at least 3. They actually started really well, and showed signs that they would make it interesting. It didn’t last.
• The crowd were excellent, roaring Shakhtar on from the opening kickoff, knowing they already had a foot in the quarters. The goal was all they needed to have a relaxed evening, partying for 90 mins.
• Shakhtar have never lost at The Donbass Arena, since it opened in 2009. Their last home defeat overall was in October of 2008, and after the first goal, it was safe to say that first loss wouldn’t come tonight.
• The first goal, again, encapsulated the problems Roma have. Willian did good work on the left (as he did all night), before putting in a low cross that got the slightest of touches from Tomas Hubschman. Rodrigo Taddei and Marco Borriello just watched Hubschman glide in front of them, and then the finger pointing began. A good start to the match was undone, and it was all downhill from there.
• Doni’s black eye summed up the feeling that Roma had been sucker-punched.
• Needing 3 goals now, Roma continued to press forward, and should have had a penalty in the 25th minute.
• The otherwise superb Razvan Rat clumsily took down David Pizarro, but it was waved away by Howard Webb.
• Moments later, however, Roma did get a penalty, as Borriello was fouled by Henrik Mkhitaryan. After losing an argument to take the match-winning penalty against Lecce on Friday, Borriello did get the honours over Pizarro. Bad decision. It was a woeful penalty, at a comfortable height for Andriy Pyatov, who saved. That served to warm the crowd up a bit more in the –7 C weather.
• The nail in the coffin for Roma came in the 41st, when Philippe Mexes was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. It was harsh, as he pulled back Luiz Adriano on the halfway line. Nonetheless, he walked off with his (pony) tail between his legs.
• Roma could and should have been down to 9 men before the half, as Daniele De Rossi threw a vicious elbow at the brilliant Dario Srna off the ball. Webb missed it, however, and Srna was actually booked for his protestations.
• What kind of halftime team talk did Vincenzo Montella give? Down 4-2 overall, down to 10-men, and you’ve missed a penalty. Tough.
• It was pretty much training ground stuff in the 2nd half for the hosts. Willian curled in a gorgeous goal in the 58th minute to really seal it. A goal he deserved, and dispatched with elegance. Roma had given up at this point, there was no one within acres of him.
• Borriello could have been sent off as well, as he stomped on Srna well after the ball was gone. Frustrations were at a boiling point. Roma could have ended the match with 8 men.
• Eduardo added Shakhtar’s 3rd on the night after a slip from Aleandro Rosi. Fitting.
• Shakhtar really do attack and defend as a unit. Their wingbacks and wingers are great at getting in to the attack. But it’s tough to judge them against a Roma side with so many issues.
• Shakhtar will, in all likelihood, be underdogs in the quarter-finals, but this is a team that no one will want to face. Especially in Ukraine. It’s an intimidating ground, where they have a flawless record. Look out.

Click here for Match Stats

Three Stars

1. Willian

2. Darijo Srna

3. Andriy Pyatov