You know that feeling, when it seems that everything is going perfectly and exactly according to plan, that you can never put a foot wrong, and that no matter the odds you are going to pull through? There was that eerie feeling written all over the game last night once Prince’ sumptuous volley went in; and you could feel it permeating the entire San Siro, whipping the Curva Sud into an unremitting frenzy!!
It was painfully obvious, a tad too much at times, that Arsenal were there for the taking; not enough commitment and passion, too many misplaced passes, even in defence. Playing the game at a nonchalant stroll, as if the oft repeated tale, comprehensively drummed into their heads by the unrelenting British media, was a fact of life they could just expect to materialise!
Milan had lost their three previous home ties against English opposition at exactly this same stage of the competition, a cast which includes Arsenal themselves in 2008. Thus all they had to do was turn up, run a few hoops around the hopeless Italians and saunter away back to England with a comfortable win in their pockets.
Thus were they criminally underprepared for what they eventually met; a side hell bent on getting something out of the game, to banish the painful memories of years past. Milan are defending Serie A Champions, currently top of said league, and have been a damn sight better for much of the current season than Arsenal have been. Yet the world somehow contrived a way to paint us as underdogs; and you never notice when one of those bite you in the rear-end!
Arsenal certainly did not!. Before they realized they were in a football game, Robinho had made it 3-0 and the game was effectively over. The legendary Thierry Henry; of whom the commentator somehow managed to squeeze in that he scored a hattrick the last time Arsenal won at San Siro(considering that was a game the Gunners won 2-0, how that is even remotely possible is beyond me..), witnessed firsthand what a sorry sight his once Invincible side has become. The old man got in a few flicks and tricks, including a sweet, almost nonchalant lob to van Persie who almost scored from the volley, stinging Abbiati’s palms. Other than that, the last game for Henry before he returns to the allure of Major League Soccer, at a stadium he once decimated; would be remembered as the site of one of his worst nightmares.
Moving forward, this is a result the team would have to build on. The recent dip in form blinded everyone to the real quality of this team- notwithstanding the fact we were missing an entire team and then some, out injured- including the usually well reasoned Italian editor for goal.com, Kris Voakes, who somewhat surprisingly predicted a 3-1 victory for Arsenal. As I mentioned somewhere, it was either a very bold or a very stupid prediction; and I’m glad fans can now make up their minds which it was.
After the win in Udine over the weekend, I thought about writing a piece on how that could be the turning point for our season. Somehow I never got down to it, but this result more than that one, could prove to be that crossroads. With the injury crisis easing, the team gradually regaining their form, and Juventus threatening to embark on the most meaningless unbeaten run in history with all those draws; thing suddenly do not look too bad for us. As I mentioned somewhere else, standing by your team through a crisis is what makes you a true fan, and raising hell and calling for the manager’s head when things start getting a little pear-shaped is not going to help anyone, least of all the team.
In case you were wondering, there’s no point to this piece. I’m just a smug little Milanista, voicing out his thoughts ex-tempore the day after a great victory: you’d be much better off not searching for one.
moonbyte
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