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mcgillianaireThree matches, three draws. What more could you have predicted for the fourth encounter between Liverpool and Arsenal this season? Another stalemate of course and after 68 minutes of absorbing football, it looked like we were heading for a fourth consecutive draw and a penalty shootout. But then cometh the hour, cometh the man, step up Fernando Torres. A moment of magic. Back to goal, the Spaniard turned with the ball and without even looking up to pick his spot, he swung the ball into the top right corner of the Kop, sending every Liverpudlian fan into a frenzy. We were now 3-2 up on aggregate and just 20 minutes away from yet another European Cup S/F.
But that's the beauty of football. Just when you think you've seen it all, something new and exciting takes place. What followed were 20 minutes of tension-filled suspense and absolute chaos. El Niño's rocket forced Arsenal Wenger into a panic and he sacrificed two defenders as he went hook, line and Theo Walcott for a match-winning equaliser. Liverpool responded by bringing on their own young winger, Dutchman Ryan Babel. It would be a massive understatement to say the two youngsters changed the game. They re-wrote the destinies of two of England's most famous football clubs. Two pairs of fresh legs twisted a game that had already lived up to its star-studded billing.
On 83 minutes, an hour since Arsenal had truly dominated the game, Theo Walcott produced the greatest run across a pitch since Maradona in '86 and Saeed Owairan in '94. The 19-year-old Englishman didn't score, but his inch perfect pass set-up Adebayor to easily slot in his 25th goal of the season. Arsenal had not only equalised but were seven minutes away from a place in the S/F on the away-goals rule. Surely we couldn't recover from this? That we did has already become the stuff of legend, but it wasn't without controversy.
Did Toure do enough to deserve a penalty? It didn't matter. The referee booked Kolo; and Steven Gerrard, the soul of the Liverpool team, stepped up to take the most pressure-soaked penalty of his decade-long career. That he scored with such ease and composure will also become the stuff of legend - and don't forget, it was in front of the Kop. Every Liverpudlian toddler grows up dreaming of playing in front of the Kop and scoring a match-winning goal on a night like this. Gerrard makes such dreams come true like nobody's business.
It wasn't over yet. Liverpool had four minutes of regular play, three minutes of injury time and consecutive waves of Arsenal assaults to withstand and secure a third European Cup S/F meeting with Chelsea in four years. The final score belied the real difference between the two teams. Once Liverpool secured a lead, Arsenal had no choice but to throw all hands on deck. Kuyt hacked the ball away in the dying seconds of the game and Babel did the rest. A tired Fab-who-regas just couldn't keep pace with Babel and the rest is history. Some Arsenal fans may cringe and cry conspiracy but the fact remains: in the last 12 games each club has played this season, we have won 9, drawn 2 and lost only 1 (to MUFC in the League). Arsenal on the other hand have won only 2, drawn 7 and lost 3, including a 4-nil thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in the FA Cup. Double-trophy credentials? You gotta be kidding me. After an awe-inspiring start to their season, Arsenal's title-aspirations have been completely derailed. The sooner they realize this and rectify the situation, the better.
So there we are. Yet another trophyless season for Arsene's babes, and yet another European Cup S/F for the Rafalución's Class of Benitez. Watching both legs in a bar filled to capacity (ie, 600 people) dominated by Red supporters is an experience I'll never forget. Mixed together with my first ever Liverpool match LIVE at the Emirates on the weekend caps it off as one of the greatest weeks in my life. It didn't matter who won at the end (well it did) but what was important was that two clubs illustrated why the English Premier League is on its way to European invincibility. The level of football on display was of the top drawer. Congratulations to Arsenal for putting up a performance worthy of a final. A fitting finale to three matches that left little to separate between the two teams. A fitting spectacle for the world to see just why football is the globe's most favourite sport. Chelski FC, here we come! YNWA!
-Arsenal began to lose the plot once Liverpool equalised. When Arsenal took the lead, the way they were playing scared the shit outta me. I was convinced we were in for a walloping and was most worried about falling two-goals behind. Could we have recovered?
-Sami Hyypiä's equaliser just went to show that there's still place for experienced campaigners in a game dominated by youthful exhuberence. At 34, there was no better way for the Finnish defender to celebrate his Liverpool contract extension.
-Interesting info: Both clubs play in the English Premier League. A total of four English players played in the match, three started the game. One Englishman scored while three provided crucial goal assists. The other five goal scorers were French (of Ivorian descent), Finnish, Spanish, Togolese and Dutch. A superb advertisement for the globalisation that permeates the world's most popular league.
-The Kop has a reputation for sucking the ball into the net. Last night was no exception - 3 of Liverpool's 4 goals were scored at that end.
-Arsene Wenger has to stop rebuilding and start winning some trophies. Three seasons, zero trophies. Even Spurs have won at least one!
But that's the beauty of football. Just when you think you've seen it all, something new and exciting takes place. What followed were 20 minutes of tension-filled suspense and absolute chaos. El Niño's rocket forced Arsenal Wenger into a panic and he sacrificed two defenders as he went hook, line and Theo Walcott for a match-winning equaliser. Liverpool responded by bringing on their own young winger, Dutchman Ryan Babel. It would be a massive understatement to say the two youngsters changed the game. They re-wrote the destinies of two of England's most famous football clubs. Two pairs of fresh legs twisted a game that had already lived up to its star-studded billing.
On 83 minutes, an hour since Arsenal had truly dominated the game, Theo Walcott produced the greatest run across a pitch since Maradona in '86 and Saeed Owairan in '94. The 19-year-old Englishman didn't score, but his inch perfect pass set-up Adebayor to easily slot in his 25th goal of the season. Arsenal had not only equalised but were seven minutes away from a place in the S/F on the away-goals rule. Surely we couldn't recover from this? That we did has already become the stuff of legend, but it wasn't without controversy.
Did Toure do enough to deserve a penalty? It didn't matter. The referee booked Kolo; and Steven Gerrard, the soul of the Liverpool team, stepped up to take the most pressure-soaked penalty of his decade-long career. That he scored with such ease and composure will also become the stuff of legend - and don't forget, it was in front of the Kop. Every Liverpudlian toddler grows up dreaming of playing in front of the Kop and scoring a match-winning goal on a night like this. Gerrard makes such dreams come true like nobody's business.
It wasn't over yet. Liverpool had four minutes of regular play, three minutes of injury time and consecutive waves of Arsenal assaults to withstand and secure a third European Cup S/F meeting with Chelsea in four years. The final score belied the real difference between the two teams. Once Liverpool secured a lead, Arsenal had no choice but to throw all hands on deck. Kuyt hacked the ball away in the dying seconds of the game and Babel did the rest. A tired Fab-who-regas just couldn't keep pace with Babel and the rest is history. Some Arsenal fans may cringe and cry conspiracy but the fact remains: in the last 12 games each club has played this season, we have won 9, drawn 2 and lost only 1 (to MUFC in the League). Arsenal on the other hand have won only 2, drawn 7 and lost 3, including a 4-nil thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in the FA Cup. Double-trophy credentials? You gotta be kidding me. After an awe-inspiring start to their season, Arsenal's title-aspirations have been completely derailed. The sooner they realize this and rectify the situation, the better.
So there we are. Yet another trophyless season for Arsene's babes, and yet another European Cup S/F for the Rafalución's Class of Benitez. Watching both legs in a bar filled to capacity (ie, 600 people) dominated by Red supporters is an experience I'll never forget. Mixed together with my first ever Liverpool match LIVE at the Emirates on the weekend caps it off as one of the greatest weeks in my life. It didn't matter who won at the end (well it did) but what was important was that two clubs illustrated why the English Premier League is on its way to European invincibility. The level of football on display was of the top drawer. Congratulations to Arsenal for putting up a performance worthy of a final. A fitting finale to three matches that left little to separate between the two teams. A fitting spectacle for the world to see just why football is the globe's most favourite sport. Chelski FC, here we come! YNWA!
-Arsenal began to lose the plot once Liverpool equalised. When Arsenal took the lead, the way they were playing scared the shit outta me. I was convinced we were in for a walloping and was most worried about falling two-goals behind. Could we have recovered?
-Sami Hyypiä's equaliser just went to show that there's still place for experienced campaigners in a game dominated by youthful exhuberence. At 34, there was no better way for the Finnish defender to celebrate his Liverpool contract extension.
-Interesting info: Both clubs play in the English Premier League. A total of four English players played in the match, three started the game. One Englishman scored while three provided crucial goal assists. The other five goal scorers were French (of Ivorian descent), Finnish, Spanish, Togolese and Dutch. A superb advertisement for the globalisation that permeates the world's most popular league.
-The Kop has a reputation for sucking the ball into the net. Last night was no exception - 3 of Liverpool's 4 goals were scored at that end.
-Arsene Wenger has to stop rebuilding and start winning some trophies. Three seasons, zero trophies. Even Spurs have won at least one!
