Cold Comfort
‘IT was cold in Munich last night and Arsenal froze.
| Just add a ‘t’ |
Losing 3-1 to Bayern Munich all but ends the Gunners hopes of making the big push and taking the Champions League title.
Sure, they can score the two goals they need to win the tie when the teams play the second leg ay Highbury in two weeks time.
But, as the papers say, they can just as easily let in three.
The Times is right in saying that Arsenals defence looks vulnerable without the steadying presence of Sol Campbell, injured for last nights match.
But they do have a chink of light offered to them by Kolo Toures late goal, a strike that will afford the player some comfort since it was his blunders that directly led to two to of the Germans goals.
Indeed, if the Arsenal team read the Independents verdict on Liverpools 3-1 win in the competition over Bayer Leverkusen, they will be encouraged to believe all is not lost.
Three goals to the good against a pretty unexceptional German side, the Indy watched as Liverpools goalkeeper, the periodically hapless Jerzy Dudek, fluffed his lines and handed Leverkusen a lifeline.
The paper says that Sean De Souza Francas late away goal could be potentially crucial in the grand scheme of things. If so, the same can be said of Toures late effort. Arsenal have hope.
And Chelsea… well, they have oodles of cash, a sense of belief in their talent and Jose Mourinho.
Yesterday, the Telegraph was in Barcelona to hear the cocksure Chelsea coach ask the assembled media if they wanted to hear what his team will be.
They nodded as one. So Mourinho told them the line-up. He told them the identity of the referee. He also told them the line up of the Barcelona team.
Had he gone on, he would have probably told everyone the secret of his success, his shaving routine and why he is the best-ever manager in the history of best-ever managers.
And then told us what the score will be in tonights match…’
Posted: 23rd, February 2005 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
