Old Game Threads!

[aragrev]

I happen to agree that as long as Eduardo is out, Taylor should be out. Don't even tell me the professional doesn't know how to tackle, or better yet deliver an elbow to the temple on Mendes. Who was that Thatcher? Another hack who should have out as long as the player he injured. Maybe these guys will think twice before going to ground or coming in on knees cleats up. Should stop being lazy and move their feet and hips like they were taught when they were kids and play stand up D. These ugly tackles are becoming too common in professional futbol. That was sick, absolutely sick! Just my immediate,horrified,spontaneous opinion. It was malicious, you come in studs up, you know something bads gonna happen. Just as Russell pointed out with Eduardos studs up challenge last week, which I didn't see.

[aragrev]

Originally Posted by russe||

I don't think I've ever agreed more with one of your posts.

My take on the tackle is that it was just mistimed with very unfortunate consequences.

Only last weekend did we see Edaurdo receive a yellow card for a knee high studs up lunge on Nani, IMO that tackle was worse: too many people are judging Taylor on the result of his tackle rather than the tackle itself.

Maybe if Eduardo had been red carded for that studs up, he wouldn't have been in this game.

[Werdna]

Originally Posted by russe||

I don't think I've ever agreed more with one of your posts.

My take on the tackle is that it was just mistimed with very unfortunate consequences.

Only last weekend did we see Edaurdo receive a yellow card for a knee high studs up lunge on Nani, IMO that tackle was worse: too many people are judging Taylor on the result of his tackle rather than the tackle itself.

Yes, people should take a step back and watch the foul itself without letting emotions get hold of them and overreact. Even Wenger has come out and apologized for his comments yesterday, and I respect him for that. Heck if it was Rooney, Gerrard or J.Cole who were injured like that a lot of English fans would want Taylor's blood so I can understand some of the emotions.

However it is up to the people in charge at Arsenal, the FA, the Premier League and media to make sure Taylor doesn't get villified to much or we'll have another situation as with Hunt last season after he accidently injured Czech.

[aragrev]

Of course the car wreck mentality in my conscience urged me to. That tackle was malicious. Why the hell didn't he sweep across with his left foot and knock the ball away, so much easier. There was no intent on the ball. He could have easily tackled on his right hip and swept with his left laces, effectively knocking the ball away, but proper technique is just to hard when your dead tired 3 minutes into the game.

[aragrev]

Originally Posted by Werdna

Yes, people should take a step back and watch the foul itself without letting emotions get hold of them and overreact. Even Wenger has come out and apologized for his comments yesterday, and I respect him for that. Heck if it was Rooney, Gerrard or J.Cole who were injured like that a lot of English fans would want Taylor's blood so I can understand some of the emotions.

However it is up to the people in charge at Arsenal, the FA, the Premier League and media to make sure Taylor doesn't get villified to much or we'll have another situation as with Hunt last season after he accidently injured Czech.

I'm not even a Chelsea fan and I thought Hunt dropped his knee on Czech when he could have easily hopped over or took dive over him. I don't think it was an accident, Hunt had so many outs instead of lowering his knee on Czechs dome. I guess with they way I see these fouls I'll be watching futbol with only goalies kicking the ball back and forth to each other.

[NJ10]

Taylor was trying to be the hard man, get a kick in early against the "fancy dan" Arsenal foreigners, let them know they are in for a game, and now he's fucked up big time. I hope he's proud of himself. The ball was on the floor when Eduardo had it, and the tackle is halfway up his shin, dont tell me its just a mis-timed tackle, if it had have been then it would have been a trip, not a leg-breaker.

If Eduardo had simply twisted his ankle, and maybe had to go off, then Taylor (and probably McLeish) would have had a nice smug grin and thought "job done", but the fact is he didn't- he snapped his leg. The lad's career is hanging in the balance, because someone who cant play football has decided to get into someone who can.

I hope Taylor is distraught, and I hope he gets plenty of time to stew in his distress when he is banned from the game.

[MUMUFMUFCOK!]

مانشستر يونايتد * آرسنال ( دور ال8): تسديدتان لروني 45 و 48

I was half way through writing a massive essay to follow, but I think the video sums up my point perfectly.

[jlae11]

great post mufc... the tackle from eduardo is far more malicious than taylors tackle on him... im beginning to hate arsenal more...

[aragrev]

I'm sort of over my first day shock of the video and pictures and after talking with my son who is actually the soccer player. I did see that video of Eduardo trying to take out Nanis knees(thanks for the vid MUFC), maybe its kharma. Eduardos ass along with all these others should be given a mandatory inservice by the EPL at the beginning of each season and told what is expected of their play and behavior with fines and suspensions and or expulsions from the game of futbol following. My son thinks it was a stupid tackle, but not a malicious tackle. Definitely red card material. We discussed and in my sons experiences coachs(namely high school) have at times told the players to go out there at the beginning of the game and "send a statement with a hard tackle on someone", which is what we are thinking happened in this case. Still doesn't change my opinion of Roy Keane, who after ending someones career(purposefully), should never have been playing soccer again, and I still don't like ManU, but point taken MUFC. On another, Thatcher, another one who shouldn't be playing futbol again after that malicious elbow on Mendes. I will downgrade Taylors tackle on Eduardo to stupid and excessive, but still worthy of a good suspension.

[EURODAD]

Originally Posted by azzurri

I dont c how its a misplaced challenge. He attacked from the top and came down, instead of sliding in on the player which is how your suppose to tackle.

The only real question is whether it was intentional or not. Probably not, but hack defending like that should be punished severely to discourage it from happening again.

Great post !!!! That is exactly how I feel. Well done.

[EURODAD]

Originally Posted by jlae11

great post mufc... the tackle from eduardo is far more malicious than taylors tackle on him... im beginning to hate arsenal more...

That is very true, but does not take away from what Taylor did. What is shows is that the league has to act on near misses too, not wait until someone actually gets injured.

[Werdna]

Originally Posted by EURODAD

That is very true, but does not take away from what Taylor did. What is shows is that the league has to act on near misses too, not wait until someone actually gets injured.

It does. That is why there have been so many red cards for two footed challenges. It has gone so far that even some tackles that are really harmless receive red cards because the refs are looking so hard for the two footed challenge.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

The Croatian fans have gone crazy. Taylor have received several death threats already.

[Vargas_4]

Brilliant Arsenal End Milan Era & Make History

AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal (0-2 on aggregate)

Two late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor gave Arsenal an historic and thoroughly deserved victory at the San Siro, where they became the first English team ever to beat the Rossoneri on their own patch in European competition. It was a master-class from the young Gunners, who ran their experienced opponents, the reigning European champions, ragged.

Arsenal started boldly, at a high tempo, and were superb throughout a first-half they dominated, yet couldn't find the vital breakthrough goal. Passing the ball smartly and at impressive speed, and winning the ball back with some crisp tackling when Milan gained possession, it was an impressive statement of unity, enthusiasm and skill from Arsene Wenger's side.

But although Cesc Fabregas hit the bar following another incisive Arsenal attack, Milan would have been relieved to go in at the break on level terms, having been left chasing shadows at times in the first-half.

Pre-match, Wenger opted for Emmanuel Adebayor to play as a lone striker, supported from midfield by Alexander Hleb. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie were on the bench, with Abou Diaby keeping his place on the left and Emmanuel Eboue, currently serving a domestic suspension, coming back on the right of midfield.

Milan had never lost to an English team at home, beat Manchester United 3-0 at the San Siro last season, and were defending the title of European champions they won last season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti had World Player of the Year Kaka in his starting XI after the Brazilian playmaker shrugged off a knee injury, while veteran skipper Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Filippo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato all started. But Dutch international Clarence Seedorf missed out with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal started with intent, Adebayor attacking Milan central-defensive unit at pace. But the Gunners had an early scare when, on eight minutes, Maldini's header came off Adebayor's knee and was heading for the net until Fabregas cleared it off the line.

Five minutes later, Fabregas won the ball with a superb tackle and immediately set Adebayor on his way. The Togo striker outstripped the Rossoneri defence for pace, then checked his run and played the ball into the path of Diaby, who curled his shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

Milan showed their threat when Inzaghi shot weakly straight at Almunia from just inside the Arsenal area, and Kaka sprinted through the Arsenal midfield menacingly before picking out Pato with a superb cross, but the younger Brazilian chose the wrong option and knocked the ball gently into the arms of Almunia. Then Kaka cut inside from the right and shot quickly towards the near post with his left foot. It hit the side netting from 20 yards though Almunia had it covered.

But in general Arsenal were bossing the play, William Gallas at last leading by example at the back, ably assisted by Gael Clichy, Mathieu Flamini working tirelessly in midfield, Fabregas pulling the creative strings and Adebayor posing a persistent threat to Milan's back-line.

Maldini gifted Arsenal possession in the final third and Adebayor nearly made him pay, but his shot was just touched over the bar by Kalac for a corner. The Gunners then created space for Fabregas, but his shot was deflected wide for another corner. Then Eboue hit an inviting cross right across the face of the goal but no Arsenal player could get on the end of it.

At hat stage it was all Arsenal, with players lining up to shoot. Ludicrously, Hleb was booked by the referee on 33 minutes for diving when he was clearly fouled by Nesta right on the edge of the area.

Arsenal responded by Fabregas hitting the bar from the edge of the box as the visitors continued to dominate all over the pitch. Adebayor received the ball just inside the Milan area after another flowing Arsenal attack, but he took a touch too many and the Rossoneri won the ball back.

Milan relieved the pressure with a counter-attack spear-headed by Kaka, but Flamini made a superb tackle to dispossess the Brazilian. Flamini then produced another excellent tackle on Kaka, before Hleb eventually played in Eboue, who was judged to be marginally offside.

Early in the second-half, Arsenal won a corner from Fabregas that eluded everyone until Senderos stormed in at the far post but sent the ball into the arms of the grateful Kalac.

Pirlo gave the ball away but Eboue shot wastefully wide, before Clichy dealt well with a long through-ball from Ambrosini despite the close attentions of Inzaghi.

Kaka showed his class again when he surged towards the Arsenal goal and let fly with a shot that flashed just wide of the post. Pato volleyed over from 20 yards when the ball sat up kindly for him.

Hleb found space in the Milan area box and tried to find Eboue, who went down, but although the referee said no penalty, Maldini looked to have grabbed him by the arm.

Gilardino replaced Inzaghi on 67 minutes, and a minute later Walcott came on for Eboue.

In the 74th minute, Arsenal created another excellent chance which fell to Walcott whose shot was saved by Kalac, the keeper then diving on the loose ball before Adebayor could reach it.

Although Arsenal were less dominant after the break, they still looked the likelier to break the deadlock. But Pato went close for Milan when he controlled a long ball on his chest, cut inside and unleashed a shot that flew just wide via Senderos.

Finally, on 83 minutes, Arsenal got the goal they so richly deserved. Fabregas almost out of nothing, turned Gattusso and hits a superb early shot from distance that took Kalac by surprise.

With the Arsenal fans in the stadium ecstatic, and many Milan fans streaming out of the ground, Arsenal got the second goal their dominance deserved. Adebayor got his first Champions League goal for the Gunners, thanks to Walcott who made it, leaving Kaladze for dead and playing a perfect ball across the six-yard box for the Togo striker to stick it in the night with unbounded delight.

Teams

AC Milan: Kalac, Maldini, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Ambrosini, Pirlo, Gattuso, Alexandre Pato, Kaka, Inzaghi. Subs: Fiori, Emerson, Gilardino, Simic, Favalli, Gourcuff, Bonera

Arsenal: Almunia, Clichy, Senderos, Gallas, Sagna, Diaby, Fabregas, Flamini, Eboue, Hleb, Adebayor. Subs: Lehmann, Van Persie, Denilson, Gilbert, Bendtner, Justin Hoyte, Walcott

[Vargas_4]

Great, great team effort from Arsenal to win this match.

I must say Flamini & Fabregas were absolutly brilliant. Flamini kept Kaka under control, letting Fabregas do his thing; such as scoring a great goal and giving good passes.

The ref really pissed me off with that yellow towards Hleb but oh well. Justice was done as Arsenal won.

Arsenal really deserved the win. No question about it.