UCL: Arsenal vs AC Milan
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oh no lemon is playing
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Keeper crisis at Milan after Kalac injury
MILAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - AC Milan goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac will struggle to overcome a dislocated finger in time for Wednesday's Champions League clash at Arsenal, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.
Dida, who recently lost his first team place to Australian Kalac, is already out for the first leg of the first knockout round tie with a back injury.
Third-choice keeper Valerio Fiori, who has not played for the European champions since the 2003/04 season, is poised to step in should Kalac be unavailable.
'I don't think Kalac will make it. For a goalkeeper a finger is very important but we will see after training this evening. If he can't train, Fiori will play,' Ancelotti told reporters as Milan prepared to fly to London.
'Milan are not in the best condition, but no one is at the moment, neither in Italy nor in Europe.
'However, these matches don't come down to fitness, but to prudence and experience. We feel like experts in this sense and are used to these types of games.'
Kaka, Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato have all just recovered from knocks while Ronaldo has been ruled out for at least nine months with a knee injury.
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Originally posted by bryanw:
oh no lemon is playing
lehmann is godly in big matches ok.playing well in big matches -> rare quality. even ronaldo dont haf
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go sleep leh its a 0 - 0 match
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Originally posted by sexyfats:
lehmann is godly in big matches ok.playing well in big matches -> rare quality. even ronaldo dont haf
except ucl final...
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Originally posted by sexyfats:
lehmann is godly in big matches ok.playing well in big matches -> rare quality. even ronaldo dont haf
ok sexyfats -
Originally posted by BrUtUs:
except ucl final...
if not 4 his blunder the trophy could b ours -
Originally posted by bryanw:
if not 4 his blunder the trophy could b ours
ya if he din get himself sent off still got chance... but tat nite almunia oso at fault... wenger oso at fault... -
We seriously need our full backs and flamini. I believe Lemon will step up for this.
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Originally posted by bryanw:
arsenal 3 milan 0
I dreamt we beat them with that scoreline.
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must at least 2-0 otherwise at san siro kaka will rape us
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Gilardino is a diver. Im scared we'll get cheated. Gattuso is one agressive player. I worry for Fabregas. Kaka is simply world class. Pato is a wonderkid. Nesta & Maldini are legends and are solid defenders.
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Got a feeling that Eduardo will score and win the game tml
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3-0 Arsenal Win
AC Milan got to use their 3rd choice GK that hasn't played since Dec 2003, Dida injured himself sitting on a bench and their 2nd chioce GK injured his finger.
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Originally posted by sand king:
3-0 Arsenal Win
AC Milan got to use their 3rd choice GK that hasn't played since Dec 2003, Dida injured himself sitting on a bench and their 2nd chioce GK injured his finger.
Sometimes keeper like that who will really step up. a 3-0 win would be impossible. myb 1-0 or 2-0. -
Arsenal relish chance to supplant Europe's old guard
Arsène Wenger described it as "the ultimate test", with Cesc Fábregas admitting he hoped Arsenal would eventually be compared favourably to this evening's opponents. Yet both manager and midfielder betrayed an eagerness for the confrontation. Milan trained at the Emirates last night with the strut of world-beaters; this evening, the Gunners will attempt to knock them off their stride.There is renewed urgency to Arsenal. Saturday's humiliation at Manchester United may have stung the Premier League leaders' pride, but it also served to focus minds. Defeat to Chelsea in the Carling Cup final last season was followed by elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League in quick succession. This time round they can concentrate on the two competitions in which they retain an interest from a position of genuine strength.
Top of the Premier League by five points, they will tear into the European Cup holders tonight seeing an opportunity to exorcise their frustrations from Old Trafford. "The defeat at United was difficult and surprising, but they gave a top-class performance and we were swept away," said Wenger. "That can happen. My players will bounce back in this game, don't worry. I'm highly confident of the quality and the mental strength of this team, and the ambition of my players.
"Many people have written us off this season and we have always responded well. Last year the Carling Cup final created a big upset for us, and we lost straight away in the FA Cup, but we were in a much worse position in the league. We had to say: 'Listen, let's save what can be saved.' This year is completely different.
"Even so, this game is the ultimate test. We're in the position of challengers because Milan are the holders of the Champions League. Usually the first leg of a tie like this is decisive, not only mathematically but mentally, strengthening belief on one side and weakening it on the other. They have quality and experience, but we can beat them. Elimination on Saturday actually clarifies things very well. Now it's down to quality."
The pedigree on show tonight, from both sides, is undeniable. Arsenal may be one of Europe's emerging forces, but Milan are arguably the canniest the continent can offer. As a club, they have won the competition seven times. As a team, they are struggling in fifth place in Serie A - 21 points adrift, they are more off the pace than Liverpool here - but this competition brings out the best in them. Clarence Seedorf and Paolo Maldini, the latter having made his 1,000th professional appearance on Saturday, have won the trophy nine times between them. Arsenal have yet to claim it once.
If the task awaiting Mathieu Flamini is to nullify Kaka, then Fábregas must attempt to dominate the likes of Gennaro Gattuso, Massimo Ambrosini and Andrea Pirlo. "It's probably the ultimate challenge, and the key will be in midfield where they have strong and intelligent players," said the Spaniard. "They're one of the best in Europe and even if they're not as good as they used to be in the league, they are capable of scoring a goal here and they still know how to defend at San Siro.
"But we're not scared of anything. We respect them a lot because they're a side of great players who have won nearly everything. But we want to be like them. This is a game where we can start to show we are ready to take on that challenge."
Wenger will welcome back Gaël Clichy and Bacary Sagna, though he continues to be denied Manuel Almunia, with the Spaniard still suffering the after-effects of a virus. There had been a period of introspection in the immediate wake of their 4-0 drubbing in Manchester, though Wenger instigated a more upbeat mood in training yesterday. "Sometimes you forget how good you are when you have a big disappointment," added the Arsenal manager, who will take charge of his 100th Champions League game at the club. "The players were hurt by the defeat, but people have bad days at the office.
"What is important is that we have big targets. This is such a big game, but it is also an opportunity to show how good we are. We are playing against the best, a team that have a great record. People talk about this as a game between the young and the old, and teams do cross each other sometimes when one is going one way and the other is going a different way. We can express our talents in a game of this magnitude."
Youth v experience
Arsenal
Lehmann 38
Sagna 25
Gallas 30
Touré 26
Clichy 22
Eboué 24
Flamini 23
Fábregas 20
Hleb 26
Adebayor 23
Eduardo 24
Average 25.5
Milan
Kalac 35
Bonera 26
Kaladze 29
Nesta 31
Jankulovski 30
Gattuso 30
Pirlo 28
Ambrosini 30
Kaka 25
Gilardino 25
Seedorf 31
Average 29.1
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Arsène Wenger has six players back to full fitness for the visit of Milan on Wednesday.
Gael Clichy, Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor were on duty at Manchester United last Saturday despite being troubled by hamstring injuries. All those will be ready to play against the Champions League holders at Emirates Stadium.
Bacary Sagna is available while Denilson and Theo Walcott have been added to the squad. However Manuel Almunia is still recovering from a virus so Jens Lehmann will keep his place.
"Bacary Sagna is back so are Gael Clichy, Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor," said Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
"Manuel Almunia is not completely ready to play. But he is getting there and is very close now. Jens Lehmann will start.
"Denilson is back in the squad and Theo Walcott is in too. But Johan Djourou, Robin van Persie, Abou Diaby, Tomas Rosicky are all still out."
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hope they use 4-4-2...
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go arsenal go go go
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Jiayou Gunners!
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i buy arsenal win.
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gogo gunnerz!! i will be watching despite sch...come on give me a 3-0 or smth!!
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dunno tomolo which kopitiam will show arsenal match instead of the manure one.
tis match has to be match of the year.
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Originally posted by 798:
dunno tomolo which kopitiam will show arsenal match instead of the manure one.
tis match has to be match of the year.
If arsenal play and beat them with style,then it'll be the match of the year for sure!!
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Originally posted by felirox:
If arsenal play and beat them with style,then it'll be the match of the year for sure!!
yup... jz hope wenger goes attacking in tis game...