ARSENAL vs LIVERPOOL - Champion’s League Quarter Final (2nd April, 2008), 1st Leg

03Apr08

An entertaining first half and an unwatched second half later, the teams found themselves on an equal footing that hopefully would come down in the second leg when Anfield hosts the Wembley Gunners.

Adebayor scored a gem of a goal, lurching straight up in the air, towering above the rest to net in the ball in the 25th minute. Poor Reina couldn’t even move. As they showed the replays again and again, I noticed how Reina was stuck on the spot. It seemed as if he’d grown roots. His head turned in slow motion as he followed the trajectory of the ball with a look that conveyed both disbelief and helplessness. And his feebly streched right arm was just a gesture of despair.

Adebayor looked quite different in his appearance though his demeanor on the field was the same as ever. He sported a gentlemanly look with cropped up hair and a new moustache-beard pair. Van Persie seemed to be a bit out of touch but wasn’t wanting in any sense. Arsenal were enjoying their sweet timed goal when disaster struck in the form of Gerrard, the Gladiator.

Gerrard belongs to that old school which believes that a captain should rise up and lead his men. He seems to live by the creed that it is the moral responsibilty and unshirkable obligation of a captain to stand by his team and see it through in hard times. And this was just what he did to vindicate his belief in the old school. He rushed in to the danger zone and brilliantly crossed the ball to Kuyt who was lurking there just for the anticipated pass. A netter and Liverpool were right back in the game, spoiling the party of Arsenal which had lasted a little over two minutes.

From this point on the game was almost evenly balanced with both teams making forays into the opposite camp without success. I missed out on the second half but am sure that it certainly couldn’t have been short on action and intensity. I can’t seem to stay up awake very late these days while working.

And God save the Blues. They really should join their Pensioners’ Camp. Leading 1-0 halfway through the match, they managed to lose it gloriously. Deivid donned the titles of The Villain and The Hero in the same game within a matter of minutes. It was nice to see Fenerbahce win but I wish it’d come against another team. The game at Stamford Bridge now being important, Chelsea need to pull up their socks and ensure that they make it to the semis.

Filed under: Events, Football, Frustration, General, News, TV, Uncategorized   |  
Tags: Adebayor, Arsenal, Champion's League, Chelsea, Deivid, Fenerbahce, Gerrard, Liverpool, QF '08, UEFA Champion's League