UCL: Arsenal vs AC Milan
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We're the first english team to beat Ac milan in San siro
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AC Milan 0 - 2 Arsenal 84' 0 - 1 
Francesc Fabregas90' 0 - 2 Emmanuel AdebayorAgg: 0 - 2 -
really happy for this win! milan play well n many occasions nearly gave me heart-attack.
dat referee was really jialat n awarded most of yellow cards to us.
fabregas at fuckin' last learning how to give best shot! he should know better he lack of confidence n underestimate his abilities.
wenger should have taken eboue out cos he shit! walcott has proven dat he can make diff in the team!
wat a night n i'm too excited to sleep! XD
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Next up who? Barce, Real or Fenerbahce ?
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Originally posted by T.Ryousuke:Next up who? Barce, Real or Fenerbahce ?
doesn't matter.
we'll win all the same
CHAMPIONS -
Nice nice, i saw the last goal bye Adebayor.
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Originally posted by sand king:
Nice nice, i saw the last goal bye Adebayor.
y r u here?
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A deserved victory . I thought we played extremely well and put Milan on the backline for most of the game . Overall , the team did well but I do notice that Diaby and Eboue had minimal contributions . It's either giving the ball away cheaply or choose to solo and get tackled rather than playing the ball to a better-positioned team-mate . On hindsight , I also felt that we could have scored more .
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Good game and Arsenal were the deserved winners. Meelan didn't seem to pay any heed to the Gunner's FA Cup tie against Man Utd and allowed Fabregas space to play. Good move by Wenger to introduce Walcott in the second half to pit against a tiring Maldini. An inevitable introduction I should think.
For a moment I actually thought Adebayor missed the goal.
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Champions League: AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal - Match Report
Arsenal stormed into the Quarter-Finals of the Champions League after a magnificent victory at Milan on Tuesday evening.
It was a huge night for Arsène Wenger's side. They were up against not only the holders but Europe's most successful side in recent years and, at home, their bright campaign had been stuttering of late.
But they responded with a performance of determination, poise and patience. It was capped five minutes from time by a goal from Cesc Fabregas. Along with Mathieu Flamini, the Spaniard had dominated the famous names in the Milan midfield. Perhaps it was a new-found respect that meant they afford him a little too much space to let fly from fully 30 yards.
As the ball bounced into the net, the Arsenal fans erupted. Fabregas slid on his knees towards the dug-out then ran off kissing the badge on this shirt.
Adebayor slotted home another in the final minute seal a win that felt every bit as good as the 5-1 on this ground against Inter in 2003... or the 1-0 win at Real Madrid... or the 1-0 win at Juventus in 1980.
It was Milan's first defeat at home by English opposition and perhaps Arsenal's greatest away win in European competition.
And it was utterly, utterly deserved.
It is a well-worn phrase but the San Siro really is a cathedral of football. And, as in every place of worship, the atmosphere is dependent on the strength of belief among the congregation.
Before kick-off this evening, the Milanese fans seemed to have an almost evangelistic belief in their side. Most of the independent observers were with them.
Wenger side's saw only one change from the weekend. Emmanuel Eboue, whose current ban does not include European football, replaced Theo Walcott on the right. Alex Hleb was deployed as a half-striker behind Adebayor.
Although it had been a highly tactical game overall, the second half of the first leg had been attacking and enthralling. The start of the return rubber began the same way.
In the fifth minute, Pato burst to the byline and saw his angled shot deflected over. From the corner, Paolo Maldini nodded on at the near post and there was a moment of consternation in the six-yard box before Arsenal cleared. In the minutes that followed William Gallas and Mathieu Flamini had to nod inquisitive free-kicks away from the danger area.
Milan had started not like traditional cagey Italians but akin to an up-and-at-'em English side.
Arsenal knew they might be counterattacking tonight. And they showed some stomach of the job when Adebayor held up a long ball forward before laying the ball back to Diaby, who sidefooted wide.
However Milan would respond with better chances - Filippo Inzaghi's volley and Pato's chip. Almunia held on to both. Inzaghi was starting to look lively. The veteran flicked a header wide and drove into the sidenetting midway through the half as Milan continued to press.
Arsenal were being stretched and stretched. But Adebayor's fine drive in the 27th minute gave them not only respite but hope. Hleb weaved forward and eventually Diaby nudged the ball to the Togolese striker whose curling sidefoot had to be touched over by Milan keeper Zeljko Kalac.
The visitors grew in confidence from the chance and started to build moves with a little more patience. The whistles from the home crowd suggested the tide was turning.
That was hammered home in the 32nd minute when Arsenal worked their way down the left flank and Adebayor found Fabregas on the edge of the area. His rasping effort beat Kalac and rattled the bar.
Arsenal were now stretching Milan with Fabregas and Hleb pulling the strings to try and give Adebayor a clear sight of goal.
It never quite happened before the break but the home 'congregation' was noticeably quieter.
They were so nearly silenced two minutes after the interval when Fabregas raked a corner through the area to the far post where Senderos ghosted in to thud an effort into the chest of Kalic. If it had gone a foot either side it would have been the opener.
Arsenal were starting to find regular space in the Milan area - and the home fans did not like it one bit. In the 50th minute, Eboue fired wide from six yards when he might have tested Kalac.
Although Pirlo's bobbling free-kick was somewhat nervously turned around the post by Almunia shortly afterwards, Arsenal still had the upper hand.
Just past the hour Kaka's mazy running saw him outpace Fabregas and then outwit Sagna before firing wide.
After that, for the first time on the night, the game started to lose focus. Not surprisingly both managers threw on attacking substitutes - Alberto Gilardino and Walcott respectively
The new addition for the visitors nearly set up Adebayor in the 73rd minute but his deflected cutback just would not come down in time for the striker. Five minutes later, Pato cut inside Clichy and curled an effort just wide.
The tension was now becoming palpable. Milan were the masters of brinkmanship but Arsenal had been the better side over the two ties. They deserved to go through, all they had to do was score.
Fabregas obliged five minutes from time when the home side afforded him too much space and he tried his luck from distance.
Milan suddenly looked an old side and their response was minimal. It was no surprise to see Walcott fly down the right in the final minute before sending a low ball across the area for Adebayor to convert at the far post.
The Arsenal side reprised their famous huddle at the full time whistle in front of an emptying San Siro.
The most recent Kings of Europe had lost their crown and, on the strength of this performance, Arsenal were the young pretenders to the throne.
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Originally posted by T.Ryousuke:
Next up who? Barce, Real or Fenerbahce ?
BARCA PLS!
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Wenger: 'Who says we can't win both trophies?'
He had just dominated the midfield against the most celebrated team in European football and last night Cesc Fabregas laid down a challenge to his Arsenal team-mates that seems more possible with every game: to win the Champions League and the Premier League this season.
After scoring the first goal in the 2-0 win to set up a first ever victory by an English team over Milan at San Siro, Fabregas said: "We don't have 25 internationals like Chelsea so we can't challenge for all four trophies, but we are in contentions for the two that we really want. We are top of the Premier League and we are in the quarter -inals of the Champions League after beating the holders at home, so why can't we win them both?"
Fabregas's views were echoed by his manager, Arsène Wenger who said that Arsenal, could go on to win the Champions League this season. The Frenchman said that his team had demonstrated their quality by recovering from the trauma of Eduardo da Silva's injury and a faltering Premier League season to eliminate the holders.
A place in the quarter-finals to go with their spot at the top of the Premier League was, Wenger said, all the evidence required that his team were not in crisis.
"I said we could win it before now," Wenger said. "The competition is very hard. It's a cup competition and you have to take it like that. On the day, we were maybe better than Milan. We might play them on Friday and it could be different. We'll go for it. We're in the quarter-finals, so why should we not believe we can do it?"
He continued: "What gives me an extra satisfaction was that the team went really for it. You sometimes feel as a manager that there is something in the team. You know that, for them to get a step higher up, they need to deliver in a game like that. I hope that result will strengthen the belief in the team. We'd like to take advantage of that belief while keeping a balance between that belief and humility. That is what allows you to be consistent."
With some sections of the Milan crowd appearing to applaud Arsenal's performance as they left San Siro, Wenger said that his team had flourished under the pressure of a goalless first leg at the Emirates Stadium. "They have grown. They deserved a lot of credit. We've dropped off in terms of confidence in the Premier League recently and we've not been in the most positive environment recently. To find the mental strength – I like that we did. We found the mental strength to play without any restrictions, and that makes me proud.
"I believe that Fabregas, [Alexander] Hleb and [Mathieu] Flamini in the middle of the park delivered. They didn't give Milan room. They defended very well and, when we had the ball, they had support from the flanks in [Bacary] Sagna and [Gaël] Clichy and supported them well. That gives them solutions. They did a good job defensively as well as going forward. The whole team did a good defensive job."
For the man of the moment, it was, Fabregas said, "a dream come true". He added: "To win in Milan 2-0, it is amazing. William [Gallas] said before the game enjoy the atmosphere. That is what we did. But this is just the beginning. We are now in the quarter-finals but we have not done anything. It is just one more step."
Wenger said the game was comparable to when Thierry Henry scored the winner in a 1-0 victory against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu almost two years ago. "It's similar to winning in Madrid," Wenger said. "We knocked out the holders. It shows that 0-0 at home is not a bad result. This team is very young but they've won at Bernabeu, and now at San Siro, and you need some quality to do that."
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Got a feeling we will meet barca somehow, maybe final or semi.
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a good day for Arsenal! Every players deserve a 10!
n glad to see Lehmann is smiling when Fabregas scored. he deserve a 10 as well!
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Hail Gunners!
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Originally posted by 798:
a good day for Arsenal! Every players deserve a 10!
n glad to see Lehmann is smiling when Fabregas scored. he deserve a 10 as well!
Except Diaby and Eboue . Simply because Diaby is giving away balls cheaply and Sagna doing most of the work at the right flank for Eboue .
Besides that everyone did well .
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Originally posted by Trump_Card:
Except Diaby and Eboue . Simply because Diaby is giving away balls cheaply and Sagna doing most of the work at the right flank for Eboue .
Besides that everyone did well .
these two r weakest link, eboue esp n i hate the way he dived n got booked. -
wenger is like a father
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if i am not wrong, fabregas has once again rose on big occasion. last time he was the one who contributed to RM's defeat too at their homesoil.
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Originally posted by 798:
if i am not wrong, fabregas has once again rose on big occasion. last time he was the one who contributed to RM's defeat too at their homesoil.
And the great Thierry Henry . This is another immaculate performance . After all manure got beaten 3-0 by Milan at the san siro last season .
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Manager Carlo Ancelotti, who saw his Milan side dominated by a determined and vigorous Arsenal last night, had nothing but praise for his opponent.
Arsenal played to their usual high tempo and put pressure on the current European champions.
Ancelotti said: "I think over the 180 minutes they were able to play the way they know how and Milan didn't achieve that with consistency.
"The credit goes to Arsenal, who pushed us all over the field and kept the pressure up.
"We tried and then conceded just as things seemed to be going our way. It's a shame.
"There are no regrets. I don't think we could have done anything more tonight, as Arsenal packed the midfield and made it very difficult for us to play, so everyone did all they could at this moment in time.
"We're disappointed, but this is football, some you win and some you lose. We have to get back on our feet and keep going.
"The team did all it could tonight, so now we must focus on the future objective, which is fourth place."
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Originally posted by Trump_Card:
And the great Thierry Henry . This is another immaculate performance . After all manure got beaten 3-0 by Milan at the san siro last season .
it was fabregas who stolen ball from beckham while RM in attacking possession n passed to henry to score.
one fan from arsenal-mania pointed out:
"Some Fun Facts for us.
-Arsenal is the first English team to win in San Siro
-Arsenal is the first English team to knock out AC Milan before quarter finals.
-This is the first time AC Milan is knocked out so early in the competition. The last time it happened was in the 90s.
-Arsenal is the first team to hold Milan goaless over 2 legs.
-This is the first time AC Milan failed to score at home this season.
-This win is dedicated to Sagna's brother and Eduardo!
-The Walcott's setup is totally similar to Aliadere's setup in a 5-1 thrashing of Inter.
-Wenger and Ancelotti both proclaim Arsenal to be a winner in UCL08!
-Ade scores his first UCL goal, and what a time!
And much much more...!
Special mention to our fans. they outsung the 75k milanese for majority of the match. no mean feat eh!
we always done well against italian team, from roma to inter to ac. i guess the way they play suits us to perfection. italian team likes to sit back and soak the pressure, thus giving us the space for our beautiful football. we like to pass around outside the box and keep possesion, so if they don't pressure, we have the advantage. " -
Originally posted by 798:
it was fabregas who stolen ball from beckham while RM in attacking possession n passed to henry to score.
one fan from arsenal-mania pointed out:
"Some Fun Facts for us.
-Arsenal is the first English team to win in San Siro
-Arsenal is the first English team to knock out AC Milan before quarter finals.
-This is the first time AC Milan is knocked out so early in the competition. The last time it happened was in the 90s.
-Arsenal is the first team to hold Milan goaless over 2 legs.
-This is the first time AC Milan failed to score at home this season.
-This win is dedicated to Sagna's brother and Eduardo!
-The Walcott's setup is totally similar to Aliadere's setup in a 5-1 thrashing of Inter.
-Wenger and Ancelotti both proclaim Arsenal to be a winner in UCL08!
-Ade scores his first UCL goal, and what a time!
And much much more...!
Special mention to our fans. they outsung the 75k milanese for majority of the match. no mean feat eh!
we always done well against italian team, from roma to inter to ac. i guess the way they play suits us to perfection. italian team likes to sit back and soak the pressure, thus giving us the space for our beautiful football. we like to pass around outside the box and keep possesion, so if they don't pressure, we have the advantage. "No ... I remember it was Ronaldo who mis-passed the ball to Fab and he passed it to Henry
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super strike by fab
lol gattuso's old legs cant keep up with fabby
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Originally posted by Trump_Card:
No ... I remember it was Ronaldo who mis-passed the ball to Fab and he passed it to Henry
yeah, u were right. ronaldo mis-passed to fab.