AC Milan Vs Arsenal | Champions League (2)

[SE13]

UEFA Champions League

First knockout round, leg two

AC Milan Vs ARSENAL



Tuesday 4th March 2008

7:45pm

Aggregate score: 0-0

San Siro

[arseman]

Milan have drawn their last two league games since the first leg and apparently all is not well at the San Siro. Gialliani has been talking about how Milan are tired, but the fans say it's little surprise considering the age of the squad.

We really could do with a positive result, elimination could probably send our league campaign into free-fall.

[AFC RED ARMY]

this is wot i think the squad will be........and i think van persie will come on late in second half

[arseman]

Arsène Wenger celebrated one of his most memorable evenings at the San Siro when his Arsenal side demolished Inter 5-1 in the Champions League in 2003 and he would relish an equally emphatic performance on Tuesday night. Wenger has fond memories of Thierry Henry's two goals and can only dream of a similar scoreline when they face Milan in the same stadium.

The Arsenal manager knows they face a bigger challenge in trying to reach the quarter-final stage of the competition after the reigning champions held them to a 0-0 draw in the first leg. But with the pace and power of Emannuel Adebayor in the Arsenal attack and his young team defying the odds to challenge for the Premier League title, Wenger remains optimistic that his side can cause another major upset.

The Frenchman has stressed the importance of a good start after Manchester United were blown away in the opening half-hour by Milan at the semi-final stage last season as the Italians scored twice on their way to a 5-3 aggregate victory. Wenger said: 'The Inter game was a great result for us and we have positive vibes from the San Siro. At the time Inter played with three centre-backs who were all offensive players. We caught them well with the space they gave us. We were in a situation where we had to attack the game with a high score. Milan have a lot of experience and maybe we will need to have a little bit more patience against them.

'What is important is to be tight defensively because they tore United apart in the first 20 minutes of their second leg at the San Siro. We need to start the game in a strong way. From the first game we have the belief that we can beat them because we dominated the game.'

Wenger refuses to contemplate failure in their quest to win both the Premier League and Champions League. He said: 'This is the serious part of the season. When you go into March every game for your season is on the line, but I'm confident that my team can deal with that. I don't think about failure. In football everyone outside you looks for failure but if you start looking for it as well you are sure to get it, so I only look at the positive side.'

Brazilian midfielder Kaká will be Milan's biggest threat, but Wenger is refusing to man-mark the world footballer of the year and would never dream of telling his players to muscle him out of the game. 'There is no chance I will send my team out to harm Kaká. If you take the great players out of the game why should people go to watch football games? Great players make football art and if you are there to kill them it is not acceptable.'

Guardian Football

[Swifty]

I'd say by law of averages we are due a champagne performance against Milan & remember away goals count for double!

[AFC RED ARMY]

kaka and sedorf are out!!!!

[absolutely_fabregas]

kaka and sedorf are out!!!!

they are doubts arent they?

im sure they will do everything to make it, so will not be surprised if both start

[singaporegooner]

kaka and sedorf are out!!!!

Mind games maybe? Supposedly injured players always make miraculous return when big matches occur.
From a neutral point of view, it will suck to have big players missing...
but for once, i'll be a selfish Gooner and say heck! let them be out and return after the Arsenal game.

[rodney]

Not long to go now before my first Champions League away match. I have to get up at a ridiculous time and I'll be doing f**k all in Milan for a good six hours, but it will be worth it. I've got work at 12 on Wednesday as well so hopefully there will be no hick ups getting home.

Wenger has yet to say who is back and who is not. Eboue will definitely return, as his ban doesn't include the ECL. Toure, Van Persie and Rosicky could all make the bench. Definitely wouldn't expect any of them to start. But it gives us better options on the bench incase we need a goal, or to see our a lead.

I'd expect something like this:

Almunia

Sagna Senderos Gallas Clichy

Eboue Cesc Flamini Gilberto Hleb

Adebayor

For some reason I can see Arsene playing five in midfield and bringing Gilberto in and Theo going out. A score draw is enough to see us through so I can see Arsene being cautious for the first 60-70 minutes and just playing on the counter attack. Then if we're still at 0-0 bringing on Theo, or Bendtner and having ago at Milan.

Their recent results haven't been great and like us they have injuries to key players, so it's not a game either team go into as massive favourites or on good form. Obviously Kaka will be the main man we need to keep quiet and Flamini had him in his pocket in the first leg and we will need Flam to keep him quiet again.

I think we can snatch a 1-1 draw and go through. King Ade with our goal.

Come on you Gunners

[Cheese]

Van Persie named in 18-man squad for Milan clash

Arsène Wenger has named the following 18-man squad for the UEFA Champions League clash with AC Milan.

The most notable absentee is Kolo Toure but Robin van Persie returns to the squad.

Jens LEHMANN (GK)
Abou DIABY
Bacary SAGNA
Cesc FABREGAS
Philippe SENDEROS
William GALLAS
Robin VAN PERSIE
Alexander HLEB
DENILSON
Mathieu FLAMINI
GILBERTO
Gael CLICHY
Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
Nicklas BENDTNER
Emmanuel EBOUE
Justin HOYTE
Theo WALCOTT

© Arsenal.com

[rogerthornhill]

With this match I'm more hopeful than optimistic. It's a shame that Toure won't be there but good to see RVP named in the squad. I can just picture Adebayor climbing to head the ball into the back of the net, what a wonderful moment that would be, suddenly Milan need at least two. I'm guessing that lots of their players must have big worries about this match. I heard that AC have relaid the pitch.

[Cheese]

Wenger - We won't kick Kaka at the San Siro

Arsène Wenger will not send his side out to kick Kaka on Tuesday night. The Arsenal manager considers the Brazilian playmaker to be one of football's artists.

Wenger takes his side to Milan on Monday for a crucial Champions League Knockout Round second leg. The tie is locked at 0-0 and so goals will be at a premium. Kaka has all the attributes to unlock the Arsenal defence but Wenger, who has recently been critical of over-zealous tackles against his players, would never send out his side with malice a forethought.

"No chance, no chance," he said before the weekend game with Villa. "If you kick the great players out of games then why should people watch football? Great players make football a bit special - an art. If you kick them it is not acceptable.

"In Italy, what do the teams when they play against Milan? Take Kaka, get him out of the game. And you know how they will deal with that.

"But we will be faithful to what we do, we will try to deal with him by cutting the connections to him. We will play zonal and will not mark him man-to-man."

© Arsenal.com

[Cheese]

Wenger - Van Persie can play a part in Milan

Arsène Wenger has explained his decision to recall Robin van Persie for Tuesday night's Champions League clash with Milan.

The Dutch forward returned to full training on Friday but he has played just three games since late October because of injury and has been out since early January because of a thigh problem.

Wenger insisted he would not rush Van Persie back into action but the Frenchman believes the 24-year-old has a role to play in the San Siro.

"He has not played for five months really but he can play a part in the game," said Wenger. "He is not ready to start but medically it is not a risk. Maybe to start in the game and play above his normal pace, that would be a risk."

Kolo Toure has not recovered from the calf injury he sustained in the first leg against Milan but, according to Wenger, "he is not far from being there."

Emmanuel Eboue is available as his suspension does not cover Champions League games but Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Alex Song (knee) and Eduardo (leg/ankle) are all out.

© Arsenal.com

[Cheese]

Wenger - We need to show pace and patience in Milan

Pace and patience will be the key qualities for Arsenal in Milan, according to Arsène Wenger.

The Frenchman flew out to Italy on Monday afternoon for a crucial Champions League Knockout Round second leg. The first game was billed as Italian guile and experience against English youth and pace.

The Anglo-Saxons had the edge at Emirates Stadium and should have profited from their second-half dominance. However Wenger feels that 0-0 is psychologically a good position for his side - as long as they heed the lessons of the first game.

"I do not like to go away from home thinking my team just has to defend," he said. "With a 0-0 result, we know that we have to attack as well as defend.

"From the first game, we have the belief we can beat them because we dominated the game - that always has an impact on the second game.

"We will need patience against them in Milan but our pace can be a good asset as well."

However the Rossoneri are the masters of brinkmanship in Europe. In the last five years they have been to three Finals, winning the trophy twice. Wenger expects a tactical affair in which the control of the tempo will mean control of the game.

"Milan have shown in Europe that they can deal with all sorts of opposition, they can slow the game down," said the Frenchman.

"What Milan do well is put you to their pace, and when Kaka gets the ball they can have sudden acceleration which can kill you.

"We will have to adapt to that because we like to play always at a high pace. In the end we should have won the first game because we were able to keep the game at a consistent high pace. We like to play at a consistent high pace, they like to play slow-quick.

"We have to be tight defensively out there because they tore Man United apart in the first 20 minutes of the second leg at the San Siro last season.

"It is important for us to start strongly in defence, but also not to hide every time we win the ball.

"What is good from the first result is we know every time we get the ball we are incited to go for a goal. When you win 2-0 away from home sometimes subconsciously you think you only have to defend. On that basis 0-0 is not a bad result because you know defence is not good enough. You know will have to attack as well."

© Arsenal.com

[arseman]

Just over 24 hours to go, can't wait, Wish I could have been there

Great to see RVP in the squad, here's hoping he can pull through the rest of the season without any injuries