If a Picture is worth 1,000 words…
…then these pictures tell a 2,000-word story from today’s Champions League semfinal between Arsenal and Villareal.
Your thoughts on the match?
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Comments
By kadir | April 25th, 2006 at 4:56 pm 
villareal made so many chances… aaaah!!! and riquelme, HOW COULD YOU MISS THAT PENALTY?? this is a big blow to your caliber.
Posted from 
Singapore
By Evan | April 25th, 2006 at 5:23 pm It’s hard to beat a team that comes out with no mission other than to defend at all costs, but Villarreal still had their chances, besides the penalty.
Posted from 
United States
By john | April 25th, 2006 at 5:23 pm Waste of a match…absolutely useless
I dont see arsenal doing anything against barcelona…which sucks because though barca would win either way, i would like to see more of a match.
This game looked more like a friendly or 2nd squad
Posted from United States
By Nick | April 25th, 2006 at 5:29 pm Dramatic ending to the match. Arsenal are finally in the Champions League final! GO GUNNERS!
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Trent | April 25th, 2006 at 6:29 pm Intersting match, despite the absence of squirrels. For seome reason, I never thought the penalty would go in. Nice step-up by Jens. Either way, it’ll be nice to see Henry again in the final (assuming he’s more into the game that he was today).
Finally, what about that crazy who ran onto the pitch? He did take the trouble to have a ‘Henry’ Barca shirt made for the occasion. A+ for planning, B for execution, F for sanity.
Posted from United States
By Luis Carlos | April 25th, 2006 at 7:45 pm Good game, I was kind of frustrated to see Franco miss 3 shots, I hope for our sake that he scores some in the World Cup for Mexico. How did you guys see him, think he deserves to be the starter striker in Mexico?
Posted from 
Mexico
By Mike | April 25th, 2006 at 7:47 pm it was heart breaking. Villareal were solid and made chances but it just didn’t happen for them.
Posted from United States
By LaShaundra | April 25th, 2006 at 8:17 pm I desperately wanted Arsenal to lose, but unfortunately it was their night. Overall it was a poor game really. Villareal had all the chances, but couldn’t finish. Arsenal had very few chances and didn’t do anything but stand still.
Posted from United States
By Trent | April 25th, 2006 at 8:21 pm Luis Carlos–I was pretty impressed with Franco. He had some finishing issues, but he managed to get into good position over and over.
Posted from United States
By Razzle | April 25th, 2006 at 9:32 pm Crap - if you dont type the code the entire comment disappears - anyone who maintains this blog listening???
Anyhow - as for Franco - hes all positioning and no finishing. I remember the USA vs Mexico match in the last World Cup, they scored on the first shot at goal while Mexico kept swarming the American goal for nothing.
So the lesson of the day is: Positioning is for Real Estate, football is about finishing.
Posted from United States
By soze | April 25th, 2006 at 9:36 pm And Argentina is expecting Riquelme to lead them to world cup glory…not gonna happen.
My new prediction for Group C.
Netherlands 1st
Serbia/Montenegro 2nd.
Argentina..OUT!
By JD | April 25th, 2006 at 10:42 pm hey dun be too hard on riquelme.u know how well he plays.there are barely not many players to compare wid him.ok..yea he missed the penalty that shud have brought them back, but things like this happens to great players… naming a few, baggio at the 94 finals, shevchenko last year at the finals.so lay offf, b4 u take a dig at him.argentina and holland will go through,not a doubt in my mind.
Posted from 
India
By Euler | April 25th, 2006 at 11:15 pm Poor game. I don’t remember a team so locked behind like Arsenal, and (even worse) how can a team be that aggressive for 90 minutes and fail to score at least one goal? I hope Barça and Milan display a better show. Such waste of my time!
By Etucker | April 25th, 2006 at 11:58 pm Two things:
1-Any player can miss a penalty. It’s a lottery because if the goalie guesses right, no placement or amount of force is safe. The key is confidence to bounce back. Unfortunately, penalties at the end of a game or to decide a game leave no second opportunities.
2-Franco is good but not as good as Borghetti. I doubt Mexico should or would start two target forward/aerial threats, so my pic would be Borgetti and Fiki up top. With Franco as a late game sub.
He did have good positioning. And regardless of what anyone says, results aren’t the only thing that matters or A-Milan Baros would be a hundred million dollar striker and B-Inzaghi would win forward of the year for Milan over Shevchenko.
Neither of which is true.
Posted from United States
By Chris | April 26th, 2006 at 2:39 am Really happy my Gooners made it to the final but that was an awful performance, I spent the whole game shouting at the tv for them to push up and give some support to Henry.
I wasn’t confident when I saw Pires was on the bench and Reyes and Ljungberg were both playing, those two can’t pass water and when you’re under pressure and looking for an outlet you need someone like Pires who can put his foot on the ball and pick out a pass.
Arsenal had a tough derby with Tottenham on Saturday while Villareal rested nine of last nights team at the weekend so maybe we were tired, but if we play like that against Barca we’ll get murdered.
Posted from United Kingdom
By Jumbie | April 26th, 2006 at 6:35 am New boots needed for strikers of the yellow subs.. please attach a compass to it so they know which direction the goal is when shooting the ball. They gave the match to Ars with all those wild shots. Ars will not be that lucky against my Barca!
Posted from 
Canada
By soze | April 26th, 2006 at 9:35 am Jumbie>totally right man. They gave the match to the Arse’s. I felt annoyed for watching that game in the end. Like Euler said, 90 minutes of attacking and no result….aaaaagh.
By dan | April 26th, 2006 at 9:57 am Chris-being a bit too cynical of your team aren’t you? True, Ljungberg hasn’t scored a league goal this season and Reyes not for a long time, but when you’re playing away defending a 1-0 lead, both of them along with Hleb are the ones who will keep the lead safe with their hard running in midfield.
As for Pires, what can i say? He’s just stated his desire to join the club that his team have just knocked out of the Champions’ League. That’s real commitment for you. I’m hardly impressed.
Barca? They’re not even through yet, so don’t count your chickens so soon, everyone. Milan might just nick it eh?
Posted from Singapore
By wendy | April 26th, 2006 at 10:13 am Nice abs, but he’s no Milan Baros.
Posted from United States
By Chris | April 26th, 2006 at 1:01 pm Dan, Reyes just gives the ball away to often and he’s rarely able to beat a defender and put a decent ball in.
Freddie was brillant when he was making late runs into the box and helping himself to goals but that was a couple of seasons back.
Have them playing in a lineup with Hleb, who’s skillful and great on the ball but who plays with his head down and never releases the ball early enough, and the supply to Henry just isn’t there.
If you look at Pires through his time at Arsenal he’s laid on countless scoring chances for Henry because he knows the moment to release a nicely weighted ball and when to hold it.
He’s 32 and his contract is up in June. Arsenal will only give him a one year deal and he wants two, so you can’t really blame him for looking elsewhere because this will probably be the last big deal he signs.
I’d keep him and give him two years until the others get more experience.
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