Arsenal Ath Madrid

[TheOnionBag]

Watching the game tonight trying to work out what result would perhaps be best for us on Saturday, Madrid seem to be upping the pressure which can only be a good thing.

The other thing from tonight Arteta has a technical area the size of the 18 yard boy but still cant stay in it and is more often than not right on the line, having run the line for my sons team this used to annoy the hell out of me, how is this allowed game after game?

[Carborundum]

Didn't hit the celestial heights of the first semi- final.  Much more functional stuff.  Still, the tedium created time for me and Carborundum Jnr to debate the merits and pitfalls of a player (in this case Simeone)having his dad as gaffer.  Most of our reference points were drawn from the Surrey Youth League, a place where much can be learned about human nature.  Though the names John and Kevin Bond also came up.

One of my pet theories is that those who project an exaggerated persona of alpha dominance at work frequently adopt a very different persona in domestic life.  So it's entirely conceivable the reason Simeone has managed Atletico for so long is that he is being coerced to continue providing gainful employment for his somewhat limited, in footballing terms offspring.  Pure speculation of course.

[OZ-WHITE]

Thierry Henry noted that Arsenal can at times be too defensively compact, and that doesn't give them enough flexibility to break forward on turnovers resulting in attacking play that lacks an edge of cohesion