When I found out that the fixture between Chelsea and Arsenal was going to be aired on ESPN, I said to myself, hey, this should be a great matchup. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a dull match. Worse, Chelsea won with a very unexciting goal.
The first ten or fifteen minutes were entertaining though. Both teams were tactically aggressive and the game was almost as fast as ice hockey. It could have easily been one all if luck were on both side.
After Ljungberg was replaced with van Persie, my god, I thought golf was much more arousing than Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi. In the match, van Persie seemed to be a liability. To me, it does seem pointless to have that former Feyenoord player on the grass. However, I can’t say that without being biased since I’m love Ajax so much, anything related to Feyenoord is bad.
On the other hand, Arjen Robben was effective. He played very well though his did far better during the Netherlands – Germany game that he played days earlier.
Crespo – yuck. I don’t know why Mourinho bought him from Inter Milan in the first place. Every time he received a ball, the ball somehow magically ran to Lehman with much problem. I’m sure Mourinho was thinking of the same thing when he substituted the Italian with Didier Drogba.
However boring it was, for the most parts, Arsenal did control the game. I don’t know what the final metrics look like but if it wasn’t for Drogba, it would’ve been an Arsenal game – a draw probably still but an Arsenal game nonetheless.
And as I said, the game was boring. The same statement applies throughout the first part of the second half. Specifically, until I said, god, this is boring. Please give something to light up the game.
And voila!
Drogba scored – rather sloppily I must add. I was dissatisfied with that goal but a goal is a goal. And god, if you are listening, I think we misunderstood each other. When I said light up, I really meant a goal for the men in maroon, not in blue. Bah!
After Drogba’s lucky strike, the game did get a bit more interesting as Arsenal tried to step up. The game also got a tad more physical. I mean, c’mon, Makalele was so excited to show van Persie some brotherly love that the Frenchman hugged the Dutchman at one time. The referee had to give Makalele a card to make him stop.
Near the end, Drogba had a chance to increase the lead. It would have been a beautiful goal but Lehman was in the way.
On the 93rd minute, the ref blew the whistle. Blurgh…
Anyway, Ajax will be up against Brøndby again on this 24th in Amsterdam for the Champions League qualifier. Current aggregate stands at two all. Ajax should have won the away game but an own goal made a hell out of that match. Regardless, I’m confident that Ajax will make it.
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Ajax has been drawn into Group B of the Champions League along with Arsenal.