The thing about CL soccer is that you will face all these different styles, and your team needs to be able to adjust to that. According to a team's luck, you might even avoid a style that you don't like altogether. Personally, I think Arsenal fares well against English teams. Italina teams, the good ones, will give them trouble, and Spanish teams will match them. Spanish teams are very skillful, they are able to break down defenses quite easily, but usually are hampered by their own poor defense. I think Arsenal has a decent chance, but not like Real. A pair from Owen/Ronaldo/Raul will be able to go against any defense, while beckham/Zidane/Figo are diverse enough to go against contrasting styles as well. In the past, their defense has been unable to hold up, but now they have Walter Samuel and Jonathan Woodgate. This means that helguera will move into the spot between defense and midfield (his preffered spot) where he is deadly. He will be the ling between defense and midfield which Real have lacked, as well as that tackler which gives some coverage to the defense. There is so much technique and offensive skill on their team, and now they have a good defensive trio (Helguera, Samuel, Woodgate) as well as some depth (Pavon, Bravo, Owen, Morientes, Guti). I really think this is their best squad ever, and hopefully Camacho will make them a solid unit. So basically, the team who is best equipped to either: 1) Force their style on the other team 2) or adjust brilliantly to other styles are the best teams. This is definitely the best equipped Arsenal I've seen so far in the CL, so they have a better chance this time around I think.
Thanks for the explanation, Sane. What style enables you to break down the Italian 'play not to lose' game? I'm not sure why a team with Reyes, Henry, and Bergkamp up front; Pires, Viera, Edu, Gilberto, Ljungberg, Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas; and a defense of Cole, Campbell, Toure, Ralph, and Gael Clichy - can't enforce its style on another team. The only style they don't play is Route 1. Or why they wouldn't match up with Real or anyone else.
I'm a soccer novice...though I do enjoy watching the US national team.... Does the US have representation in this tourney...the MLS champion perhaps...is that DC United the one guy spoke of... Sorry, I know this is as lame as if someone asked me if the Yankees and the Astros were in the same division.
STILL, even Walter Samuel alone is a huge boost. I think Woody will be healthy. He was signed KNOWING what his injury was. England international. This is not like basketball. Rarely do people not recover from an injury, and it's even rarer to find a truly injury-prone player.
Lots and lots of dribbling, technique, and creativity. Also, Italian teams tend to shut down the wings quite effectively. Imagine, Juve's defense will feature Montero, Thuram, Fabio Canavaro and Zambrotta next season. They also have Legrottaglie in case they decide to go 5-3-2. That is a tough nut to crack, while players like Nedved will slice through any defense, and Trezeguet/Ibrahimovic are more than capable of hitting the back of the net with stunning efficiency. Henry, despite the mumbo jumbo you hear, can not dribble too well if he's not allowed to use his blinding pace and acceleration. When I say dribbling, I'm talking Cristiano Ronaldo, Joe Cole, Zidane, Ariel Ortega, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Nedved, Jay Jay Okocha and Totti for example. However, if Arsenal is able to force their style on other teams, they can be succesful. They can beat teams with new coaches or younger teams because those teams still lack character.. However teams liek Real and Milan, for example, have been playing their style for years and it will be hard to force your style on teams that are so confident and experienced in their style.
Spot on, except I really don't think that Giggs should be on this list, Wes Brown is the perfect example. Also, you'd be hard pressed to find people who watch the EPL reguarly say that Woodgate isn't injury-prone. Alot of the Newcastle fans were actually happy getting 15 million for him since he's played so little for them. But when healthy, he's a great centre half.
I understand he's injury-prone, and those players are good examples. But it's not like Woodgate won't or will never give you a healthy season. It's not impossible to see him lead a healthy career from here forward. If he plays 30 games this season in all competitions, it will be more than enough. Pavon and Helguera can pick up the slack easily.
Hmmm, again I appreciate your explanation. Have to agree to disagree though. I've seen a LOT of Arsenal games and you couldn't be more wrong about Henry. I've seen him literally dribble through crowds of defenders leaving many of them on their butts when he jinks this way or that. True, he uses his pace to create space a lot, but that's what the defense offers so he takes it. And if you see any of Reyes he certainly can dribble the ball! And he's done it with devestating effect against no less that Real Madrid. As for creativity and technique, of all the criticisms you could make of Arsenal, this isn't one. The football they play is sublime in the make of the great dutch 'total football' mold. Their passing and movement is spectacular.
