Arsenal Draw AC Milan In the Round of 16 of the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League
by Aidan Gibson on Dec 16, 2011 6:50 AM EST
in UEFA Champions League
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Finally, UEFA windbags have gotten on with the Round of 16 draw of the Champions League, and Arsenal have been paired with AC Milan. It's hardly the ideal draw, and although Arsenal avoided the toughest team, Napoli, they have gotten one of the tougher teams available. Milan, of course, are the defending Serie A champions, and are two points off the top this season, in 3rd. Arsenal haven't had gotten an easy draw so far this Champions League campaign, so it was somewhat inevitable that Arsenal would get one of the tougher teams.
These two sides met in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, where Arsenal won 2-0 at the San Siro to go through. Goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor (from a Theo Walcott run) saw the Gunners through, but both teams are vastly changed from that night, with only 1 Arsenal player and 2 or 3 Milan players who started then having a possibility to start in February (Sagna, Gattuso, Ambrosini and Pato).
Milan feature a dangerous front line with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robino and Pato, but it's their midfield that's also a concern, with Kevin Prince-Boateng having a superb season. They played extremely well against Barcelona, drawing 2-2 at the Camp Nou and losing 3-2 (perhaps unluckily) at the San Siro, and this will by no means be an easy time, despite what some English pundits may say about "don't like our tempo, boring Serie A" etc, etc.
Update: The fixtures will be as follows
AC Milan v Arsenal, Wednesday, Ferbruary 15
Arsenal v AC Milan, Tuesday, March 6
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At least we get the home fixture second
"Albert hits good pitches hard and bad pitches even harder. And when he gets in the batter's box, if you pray, then you start praying. And if you don't pray, you think about starting."--Brian Bannister
Trevor Rosenthal Update (as of end of regular season)
120 1/3IP, 133 K, 52 BB/HBP, 55 ER, 7 HR, 3.04 FIP
Postseason: 2 Starts- 15 IP, 9 H, 10 K, 2 BB, 3 ER, 19:10 GO:AO
by VolsnCards5 on Dec 16, 2011 7:43 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I don't mind this draw at all
I was secretly hoping it! It should be a great game. I’m confident that we can beat Milan over two legs.
by Sabrina Dessipe on Dec 16, 2011 7:48 AM EST reply actions
I like this draw...it could've been much worse
We should be fine with a healthy squad. I can see AC Milan struggling especially since they couldn’t get past Spurs in the last Round of 16.
by Nathaniel Perlow on Dec 16, 2011 8:07 AM EST reply actions
Jesus that's rough.
I honestly think I’d rather have Napoli.
Amazing that the English teams get the tough draws. Oi.
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ManU and ManCity also aren't in the Champions League
Yep, still fun to say
by Dr. Copp on Dec 16, 2011 9:07 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
They got about as rough a draw as possible in Europa
by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 16, 2011 9:14 AM EST up reply actions
YEP the three English teams all got 3rd place CL teams
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Dec 16, 2011 9:18 AM EST up reply actions
Still, they didn't even take the 2nd seed for a team that has their eye on the Premiership title?
That’s a choke.
Alex Song - Krunk as Fuck!
And the Manchester teams only had to get past 2 teams each to go through
Arsenal has already gotten past 4.
Captain, there are doubt''s...
3
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Dec 17, 2011 11:21 PM EST up reply actions
It's a semantic argument but,
We’ve outperformed Udinese, Marseilles, Dortmund and Olympiacos. The Manchester teams could only outdo one team each this year.
Captain, there are doubt''s...
by Match Day 5 on Dec 19, 2011 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
Just ask yourself: did you really want to go to Russia?
It’s the Champions League: you are going to face tough competition at some point. With requalification still a huge priority, I’d rather play the tougher teams and feel OK with a loss so Arsenal can focus on 3/4th in the league than get easy teams and struggle on to the next round.
Always a good measuring stick to play the big boys. At least it isn’t Barcelona… yet… god, that’s going to be a terrible narrative to listen to.
So, apparently I can now be followed.. but no stalking. @alsonamedphil
I initially said I did
but upon reflection, I really didn’t want to go to Russia.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Dec 16, 2011 9:06 AM EST up reply actions
I've looked in the UEFA regulations for this, and I'm pretty sure I'm right
but Carlos Tevez is cup-tied in the Champions League, right? He played for MCFC in the 1-1 home draw with Napoli in the group stage, so even after the second registration period, he’ll still be tied…right? There’s something weird in there about how you can name an ineligible player, but I think that only applies if the club you bought the player from is eliminated before the group stage.
Anyone know this for certain? They were talking about it on SSN this morning, because Milan are evidently trying to buy him.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
Okay, good
now I can go back to not giving a damn where he signs. Thanks.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Dec 16, 2011 9:34 AM EST up reply actions
I would say I doubt that happens
but I guess City gave them Adebayor, so maybe I’m wrong.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Dec 16, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know if/how much these things matter
but Arsenal currently have one more point than AC Milan in the two teams’ respective league tables. Milan is third and Arsenal fourth – Milan have a game in hand, but still. Each team has scored 31 goals in league play – Arsenal have conceded more (23-16), but this is a pretty balanced game methinks.
As I said in another thread, to be the best you gotta beat the best, so I’m excited about this game.
Personally I would prefer a crap team
because I want to go as far as possible, one way or another. But I’m not all broken up about this one. Milan are good, but they’re not invincible by any stretch. We can qualify.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Dec 16, 2011 3:06 PM EST up reply actions
Too bad we couldn't get a draw of the other Milan...
Because Inter is playing absolute rubbish for football as of late. I guess I won’t mind this too much, but we have to shore up the defense during January with some depth, that front line of Milan’s is no joke, probably one of the best in the world at this point, and if one of our “versatile” center backs goes down and we can’t replace him with decency, we’re screwed…
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Arsenal have a striker that is also one of the best in the world
and the rest of the front line isn’t that terrible either. I don’t think this tie is as dire as some people do – it will be a tough game, sure, but Arsenal are a much different team than they were in September.
Barca drew Leverkusen, figures...
While Madrid has to go out to Moscow in February, and Chelsea drew Napoli.
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Barca can run from us
But they can’t hide!
by Rick James 5-head on Dec 16, 2011 3:26 PM EST up reply actions
Unless they find some sort of bizarre maroon and blue forest
by pdb on Dec 16, 2011 3:28 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
That'd be insane
CL favorites disappear into maroon and blue forest.
COMPETITION IN CRISIS!!!
by Sabrina Dessipe on Dec 16, 2011 3:48 PM EST up reply actions
Leverkusen isn't an easy side
They finished ahead of Bayern last season, and they’ve got the type of squad that could run old Mou tactics perfectly. Could be an interesting draw.
by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 16, 2011 4:41 PM EST up reply actions
How do you feel about the Napoli draw for Chels?
UMD Bulldogs: 2011 NCAA DI Men's Hockey Nat'l Champions; 2009 & 2011 NCAA DII Football Nat'l Champions
"Victoria Concordia Crescit"
With Walcott and Gervinho causing havoc, I am ok with this draw. (Provided they are still fit for this match)
Milan is strong in the middle, and get exposed by pace on the flanks, and we have pace a plenty with those two this year.
Hopefully Gibbs can stay healthy though. When is Sagna scheduled back?
Gibbs needs to get healthy first
I believe Sagna is coming back around new years.
by Adnan Ilyas on Dec 16, 2011 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
Gibbs will be back by Villa next week
According to comments by Wilshere.
I like this draw
also, there’s a good chance that the yellow and maroons will have to come back out, since our blues are dark, and our reds may not be enough of a contrast with their home kit…
Don't make me puke.
Alex Song - Krunk as Fuck!
by Midasknight on Dec 16, 2011 1:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
seconded!
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Seconded?
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Dec 16, 2011 3:02 PM EST up reply actions
Draw for every stage
but from here on out there are no restrictions on who can be drawn against whom.
Is there a rule that if there are two teams left from the same Fed
that they have to meet in the Semi’s?
They're not better than Barcelona was last year
and we kicked their butts so I like our chances.
Captain, there are doubt''s...
Especially since the home leg is second
that could be important. I kind of think if we open in Barca last year, and the second leg is in London, we maybe beat them?
Where we're going, we don't need roads...
UMD Bulldogs: 2011 NCAA DI Men's Hockey Nat'l Champions; 2009 & 2011 NCAA DII Football Nat'l Champions
"Victoria Concordia Crescit"
I don't know what it is about serie A. It makes me sleepy.
i can’t identify the cause.
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by silverace99 on Dec 16, 2011 11:14 PM EST up reply actions
If it's not Milan, Juve, or Napoli...
Then Serie A football probably isn’t for you if you watch EPL football on a regular basis. I’ve seen a few Milan games and they play pretty good attacking football, Juve and Napoli definitely deploy Italian defensive tactics, but they have enough firepower up front to make things a least a bit interesting. Everyone else though is brutal Italian football, defensive makeups with counters, and a lot of howling and rolling around on the ground…
UMD Bulldogs: 2011 NCAA DI Men's Hockey Nat'l Champions; 2009 & 2011 NCAA DII Football Nat'l Champions
"Victoria Concordia Crescit"
I don't know there are some other pretty good attacking players in Italy.
Sneijder, Forlan, Jovetic, Di Natale etc.
Hooray, outdated stereotypes!
Managing Editor, OnceAMetro.com
by Ben Schneider on Dec 17, 2011 7:54 PM EST up reply actions
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