Matchday 2: Winners and Messrs

By: Adam | October 4th, 2007

Surprise…Surprise….Did you think Marseille could win at Anfield? Did you imagine Lyon will get a whooping by Rangers that too at home? Did you think Lazio could draw after going down twice against Real? Did you ever think Chelsea’s victory against Valencia at Mestalla after doomed month of September? I certainly didn’t. Matchday 2 was full of ups and down. Once again it proved that football is most unpredictable in Champions League.

THE GOOD

1. Underdogs: Was it the Underdogs day out in CL? First Rangers. Then OM. Finally Celtic. They all played fantastic football especially Rangers. They surely deserve every plaudit they are getting.

2. Didier Drogba: Last years European Golden boot winner once again showed why he is the best African player (and one of the most lethal striker in world) at the moment. Had Valencia added one more defender, still Didi would have scored.

3. Valbuena’s Goal: Best goal of the Matchday 2. What a strike from 20 yards, I’m sure that strike took a breath away from every Liverpool as well as OM fan.

4. Gordon Strachan’s post match comments: Strachan said lets talk about football rather than shameful things about that game. That put lots of spotlight on good things in Celtic park.

5. Scottish Football: 2 teams in CL. Beating France in France. Beating Lyon in France. Beating European Champions by 2 goals to 1. Isn’t Scottish football on cloud 9?

6. John Terry’s Halloween mask: John Terry was looking like he was attending some Halloween party. Even though he played his heart out irrespective of his Cheek Bone fracture, his Halloween mask caught my attention more.

THE BAD

1. Dida’s Antics: Dida deserves one Golden Raspberry award for his antics in Celtic Park. He seemed to have outperformed his fellow countryman Rivaldo’s antics against Turkey at 2002 WC.

2. Lyon: Am I the only one who thinks that Lyon were worst team of Matchday 2? Mr. Aulas changing driver won’t do a trick for you. You need to bring new engine for your formula one car. Actually Liverpool also come into the same category. Rafa enough tinkering now.

3. Avram Grant’s proclamation of new style of football: I’m not taking any credit away from you Mr. Grant for your teams win at Mestalla. But is this the way you want to play new style of football which you have been harping in every press conference. Its nothing different to Jose’s style. It was so much similar that I felt Jose called every player at half time. Even though you are claiming that this is best away victory for Chelsea in Europe, Jose’s victory was much sweeter and certainly the finest.

4. Celtic - Milan : It was both good and bad. Bad for fouls and minor squabbles all the time in the match. Reminded me of the match between Holland and Portugal in 2006 WC.

5. Chivu’s tackle that lead to his suspension: What was Chivu thinking when he made that tackle? Even school boys are not dolt to make such tackles in school football.

IN THE END

To sum up, I will say this is the rarest of rare matchdays where you see such flamboyance in results. So many surprises in too many matches. Only Barca seem to be well ahead of all the other teams in CL to qualify for KO stages. Rafa seem to have made his mind once again to play in only one trophy. Past couple of years he concentrated on only one trophy per season. With paucity of good results in both league and CL, its now time for League Cup. Okay I will predict one more i.e. FA cup but if and only if gunner kids don’t spoil Gerrard and Co’s party. Ruud and Real are enjoying good time now. Real seem to have hit gold in terms of Schuster. But things are never easy especially if Jose is free. Lyon players and fans are as perplexed as Grant’s philosophy of new style of football. It seems that their senior players have given up hope on CL which is disgraceful. If there is any happy football fan on earth today then its gotta be Scottish Football fan. Sometimes its just too much. Isn’t it?

P.S. Ohh…and you can find detailed information about results here