Different Reactions, Arsenal and Milan....(AP Images)Well if you thought Leverkusen played poorly in Tuesday's marquee Champions League match, Arsenal was downright pathetic on Wednesday. Honestly, can we drop them and bring back City, United, or somebody who at least cares? Arsenal fans have said it all year, "We're finally turning it around, Arsene Wenger is going to get it done." I have an even harder time believing that after this match. Dispatching a bottom table EPL opponent is one thing, playing the defending Serie A champs in the Champions League is something else entirely.
The Gunners took some possession in the opening minutes and probed hesitantly for a gap in the Milan defense. However all they got was a horribly wide shot from Tomas Rosicky and the ball pretty much went to Milan for the rest of half.
AC Milan did suffer a blow early on though, as captain Clarence Seedorf went down with an injury in the 10th minute. He tried to continue, but was replaced by Urby Emanuelson in the 12th minute. Emanuelson took Milan's first great crack at goal a minute later but shot wide. He really should have done better.
It was not to be the last chance for Milan though. In the 15th minute Milan got the ball into Kevin Prince Boateng after a horrible clearance. Boateng unleashed an absolutely SICK volley into the net to make it 1-0 to the Milanese. The attack didn't end there either. Antonio Nocerino poked quite a few holes in the Arsenal back line, and even hit the top of the crossbar in the 21st. Robinho rounded out the first half scoring by taking a cross from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 38th minute and heading in a goal to make to it 2-0 to Milan at the half.
Surely Arsenal would get better in the second half, right? They put in Thierry Henry, in his last match before rejoining his MLS club. He was pretty much useless. Not that he played poorly, but they couldn't get the ball to him or Robin Van Persie for that matter.
Milan made things even tougher for the Gunners in the 49th minute. With Milan prowling around the edge of his own 18, Thomas Vermaelen slipped and fell, opening up a chance for Robinho, who took advantage and blasted home his second goal to make it 3-0. Then in the 78th minute Johan Djourou stupidly wrestled Ibra down in the 18 to concede a PK. The big Swede calmly nailed the spot kick to make the final humiliating score 4-0 to Milan.
Can anybody out there see Arsenal getting 4 on the Milan defense back in London? I think not. I'll take the Italian champs to be moving on.
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