[usa1950]

Lefty....

No idea about Eboue.... Arsenal do not have a very deep squad, which of course has something to do with it. Oh for the days of Ray Parlour out wide... linking up with Bergkamp. Good teams.

Babel and Hleb. Babel did TRY to stay up, I think that was a major difference. That and the angle of the referee was different, as well as a different man holding the whistle, of course.

As for the announcers, I think Arsenal did not get too much credit for their first 30 minute domination at Anfield is due to the fact that Benitez screwed up his formation, sliding Gerrard out to the left side of midfield, and forcing the team into a traditional 4-4-2 to accomodate Crouch. It nearly cost us the tie.

Once Torres moved out wide left (not as a mid but a wide left striker) to provide attacking width while also threatening goal, allowing Gerrard came back to the middle of the park, Liverpool bossed the game, created chances, equalized through big Sami (brillliant header for a center back) and controlled the match until Walcott's mazy, brilliant counter-attack.

So... Arsenal's good spell was nice, but was perhaps due in part to Liverpool playing a 4-4-2 (with Gerrard wide left for f's sake) for the first time in about 15 matches.... Hence, the Arse get less credit for it than you would like? Just a thought....

Shame about Eduardo, he would have caused Hyypia and Skrtel problems for sure. I like him a lot. Anyone who's finishing can be compared to that of a young Robbie Fowler (still my favorite footballer of all time, and the name of the family dog) is a player I like automatically.