When the French Premiere League team, Arsenal (they are French not English, Theo Walcott aside*) defeated AC Milan in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League last March 4, much ado was made about the Italian team's collective age.If Arsene Wenger's lads had come of age with that brilliant 2-0 win, Carlo Ancelotti's defending champs were described to be a flawed aging team (witness their poor Serie A play they said).
Harrumph! Excusez moi. If anyone was paying attention in 2005, the Rossoneri disposed of Shaktar Donetsk, Celtic, Barcelona, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and PSV Eindhoven on their way to Istanbul. They were the overwhelming favorites to beat Liverpool only they didn't. So they were accused of not only one of football's biggest meltdowns but actually overachieving owing to age. Geez!
In 2007, when the two teams squared off for the rematch, Milan were once more the favorites but concerns were made once more about their age. Ancelotti's team got their revenge but not before a bout with deja vu as the Reds scored a last gasp goal and nearly equalized before falling 2-1.
In 2007, when the two teams squared off for the rematch, Milan were once more the favorites but concerns were made once more about their age. Ancelotti's team got their revenge but not before a bout with deja vu as the Reds scored a last gasp goal and nearly equalized before falling 2-1.
And in 2008, after getting knocked out, Milan's problem is said once more to be their age. Well, I don't know anyone who gets younger after every year but aside from their retiring skipper Paolo Maldini (who has played professionally for 23 years for the Red Blacks) and Dutch internationalist Clarence Seedorf, is this team really on its last legs?
The same was said about the Chicago Bulls in 1998. After a stellar 62-20 regular season , a first round sweep against New Jersey, a 4-1 win versus Charlotte, the Bulls were taken to a seventh game by the hungry Indiana Pacers and another six game Finals series by the Utah Jazz. As the road became harder for the Bulls to traverse, they were said to be an aging team. How the F does a team age that fast with the span of a few weeks?
I'm tempted to say that the critics have selective memory due to age, but in truth, I think it's Alzheimer's.
The same was said about the Chicago Bulls in 1998. After a stellar 62-20 regular season , a first round sweep against New Jersey, a 4-1 win versus Charlotte, the Bulls were taken to a seventh game by the hungry Indiana Pacers and another six game Finals series by the Utah Jazz. As the road became harder for the Bulls to traverse, they were said to be an aging team. How the F does a team age that fast with the span of a few weeks?
I'm tempted to say that the critics have selective memory due to age, but in truth, I think it's Alzheimer's.
Forza Maldini!
* Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is French. Ditto with team captain William Gallas, Gael Clichy, Armand Trarore, Matthieu Flamini, Bacary Sagna, and Abou Diaby. To think that they lost Thierry Henry in the off season to FC Barcelona. This team should be the Ligue 1 champs!
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