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7 December 2004

PANATHINAIKOS 4-1 PSV

Panathinaikos, who have only lost once in this season's campaign, bowed out despite hammering PSV. Papadopoulos sent them on their way when he met Munch's excellent cross on the volley. Beasley finished off a nice one touch move involving Van Bommel and Cocu. Papadopoulos won a penalty with one of the most spectacular dives of all time. Munch scored from the spot and made it 3-1 when he ran onto a free kick, beat two players and let rip with a great shot in off the post. Van Bommel's penalty, won by Park, was brilliantly saved by Galinovic. Sanmartean stole the ball off Lamey to score a fourth.

Attendance : 10,916
Assists : Munch, Cocu, Papadopoulos (won pen), Basinas (fk), n/a


ARSENAL 5-1 ROSENBORG

The Norwegians were too preoccupied with Christmas shopping to bother in this match. Reyes settled nerves with a third minute goal. Rosenborg's keeper got caught on the edge of his box trying to clear a longball and was duly punished by Henry. Cesc scored a brilliant third, lifting the ball over Hoftun before volleying into the net. Almunia dropped a cross and Hoftun finished with a sharp turn. Pires converted a penalty and Van Persie added a fifth in an uneventful second half.

Attendance : 35,421
Assists : Bergkamp, Flamini, Pires, Henry (won pen), Reyes


24 November 2004

ROSENBORG 2-2 PANATHINAIKOS

The pitch was in the shits of a state. I wonder if we'll see artificial turf here next season? Dorsin tried to clear Gonzalez's through pass but only succeeded in helping it on to the original target, Konstantinou and he volleyed inside the post. Helstad equalised with a magnificent near post flick volley. Skacel restored Pana's lead three minutes later when Johnsen flapped at a cross and the ball bounced off a defender before landing at the midfielders feet. A goalkeeping blunder at the other end gave Rosenborg a share of the points.

Attendance : 18,000
Assists : n/a, Stensaas, n/a, n/a


PSV 1-1 ARSENAL

Ooijer headed in unmarked from a corner. Henry forced Bouma into a tackle, the ball fell to Ljungberg, he back heeled to Henry and the Frenchman side footed into the corner. Ralph earned a second yellow for a high foul on Park and Vieira joined him in the showers minutes later for another terrible foul on Park.

Attendance : 35,100
Assists : Van Bommel (ck), Ljungberg
Red Cards : Lauren 65 (Arsenal), Vieira 78 (Arsenal)


A win takes Arsenal through. A point is good enough if Panathinaikos fail to beat PSV. Given how poor Arsenal are at defending set pieces Rosenborg could have a field day.

2 November 2004

PSV 1-0 ROSENBORG

Attendance : 27,000
Assists : Cocu


ARSENAL 1-1 PANATHINAIKOS

Vieira's theatrics won Arsenal a penalty. Having missed at the weekend Henry resumed normal service. Panathinaikos won a penalty of their own just past the hour mark but Basinas sent the ball high and wide over the bar. Cygan headed Vintra's cross/shot past Lemon to complete another poor European display for the English champions.

Attendance : 35,137
Assist : Vieira (won pen)


20 October 2004

ROSENBORG 1-2 PSV

A slick goal opened up the Rosenborg defence. King Vennegoor of Hesselink turned on Flogel's pass and Farfan stroked the ball past Johnsen. Storflor equalised with a bullet header but De Jong volleyed in a late winner after King Vennegoor of Hesselink helped on a cross.

Attendance : 21,166
Assists : Vennegoor of Hesselink, Stensaas, Vennegoor of Hesselink


PANATHINAIKOS 2-2 ARSENAL

Lemon had another of his turns as Arsenal pissed away three points, again. Right said Fred Ljungberg turned onto a clever flick from Reyes and lifted the ball over Chalkias. Lemon thought it would be a good idea to come out of his area and head clear a long ball, he headed into the patch of Gonzalez who dropped a perfect lob over his big fat lemon head. Cole, whose ambition is to one day be as good as Bobby Carlos (surely it's the other way round) set-up what should have been the winner only for Lemon to *uck-up again, on a corner.

No doubt Wenger will come out and defend Lemon, like he does all his players, but this blind faith will cost the team any chance of winning this competition, just as it did last season. And if he wants Arsenal to be more than a big fish in a small pond he better spend some serious money on a new 'keeper.

Attendance : 13,000
Assists : Reyes, n/a, Cole, Basinas (ck)


29 September 2004

PSV 1-0 PANATHINAIKOS

Attendance : 26,500
Assist : Alex


ROSENBORG 1-1 ARSENAL

Another inept display from the Gunners. Ljungberg gave them a dream start when he fired in from close range after the Rosenborg defence failed to clear a corner. Wisnes played in Storflor with a first time pass out wide, he pulled the ball back to the edge of the box and Strand hammered a shot into the top corner, brilliant goal. Henry blew a great chance to equalise.

Arsenal's football isn't anywhere near as impressive as it was earlier in the season - since Vieira returned to first team action and relegated Cesc to the bench. I don't think that's a coincidence. Cesc is considerably more dynamic and gives the team creativity straight down the middle, something they lack in Bergkamp's absence.

Attendance : 21,100
Assist : Storflor


14 September 2004

PANATHINAIKOS 2-1 ROSENBORG

Gonzalez made the most of a lucky bounce to volley Panasonic into the lead and scored a fantastic second. He took a pass from Papadopoulos, did a mini Cryuff turn and curled a left foot shot into the top corner. I believe he used to play for Fiorentina. Frode Johnsen tried his luck from 35yds and his luck was in as Galinovic pushed the ball into his own net.

Assists : Papadopoulos, Riseth


ARSENAL 1-0 PSV

Pires who claimed in this months official Champions League magazine that 'I am not a diver' (yes you bloody are) had a goal disallowed for offside before Alex turned Henry's center past Zoetebier. After all these months hyping him up he scores a goal in his Champions League debut at the wrong end, typical. Arsenal were rubbish in the second half and nervously held on.

Assist : n/a