Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Arsenal – AC Milan

This will be The Big Match on the Champions League on this round. Arsenal will play with AC Milan on Emirates Stadium this midweek of February. Arsenal is the favorite team on this fixture, although The Gunners being the favorite one here, they opponents Milan also very optimist to get result in Emirates. May be the football predictor make Arsenal to be favorite team on this match after Ronaldo get injured problem and will absent for this match. But Milan also has the good performance and dangerous players to replaced they machine goal, they still have Pato to be a dangerous player and front line. Arsenal going to this round after they being a runner up at group H. for me The Gunners being a runner up here, after they beaten by Sevilla. This condition because Wenger too quickly using the second eleven when they clash with Slavia on the last match at group stage and make their should play a draw game there. And make Sevilla sit to the top position in their group.
And other side comes from a very experience team on the International competition Milan. Milan only defeated by Celtic on this season (2-1). Play at the Celtic Park, Ancellotti is very happy after Nakamura being as the substitute player there. But what happened at that match, Milan has conceded by McManus, although Kaka make a score and make draw game, but on the last minutes their conceded again with the goal come from Scott McDonald.
My prediction this would be a very difficult game for Milan, from the fact on this season Arsenal only conceded 1 goal in the Champions League competition (when their clash with Steaue Bucuresti / Dorel Zaharia). In the Champions Leagueso far contest only 4 players success make Arsenal conceded, this make by Da Silva (Dinamo Zagreb), Rafael van der Faart (Hamburg), and Alex (PSV). But The Gunners should beware for youngers striker from Milan (Pato). If Milan can win over Arsenal here, this would be a disappointed record and for the first time they beaten at The Emirates Stadium on the CL competition. Before, CSKA and PSV only can play drew with Arsenal at Emirates.
So,if we see from the squad composition from both of team, AC Milan has a little chance to win over Arsenal at Emirates this midweek match. Milan probably will lost point on this match, but they also have to make a score if we see the attacking tactic from Milan with very suddenly striker comes to penalty box and can make maximal target there.
Head to head:
08/02/95 Milan 2-0 Arsenal
01/02/05 Arsenal 0-0 Milan
My prediction, this will be a very interest match to watch. And I think here will be a draw game. Maybe the score is 2-2. I am not sure Milan will lost a point here, because their players has a very good mentality to play in the International games, and they also has Inzaghi (who a striker always make a score at the last minutes match)-

Schalke – Porto

Schalke and Porto very optimist to play on this match. With the good composition from Schalke on the back line. Slomka always rotating the middle players with attacker’s players from his team. But from the last matches at Group phase, Schalke has been play in good running with 4-4-2 formation on the Champions League. Die Knappen will use the service from Ernst at the midfield, and will control the game with Jones from middle side. And from 2 wing back players with always helping from the both side to give the great ball for their striker (beware for a new comer player Ze Roberto). If Schalke using this tactic, will make Schalke as the team to play offensive on the CL this season. For Kevin Kuranyi, I am sure he would be a favorite one to be a striker at the front line. Very possible too, if Schalke use 3 players as the attackers and give chance for Altintop, Asamoah, and Lovenkrands for be the Kuranyi’s partners.
From the guest side, FC Porto comes to Germany with the team always play on the offensive tactic on this competition. They architect Ferreira probably will use 4-4-3 formation here, with great individual skill from his squad in all line. Porto has good squad in the first eleven players, with a good team work from Porto will make a terrible thing for the home team. From the middle Porto have Assuncao as the defensive middle players and 2 another middle players will focus on the attacking. Schalke should beware for Gonzalez (very productive middle player so far). And on the frontline, FC Porto has a very dangerous players like Sektioui, Lisandro and Quaresma.
Head to head:
20/09/76 Schalke 3-2 Porto
08/09/76 Porto 2-2 Schalke
With the plus and minus values from both of team, for this match. My prediction, this would be another draw game on the Champions League competition this midweek.
2-2 is my prediction score.

Liverpool – Internazionale

After absence for a long time, I am back to give the match previews on the UEFA Championship competition.
This midweek, Liverpool will very please for Internazionale as their opponent in Anfield Stadium. Not like Arsenal get the favorite from AC Milan on another match. Liverpool is the underdog team when meets Inter. The last trophy getting by Liverpool at the 04/05 season. And Inter Milan get the last supremacy on the 64/65 season (more than 40 years).
But all the bookies make Inter as the favorite team for this match; the predictor has a reason for this situation. As we know Inter has been a champion at the domestic league competition on the 2 last season (included “gift” from Juventus when CaCLiopoli Scandal). And for this season Inter has a great performance after being a leader at Serie A, and for this year their also probably getting “Treble Winner” (two another chances come from UEFA Championship League and Coppa Italy).
Other side as the home team Liverpool, on the domestic league contest. They has made a bad performance so far, there still standing at the middle of table and their also failed to survive on the Carling Cup, and another tragedy The Reds also eliminated from the FA Cup. With this performance, very logic if all bookies make them as Underdog team on this fixture.
Analysis:
If we see from the history matches when Liverpool play with Italian team. They have a good motivation because there has a good record when clash with Italian team. I think Liverpool should make a goal at the first half match here if their want to survive this week. Of course Benitez didn’t want this match will be like The Reds clash with Barnsley (their defeated from Barnsley after they lead the game before match end).
A tight game for Liverpool here if we see Inter has made the great victory from Newcastle (4-1) and kicked Arsenal 3-0. I am sure the both of team will use a same formation here (4-4-2). From the formation analysis, we can see a good value for Liverpool, because there have a good player at the middle with good skill for defense and attack. And Liverpool also has good winger players who very positively give the assist for striker. The minus value for the, Liverpool have a weak at the defense sector (late anticipation so far, with strike ball).
For Inter Milan, Mancini is a tactician coach this season; at the front line they have very dangerous and productive players as Crespo-Suazo-Cruz. All of this, their also have a great mentality to be a Champions on the Europe competition.
Head to head:
04/05/65 Liverpool 3-1 Inter
12/05/65 Inter 3-0 Liverpool
By the way, from the 3 last seasons on the Champions league. I am still believed will make a good result in this competition. My opinion percentage for this match 35% win for Liverpool, 35% draw, and 30% win for Inter. I am strongly sure very difficult to beat Liverpool at Anfield Stadium on the International competition.
Liverpool to win with only 1 goal margin, the score may be 3-2 for Liverpool.

AS Roma – Real Madrid

From another match on the LC this midweek, Roma will very welcomes for Spanish team Real Madrid.
Is the truth the 4-2-3-1 formation from Roma is the good formation for Totti as lone striker at the front line? For me, Spaletti has a good tactic here because with this formation 3 of their middle attackers players can make a surprise if Totti not in good position. We can see with this formation we can see Totti didn’t want to wait the ball so far, his also move to the around the field to get a ball (this make opponent defenders should beware for the pressure from Taddei or Mancini who the man will make attacking from right side and left side.
And for Madrid, is very unfortunately because their will loss of service from Robinho on this fixture because injured problem. I think the best choice for Schuster is use GUti and Baptista at the same time. Baptista is the enthusiasm player to make pressure and Guti has great skill to give assist with long passing. But this is away match for Madrid, if their play too offensive on this matches, will make them very probably to lost in Roma. With this calculation, very possible for Schuster to give chance for Gago and Diarra to hold Roma.
And my prediction for this match, I am sure the final score until 90 minutes match is 1-1, and this will be a draw game on the CL this midweek.


6/10 on Draw at 3.20 with Ladbrokes (Fixed Odds)

My pick at: www.bettingexpert.com