Both sides were without key players, but overall Tottenham was the better team tonight. I think Milan were a bit off, but that shouldn't take anything away from our performance. The game was pretty tight and both teams had about the same number of good scoring chances. We set up defensively, playing with only one forward (if you can really call Crouch that), an attacking mid, and two defensive mids. Although Crouch put a difficult shot into an open net, the goal was created entirely by Lennon on a two v two counterattack.
The game was scrappy and physical. As it progressed, it got worse until eventually some players "lost the plot", as they say. Matt and I agree that it all started when Flamini (an ex-Arsenal player for Milan) took out Corluka with a two-footed, studs up tackle at full speed. The tackle knocked Corluka out of the game and 99 out of 100 times results in a red card. Tonight was the one exception. That started the shoving, words, and tempers flying. A few minutes later Gatusso practically choked Tottenham coach, Joe Jordan (picture below). How he didn't get ejected for that action I will never know. I find it hilariously ironic that in the photo, right below the captain's armband, Gatusso's jersey says "respect". The armband must be covering the word "no" above it.
For those who don't know, this guy is crazy on the field. His nickname is Ringhio, which means "Growl". He's the equivalent of an "enforcer" in hockey, designed to get other players off of their game and bring the pain. He's always getting into it with the other team's players. Tonight he went overboard and at the end of the match, went back over to Joe Jordan and decided to headbutt him. He'll get suspended for multiple games for his actions. I'm not that surprised that it happened. A Zindane headbutt is shocking, but not a Gatusso headbutt. Anyone who has watched him play knows that he always walks a fine line between rabid tenaciousness and insanity.
I'm absolutely thrilled by the result. We now have some margin for error in the second leg. We can make a mistake and everything is still equal. If we hadn't scored and it ended 0-0, I wouldn't be felling as comfortable as I am now. Away goals count more, so we'll advance as long as we don't lose in a few week's time. As I said months ago, there seems to be something special about this run. If we can hold on to this lead, there is two out of seven possibility that we'll get a favorable draw for the round of 8...say, the winner of the Shakhtar v Roma and Valencia v Schalke games. We may be able to compete with those teams. The draw this time also sets the "brackets" for the rest of the tournament. The interesting thing is, if the other English teams advance to the final four, Tottenham could conceivably play another English team in the semi-final. I would be ecstatic if we were matched up with another English team, since it would be a familiar rivalry and give us an even better chance to make it to the final. Ideally, if Manchester United, Chelsea, or Arsenal get matched up with the Spanish sides and find a way to beat them (the Spanish sides are two of the favorites), Spurs could even face a familiar foe in the semifinals and final. I'm getting too carried away right now...and we need to finish off Milan first and foremost. If we advance past Milan, the draw will entirely determine our chances of advancing any further.
From relegation worries to dreaming about the Champions League Final in only 2 short years is nothing short of miraculous. Then again, most people would agree that finding the words Tottenham and Champions League Final in the same sentence would take an act of God.
