Its Pens!!!

I have just been witness to one of the greatest football games of my lifetime. I'm very proud to say that I form part of the Forza Rossoneri and was supporting Milan, but I offer my total and utter congratulations to a Liverpool side that through grit and determination mixed with a generous dollop of luck came back from three goals down to win on Penalties.

I think initially the Liverpool fans must have thought Benitez had deliberately thrown the game with the inclusion of Kewell (who surely must now be shown the exit), but the excellent substitution to bring on Hamann and the equally brilliant play of Gerrard changed the game in six minutes.

I am dissapointed for Milan, but to lose on Pens is no great shame. They nearly won it just before the shootout when Dudek made two close range stops to keep the score level and Dudek should surely now be dipped in Gold and left as a statue outside of Anfield as his performances will never get any better than that, nor will his masterful impression of Bruce Grobbelar which even phased me watching the shootout, never mind the poor buggers that were actually kicking the ball at the goal.

So congrats to Liverpool and well done to Steven Gerrard for sticking with the 'Pool through thick and thin - it has finally paid off.

Some thoughts:
1. UEFA are now in a massive dilema, but I think its unanimous to everyone but them that Liverpool should play to defend their trophy (but not at Everton's expense).

2. Kids, if you want to know what true grit, determination, playing to your best, earning your fat pay cheque properly, playing through pain is...Look no further than Jamie Carragher. Jamie cramped up doing a reaching tackle in extra time, had the physio on for a couple of minutes than pulled exactly the same muscle seconds later on a similar blocked shot and still finished the game - that's a winning mentality (and he's my player of the year).

3. Stevie Gerrard will stay at Liverpool I have no Chelseable (verb: to Chelsea "to purchase at whatever price") doubt, but will Milan Baros? More's the point does Benitez want Milan (look at the floor) Baros there?

4. Never watch football with my housemate, he takes it far too seriously and is an argumentative, pious cock when they're losing and when they're winning turns into a pompous cliched arse. This is especially true if you're an Everton fan who he views with the same hatred that Hitler normally kept in reserve for the Jews. I can accept that his team have just won the European cup, so he has a right to be happy and expressive - but to say Milan threw it away when they were about 10 seconds and two pinpoint Dudek saves from winning is taking the Michael (owen) and is about as well informed as the commentary that Joe "special pundit" Royle gave in last years European Cup.

5. There is only one Michael Owen, and somewhere, somewhere a couple of hundred miles away in Spain, in a villa close to Madrid, he will be sitting in a private room locked away from his wife and kids, with the lights down and the TV on, leaving a congratulations message on the mobiles of Messrs Gerrard and Carragher, while he gently weeps into his San Miguel.

Milanista Cat