Build-up to pass:
I didn't forget the build-up to each pass at all, but both pieces of skill were pretty even. Kaka let the ball run through exellently, and it's a piece of skill which often goes untouched upon - Rooney is brilliant at misguiding and committing the opposition like that allowing himself a extra space ahead. Super skill, but so was Ronaldinho's. Lovely touch from Ronaldinho, and when faced with one of the best defensively minded midfielders around, he just toys with him, shifting the ball nicely and shrugging the little terrior off nicely. Hard to choose between them here.
The passes: Kaka
You are wrong when you say Kaka's pass had no spin on it. Of course it did, it wasn't flat.
It's an inch-perfect, beautiful pass, and so when comparing two great passes, I am forced to get picky.
Could Carragher have done better? Possibly.
How obvious was the pass? It didn't require great vision, make no mistake about that. Crespo's run was standard, nothing out of the ordinary, which would usually be met with a high ball over the top. Kaka decided to play it on the deck and it was made to perfection. Defence-splitting.
The passes: Ronaldinho
This pass requires more vision than Kaka's. At the exact moment Guily makes his move, as soon as he jinks, Ronaldinho's mind is made up. It was quick-thinking, it was bright and it was awareness at the highest level.
Another thing that makes this pass so spectacular, is the angle Ronaldinho is at. He is at a 90 degree angle to where he's making the pass. He is also flat-footed, and is able to generate the weight necessary on the pass from a static position, beautifully wrapping his foot around the ball, floating it into an area that actually tantalises Dida. Dida doesn't know whether he's coming or going such was the genius of the pass.
This pass was cunning, nonchalant, effortless and to an extent, otherworldly, because it's not just the fantastic execution that makes this pass, it's the speed of thought and panoramic vision that sets it apart from Kaka's, not to mention it being against a legendary defence, away from home at the San Siro. It was liquid football.
The runs and finishes:
As mentioned, Crespo's run was a good one, but not wank your ginger nob over it good. The finish though, was on another level. The chance itself was one you expect any striker to convert, but the manner in which this was converted does admittedly make it much more special. It was Eidur Gudjohnsen-esque, the true king of ice-cool finishes. It was a cheeky stab at the ball, completely rooting Dudek to the spot, produced with tons of side-spin. Beautiful finish.
Guily's finish was arguably not as good, but make no mistake about it, it was emphatically dispatched in some style. He is running onto the ball at an angle, the ball is bouncing, and as it drops, he lashes it home on the volley, with his weaker foot, finding the gap between keeper and up-right. Majestic strike, and what puts his passage of play at least on par with Crespo's, was the run before hand.
The central defence of Milan is not in-line, so he knowingly doesn't need to curve his run. He searched that space out very well indeed, so as far as Crespo V Guily goes, it's a tight one.
Regardless, I'm not too concerned about the runs and finishes, but Ronaldinho's pass makes Barcelona's goal a more delightful one.
