Barca -v- Arsenal, Champions League Q/Final 2nd Leg

Frisbee

We don't play Spurs till Wednesday.

gandalf

LOL DOH! That teaches me for not checking the fixtures!

PDN

Frisbee wrote: »

We don't play Spurs till Wednesday.

Eight days to lick our wounds.

Frisbee

PDN wrote: »

Eight days to lick our wounds.

Wounds?

Just the one wound Messi ripped in our collective arseholes really...

nullzero

As good as Barca were I couldn't help but think that a fully fit Arsenal squad would have dealt with them a lot better.
I've never seen a side get as badly caught on the break as Arsenal were tonight, they didn't look right.
These are the two teams who play the most attractive football in Europe and one of them was at a serious disadvantage tonight and it showed.
Usally you can point at Almunia for some silly mistake but tonight Arsenal were a shambles even if Messi did take his goals well.
One thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth with Barca, even with their amazing flowing style, is the culture of diving and feigning injury. They don't need to do it, they're betetr than anyone at the moment and they don't need to be play acting on the ground every time someone brushes against them. Puyol soured a great performance against United in last years final by feigning injury towards the end of the game, United had an awful game and weren't close to threathening Barca, but still he carried on like a clown. The same stupidity was evident tonight and it's a shame to see a team of Barca's brilliance carrying on like that.

Xavi6

gimmick wrote: »

That is an outrageous stat!

When last did he lose the ball?

October 2001

A Primal Nut

Was disheartening to see Arsenal do what Wenger always criticises...resort to one long ball after another and not one of them resulted in us having possession of the ball.

Amazing performance by Barcelona again though.

keano_afc

Just remembered how bad the commentary was on TV3 last night. Trevor Welsh has obviously heard of Messi, but it didnt stop him mis-pronouncing his name all night. Throw in references to Rooney and telling us Arsenal fans we can try make up for this defeat "against Spurs on SATURDAY" and it makes for a bad night all round.

Ush1

keano_afc wrote: »

Just remembered how bad the commentary was on TV3 last night. Trevor Welsh has obviously heard of Messi, but it didnt stop him mis-pronouncing his name all night. Throw in references to Rooney and telling us Arsenal fans we can try make up for this defeat "against Spurs on SATURDAY" and it makes for a bad night all round.

He was calling him Leo-nil Messi, like Leona Lewis or something. He's awful, TV3 is a sham.

Catenaccio!

nullzero wrote: »

As good as Barca were I couldn't help but think that a fully fit Arsenal squad would have dealt with them a lot better.
I've never seen a side get as badly caught on the break as Arsenal were tonight, they didn't look right.
These are the two teams who play the most attractive football in Europe and one of them was at a serious disadvantage tonight and it showed.
Usally you can point at Almunia for some silly mistake but tonight Arsenal were a shambles even if Messi did take his goals well.
One thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth with Barca, even with their amazing flowing style, is the culture of diving and feigning injury. They don't need to do it, they're betetr than anyone at the moment and they don't need to be play acting on the ground every time someone brushes against them. Puyol soured a great performance against United in last years final by feigning injury towards the end of the game, United had an awful game and weren't close to threathening Barca, but still he carried on like a clown. The same stupidity was evident tonight and it's a shame to see a team of Barca's brilliance carrying on like that.

Barcelona were without so many key players also so can you imagine what it would have been like if they were fit too? Puyol, Pique, Iniesta, Zlatan...

I would also disagree that these two teams play the most attractive football in Europe. Barcelona certainly, but I've never been fond of the way Arsenal play. There's something about it I just don't enjoy. Of course they're one of the better passing teams in England but it just seems as if they don't know what's going on half the time - it's just not organised like the way Barcelona are.

And you can go on about how Barcelona take the odd dive and feign injury a bit but let's face it, all teams do it. Arsenal do it quite a lot so I'm sure they're used to it. They managed to even get a player sent off on Saturday because of an overreaction from the Arsenal side. Ireland do it. Everyone does it. It's part of the game.

Pepe LeFrits

I wasn't really disappointed after that last night. Maybe it's because I was absolutely trolleyed, but I think it's more because it was pretty obvious it was going to happen. Barca and Messi in particular were sensational again. I really hope they go on to win the CL; this team really is that good and becoming the first team to retain it in a while would cement it's reputation in the history books. More than that though, the teams that win the big ones inspire and it's better to see that kind of football win over the many more mechanical teams.

Still, there are some positives for Arsenal. I thought the boys showed a lot of spirit over the two legs. Massive tactical naivety, but that can be worked on. A defeat like that can be a valuable learning experience; in the PL Arsenal are used to teams (at the Emirates at least) just letting them have the ball. Even away from home, teams that press Arsenal tend to just lump it forward as soon as they win it. Barca showed the value of hard graft on top of outstanding ability.

Incidentally, Clichy looks the Gael of old again, which is great.

gimmick

nullzero wrote: »

As good as Barca were I couldn't help but think that a fully fit Arsenal squad would have dealt with them a lot better.

Hard to argue to, but I would also say that Barca never really came out of 2nd gear last night. The Arsenal goal was a wake up call, took the game by the balls, got 3 goals and strolled around for the 2nd half.

eZe^

keano_afc wrote: »

Just remembered how bad the commentary was on TV3 last night. Trevor Welsh has obviously heard of Messi, but it didnt stop him mis-pronouncing his name all night. Throw in references to Rooney and telling us Arsenal fans we can try make up for this defeat "against Spurs on SATURDAY" and it makes for a bad night all round.

Did you hear Martin Keown at the end? He was talking about Argentina's chances at the WC, and said 'imagine Messi pairing up with Tevez at the WC, and Alves boming down that right hand side'. :P hahahah great research Martin.

gimmick

http://www.football365.com/Gallery_Detail/0,17732,13282_6078918,00.html

Cannot post the pic, but it is an excellent shot.

Frisbee

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Incidentally, Clichy looks the Gael of old again, which is great.

Agreed, was very heartening to see.

JP Liz V1

Messi was unstoppable

JPA

Clichy was excellent, his brain is is up to the level of the Barca players in terms of reading and intercepting passes. But he couldn't do it alone.


Also by what percentage is Messi's performance tarnished by the fact Silvestre was playing for 62 minutes?

herbieflowers

Messi was great but Arsenal, if they were a little more clinical in the final third, could possibly have gotten more out of the game. Bendtner's header, the offside, Clichy's rash blast over the bar, Rosicky's chance, etc. For a team with so many injuries they did well!

Warper

herbieflowers wrote: »

Messi was great but Arsenal, if they were a little more clinical in the final third, could possibly have gotten more out of the game. Bendtner's header, the offside, Clichy's rash blast over the bar, Rosicky's chance, etc. For a team with so many injuries they did well!

Arsenal did do quite well but simply are a long way off the class of Barca. Wenger admitted this after the match. Remember Barca were short key players as well. Barca could have won the tie by a lot more - the amount of chances they created over the 2 legs highlights the difference in quality between the 2 teams. Nearly twice as much possession, more than twice as many chances, the stats go on and on. Arsenal are the most attractive side to watch in the PL but Barcelona are on a different planet. The only team that can challenge Barca at this time is Real Madrid.

Catenaccio!

Agree with all of the above except with the Arsenal are the most attractive team to watch in the PL

herbieflowers

Warper wrote: »

Arsenal did do quite well but simply are a long way off the class of Barca. Wenger admitted this after the match. Remember Barca were short key players as well. Barca could have won the tie by a lot more - the amount of chances they created over the 2 legs highlights the difference in quality between the 2 teams. Nearly twice as much possession, more than twice as many chances, the stats go on and on. Arsenal are the most attractive side to watch in the PL but Barcelona are on a different planet. The only team that can challenge Barca at this time is Real Madrid.

Completely agree. It seemed like Barca could find the gears whenever they pleased. Guess I'm just greedy: would've made for an even more interesting spectacle had Arsenal been a bit more ruthless in front of goal. Probably another area where Barca showed their supremacy.

SantryRed

Catenaccio! wrote: »

Agree with all of the above except with the Arsenal are the most attractive team to watch in the PL

Who are?

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Catenaccio!

SantryRed wrote: »

Who are?

Hard to say at this moment but I typically prefer the way United and Chelsea play. I can see what they're trying to do and it's far more organised. That's what I like. If I was an Arsenal fan they'd frustrate the hell out of me.

Catenaccio!

Iolar wrote: »

I hope last nights performance from Barca does put pay to certain people in the British medias that the EPL is the best league in the world

I really don't get people who harp on about this "best league in the world" lark. Not a go at you but I'm just saying. There's no real such thing as the best league in the world. Different styles etc. Can easily see Inter beating Barcelona. Does that mean Serie A is the best? No. Just means it's a different way of playing the game.

redout

Fcuked by Eboue live on Spanish tv

Paleface

redout wrote: »

Fcuked by Eboue live on Spanish tv

Classic!!

paddyismaddy

poor gunners

redout

That is all.

Frisbee

Copying Pienaar tbf :pac:

Pro. F

Catenaccio! wrote: »

Hard to say at this moment but I typically prefer the way United and Chelsea play. I can see what they're trying to do and it's far more organised. That's what I like. If I was an Arsenal fan they'd frustrate the hell out of me.

Your name explains why you don't appreciate Arsenal!
They are no Barcelona and they do lack defensive organisation but they're still great value to watch every week. A million times more enjoyable to watch than most teams.

Ush1

redout wrote: »

That is all.

In the words of Totti : Mo je faccio er cucchiaio.

Catenaccio!

Pro. F wrote: »

Your name explains why you don't appreciate Arsenal!
They are no Barcelona and they do lack defensive organisation but they're still great value to watch every week. A million times more enjoyable to watch than most teams.

Haha, don't ask me why I chose this name, pretty silly decision. I just don't enjoy watching that style, can't help it