Arsenal -v- Barça, Champions league Last 16 1st leg

Hank Scorpio

Is sagna back for the 2nd leg? Any hope for vermalean?

I think Arsenal have a good chance to go through to be fair

BERBA

i'd adore a Spurs v Arsenal qtr final

eZe^

speedboatchase wrote: »

If Arsenal knock out Barca, can we forget about the whole 'best team of all time' tag... seriously?

One tie changes nothing. You are perfectly entitled to disagree, but when people like Pele, Van Basten, Dalglish, Cruyff, and others all say they are, then there is some weight to the argument.

dfx-

speedboatchase wrote: »

There's a second leg...

We've no idea how that'll go yet. Except that it's very very different at 2-1 than dominating at 0-1.

Royale with Cheese

Barca beating Real 5-0 at the Bernabeu was easily the best performance I've ever seen. This Barca team are easily the best team I can remember in my lifetime, even if they go out following the second leg. To be honest that's what makes this victory so sweet, don't care how it came about, just that Arsenal beat them.

speedboatchase

Cruyff eh? :rolleyes: You aren't the best club team unless you win, win win. Barca and Real destroy awful teams 6-0 every week in La Liga, the only test is playing the top teams in Europe and if you can't beat them, how can you compare to, say Alfredo Di Stefano's Real that won 5 European Cups in a row? The 'best team of all time' do not get knocked out in a second round. Not saying they will, but if they do, that tag should be forgotten

the untitled user

flahavaj wrote: »

Great gae of football betwen tow quality sides. Aesenal did very well to get back into it and I was happy for them getting the win. But really Barca could've been out of sight before then. I thought Messi was a tad self indulgent tonight, the early chance he had should been stuck away instead of trying to feint the chip. Dare I say if Ronaldo did that he'd be getting slated?

Ah here, could say the same about Arsenal. If Walcott hadn't overhit his passes Cesc would have been through twice. The ref brought play back when Cesc got in behind the Barca defence, and RVP wasted a really good chance when Cesc played that fantastic little dink to him, a position you normally bank RVP to at least work the GK from. And that was all before Barca scored.

Fact is, both teams created some great chances, both teams linked up well and both teams had vulnerabilities at the back. Put it down to luck if you want but there wasn't as much in it as some Barcafanboi's here would like to think.

The Floyd p

speedboatchase wrote: »

and if you can't beat them

But Barca do.

flahavaj

the untitled user wrote: »

Ah here, could say the same about Arsenal. If Walcott hadn't overhit his passes Cesc would have been through twice. The ref brought play back when Cesc got in behind the Barca defence, and RVP wasted a really good chance when Cesc played that fantastic little dink to him, a position you normally bank RVP to at least work the GK from. And that was all before Barca scored.

Fact is, both teams created some great chances, both teams linked up well and both teams had vulnerabilities at the back. Put it down to luck if you want but there wasn't as much in it as some Barcafanboi's here would like to think.

Barca passed Arsenal off the pitch first half, if they'd been 3-0 up it'd have been fair enough. No way Messi misses that many chances again in the 2nd leg.

tony1kenobi

BERBA wrote: »

i'd adore a Spurs v Arsenal qtr final

You'd probably enjoy the idea more than the execution.

dfx-

speedboatchase wrote: »

Cruyff eh? :rolleyes: You aren't the best club team unless you win, win win. Barca and Real destroy awful teams 6-0 every week in La Liga, the only test is playing the top teams in Europe

For the vast majority of that game, Barcelona destroyed Arsenal too even without outstanding performances from their best players and indeed the best in the world.

the untitled user

flahavaj wrote: »

Barca passed Arsenal off the pitch first half, if they'd been 3-0 up it'd have been fair enough. No way Messi misses that many chances again in the 2nd leg.

let me fix that:

Barca nearly passed Arsenal off the pitch first half. (but for some uncharacteristically sloppy finishing)

But then Arsenal nearly nearly tore Barca a new one on the counter (but for some uncharacteristically sloppy finishing)

If you nearly got your dinner would you be happy?

BERBA

tony1kenobi wrote: »

You'd probably enjoy the idea more than the execution.

not enough room for the 2 of us in the qtrs tony me thinks

speedboatchase

dfx- wrote: »

For the vast majority of that game, Barcelona destroyed Arsenal too even without outstanding performances from their best players and indeed the best in the world.

Barca were in full control from the 20-35th minutes, just as Arsenal were in control from 75th minute onwards. Vast majority...destroyed...?? Complete fanboy nonsense

DH2K9

The bottom line is that Barcelona are the better team but we won. Sets it up brilliantly for the 2nd leg. Koscielny can actually defend the odd time, Wilshere is first class, Wojech is solid and Van Persie can do it in a big game. Don't know about anybody else but three weeks is too long.

tony1kenobi

BERBA wrote: »

not enough room for the 2 of us in the qtrs tony me thinks

8 in the quarters.That's why it's called quarters. Getting all excited there because it's your first time.Don't worry.It hurts for the first few seconds but then you'll like it...just don't tell your mum......Chelsea.

Oh and I know there are 4 in a quarter....but I also know football is thick as pigsh*t.

KeithAFC

speedboatchase wrote: »

Barca were in full control from the 20-35th minutes, just as Arsenal were in control from 75th minute onwards. Vast majority...destroyed...?? Complete fanboy nonsense

I didn't think Barcelona were EVER in FULL control of this match.

speedboatchase

KeithAFC wrote: »

I didn't think Barcelona were EVER in FULL control of this match.

As they had us chasing shadows for a while but no, it wasn't a great Barca performance on the whole. The notion that they 'destroyed' Arsenal for the 'vast majority of the game' is crazy and I don't think you'll read many match reports that think the same

Hank Scorpio

I thought overall Arsenal were way better in the second half and vice versa

Dolph Starbeam

speedboatchase wrote: »

Cruyff eh? :rolleyes: You aren't the best club team unless you win, win win. Barca and Real destroy awful teams 6-0 every week in La Liga, the only test is playing the top teams in Europe and if you can't beat them, how can you compare to, say Alfredo Di Stefano's Real that won 5 European Cups in a row? The 'best team of all time' do not get knocked out in a second round. Not saying they will, but if they do, that tag should be forgotten

If's and but's are great. If anyone watching that game tonight does not think Barca are still one of the greatest teams ever you don't know a whole lot. Barca had a number of players who did not play as good as normal and away to an Arsenal team who played a blinder. You must remember barca go into the 2nd leg with an away goal and still must be odds on to qualify which i expect them too.

It is a crazy attitude that some people on here have that how dare barca claim to be the best team ever, as someone posted already the RTE panel saying before the game and at half time how brilliant this Barca team are and then at full-time they say Barca are **** :rolleyes: Pep probably made a mistake taking Villa off but to be fair Arsenal deserved there goals and it was a very very close game.

I still fancy Barca to up it another gear in the Nou Camp and to go through to the next round.

Bowlardo

liverpool fan but would love to see arsenal go through...have a feeling somehting good is going to come out of theo on the break in the nou camp

RGDATA!

Headshot wrote: »

I ****ing hate Houghton

From his advert to his punditry, just wish he **** off

you've got a lot to say...
but you've never put the ball in the english net!

speedboatchase

Mark! wrote: »

If's and but's are great. If anyone watching that game tonight does not think Barca are still one of the greatest teams ever you don't know a whole lot. Barca had a number of players who did not play as good as normal and away to an Arsenal team who played a blinder. You must remember barca go into the 2nd leg with an away goal and still must be odds on to qualify which i expect them too.

It is a crazy attitude that some people on here have that how dare barca claim to be the best team ever, as someone posted already the RTE panel saying before the game and at half time how brilliant this Barca team are and then at full-time they say Barca are **** :rolleyes: Pep probably made a mistake taking Villa off but to be fair Arsenal deserved there goals and it was a very very close game.

I still fancy Barca to up it another gear in the Nou Camp and to go through to the next round.

They ARE one of the greatest teams ever, I wouldn't refute that. It's the 'best-ever' claim that I'm disputing, and disputing on a hypothetical basis only. There's a standard that would need to be maintained to be the 'best team of all time' and I think a semi final exit followed by a possible second round exit wouldn't hold up as the performances of the best team of all time. I still think Barca are favourites but I think people that think they're the best team of all time would have to reconsider that position if Arsenal knock them out

Quazzie

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

ErinGoBrath

Wilshere tonight...wow, just wow....

gosplan

gosplan wrote: »

This is a very very unpredictable match as both teams are in great form and both teams have lots of goals in them.

Arsenal needs to pressurise Barca all over the pitch and take their chances when they come. After that they need to hope their last ditch defending and luck holds out.

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

It's fairly predictable from where I'm sitting anyway.
I'd be amazed if barca came away from London in anything else but a comfortable position.

BOOM!!!!!

dfx-

speedboatchase wrote: »

Barca were in full control from the 20-35th minutes, just as Arsenal were in control from 75th minute onwards. Vast majority...destroyed...?? Complete fanboy nonsense

Barcelona were in control for the second half. Not once did Arsenal look like scoring or put some pressure on, barring the odd flirt with a counter attack. I can't remember any period of sustained pressure or anything but long range shots from van Persie. Arsenal certainly didn't look like scoring either. The first 15 minutes, yes and the last thirteen minutes yes..Arsenal were on top.

Basically a poor Barcelona performance (certainly poorer than alot of La Liga games) barring Busquets, Abidal and Xavi and even then Barcelona will be kicking themselves. Is that supposed to be the nearest equivalent to Barcelona?

FearDark

Anyone have a link to a YouTube video of the goals? Im at work..

DH2K9

FearDark wrote: »

Anyone have a link to a YouTube video of the goals? Im at work..

http://arsenalist.com/video/?id=xh2dx6

Royale with Cheese

FearDark wrote: »

Anyone have a link to a YouTube video of the goals? Im at work..

www.arsenalist.com

Not youtube but will do the job

CR 7

Have to laugh at whoever it was that identified Wilshere as the weak link in that team. He was outstanding. And has been for quite a while.

FearDark

Thanks, my phone only plays YouTube videos though

DH2K9

FearDark wrote: »

Thanks, my phone only plays YouTube videos though

It will be worth the wait.

Paully D

A joy to watch, and the 90 minutes absolutely flew by.

Well done to Arsenal, a cracking result but there's still a long way to go. I hope they do it.

Blatter

gosplan wrote: »

BOOM!!!!!

It's still a relatively comfortable position for them with the away goal. They are still super favorites to progress.

In many ways the fact they are losing is dangerous, it means they will go hell for leather at the nou camp and probably run riot, like last year.

KeithAFC

Park Ji Sung wrote: »

Have to laugh at whoever it was that identified Wilshere as the weak link in that team. He was outstanding. And has been for quite a while.

Who the f*ck said that?

CR 7

KeithAFC wrote: »

Who the f*ck said that?

I'll have a quick read back now. Hope it doesn't get deleted.

Blatter

KeithAFC wrote: »

Who the f*ck said that?

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Wilshere just standing about most of the time.

That guy, that guy right there.

flahavaj

the untitled user wrote: »

let me fix that:

Barca nearly passed Arsenal off the pitch first half. (but for some uncharacteristically sloppy finishing)

But then Arsenal nearly nearly tore Barca a new one on the counter (but for some uncharacteristically sloppy finishing)

If you nearly got your dinner would you be happy?

If I knew I was almost certainly in for a fine feed in a few weeks' time I'd be happy out bai.;)

CR 7

Warper wrote: »

On the plus side, weak points for Arsenal are Wilshere, Song and their inexperienced keeper plus Nasri cant be 100% fit.

There we are.:pac:

thorbarry

amazing result and a really good performance against the best team in the world. We went 1 nil down, but kept trying. great 2nd half from us, fair play to the lads. my heart skipped a beat when the second goal went in

wandatowell

That feeling when AA scored........

damn that was good.

KeithAFC

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

That guy, that guy right there.

Wonder who he has been watching this season.

the untitled user

flahavaj wrote: »

If I knew I was almost certainly in for a fine feed in a few weeks' time I'd be happy out bai.;)

lol fair enough.

I'm consciously trying not to draw any conclusions from that match and failing miserably. But I do feel Arsenal have shown tonight they've upped a level or two on last year. Still a few to go though before we can clear the game, but I'm feeling rather buoyant right now.

Jazzy

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

That guy, that guy right there.

Go get him scouts!

roryc

As a nuetral, that was an absolutely amazing game to watch... end to end stuff all game, even Mister Men or Seaneh would struggle trolling this thread.

tony1kenobi

roryc wrote: »

As a nuetral, that was an absolutely amazing game to watch... end to end stuff all game, even Mister Men or Seaneh would struggle trolling this thread.

Ha.....yea they both f*cked off to put the dinner on for theyyyyy men.

Warper

Great game, 2 stalwarts of the beautiful game. The game lived up to the hype and congrats to Arsenal who kept at it right to the end. Barca are still favourites but Pique will be a big loss so hopefully Puyol will be back or it will be Milito with Abidal in the centre. Abidal is fine but the 2 of them together i worry about.

Barca played well in the first half without being clinical enough. Messi normally doesnt miss so many or make the wrong decisions. RVP is class and maybe Valdes could have done better but still a fine finish. Either way it just whets the appetite for the second leg which should be fascinating. I just hope Barca dont lose any players in those 3 weeks as they lack squad-depth. I still fancy Barca and Messi in particular to turn this tie around. They seemed to take their eye off the ball in the last 20mins and played for the 1-0. Replacing Villa with Keita confirmed this.

Anyways well played both teams and a credit to the game. It is matchups like these that people love soccer.

Yakult

Delighted for Arsenal. Of course, I had to leave 5 minutes before Arsenal pulled back so missed the end of the game. Was sickened I missed it.

They deserved atleast a draw from the game but to come back to win it, impressive!!

I dont think they will advance any further tho, Barcalona at home will be their biggest test but Im hoping they will!

KeithAFC

I don't actually think Barcelona deserved even a draw. Its a 90 minute match and only one team was pushing for the last 20 minutes and it wasn't Barcelona. Plus we had as many shots as them.