Catalonians V the Gunners

[No pasarán]

Yeah what a come back by Arsenal GOONERS!

[Bandito]

What the fuck about the red card?

[Wanted Man]

Too bad about the ref; I normally think he's good, but he pulled out his cards way too easily at times.

Great match though. Arsenal picked themselves up after a while, although they were kind of lucky to get the draw. With 2 away goals in the bag, I still fancy Barcelona to go through.

[bricolage]

Almunia is hilarious, world class saves and absolute howlers go hand in hand.

[F9]

Nice game, stupid decision on the ref for the red card, the penalty wasnt 100% but ok, the red card was way too much..He was doing pretty ok actually until that point, but he screwed it a bit there.
Nice game, red cards, penaltys, lots of missed shots, and 4 goals.What more to ask from a football game?:)
Good game, but i have the feeling that next one wont be...

[bricolage]

And in all fairness this Barcelona team might well be one of the greatest club teams we have ever seen.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

Brilliant game, you couldn't really hear it on the telly but the atmosphere was incredible. When Fabregas equalise I jumped as high as I have ever jumped. Lot still to do but we hopefully we can build on the lessons of sitting back and letting Barca come on to us. We need to press them at the Nou Camp. If we score first it'll be very interesting.

[Bandito]

Yeah. Barca's team might be a tactical thing of beauty, but when once they concede a goal, their tactics shatter. What to expect from a team that attacks with 7 players? Of course, I would love to have Barca in the semis, but if Wenger attacks them, and we all know that Arsenal can attack, there is a good chance for the Gunners at Nou Kamp.

[Wanted Man]

Good game, but i have the feeling that next one wont be...

I dunno. Often, the first leg is the most boring one, and the second leg is the best. But this time around, we might be in for two good games. Both sides will really want to progress here. Both of them are already eliminated from their national cup tournaments, and Arsenal only have an outside chance for the domestic title. Barcelona will want to repeat their success.

So the second leg will be very important for both teams' season. I hope Arsenal will get an early goal to really get things going.

[No pasarán]

I was suprised by the Arsenals come back, especially when you look at Barca's team and how much more they are worth on the market, but I think when he and the team get it right Wenger's managing pulls the gunners up to the level of any team in the world. Fabregas is out for the rest of the season though...

[Redmau5]

What the fuck about the red card?

What about it? The ref got the decision spot on in my opinion.

While there was certainly no malice in Puyol's "tackle", it was incredibly clumsy and denied Fabregas a goal scoring opportunity in the box. Add that to the fact that it's a Champions League QTR-Final and Arsenal were playing at home, it was always going to be a red card.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

Exactly, it was a red card, it was a clear goalscoring opportunity. When I watched the ITV commentary later I couldn't believe they were saying it was a dodgy penalty.

[Bandito]

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/22/lionel_messi_wideweb__470x314,0.jpg

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I'm proud of how we played in the second half, lots of people on the Arsenal board moaning but I think we did well.

Next year hopefully we get to play Barca with Van Persie, Cesc, Gallas, Arsh and Song all fit.

[No pasarán]

And it all started so well tonight...

[Wanted Man]

I'm proud of how we played in the second half, lots of people on the Arsenal board moaning but I think we did well.

Next year hopefully we get to play Barca with Van Persie, Cesc, Gallas, Arsh and Song all fit.

Second half? Well, Arsenal caused a few threats (neither Barcelona nor any other team can play Barcelona's brand of attacking football for the full 90 minutes), but one would have to wear white-red-white goggles to think that they were doing particularly well.

How many clear cut chances did their somewhat more dominant spell yield? Also, in this phase, I saw them give away possession quite a few times, much like Barcelona themselves early in the first half. On the other end, after taking a breather, Messi and co. were still capable of tearing the Gunners' defence apart almost at will. Arsenal certainly did not stand a chance to force extra time or penalties, never mind qualifying for the next round.

You were missing some good players though, fair enough (although I think Iniesta makes a big difference for Barça as well).

Too bad for Arsenal, they are a good team, but the class of Barcelona is undeniable. The only reason why I don't fancy Barça to win every possible piece of silverware this season is the fact that they are already out of their domestic cup tournament.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

We pressed them higher up the field which we hadn't done the whole of the tie previously and forced them into losing possession. We created chances for Bendtner and Rosicky which could have been goals if they had had more composure. I'm not saying we were great but we did decent under the circumstances. Granted we needed more composure in possession and overall our defending was pretty putrid. Vermaelen has caused three goals in the tie from gambling for balls in midfield when he should stay in position, so my criticisms lie with the defence.

I'm not upset though, within the context of the terrible injury problems we have I'm proud of my team. We're still in the title race by the skin of our teeth and I think we can win it if we win all our games. No reason to be all doom and gloom at Arsenal about the season yet.

[Devrim]

I'm not upset though, within the context of the terrible injury problems we have I'm proud of my team.

I didn't see the game, but I have listened to the 5 live pod-cast on it with Graham Taylor, who is a surprisingly good pundit, on the way home from work last night.

There were lots of Arsenal fans ringing in and really laying into the team and even calling for Wenger to go.

Taylor at one point started talking about Wenger's first Arsenal team, which just reminded me of how good they were. It also made me think how much today's team is 'light-weight'. I don't mean in a way that they are not good footballers, but in that they are really physically small. I saw them on TV against Chelsea earlier this season and the Chelsea players were all much bigger than them, and they got basically pushed off the ball. It wasn't at all like that in the days of Viera (1.92 m) and Petit (1.85 m) bossing the midfield.


We're still in the title race by the skin of our teeth and I think we can win it if we win all our games. No reason to be all doom and gloom at Arsenal about the season yet.

I don't think so. Not only do you have to win all of your games, and you have a reasonable run in and could, but you are still relying on two teams slipping up. Maybe Chelsea will, and Maybe United will, but I can't see both of them doing it.

Devrim

[Andropov]

Messi, wow, just wow, a thing of beauty.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I didn't see the game, but I have listened to the 5 live pod-cast on it with Graham Taylor, who is a surprisingly good pundit, on the way home from work last night.

There were lots of Arsenal fans ringing in and really laying into the team and even calling for Wenger to go.

Taylor at one point started talking about Wenger's first Arsenal team, which just reminded me of how good they were. It also made me think how much today's team is 'light-weight'. I don't mean in a way that they are not good footballers, but in that they are really physically small. I saw them on TV against Chelsea earlier this season and the Chelsea players were all much bigger than them, and they got basically pushed off the ball. It wasn't at all like that in the days of Viera (1.92 m) and Petit (1.85 m) bossing the midfield.

Yeah I like Graham Taylor as a pundit, very level headed and smart. Yes we are very light-weight and it was definitely noticeable and important in our 4 defeats to United and Chelsea, not so much Barcelona. There's a joke that Arsene Wenger doesn't like to buy players taller than him. If you look back to 2004 this wasn't a problem. I think Arsene needs to realise this because it is a genuine problem which teams look to exploit, it is not even a matter of principle it is not as if physical play is in conflict with playing good football.
We have Diaby, Bendtner and Song but with them not in the team it is noticeable. Players like Rosicky, Arshavin and Walcott will never ever even challenge for balls in the air.


I don't think so. Not only do you have to win all of your games, and you have a reasonable run in and could, but you are still relying on two teams slipping up. Maybe Chelsea will, and Maybe United will, but I can't see both of them doing it.

Devrim

Man United are only one point ahead of us, I can see them losing to Man City away. Chelsea need to drop four points os they don't even have to lose and we could still win the title, they have to play both Liverpool and Tottenham away. I don't think it is a done deal or anything close by any stretch but I think it is still plausible and I can see it happening. Granted if we don't win all of our games it's over for sure.

[Devrim]

Granted if we don't win all of our games it's over for sure.

Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/14/tottenham-hotspur-arsenal-premier-league)


Devrim