UEFA Champions League Quarter Final 1st leg - Arsenal vs FCB

[Magus]

Bayern 2-1 Manchester ... awesome

Just noticed this. Behave yourself.

[maniaFCB]

Arsenal really shot themselves in the foot by trying to out tika-tika us from the start. The first 30 minutes was absolute dominance and only Almunia playing out of his skin kept us from putting the entire tie away. Interesting how Pep pulled Pedro over to the RW for extended periods of time and allowed Messi to drop into a free role in the middle of the park. We played without a LW for long periods of time and one can understand why Maxwell was beaten for pace by Walcott after he spent so much time running the entire left flank. In general, our wing play was fantastic and Xavi's distribution was decisive. Busquets played one of his better matches and his ability to disrupt the gunner's midfield was crucial to our ability to win back the ball so quickly. Despite Pique's lack of speed, his positioning and deep passes make him one of the best CB's in the world IMO. I fear we may have become content with the results too soon when we could have killed them off. Our lack of killer instinct makes for an interesting return leg despite Arsenal's injuries.

[pabz]

it's going to be 2-1 or 3-1 to Barca next leg. Oh and Henry don't deserve to play.

[Magus]

I've supported Henry every single time and I've took his side. But last night he was really poor. He almost invited them to take the ball from what I remember(I was REALLY drunk). He just didn't care!!!
I'll watch the re-run tonight but I've seen the 20min highlights of the match on tv and they haven't shown Henry at all except after the final whistle when he was applauding and everybody from the stands was kissing his arse just because he played as he did.
From what I know, several FCB players go on Barça related forums and also this one just to read opinions. I really hope Henry will read what I'm about to write here. I think he forgot why he left Arsenal! I think he forgot who supported him during that difficult time with the hand in the WC preliminaries! If he really loved/loves that club then he should go back there. But he won't! He wants money from the MLS!!! Henry, you really need to prove yourself to the blaugrana again!

[pabz]

I like Henry, but yesterday he just really annoyed me. Made no effort to pass or to defend. After the game he spends time pouncing about the Emirates waving and signing autographs with the dumb ass Arsenal crowd. He should of been with he's team mates and to be motivating them for the next leg. He needs to know who is putting food on he's table, cause it's surely not Wenger.
Even Judas Cesc played he's best against he's old club so no excuses for Henry. So Henry if you are reading this, If you don't want to play 100% next leg then you need to get the f uck outta dodge.

[profit007]

I believe Pepe saw what happened and next time will choose Bojan instead of Henry.

[pabz]

Andy Gray who I think is a div anyway and can't stand listening to him was on Sky Sports News today saying that Arsenal have a great chance of beating Barca in the Camp Nou because there is no way that Barca can put in a performance like they did last night again and performance's like that only come around every few years. What a dumb Scottish muppet.

[Art Deco]

It was a great performance, but we put in several performances like this last year albeit against lesser opposition.

We shouldn't take Arsenal lightly though, second half we let them get back in it. We need a quick goal to settle the nerves and play our game.

Expect Walcott to start and with our lack of pace at the back we need to keep possession and minimize counter attacks.

[maniaFCB]

THey will be without Gallas, Fabregas, and probably Arshavin at the Camp Nou. We destroyed them in front of their fans for 75 minutes. When they face the 95,000 pro-Catalan fans their youngsters are going to be weak in the knees and Wenger is going to be changing a lot of diapers.

[Viva_Ronaldo]

Andy Gray who I think is a div anyway and can't stand listening to him was on Sky Sports News today saying that Arsenal have a great chance of beating Barca in the Camp Nou because there is no way that Barca can put in a performance like they did last night again and performance's like that only come around every few years. What a dumb Scottish muppet.

You have to understand the English media (Andy Gray is a part of the furniture now), they do the same thing every year. Build the English clubs up as much as they can, and unless they win the European Cup, no matter how good the opposition, blast them for it afterwards. The simple fact is, they've been raving about the quality of the football, but it was all produced by Barcelona, so how they expect that to change in the Camp Nou is really beyond me. Any level-headed, unbiased ovbserver can see that Barcelona played Arsenal off the park and Arsenal only got back into it when Barca switched off and Pep made a few strange substitutions.

I would like to know from Barca fans how they rate the standard of football played by Arsenal last night and how it compares to last year's final against United, because we were blasted for being poor while Arsenal have been praised for their performance by the media here, despite the fact they didn't see the football most of the game. Nobody has reported the obvious which is simply that Arsenal didn't know how to play against Barca whatsoever.

[thomasbeff]

Another thing about Andy Gray's comments- Sky Sports are broadcasting the second leg. They're going to talk crap all weekend to generate a bit of buzz.

[LeeRomeno]

Andy Gray who I think is a div anyway and can't stand listening to him was on Sky Sports News today saying that Arsenal have a great chance of beating Barca in the Camp Nou because there is no way that Barca can put in a performance like they did last night again and performance's like that only come around every few years. What a dumb Scottish muppet.

You have to understand the English media (Andy Gray is a part of the furniture now), they do the same thing every year. Build the English clubs up as much as they can, and unless they win the European Cup, no matter how good the opposition, blast them for it afterwards. The simple fact is, they've been raving about the quality of the football, but it was all produced by Barcelona, so how they expect that to change in the Camp Nou is really beyond me. Any level-headed, unbiased ovbserver can see that Barcelona played Arsenal off the park and Arsenal only got back into it when Barca switched off and Pep made a few strange substitutions.

I would like to know from Barca fans how they rate the standard of football played by Arsenal last night and how it compares to last year's final against United, because we were blasted for being poor while Arsenal have been praised for their performance by the media here, despite the fact they didn't see the football most of the game. Nobody has reported the obvious which is simply that Arsenal didn't know how to play against Barca whatsoever.

Whenever we have played ManU or Chelsea we have dominated, but been in difficulties actually creating something dangerous. Last year in Chelsea semifinal i think the Iniesta last minute shot was pretty much first shot on goal we did entire game, even tho controlling the game and having 60% ball. Vs Manu we have always had same issues aswell. Mainly because Chelsea and Manu have used different strategy vs us.
Vs Arsenal, it was just showing Arsene how his preferred style should be actually played. Sure they can dominate against some lesser sides in Premier League, but notice how they have completely failed vs Chelsea and Manu this season, those boys are not good enough to have the same gameplan for each game like Barca are, but they are unable to change tactics aswell, partly imho because Wenger is just utterly stubborn.
Thats why im not too worried about how the return leg will go. Arsenal will be not better without Gallas, Arshavin or Fabregas, we will have Abidal back and hopefully Toure in game and Messi back at full speed if he is rested this weekend. Ibra seems to be getting his touch back and dont forget Arsenal has to score alot and by trying to attack, they will be very vulnerable (which both Chelsea and Manu showed this season).

[maniaFCB]

My recollection of the past two years' meeting with Man U were that they seemed more confident on the ball than Arsenal did on Wednesday. Everything positive that happened for Arsenal seemed to be a result of fortune in 50/50 challenges and they spent very little time successfully building up genuine chances on goal. Man U tried to take last year's final by the throat from the start and the result might have been quite different if Valdes had not been up to the task of stopping Ronaldo. Arsenal showed guts, but I think it would take a very biased mind to find a lot of positives in their play beside the scoreline.

[zappafan]

Don't understand all the Busquets hate, thought he played well. Didn't he play the ball over the top for Ibra for one of the goals? (Pique played one of them, the other one was either Busquets or maybe Xavi?).

I think Pep should play Millito-Toure. Marquez consistently ships goals and isn't up to it at this level. Toure reads the game ridiculously well and showed that this compensates well for the natural losses that occur when he's played out of position (see CL final). Millito is a given, he's just as good as Puyol or Pique i.m.o

Abidal should get game time tomorrow then hopefully start, if all is well, too. He's far more defensively aware than Maxwell and will cut out Walcott with ease i.m.o.


Finally, regarding the "Scottish muppet" comment, the only person that looks like a muppet is you, mate. Andy Gray is probably the one person that is least indicative of Scotland given his constant desire to be considered English. The only person that maybe rivals him is Alan Hansen.

[bobo]

Thing about Busquets is that he can be quite good for large periods of a match then suddenly do some random nonsense that ruins all his hard work..