UEFA Champions League Quarter Final 2nd Leg - FCB vs Arsenal

[ausbarca]

I wish those 4 goals were scored on the best keeper in the world (casillas of course). maybe he'll do the same on saturday, or even more dreaming is allowed in this forum right?

Don't you remember last year's bashing on burnacow? Messi scored twice, Henry twice, Puyol and Pique once in the net of the "best keeper in the world". I don't think he is the best! Look at the statistics. Casillas has conceded 26 goals in La Liga while Valdes only 19. Last year, Valdes won the Zamora, not Casillas! Also, this season in CL Casillas has conceded 9 goals in 8 matches while Valdes conceded only 7 in 10 matches. How can Casillas be better than Valdes? If Casillas is the best keeper in the world, then Valdes is the best keeper in the universe.

casillas conceded more goals because his defence is crappy and we have some of the best defenders in the world. I'm not saying valdez is bad, i think he's the 2nd best keeper in la liga. If you compare the amount of saves made by the keeper, i think casillas would easily win.

this
you only need to watch the home el clasico last season to see why casillas is the best in the world
if it hadnt had been for him, we would have won 4 or 5 nil

[RenWoXing]

Milito, Messi and Xavi Men of the match.

The rest were a bit meh to be honest.

I thought Pedro had a poor game.

Ditto, though he was poor offensively. But he harassed well defensively and was the only player beside Messi actually taking shots. A better day and those hit the target.

Anyone else think Alves was pretty meh going forward? Had a good game defensively but I feel like his linkup with Messi was absent. Could just be that Messi was playing more centrally, but Alves is far more effective with a linkup man. Don't think Pedro really linked up with him enough.

I thought Pedro's passing was off as well, but as you said he worked hard and made contributions in other ways. One of the announcers on Fox Soccer channel pointed out that after Pedro had given the ball away with a bad pass, that Pedro then hustled back to the defensive third to win the ball back. (The brodacasters then used that play as an example of the youth academy knowing who to teach players the right way to play.)

I also agree with you about Alves. When I was watching the game I thought a couple of times that it seemed like he wasn't sure what he should do in the offensive end.

[RenWoXing]

this
you only need to watch the home el clasico last season to see why casillas is the best in the world
if it hadnt had been for him, we would have won 4 or 5 nil

Using your arguement I can claim that Almunia is the best goalkeeper in the world because without him Arsenal would have been four or five behind by halftime of the first CL leg this year.

[The Special One]

Valdes has been better than Casillas this season. He has been almost faultless and bailed us out many many times while Casillas has made some very big blunders and seems to have lost his halo. Except for the game at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, he's looked pretty ordinary all season.

That doesn't mean Valdes is a better goalkeeper, it just means he's been better this term.

[maniaFCB]

Wenger really played with fire bringing the high pressure that he did. They were more disruptive to our midfield control than the first leg but eventually got caught out (Messi #3). I guess they had no choice but to come out and play... How huge was it for us to score less than 3 mins after Bendtner scored?

I thought Marquez and Milito were very decent as the CB pairing. There is a noticeable difference between our international players and our products from la masia in how they link up passes on the pitch. The rhythm of the passes between Xavi, Busquets, and Messi was so intuitive at times it seemed they were playing with one collective mind. I also liked seeing our players taking professional fouls to stop Arsenal's breaks. Teams do that to us every match and I enjoyed seeing Biscuits, Keita, & co giving it back a bit.If it had not been for Messi's goal haul, we would all be singing the praises of Xavi for his performance. He played as good a game as Messi IMO.

Bring on Inter and Mourniho. At least Samu gets to come home again...

[IndoCulé]

Samu shall receive standing-o.

[Viva_Ronaldo]

Arsenal started off OK, and should have found themselves 2.0 up after 20 odd minutes but Messi destroyed them after that. It's a difficult tie for Arsenal because they are terrible without the football. Mourinho's Inter will be a totally different proposition. I've said before that to play Barca you have to press the back four and the goalkeeper to either force a long ball or an error, such as passing it out of play or into opposition's feet around the halfway line, but when they have it in midfield, you have to get back into a defensive shape quickly and close the space between your own holding midfield and defense so Messi can't just wonder around in the gaps between, playing havoc with you. Some teams are good at doing this (Liverpool are exceptional at it, despite the poor season they've had), and others are not (Arsenal).

Oh and as much as I think Barca are the best side in the world at the moment and play wonderful football, Busquets is a terrible play-actor.

[Mgz]

Oh and as much as I think Barca are the best side in the world at the moment and play wonderful football, Busquets is a terrible play-actor.

I like that he is a good play-actor because many sides have been trying to rough it up on us a little bit and the our little Busquets comes along and reminds them the consequence

I like Eto'o more now after the Henry fiasco, he appreciated the support and standing-o from the fan but on the pitch he still give his heart and soul to whatever his shirt is on. such a professional player.

[xenmate]

Casillas' quality is beyond question. Probably the best goalkeeper in the world.

[Emilfu]

Not even close this season though.

[andygoona]

well played Barca, you surprised me and a lot of other Gooners how strong your squad is.
Good luck v Inter,shut that "Special div" up Please!!!!!!!!!!
...........as for Messi,pure class

[maniaFCB]

well played Barca, you surprised me and a lot of other Gooners how strong your squad is.
Good luck v Inter,shut that "Special div" up Please!!!!!!!!!!
...........as for Messi,pure class

Nice respectable post. I was impressed with the guts your team showed, especially in the second half of the first leg. It takes a brave squad and coach to come out and play against us and yall never shut up shop. Better luck next year...

[marcel]

well played Barca, you surprised me and a lot of other Gooners how strong your squad is.
Good luck v Inter,shut that "Special div" up Please!!!!!!!!!!
...........as for Messi,pure class

Nice respectable post. I was impressed with the guts your team showed, especially in the second half of the first leg. It takes a brave squad and coach to come out and play against us and yall never shut up shop. Better luck next year...

+1

Wonder how the tie would have played out with Cesc and Van Persie playing?

[conorcasey]

bump