UCL: Arsenal Vs FC Barcelona 1st k/o round

[diplj]

Well done Arsenal. I'll admit, I wasn't a huge believer of Wilshere but he did play brilliantly.

Now to the complaints -
Why are people saying that Barcelona are the best team in history when there is a United team that was and has been doing better in terms of winning or getting to finals.

United are on course to win their 4th prem title in 5 years. The Prem is probably the toughest of the top leagues to win.
United won 3 league titles in a row while getting to 2 CL finals in consecutive years.

I would ask Barcelona fans to comback after 5 years if they do these things.
I know they play beautiful football and have a great youth system but to be called the best in history, they will have to do a lot better than losing or drawing away CL games.

Sorry if any rules were broken.

 

[Tlur]

The Arsenal <3

What an amazing comeback. What an amazing result.

So much for Arsenal not beating the big clubs, we have now beaten Chelsea, Barca, and City thus season.

Also, a shout out to all the dumb people that have been hating on Kos, he was immense today. Thought he played just as well as Jack. As long as he has a partner that can grab the high balls he will always excel. Maybe TV5 will be back next game? because as good as Djourou has been...he was weak today, gave up possession way to many times.

Also, what a difference in goal. Big Ups to Mr. Wojciech Szczesny, the undisputed number 1 goalie showed his class tonight, and showed us all why Arsene was hesitant in bringing in a bona-fied shot stopper....because we already had a 20 year old ready to step it.

Can't wait to beat them at the Nou Camp

 

[Quasit]

Now to the complaints -
Why are people saying that Barcelona are the best team in history when there is a United team that was and has been doing better in terms of winning or getting to finals.

United are on course to win their 4th prem title in 5 years. The Prem is probably the toughest of the top leagues to win.
United won 3 league titles in a row while getting to 2 CL finals in consecutive years.

I would ask Barcelona fans to comback after 5 years if they do these things.
I know they play beautiful football and have a great youth system but to be called the best in history, they will have to do a lot better than losing or drawing away CL games.

Well if you think United is the best team in the world then you are deluded.

Ac Milan late 80's and 90's:
Italian Super Cup: 88 , 92 , 93 and 94
Serie A: 87-88 , 91-92 , 92-93 , 93-94 , 94-95
UEFA Super Cup: 89 , 90 , 94
Champions League: 88-89 , 89-90 , 93-94

These are victories. I'm not including runners ups. Back then Serie A was toughest league in the world.

BUT back to the topic. One of the best wake ups i've ever had. First thing i saw in telly that Arsenal had won.

 

[W4FC B3N]

Wow, so many sore losers. At the end of the day, Barca lost at the Emirates.. The crowd played a massive part in this, which I said earlier in the post and RVP even highlighted in the post match interview. There is still a second leg yet... Barca basically drew 2 - 2, grabbing the away goal, it's going to be soo difficult for Arsenal to score at the Camp Nou.

Well played Arsenal and I'm absolutely chuffed for Andrey, he's been going through a bad patch and to score a goal like he did last night with that sublime finish is excellent.

 

[diplj]

Well if you think United is the best team in the world then you are deluded.

Ac Milan late 80's and 90's:
Italian Super Cup: 88 , 92 , 93 and 94
Serie A: 87-88 , 91-92 , 92-93 , 93-94 , 94-95
UEFA Super Cup: 89 , 90 , 94
Champions League: 88-89 , 89-90 , 93-94

These are victories. I'm not including runners ups. Back then Serie A was toughest league in the world.

BUT back to the topic. One of the best wake ups i've ever had. First thing i saw in telly that Arsenal had won.

I haven't stated that United are the best team in the world. I have only said that stating Barcelona are the best team in history is probably an overstatement when they can't at this point match the accomplishments of Manchester United in the past 5 years.

If you wish to see history then we can all safely say that Real Madrid 55-60 is the best.

 

[W4FC B3N]

If any team is the best in History, I'd say it's 5 time world champions, Brazil XD

 

[n3galiu]

Arsenal arsenal arsenal !!! Uraaaaaaaaaaa !!!

 

[5ICK]

So so happy with the victory. And with Wilshere match.

Anyway, let's be realistic: Barcelona played unusually bad, specially the defence (Arshavin's goal specially).
Pep was horrible about substitutions.
And disallowed Messi was should have been given. It was legal, not offside at all.

It will be hard at the Camp Nou, but well, let's see what happen. This result is so good.

 

[Tharros]

And disallowed Messi was should have been given. It was legal, not offside at all.

Nah. Definitely offside for me.

Great result for Arsenal obviously. Wilshere played very well. Can't wait for the return leg.

 

[Mike.]

Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona: Arsenal turn it around
February 17, 2011

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2011/02/17/arsenal-2-1-barcelona-tactics/

The starting line-ups
​

Great goals from Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin gave Arsenal their first-ever victory over Barcelona.

Arsene Wenger was able to welcome back Samir Nasri from injury on the left. The rest of the side was as expected.

Pep Guardiola also named the predicted side, with Eric Abidal in Carles Puyol’s place, and Maxwell at left-back.

Crucially, Arsenal made a good start without the ball. Having been battered in the first ten minutes in this fixture last season, there was a much better attitude without the ball from the beginning this time around. The pressure on Barcelona’s midfield meant Arsenal forced Barcelona to give the ball away after 16 seconds, and though the away side had spells of clear dominance, they didn’t enjoy the ludicrous level of control they exerted a year ago.

Arsenal high line

With the increased pressure came a high defensive line, so as not to leave space between midfield and attack. The problem with this strategy is that it only takes one mistake to allow the opposition in, and the particular problem against Barcelona is that the combination of superb passers in midfield and forwards with tremendous acceleration makes it very risky, as Real Madrid found out last year.

In general, Arsenal kept a good line, although first Lionel Messi and then David Villa broke through. Messi missed, Villa scored, and Arsenal had a spell before half time when they looked nervous. Still, their pressing meant that Arsenal were in the game more, winning the ball back higher up the pitch and building attacks of their own. Only a lack of precision in the final third from Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie meant Arsenal didn’t turn decent breaks into goalscoring ones.

Lionel Messi picked the ball up in very deep positions (from TotalFootball iPhone app)​

Arsenal positioning

Nasri and Theo Walcott played deep and formed a second bank of four, which gave them a good defensive base to work from, with Fabregas slightly further forward.

Arsenal also played more compact than usual – van Persie always drops into deep positions but was closer to his midfield than usual, making himself available for a quick forward pass. This was something Arsenal missed last season – good link-up play from the forward (van Persie was unavailable for both legs).

Barcelona dominate

Still, Barcelona had the better of the first half, after a slow start. As always, the key to their front three is fluidity and therefore trying to define the roles of Messi, Villa and Pedro is somewhat pointless, but Messi played very deep, often coming into midfield and linking play.

However, Arsenal coped quite well with him there – whereas Espanyol responded to the same threat by bringing their centre-backs up towards him and leaving space in behind, Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny were reserved and disciplined, leaving Messi to Alex Song and Jack Wilshere. Song was something of a worry for Arsenal after he picked up an early card.

The expected dangerman, Theo Walcott, was rather quiet. Maxwell didn’t have many problems in 1 v 1s and also received help from Andres Iniesta, whilst Walcott’s relatively deep positioning didn’t suit his game – he was getting balls played into his feet on the touchline, rather than being immediately on the defensive line and looking to use his pace in behind. That approach was something Arsenal didn’t take advantage of enough until late in the game.

Second half

Whilst never being a poor contest, the game went quiet at the beginning of the second half, with neither side taking control and no major tactical changes. The general pattern of play continued from the first half.

The formations from 76 minutes onwards​

Guardiola’s decision to bring on Seydou Keita for David Villa on 67 minutes looks like a mistake in hindsight. Barcelona pushed Iniesta forward into the front three but they had less attacking threat – they sat back too much and focused on keeping possession rather than looking for further chances.

Wenger made an attacking switch – Song off, Arshavin on, and Nasri into the middle of the pitch. Those two substitutions happened at the same time, so it wasn’t either manager responding to the other, but it worked nicely for Arsenal. Whilst taking off their holding midfielder was something of a risk, the fact that Barcelona no longer had a driving, attack-minded central midfielder meant it wasn’t an issue. Song’s absence meant Iniesta would have thrived in the centre of midfield – the two were in direct competition.

Comeback

Wenger made a further change – Walcott off, Nicklas Bendtner on. Whether this had much of an impact upon the subsequent proceedings is debatable, but it is the second time in less than a month that Arsenal have brought on Arshavin and Bendtner in the final 25 minutes, and turned a 0-1 into a 2-1.

It was van Persie’s excellent finish from a tight angle that got the equaliser, and then Barca responded and the game opened up. Twenty seconds before Arshavin scored the winner, Barca outnumbered Arsenal at the other end, but couldn’t work the opening. A lightning quick break down the right through Nasri (ironically, the kind of situation Walcott was praying for all game) saw the Frenchman pull the ball back for Arshavin to bend into the net. Gerard Pique was five yards behind his defence in a poor position, whilst Alves jogged back when he could have cut out the final pass with a quick burst.

Arshavin’s introduction provided the inevitable moment of defensive calamity when up against Alves late on, but Barcelona couldn’t manufacture a clear chance at 2-1 down. At 0-1 they’d gone into their shell, and found it impossible to emerge as an attacking threat again.

Conclusion

Arsenal’s tactics were largely correct from the start. Granted, they had less possession and had to endure some nervous moments, but that’s to be expected against Barcelona. No combination of tactics can prevent Messi from creating, and Arsenal rode their luck on a couple of occasions – but the pressing was consistent, integrated, and meant Arsenal were in the game as an attacking force.

The substitutions were extremely important. Guardiola took off his goalscorer at a time when Barcelona looked likely to have chances on the break, whilst Arsenal stepped up their attacking threat with the introduction of a wide forward for a holding midfielder. That gave Arsenal the attacking impetus and more creative quality in the centre of the pitch (with a Fabregas-Nasri-Wilshere trio) and made the comeback in the final 12 minutes possible.

 

[Andy]

Nah. Definitely offside for me.

Great result for Arsenal obviously. Wilshere played very well. Can't wait for the return leg.

Was close but wasn't offside.

 

[Chaz Sexington]

Nah. Definitely offside for me.

Great result for Arsenal obviously. Wilshere played very well. Can't wait for the return leg.

What, how? I've seen still shots and the video of it, and it's simply not offside. Not by a long shot, no pun intended. Should've been 2-0 to Barca before half time. Arsenal were lucky.

 

[raja13_cro]

why even arguing when arsenal deserve their win...barca had possesion but arsenal had more chances and they took 2 of them to make deserved win. also guardiola definitley lost game when he subbed villa and tryed to close the game

 

[Unbidden]

You guys should be happy Arsenal have continued the English tradition of Barcelona never winning on English soil.

 

[Tharros]

What, how? I've seen still shots and the video of it, and it's simply not offside. Not by a long shot, no pun intended. Should've been 2-0 to Barca before half time. Arsenal were lucky.

Hmm... IDK. I would have to see it again. But when I was watching that game I thought it was offside.

 

[AldoKemp-1]

Hmm... IDK. I would have to see it again. But when I was watching that game I thought it was offside.

If you watch it closely and very slowly mate when the ball strikes pedro for the second time messi was still behind the ball. so he was onside it was wrongy disallowed but it's a very very hard one to call and I can't fault the linesman on it.

 

[needley_everton]

Twas a great game , I think Barca will do them at the Nou Camp...

 

[red157]

If I was an Arsenal fan, I'd have a quiet confidence going into the away leg. This isn't the same as last year, Arsenal aren't chasing. Messi was incredible in the return leg a year ago and he'll have to be again. People mention how muted Barca were last night, but a number of Arsenal players didn't show their best, only in glimpses.

And why can't they score at the Nou camp? They did last year, and this is a much better side.

 

[ScyllaJoe]

I sky +'d it... went to the scunny game (1-0 win over forest ) I intended on not finding out the score. Made it through the whole match just got outside the ground and heard someone shout "2-1 Arsenal sets it up nicely" :'( I still watched it and it was a good game but I think Barca will be to strong at home

 

[Joss]

Superb game and Arsenal played will, and Wilshere was at the heart of every move. It was so pleasing to see young England midfielder having that technique and composure to hold possession against Barca.

KOS had excellent game and i was very much surprised. He read the game very well. RVP had 2 good chances which on another day would have buried it.

And people complaining about atmosphere, get a grip. Atmosphere was not dire as you lot make out to be. Arsenal played pressing game and won against Barca, so what excuses bitters find? Yeah lack of atmosphere.
Chants are overrated as ****. Yeah it creates great atmosphere, but it can be done even with out having chants for every tom **** and harry. (We dont have any chants but atmosphere will always be electric when we play any team, yes it is about Cricket).

Arsenal deserves all the credit.

Who complained about the atmosphere? They're deluded. It was electric, you could hear that from the TV.

OK, we're not known for being the loudest of supporters, but I went to the game last year, I went to Chelsea at home, and Man Utd away and each time it was an incredible atmosphere. We're well capable of stepping up the atmosphere at the big games, and our away supporters are superb.