[ASSE]Hinchy;18632367 said:
I'm really surprised, I usually think you talk a lot of sense in your posts but this just suggests a dislike for Arsenal rather than looking at the bigger picture.
Arsenal did right to stand of Barcelona. You keep your shape and make them have to work for the gaps in between your defensive lines. If you close down like Barcelona do when they are high up the pitch, you leave spaces. Barcelona will exploit any spaces that you leave. So closing them down like I think you're suggesting would have been suicidal and played right into their hands.
First half, Barcelona pressed very high up the pitch and unsettled Arsenal and yes, Arsenal were left looking extremely ordinary because of it. Any side in the world would have. Its the second half that I would have expected Arsenal to start to come out of their shell a bit more as the Barcelona players tire from all of the constant pressing high up the pitch leaving spaces in behind.
Van Persie getting sent off meant Barcelona could afford to commit more forward without having to worry about Arsenal's only outlet that could hold it up and bring other players into a counter attack.
Arsenal rode their luck at times but any hopes they did have went off the pitch with Van Persie.
Is this even a joke, standing off them, like Diaby did, just let them stand inside our half, still without being closed down as Pedro/Messi/Iniesta ran along the back line and waited for a pass in behind, thats how we conceded two at home last season, thats EXACTLY how we conceded those goals and Barca created a half dozen chances from that in the first half alone.
Our gameplan was working, lol, the first leg, despite Arsenal fans forgetting, was around 64-65% posession for Barca, we stood off them, they scored and had another bad night infront of goal, in the second half when we dominated them we pushed forwards, we closed them down, we most certainly in no way "stood off them" standing off them is EXACTLY what lets Barca play their football, getting in their faces and in their half especially is exactly what made them screw up passes and lose posession.
Everything you said is literally 100% incorrect, gameplan, Cesc was injured and unable to run, Diaby was unwilling to run, tackle, pass, close track runs, or really do anything. Thats not a game plan, thats an absolute failure, we played into their hands completely.
Jakeke, seriously, our gameplan was working at 1-1 and only after RVP was sent off did they commit two men forwards, utter utter utter tripe.
Alves didn't get forwards till RVP was sent off, is that really the story you're going with, until RVP, who had no posession, none of the ball, won no headers and was literally no threat at all with no support, went off they were barely attacking or playing their game. Rubbish, we played into their hands from start to finish, we never looked like scoring, but for an absolute fluke goal 100% against the run of play, scored by a ridiculous own goal we'd have been several goals down before the sending off.
Yes, Arsenal still could have won, thats football, but at no stage, not even for a second were we in control of that tie. The way we played, the space they had, the amount of times they shot and got in the box it was completely inevitable they would score more goals.
But lets hope the majority of Arsenal fans continue with the "ref stole it from us" mantra, so no one gets angry at the retarded Wenger who made every single wrong decision on the night, starting line up, tactics, subs. Wenger needs to go, these games go the SAME WAY every single ruddy time, for 5 years, and Wenger hasn't learnt from a single one of these games, he hasn't learnt from a single "play injured player and watch it backfire" mistake he's made of which the last 5 seasons are littered with dozens.
Wenger out, competant manager with some balls and less excuses in, Arsenal have a squad that can win things.
...its all good though....we did well to have gone to Barca with a slender lead but i couldnt see us hanging on for a win especially after going down to 10 men.
....unless Wenger gets rid of the deadwood currently infecting our squad but that happening is as likely as me winning the lottery ie virutally nil.
