Caporegime
Sorry to hear that Spawn, chin up, bitches aint ****
LOL cheers
Damn straight dude
UEFA Champions League/Europa League 8/9/10 March *** Spoilers ***
- Thread starter Cosimo
- Start date
LOL cheers
Damn straight dude
Yep, their final ball was almost always a long way off. They really didn't create much. I dunno what people are on about
Soldato
I'm not saying Arsenal didnt have a point regarding their injuries last season but I was just hoping this time around they'd be no excuses
Like you said though it is clear that Barca were the better team and are the best team in the world so the right team went through, just hope we don't get them. Barca v Spurs would be a good tie though
Caporegime
Pedro's chance very early on?
Adriano / Villa chance?
Messi's chance? Waltzed past a few defenders and fired over?
Adriano / Villa chance?
Messi's chance? Waltzed past a few defenders and fired over?
Messi had a great chance just before their first goal; he broke into the box and shot straight at the keeper. They also should have had a penalty for the foul on Messi. ANd also got into several positions where had their final ball been better they'd have been clear through.
It was constant Barca pressure and was always going to be a matter of time before they scored.
And no, Villa's chance was just after Arsenal scored in the 2nd half.
Well that's fair enough, Messi had a chance. You don't score every chance you get. So 1 - 0 was about right for half time, even though the goal they did get was a bit of a gift. I think that backs me up, for all their possession they rarely got through the defence, most of it was speculative through balls that were a long way from completion and the keeper dealt with them all easily, they weren't dangerous and for every one I just thought 'that'll do, no bother there'. The penalty you sort of ignore as if the ref was good he wouldn't have sent RvP off and he would have sent Abidal off
So ultimately they didn't really create a lot at 11v11. A bit like us really when we play some teams in the PL. We get told often enough that its no good just having all of the ball. Our defence deserved more credit I thought.
I'm not saying we would have gone through, I don't think we would, but the game did change monumetally with clear goal scoring opportunities for them after RvP went off.
Soldato
45 min+3: GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Arsenal (Messi) : That's unreal. Iniesta advances on the Arsenal defence, endless options flashing through his cyborg passing brain. He chips through to Messi, eight yards or so from goal. With his first touch he flicks the ball over Almunia, then he blasts into the empty net. And they were were so close to making it to halftime.
45 min+2: Best chance yet for Barca! Messi gets through the defence and pulls the trigger. Straight at Almunia.
37 min: Messi free kick from 30 yards. Into the wall. Also, Adriano hit the post back there with a rocket of a shot on the run from a very tight angle. Almunia thought it was some sort of pale bat which might attack if threatened and did not move a muscle.
35 min: Messi is untouchable out there - until he gets into the area. He glides through the middle like smoke, but takes too long once more and Djourou is there again to steal in at the last minute. Great challenge , no knees or elbows, just a forceful shoulderbarge and a neat tap of the ball to relative safety.
34 min: This is getting harrowing. First Messi should have a free kick inches outside the box after Djourou clobbers him but doesn't. Then Villa is clean through but can only pat a tame shot at Almunia. Then Wilshere has to clean up after Almunia's clearance goes wrong.
32 min: Messi should have scored. He playstations his way from the left flank, ghosting his way pas challenges until he's in the D. He cuts into the box, beats Koscielny - by this time he could have fired off two or three shots - but Djourou pops up at the vital moment to clear.
28 min: Two good chances for Barca. First they occupy Arsenal's box for four or five passes and Arsenal are in disarray before Iniesta lays the ball off just outside the area - to nobody. Then Pedro curls a decent effort over from 20 yards.
Also Villa went clean through straight after the OG and should have made it 2-1 before the sending off
Soldato
utter utter rubbish , any team would have been dominated there playing the worlds best team , if your going to beat them you need 11 men on the field , anything could have happened if it was not for a crazy ref decision. its a bit like when chelsea played them and all the refs decisions went against them!
also when you say its always the same with arsenal blaming the ref , i find that odd , all teams do it when they get a bad decision against them.
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45 min+3: GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Arsenal (Messi) : That's unreal. Iniesta advances on the Arsenal defence, endless options flashing through his cyborg passing brain. He chips through to Messi, eight yards or so from goal. With his first touch he flicks the ball over Almunia, then he blasts into the empty net. And they were were so close to making it to halftime.
45 min+2: Best chance yet for Barca! Messi gets through the defence and pulls the trigger. Straight at Almunia.
37 min: Messi free kick from 30 yards. Into the wall. Also, Adriano hit the post back there with a rocket of a shot on the run from a very tight angle. Almunia thought it was some sort of pale bat which might attack if threatened and did not move a muscle.
35 min: Messi is untouchable out there - until he gets into the area. He glides through the middle like smoke, but takes too long once more and Djourou is there again to steal in at the last minute. Great challenge , no knees or elbows, just a forceful shoulderbarge and a neat tap of the ball to relative safety.
34 min: This is getting harrowing. First Messi should have a free kick inches outside the box after Djourou clobbers him but doesn't. Then Villa is clean through but can only pat a tame shot at Almunia. Then Wilshere has to clean up after Almunia's clearance goes wrong.
32 min: Messi should have scored. He playstations his way from the left flank, ghosting his way pas challenges until he's in the D. He cuts into the box, beats Koscielny - by this time he could have fired off two or three shots - but Djourou pops up at the vital moment to clear.
28 min: Two good chances for Barca. First they occupy Arsenal's box for four or five passes and Arsenal are in disarray before Iniesta lays the ball off just outside the area - to nobody. Then Pedro curls a decent effort over from 20 yards.
Also Villa went clean through straight after the OG and should have made it 2-1 before the sending off
Messi free-kick from 30 yards hits the wall. Defenders making tackles. These aren't clear chances. You are clutching at straws really.
They had all the ball yes, but nothing really left my heart in my mouth until the goal.
He asked about the first half, not before Van Persie got sent off. Barca also had a couple of very good chances in the 2nd half before Van Persie got sent off too.
Barca were opening you up at will and it was their final pass or shot that was letting them down.
Soldato
Who's disputing that Barca would dominate everyone else? That's really a moot point anyway.
You didn't have a shot at goal with 11 men before the sending off, and didn't string 3 passes together before the sending off either. It's highly unlikely that would have changed dramatically had RVP stayed on the pitch, not to mention he could have gone in the first half anyway.
It could be argued that they'd have been even more space for Barca to expose had RVP stayed on and Arsenal had an attacking avenue rather than putting everyone behind the ball like they did when they went down to 10
I was including the first half. For the possession they had, clear chances were minimal. I do disagree with the cutting open. A lot of balls went through to the goal-keeper or kicked long but you can't say what if surely for things like this. A bad final ball is a bad final ball.
In the first leg they created a lot more clear cut opportunites in the first half.
I agree with all of drunkenmasters post above end of the day 10 men or 11 Arsenal did not set up properly at all.
You can't even say RvP was doing much tracking back and helping the team as he did so little, the downside to him going off was there was no hoof ball when Arsenal did eventually get a touch.
Even when Arsenal had the ball they really didn't look comfortable or at all threatening with it, was a poor display that ended up getting made worse by his sending off.
If you remove the complete **** up of a goal what would Arsenal have done differently?
They needed to close down, shut spaces and get in there faces.
As they said on tv last night 14 years of Arsene and his philosophy and he throws it all away for one game.
Arsenal had the lead going into this leg and an advantage in there style of play, theres not many teams who play in the similar fashion to Barcelona, how would they have dealt with that if Arsenal could get it and knock it around quicker with more confidence?
O and Inter beat them with 10 men didn't they?
You can't even say RvP was doing much tracking back and helping the team as he did so little, the downside to him going off was there was no hoof ball when Arsenal did eventually get a touch.
Even when Arsenal had the ball they really didn't look comfortable or at all threatening with it, was a poor display that ended up getting made worse by his sending off.
If you remove the complete **** up of a goal what would Arsenal have done differently?
They needed to close down, shut spaces and get in there faces.
As they said on tv last night 14 years of Arsene and his philosophy and he throws it all away for one game.
Arsenal had the lead going into this leg and an advantage in there style of play, theres not many teams who play in the similar fashion to Barcelona, how would they have dealt with that if Arsenal could get it and knock it around quicker with more confidence?
O and Inter beat them with 10 men didn't they?
Soldato
yes but that's not the point it was 1-1 we were going threw at this point!
Soldato
Why? No one is disputing that Arsenal did some great last ditch defending but chances aren't just those that result in shots it also includes opening for which Barca had time and time again especially with Alves down the right
Think back to last seasons game, all I can remember hearing is what could have been if Arsenal had played the right ball on the counter (I think it was Walcott and Bedtner involved)
You guys are priceless with you selective memory
Which pundit said that? Wow that's utter nonsense.
Anyone who thinks we could have out-played Barca last night are just in lala land.
We were leading the tie after 146 minutes weren't we? The setup seemed to be working ok up until then.
Soldato
Yes but with 35 minutes to go, you're talking like you went down to 10 with 5 minutes to go and then the game changed