Barcelona vs Arsenal thread

[DanielD]

Well you could say we were shit all you like, but our injuries were too much. And it would have been too much for any team if their best attacking players and two of their best defenders were out of the game.

Who could have done something today attacking wise?

Nasri? Not good enough to play for us. If he had the technical ability of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, even Bojan, that maybe, but he's only mediocare + in that department, and he doesn't have the physical attributes to cover it.

Rosicky? Yes he can be a nice little player for Everton and Villa, but he's not up to the level Arsenal players require.

Diaby? Pure shite in both the Barca matches, what happened to the brilliant player that played few weeks ago? I have no idea.

Walcott? He's a super sub at best. Can't keep the ball, can't dribble past a player, can't cross the ball for his life at times.

Super Nick? FFS, he's not Henry, Drogba or Ronney. He can't win games by himself. He needs good supply and than maybe he'll do something (with his effectiveness infront of goal, he'll need more than the average football player).

Denilson? He had a "good game" by his standarts, but he can't ever be a PL player, let alone an Arsenal player.

Eduardo? After his injury, he wouldn't score in the Barnet match in pre season.

----------------------------------------------------

Eventually, no team in the world could do anything with all these injuries. Examples:

Barca without Messi, Xavi, Puyol, Ibra, Toure, and Pique.

Manure without Ronney, Carrick, Ferdinand, Vidic, Valencia, and Giggs.

Chelsea without Drogba, Lampard, Anelka, Terry, Malouda, and Cashley.

Madrid without Ronaldo, Higuain, Xabi Alonso, Ramos, Kaka, and Pepe.

Arsenal without, Cesc, RVP, Song, Arshavin, Gallas, and Sol

Non of these teams could win a match.

[antgel]

Out in the summer;

Silvestre
Eduardo
Almunia
Rosicky

We need fierce competition for the positions of;

Denilson (actually he should just fuck off as well)
Bendtner
Diaby
Nasri
Walcott

That is pretty much how I see it as well. The problem with the bottom lot is that they are capable of playing well on occasion, but not consistently(*). We need more players who perform nine games out of ten - some of the bottom group might get there, some might not.

(*) Except Bendtner - I think his performances are, on the whole, getting better, and I think he could grow to play a part in a league-winning squad.

[antgel]

DanielD - just saw your location - I've been living in TLV for a few weeks now. Where did you watch it? I was in Mash. Anyway PM me or something, we should meet for a bevvie before the scum game.

[leedsgooner]

Dr Dull turns up to rub it in! What a sad little man. The only nights like this you ever have end with a sticky patch in your pyjama bottoms. Fuck off back to your Bovril you mug

I suppose you at least have reason not to support your local team.

My presence here wasn't meant as any form of wind-up. I have already listed my credentials as a part time gooner. Perhaps the arguments have been rehearsed elsewhere, but my point is "what the fuck are you doing playing in white?" I have just had exactly that conversation with Mrs Hull, who said "I though Arsenal played in a yellow change kit and white is Spurs' colours".

And all the wanking over Barca by Gray pissed me off, but then he does the same for any big four club in the PL

Fair enough...I apologies for being tetchy but I am not in the best of moods as you may imagine. Im not actually from Leeds I only live here. Im from Halifax and support them but they went out of business a couple of years ago and came back in the Unibond North. Arsenal have always been my no. 1 team though (long story which I wont bore you with here). The white kit has not been received well by most but it was actually worn by us before the yellow strip was introduced if im correct. Think we actually have wore a change kit of blue colour more times than we have any other but that wouldn't have been an option tonight obviously.

[DanielD]

DanielD - just saw your location - I've been living in TLV for a few weeks now. Where did you watch it? I was in Mash. Anyway PM me or something, we should meet for a bevvie before the scum game.

Mate, I'm probably the guy you talked to at the MASH. Were you sitting at the back tables infront of the big screen?

[antgel]

Here's a clue: I am instantly recognizable by my Clock End t-shirt and looking much younger than my 32 years on the planet.

[augie]

Firstly let me hold my hands up and say that due to work commitments I couldnt actually watch the game live and only seen the highlights since so maybe that is affecting my opinion but I feel that some of the opinions on here are very harsh (and I am a realist as well ) -

We were missing too many of our best players and you cannot ignore that fact. Many of us on here have said all season that we are not good enough to win the champs lge so if our first choice line up is not deemed to be good enough by most Gooners is it not unreasonable to expect this line up tonight to beat the best team in club football at the moment ?

For some fans to say that we should have approached the game with a different tactical plan totally ignores a fact that has been written about us for the last few years now.....we can only play one way We simply do not have the personel to set out to negate the opposition and even though wenger has often tried putting square pegs into round holes in different aspects, deep down we know it cannot work.

If we wish to be negative then we can of course rightly say that we have far too many players who simply are not good enough even as back ups. I would also point to the fact that yet again the glaring absence of leaders on the pitch is badly showing up but we have a man in charge who will not want to accept either of these facts. We are again brought back to basics like the lack of a brain in diaby and walcott (even one between them would be good) and you hope and pray that nights like tonight will show these facts to wenger so something positive might come out of it but deep down we know that aint going to happen and this summer will mirror last summer and the summer before that.........no point in blaming the players too much on a night like this

[Magic Hat]

Failing to have another Song in the squad, thank you Wenger, didn't help but on the whole...

We scored 3 goals over two legs despite not giving Bendtner enough support, despite some appalling choices in the final third (what was Clichy doing at times in second half. Oh and Diaby), we got goals. Going forward, we have glimmers of hope for the future

Being outpassed by Barca? Fine, best team in the world, no shame in that and for the most part, we kept our discipline after the first 20 minutes of the first leg. Our problems were defensive mistakes ruthlessly exploited, how many of their goals over the two legs could have been prevented? First leg, two balls over the top, two goals. Fail to pick up second ball for Messi's first but still top class, Walcott falls asleep and our line is thrown apart, again no getting second ball for Messi's second. Third, high line, an uncharacteristic poor offside trap, last Eboue tried too hard and Messi was just too good

We need a new keeper, another dm if just for depth, a one maybe two new cb cover but most of all, we need to coach. Concentrate when you don't have the ball, when they have set pieces, ensure there are numbers back before you go forward. Lessons we have failed to learn all season

[tinpot lane]

Firstly let me hold my hands up and say that due to work commitments I couldnt actually watch the game live and only seen the highlights since so maybe that is affecting my opinion but I feel that some of the opinions on here are very harsh (and I am a realist as well ) -

We were missing too many of our best players and you cannot ignore that fact. Many of us on here have said all season that we are not good enough to win the champs lge so if our first choice line up is not deemed to be good enough by most Gooners is it not unreasonable to expect this line up tonight to beat the best team in club football at the moment ?

For some fans to say that we should have approached the game with a different tactical plan totally ignores a fact that has been written about us for the last few years now.....we can only play one way We simply do not have the personel to set out to negate the opposition and even though wenger has often tried putting square pegs into round holes in different aspects, deep down we know it cannot work.

If we wish to be negative then we can of course rightly say that we have far too many players who simply are not good enough even as back ups. I would also point to the fact that yet again the glaring absence of leaders on the pitch is badly showing up but we have a man in charge who will not want to accept either of these facts. We are again brought back to basics like the lack of a brain in diaby and walcott (even one between them would be good) and you hope and pray that nights like tonight will show these facts to wenger so something positive might come out of it but deep down we know that aint going to happen and this summer will mirror last summer and the summer before that.........no point in blaming the players too much on a night like this

Well said

[DanielD]

Here's a clue: I am instantly recognizable by my Clock End t-shirt and looking much younger than my 32 years on the planet.

Yeah yeah. You sat next to me, and we talked about our best pubs matches.

[g88ner]

Firstly let me hold my hands up and say that due to work commitments I couldnt actually watch the game live and only seen the highlights since so maybe that is affecting my opinion but I feel that some of the opinions on here are very harsh (and I am a realist as well ) -

We were missing too many of our best players and you cannot ignore that fact. Many of us on here have said all season that we are not good enough to win the champs lge so if our first choice line up is not deemed to be good enough by most Gooners is it not unreasonable to expect this line up tonight to beat the best team in club football at the moment ?

For some fans to say that we should have approached the game with a different tactical plan totally ignores a fact that has been written about us for the last few years now.....we can only play one way We simply do not have the personel to set out to negate the opposition and even though wenger has often tried putting square pegs into round holes in different aspects, deep down we know it cannot work.

If we wish to be negative then we can of course rightly say that we have far too many players who simply are not good enough even as back ups. I would also point to the fact that yet again the glaring absence of leaders on the pitch is badly showing up but we have a man in charge who will not want to accept either of these facts. We are again brought back to basics like the lack of a brain in diaby and walcott (even one between them would be good) and you hope and pray that nights like tonight will show these facts to wenger so something positive might come out of it but deep down we know that aint going to happen and this summer will mirror last summer and the summer before that.........no point in blaming the players too much on a night like this

Bloody good post, Augie!

[no. 1 is Perry Groves....]

Firstly let me hold my hands up and say that due to work commitments I couldnt actually watch the game live and only seen the highlights since so maybe that is affecting my opinion but I feel that some of the opinions on here are very harsh (and I am a realist as well ) -

We were missing too many of our best players and you cannot ignore that fact. Many of us on here have said all season that we are not good enough to win the champs lge so if our first choice line up is not deemed to be good enough by most Gooners is it not unreasonable to expect this line up tonight to beat the best team in club football at the moment ?

For some fans to say that we should have approached the game with a different tactical plan totally ignores a fact that has been written about us for the last few years now.....we can only play one way We simply do not have the personel to set out to negate the opposition and even though wenger has often tried putting square pegs into round holes in different aspects, deep down we know it cannot work.

If we wish to be negative then we can of course rightly say that we have far too many players who simply are not good enough even as back ups. I would also point to the fact that yet again the glaring absence of leaders on the pitch is badly showing up but we have a man in charge who will not want to accept either of these facts. We are again brought back to basics like the lack of a brain in diaby and walcott (even one between them would be good) and you hope and pray that nights like tonight will show these facts to wenger so something positive might come out of it but deep down we know that aint going to happen and this summer will mirror last summer and the summer before that.........no point in blaming the players too much on a night like this

top post

[GunnerDude]

Stop reading my mind and posting my thoughts in such length as you do Augie

[antgel]

Here's a clue: I am instantly recognizable by my Clock End t-shirt and looking much younger than my 32 years on the planet.

Yeah yeah. You sat next to me, and we talked about our best pubs matches.

Ah, during the Wolves game... Didn't see you tonight, was mainly talking to an Israeli Barca fan and a Scottish Gooner. Sorry I had to leave against Wolves, my neighbour called and told me that my other neighbour had climbed the balcony fence and was stealing my balcony furniture (long story). Managed to watch the second half at home.

NB I think this is a bit off-topic, let's leave it there, but see you at Mash for the scum game.

[augie]

Stop reading my mind and posting my thoughts in such length as you do Augie

Had a couple of seconds free gunnerdude so........