Best match Koscielny has had for us (though God help the boy when he gets caught in front of the ball) he was massive in the most diffiult circumstances he likely will face. Szczesny did not have too much to do surprisingly but did it just about flawlessly. The one time he was beaten just about any other keeper would have been as well.
VanPersie played like a great striker in and out missed some chances you would expect far better from him on, and took that one most important chance he had, because like great footballers he has great imagination - that is he is not afraid to take a chance no one else would think he would try, most importantly the keeper. The really great footballers make the plays no one thinks they will try. Sometimes that means lucky goals which this one was a bit but take nothing at all from it because again Robin absolutely made his luck and again that is what the truly great players do.
Nasri was very solid as well considering his fitness concerns, and his work was very important all match going forward even if he was abit subdued in the final third much of the night, but what wonderfull work on the winner to get free and make that run and then to have the patience with the angle against him and several men back defending to be patient when Theo Walcott either would have shot wide or played the passs in early to no one or well over everyone.
Nasri held his nerve found the area to plat the ball inot and then waited to give Arshavin a chnce to make the run and then finish brilliantly. That is the differennce between a winger and a striker being played on the wing.
And credit to Arshavin again to see the space and make the perfect run to be avilable to Nasri. Again patience and vision from Arshavin were similarly essential. Again the great footballers have that patience vison imagination and initiative. And the finish wasn't the hardest ever perhaps but still showed why they say "class is permanent". Yes he scared me shitless too at the death but he kept his head too afterward to help minimze his error's impact(with just a little help from his keeper).
Surprisngly Cesc had a good match but almost every match from him is pretty good at some point, but he was subdued relltive to some of his other mates in the attack. Djourou partned with Koscielny had a solid match but was second to his new teammate in the central defensive partnership but that is not a criticism at Kos was simply brilliant when behind the ball.
Song had a bit of a mare. I suppose one could say he was playing more of a midfield destryer and disrptor and if so than he did do a fairly decent. But if he was just of control and simply late because Barca were a boit quick and clever for him as it did look at times not his best night, but it workded out well enough and we won't have to try and count on Denilson covering in the center and in front of the back four the back four at the Nou Camp which is effectively suicide.
Walcott started out brilliantly that early run was splendid, and he clearly worried Barca as long as he was out there, but after the 15 minute mark he seemed to drift out of the match a bit and overall had a very minmal positive role. Just not his night really, other than showing again he is not a wide player his place is straight down the middle and his motto should be the KISS Principle (Keep it simple, st....) Too many people expect him to make the plays Nasri did on our winner. Those people are just expecting the wrong thing.
There was not a whole lot to say about Eboue and especially clichy for about 80 minutes or so - neuther was really poor or quality, other than Clichy really making amess of the backline ahead of Villa's goal by playing him on-side. But what a pass by Gael on Robin's equalizer. Can't shoot and worse cross with any consistent quality but waht a perfect ball over the top to find the most in-form striker in English Football. I think you know what happened next
Now we save Jack Wilshere for last ..WOW. Wow , it's hard to really come up with much better really. Just a brilliant match all-around and I think we have just a boy become a man - if he hadn't already done so out there. Still needs some shooting boots but what a fantastiic match for the lad and again against such competition only makes it even more fantastic. You could see this coming all the way in 2007 and 2008 you really could but now its happened, and it was wonderful to see tonight, period.
Well done lads, well done Mr. Wenger, well done to our support there - congrats to you this is a night they'll talk about forever and you and everyobne else will know you were there.
Being honest all I hoped for from tonights game was that we would be still in the tie going out there so we have done that much and as long as we dont get a real pasting out there then I will be happy.
