BARCA HOME GAME THREAD

[Basil is a Gooner]

Some very cool photos on here;

http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/02/champ ... barcelona/

Great photos!

Although why would you have your camera there.......

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

according to the telegraph we had only 33% ball possession
i doubt that

Apparently, they work out the percentages for possession stats just by adding up the number of passes each side made, rather than actual time in possession of the ball. So 10 rapid-fire 1st time passes back & forth between Xavi & Iniesta would count for double the 5-pass move that led to Arshavin’s goal, even though that took about 20 seconds compared to the 5 it would’ve taken Xavi/Iniesta to stroke each other’s balls, and actually led to a goal.

By that logic we probably did only have 33% possession, but there’s no way we were as heavily outplayed as is being made out. Wenger always tried to fall back on possession stats after we’d lost at Chelsea, & the press would (rightly) either ignore or criticise him for it. Now all of a sudden Opta’s data screen holds more weight than what the likes of Jack, Cesc, Xavi & Messi were actually doing with the football? Arsenal play Barcelona in a classic match & these twats who get paid to “analyseâ€

[LDB]

Watched the match again yesterday and no way did i get the impression we were outplayed..

Up until their goal i thought it was a pretty even game with us having the best of the opening 15 minutes, after that messi chance we became a bit more cagey but didnt look all over the place. After their goal we had a 20 minute slump until half time when we didnt see much of the ball despite still looking dangerous on the counter.

The first 30 minutes of the second half was a pretty even and slow affair although i thought we looked the far more dangerous of the two sides. The last 15 minutes need no analysis

[MegaGooner]

I think Arsenal played Barcelona well last night. I know we gave up alot of possession but think most of it was managable possession and apart from 2 or 3 oppertunities Messi and co did not create much with the possession. What Arsenal did well was not chase after every player with the ball we marked the space and let them pass mostly sidewards and backwards.

What this did was to save our energy what I have seen of Barcelona over the past 2 years is that they blitz teams early in the 1st half play at a high tempo and make teams chase the ball which in turn knackers them out then Barcelona pick them off in the second half.

From what I watched on sky+ today I think we had more energy in the last 20 mins than them and thats why they took off Villia and brought on a DM to try and shore things up.

The danger of these tactics is that in the first half you can get over-run but it worked last night and if you take the one or two chances you get against the Barcelona defence in the first half thier tactic could work against them

Well summed up there stg. I really haven't seen us play as "intelligently" as we played against Barca in quite a while. Barca will always dominate possession and it's how well you manage those spells without the ball and conserve energy that makes a big difference in the scoreline.

according to the telegraph we had only 33% ball possession
i doubt that

I think it's a bit low but wouldn't be surprised either way. In their game against Real Madrid in November, they also had 67% possession for the match.

[rigsby]

Those Independent player ratings are ridiculous. Villa got more than Iniesta? He did fuck all bar get the goal. Laurent Koscielny got a 6??

[stg]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... ery&ino=23

you would think they fucking won wouldn't you????

Wojciech Szczesny: No chance with the goal and pleasantly surprised not to be given more work 7........ for all their possession

Johan Djourou: Often as helpless as Koscielny once Messi and Villa ran at him but also steadier after half-time 6 & Laurent Koscielny: Had the dilemma of whether to follow Messi but generally didn't. Some good interceptions 6....so why did Szczesny have so little to do then?

Robin van Persie: Thwarted by a good save early on, he missed badly later, then thrashed a fine equaliser 7....so could of scored a hat-trick then much like Lionel Messi: Could easily have had a hat-trick in another mesmerising display of deep-lying play 8

why cant they say it was an excellent game of football and although there was mistakes from both teams there was more great football on show than is seen in most of the PL or Spain during the season all players deserve 8 for the footballing show that was put on. It would of been easy for Arsenal to sit back and stiffle the game(as most pundits suggested) but no they went in with a game plan(please see my post earlyer in this thread) and played there part in an absorbing and entertaing game off football. They wonder why only a few thousand supporters turned up at the FA cup game Wed night???????

[Louder]

48 hours on......Amazing !! F*cking amazing !! Kos', Jack, Alex, Samir, Wos', Theo, the whole f*ckin' squad yes! YES! THAT'S HOW F*CKIN' GOOD IT FELT !! I've still got a hard on !! Haven't felt like crying for a while but that was a great night. That is the standard I expect from every f*cking player from here onwards, and if we do produce that from now on, we will pick up a big trophy this season, regadless of whether we win the second leg or not. That game was exactly what we needed for every players' development, confidence and yes, BELIEF .
I am a big fan of Barca and I love the way they play, so before anyone claims 'over-reaction' to that game/result and tries to dampen my euphoria, f*ck right off. That was f*cking amazing !!

I want the DVD

[Arsenal 1991]

48 hours on......Amazing !! F*cking amazing !! Kos', Jack, Alex, Samir, Wos', Theo, the whole f*ckin' squad yes! YES! THAT'S HOW F*CKIN' GOOD IT FELT !! I've still got a hard on !! Haven't felt like crying for a while but that was a great night. That is the standard I expect from every f*cking player from here onwards, and if we do produce that from now on, we will pick up a big trophy this season, regadless of whether we win the second leg or not. That game was exactly what we needed for every players' development, confidence and yes, BELIEF .
I am a big fan of Barca and I love the way they play, so before anyone claims 'over-reaction' to that game/result and tries to dampen my euphoria, f*ck right off. That was f*cking amazing !!

I want the DVD

How can you be a big fan of Barca, they are a bunch of *word censored* the lot of them.

You've obviously bought into their more than a club propaganda.

[Louder]

48 hours on......Amazing !! F*cking amazing !! Kos', Jack, Alex, Samir, Wos', Theo, the whole f*ckin' squad yes! YES! THAT'S HOW F*CKIN' GOOD IT FELT !! I've still got a hard on !! Haven't felt like crying for a while but that was a great night. That is the standard I expect from every f*cking player from here onwards, and if we do produce that from now on, we will pick up a big trophy this season, regadless of whether we win the second leg or not. That game was exactly what we needed for every players' development, confidence and yes, BELIEF .
I am a big fan of Barca and I love the way they play, so before anyone claims 'over-reaction' to that game/result and tries to dampen my euphoria, f*ck right off. That was f*cking amazing !!

I want the DVD

How can you be a big fan of Barca, they are a bunch of c**ts the lot of them.

You've obviously bought into their more than a club propaganda.

I don't buy into anything mate. When I watch them play I love what I see. It's as simple as that.

[Dan_85]

I want the DVD

I downloaded the HD copy of the game earlier, gonna keep hold of that one for future viewing!

[Louder]

I want the DVD

I downloaded the HD copy of the game earlier, gonna keep hold of that one for future viewing!

Where from ?

[Dan_85]

I want the DVD

I downloaded the HD copy of the game earlier, gonna keep hold of that one for future viewing!

Where from ?

http://www.freshwap.net/forums/tv-shows ... lcdtv.html

[worthing gooner]

Dan you star! Still haven't seen the game only the goals. That was possibly the most mental 5 minute spell of football that's gone in our favour that I have witnessed. V special

[O'Leary]

Some very cool photos on here;

http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/02/champ ... barcelona/

Great photos!

Although why would you have your camera there.......

Great post Basil. Totallycoolpix is an awsome site. Always some excellent pics. Love the one of the boys celebrating in front of the massive cannon flag.

Thanks again.

O'Leary

[Louder]

I want the DVD

I downloaded the HD copy of the game earlier, gonna keep hold of that one for future viewing!

Where from ?

http://www.freshwap.net/forums/tv-shows ... lcdtv.html

Luvvly jubbly. Cheers dude