Arsenal

[SantiSuk]

Hell's teeth - think I'll give up trying to second guess this season!

All top 3 teams were rubbish this weekend - does anyone deserve to win the EPL this year? [Man City got the most but were lucky to get any]. Man U's superior goal difference courtesy of a very lean spell up front from Arsenal this year may yet be crucial.

Referees were even worse, the Referees Association needs to get a grip; I just don't see all this crass inconsistency and hopeless judgments when I watch La Liga and the Bundesliga. British refs used to be the best in the world.

Agree on the Ref thing, Bundesliga especially..

& no one seems to wnat to win the League this Year, Chelsea are the worst Chelsea side for Years it seems & Man United are too, without a doubt..

No one else has the bottle or nous to use that to their advantage though..

I'm getting worried - you are agreeing with me too much Singh. I was kind of getting used to the vitriol and constant reminders that I know nothing about football

[carmine]

Another gain on Man United when it all seemed so bad..

Who's your Game in hand ??

Have another think about that one.

[SantiSuk]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

[tigerfish]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

[smokie36]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

Lack of bottle? No silverware yet again? Yeah I third that one!

[katana]

I wouldn't be so hard on Wenger. They won the 1st leg 2-1 and lost the 2nd 3-1 against one of the best teams in the world. Played a lot of the match with 10 men after a dodgy sending off. Apparently there was only 1 second between the whistle and Persie kicking the ball.

[smokie36]

I wouldn't be so hard on Wenger. They won the 1st leg 2-1 and lost the 2nd 3-1 against one of the best teams in the world. Played a lot of the match with 10 men after a dodgy sending off. Apparently there was only 1 second between the whistle and Persie kicking the ball.

I'll give you that...the sending off was ridiculously hilarious!

[LaoPo]

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Van Persie was frustrated and played accordingly also.

I agree that the decision to send him off with his 2nd yellow (red) is to be disputed and was too much but he knew he was on the list (for a 2nd yellow) and he also knew that he heard the whistle....since EVERYBODY else in the field and the stadion heard the whistle of the referee....except him; next to that he noticed the off-side flag.

He's too much of a professional NOT to hear and see where he was wrong. Of course he knew, but he was SO frustrated

But, that wasn't the cause Arsenal lost the game...

69% to 31% of Ball Possession for BARCA versus ARSENAL says it all.

But, Barca was nervous too and Arsenal was quite close to a victory although they wouldn't have deserved to be the winner.

Let's be frank: this BARCA team is the #1 in Europe, by far.

As a side note:

It's a shame and real pity that Arsenal plays with just one player from England.............Wilshere....

whilst Barcelona plays with quite a few "own breed players"...

Something to think about......

LaoPo

[carmine]

I wouldn't be so hard on Wenger. They won the 1st leg 2-1 and lost the 2nd 3-1 against one of the best teams in the world. Played a lot of the match with 10 men after a dodgy sending off. Apparently there was only 1 second between the whistle and Persie kicking the ball.

I'll give you that...the sending off was ridiculously hilarious!

Van Persie's petulance will always get him in trouble. He should have known better.

Stats don't lie. Barca's 738 completed passes to Arse's 199. 10 Barca goal attempts to Arse's 1 i believe.

No shame to get knocked out by a team of Barcelona's quality.

[rixalex]

It's a shame and real pity that Arsenal plays with just one player from England.............Wilshere....

whilst Barcelona plays with quite a few "own breed players"...

Something to think about......

As far as clubs and their respective success in the Champions League is concerned - which is the discussion here, not national teams - if you look back over recent history and take a look at which clubs have performed best, you'll find no evidence to support the case that playing "own breed players" brings more success than playing foreign players - in fact, you're more likely to find evidence to the contrary. How many "own breed players" after all were in the last team to win the competition? I'll tell you: one.

[StevieH]

Van Persie's petulance will always get him in trouble. He should have known better.

Stats don't lie. Barca's 738 completed passes to Arse's 199. 10 Barca goal attempts to Arse's 1 i believe.

No shame to get knocked out by a team of Barcelona's quality.

arsenal didn't have any. barca had 19 attempts, 10 on target. better team over 2 legs went through, van persie or no van persie.

[MSingh]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

Me too but don't take it personally..

Barceloan are the best Football Team on Planet Earth, by a million miles..

[smokie36]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

Me too but don't take it personally..

Barceloan are the best Football Team on Planet Earth, by a million miles..

I hope they get Shakhtar in the next round.

[carmine]

Outclassed many times over - outcome as per expected but comprehensive manner of outclassing much worse than expected. It would have been a travesty if we had nicked it in the final few minutes (it looked a possibility for about 45 seconds!). Good luck to any of you English teams out there in getting past Barca.

Van Persie destroyed any hope Arsenal had by his idiotic loss of cool in the first half - should have been sent off for hunting down and trying to plant his target. The referee clearly regretted not getting that one right and was looking for any old excuse to send him off later - which just made him (the referee) look like a complete plonker with idiotic lack of refereeing judgment - I can't remember anyone being sent off for shooting at goal after a close-call offside whistle.

Unfortunately that gives something for Arsene to whine about - give us a break Wenger, you just haven't got what it takes to go that extra mile.

Back to the task of trying to win the EPL, although I suspect our season is only going to prove what I've been complaining of all along. Wenger just does not have the inspiration to take this team on to greatness and needs to be replaced. The Arsenal ownership will bottle that decision - not in their DNA - but I think there is an outside chance that Wenger will face up to his failure and resign if we get nothing out of the next few weeks.

At least Cesc has probably blown his chance of being bought by Barca at the end of the season. Why should they bother?

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

Me too but don't take it personally..

Barceloan are the best Football Team on Planet Earth, by a million miles..

I hope they get Shakhtar in the next round.

So do i, and i don't think Barca would like playing at Shaktars gaff either. Now that would make for an interesting draw.

As an after thought, do you think Wengers stopped crying yet?

[MSingh]

well put SantiSuk, couldnt agree more !

Me too but don't take it personally..

Barceloan are the best Football Team on Planet Earth, by a million miles..

I hope they get Shakhtar in the next round.

So do i, and i don't think Barca would like playing at Shaktars gaff either. Now that would make for an interesting draw.

As an after thought, do you think Wengers stopped crying yet?

Shakhtar are a very good side, i won quite a tidy sum on them a couple of Years back when they won the UEFA Cup..

Didn't they wwin at the Nou Camp within the last couple of Years too or was that another Russianesque lot ??

I hope Milan draw Shaktar in the next Round..

[SantiSuk]

I'm still an optimist for the future of Arsenal if we can sort out the on-field and off-field leadership issues.

Looking on the bright side we played most of the second half without 5 of the A squad (Szczesny, Vermaelen, Song, Walcott and van Persie). Song was a big miss for the match as he is the guy who brings the ball out of defence and links to the front midfielders - Arsenal's huge failing last night.

For the future, the A team is still an average age of only 24.1 (similar to the average age of the full 31 man 'First Team' squad (as defined by EPL). [Yes I'm (sad enough)/(so much in need of comfort) that I worked that all out ]

The Premier League is amazingly still within our own hands to win. We are in good shape financially with at least 5 players who could be sold at no great performance loss to the club (Denilson, Rosicky, Squillaci etc) to bring in the £50 million 'ish needed for one more good central defender and an experienced keeper.

Go go Tottenham tonight. Yes really - I'll be watching, and cheering for, the other English teams now. I still have a sneaking feeling that my early season prediction of only one English team left by the semis (wrought of concerns about the quality at the top of the EPL in the first third of the season, which have definitely not gone away) may yet come true.

[StevieH]

Shakhtar are a very good side, i won quite a tidy sum on them a couple of Years back when they won the UEFA Cup..

Didn't they wwin at the Nou Camp within the last couple of Years too or was that another Russianesque lot ??

I hope Milan draw Shaktar in the next Round..

think that was rubin kazan.

shakhtar are no mugs at all this season though.

[MSingh]

Shakhtar are a very good side, i won quite a tidy sum on them a couple of Years back when they won the UEFA Cup..

Didn't they wwin at the Nou Camp within the last couple of Years too or was that another Russianesque lot ??

I hope Milan draw Shaktar in the next Round..

think that was rubin kazan.

shakhtar are no mugs at all this season though.

Yep, they were the Green lot wasn't they stevie ??

Shakhtar did too at the end of 2008, they won 3-2 at the Nou Camp..

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1127/player-ratings/2008/12/09/1004533/player-ratings-barcelona-2-3-shakhtar

[MrRed]

Great performance by Barcelona it would not have mattered if VP would of been on the pitch for 90 minutes,they are the team to beat and anybody with money on them retaining the title will be smiling right now

It is a shame how Arsenals season is falling apart in the cups all of a sudden....they do say things happen in three's so lets hope the FA cup reminds us all of this.

Still you have got the league to go for and are in a great position with all them youngsters.

[StevieH]

first team since opta started recording stats not to have registered a single shot in a champions league game. pretty damning of wenger that. but if bendtner wasn't a complete berk they could still have gone through.

[MSingh]

Great performance by Barcelona it would not have mattered if VP would of been on the pitch for 90 minutes,they are the team to beat and anybody with money on them retaining the title will be smiling right now

I have $ on them as i have every Year for the past 4 but Inter neat them last Year, with a very, very, very, very Defensive Set Up that they just could not break down enough..

Like Arsenal, sort of, if you can get at Barcelona, they are beatable..

But you have to take your chances ( not that Arse had any last night ) & then defend for your lives..

[StevieH]

I have $ on them as i have every Year for the past 4 but Inter neat them last Year, with a very, very, very, very Defensive Set Up that they just could not break down enough..

Like Arsenal, sort of, if you can get at Barcelona, they are beatable..

But you have to take your chances ( not that Arse had any last night ) & then defend for your lives..

i think barca are about as 'unbeatable' as it's possible to be in the modern game m. perhaps that deserves its own thread. you simply can't beat them if you haven't got the ball and i think the best way to get something off them is to go really alehouse, big lad up front and try to upset them with a style of football they're not used to. sitting back and inviting them on means you'll probably lose 9 out of 10 and maybe nick a desperate draw in the other.

[SantiSuk]

first team since opta started recording stats not to have registered a single shot in a champions league game. pretty damning of wenger that. but if bendtner wasn't a complete berk they could still have gone through.

Not surprising there were no shots on goal. I don't think they let 'us' out of 'their' final third more than a handful of times. They play with 11 defenders and 6 attackers. Awesome.

The only way to beat them at the Nou Camp is to stand down your playmaker midfielders, play two (even three) strong front men, have strong central defenders with a couple of strong back of the midfield protectors and then hoof the ball over the top all the time in old traditional English style. Man U could field that format - drop Nani Giggs and Scholes; Bubbletop, Rooney and Little pea up front. Vidic and Ferdinand hopefully back fit and Fletcher and Carrick (not the finest but they would do) hoofing it over Barca's head. SAF is pragmatic enough to do that - not sure Ancelotti or 'Arry would have the nerve.

I think Barca are capable of being panicked.

Have just noticed that StevieH has another but not dissimilar approach

[MSingh]

first team since opta started recording stats not to have registered a single shot in a champions league game. pretty damning of wenger that. but if bendtner wasn't a complete berk they could still have gone through.

Not surprising there were no shots on goal. I don't think they let 'us' out of 'their' final third more than a handful of times. They play with 11 defenders and 6 attackers. Awesome.

The only way to beat them at the Nou Camp is to stand down your playmaker midfielders, play two (even three) strong front men, have strong central defenders with a couple of strong back of the midfield protectors and then hoof the ball over the top all the time in old traditional English style. I think Barca are capable of being panicked.

I can't see how, if you done that, you'd get the Ball in order to actually panic them..

How are you meant to get the Ball off of them playing like that ??

You simply won't..

[SantiSuk]

first team since opta started recording stats not to have registered a single shot in a champions league game. pretty damning of wenger that. but if bendtner wasn't a complete berk they could still have gone through.

Not surprising there were no shots on goal. I don't think they let 'us' out of 'their' final third more than a handful of times. They play with 11 defenders and 6 attackers. Awesome.

The only way to beat them at the Nou Camp is to stand down your playmaker midfielders, play two (even three) strong front men, have strong central defenders with a couple of strong back of the midfield protectors and then hoof the ball over the top all the time in old traditional English style. I think Barca are capable of being panicked.

I can't see how, if you done that, you'd get the Ball in order to actually panic them..

How are you meant to get the Ball off of them playing like that ??

You simply won't..

Our defense got the ball off them loads of times but there were no targets to despatch the ball too and they promptly gave it back again. They kept trying to pass it 20 yards forward but Barca had camped most of there troops in that area. By punting it a lot longer you open up the possibility of 50/50 balls and you also get their midfield a lot more wary about pushing up as far as they did last night. Much more difficult to close a team down if they are firing passes long as well as short.

[MSingh]

first team since opta started recording stats not to have registered a single shot in a champions league game. pretty damning of wenger that. but if bendtner wasn't a complete berk they could still have gone through.

Not surprising there were no shots on goal. I don't think they let 'us' out of 'their' final third more than a handful of times. They play with 11 defenders and 6 attackers. Awesome.

The only way to beat them at the Nou Camp is to stand down your playmaker midfielders, play two (even three) strong front men, have strong central defenders with a couple of strong back of the midfield protectors and then hoof the ball over the top all the time in old traditional English style. I think Barca are capable of being panicked.

I can't see how, if you done that, you'd get the Ball in order to actually panic them..

How are you meant to get the Ball off of them playing like that ??

You simply won't..

Our defense got the ball off them loads of times but there were no targets to despatch the ball too and they promptly gave it back again. They kept trying to pass it 20 yards forward but Barca had camped most of there troops in that area. By punting it a lot longer you open up the possibility of 50/50 balls and you also get their midfield a lot more wary about pushing up as far as they did last night. Much more difficult to close a team down if they are firing passes long as well as short.

I think overall last nigth Arsenal got it completely wrong, that's the crux of it..

What you're saying could be a way to play them, what wasn't a way to play them was " trying " to play them at their own Game, that's for sure..

Arse would probably be the least equipped to play Arsenal out of the English Teams ( excluding T*tts who i think would have 2 x Legs of the first half at Inter Milan ), especially with 2 unfit Players playing in VP & Fabregas..

Bt we can talk about trying to give them a game until the Cows' come home, bottom line is they're absolutely fantastic..

[DisparateDan]

Was an enthusiastic Arsenal fan in the heyday of Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp et all, now I can't spell or pronounce most of the players' names.

My enthusiasm is waning. I record the very late games, on Tuesday I set to record the Champions League.

When I looked at the recording I found out it was with a team which. like most in that league are unwatchable, due to the simulation ,.which is an integral part of their game.

I did not watch it. When I saw the Arsenal result I was glad it was not recorded.

ZERO goal attempts..Is this a record,in the history of Soccer.?

It is posited that one never changes one's team support. Well the exception proves the rule.

I'm looking for teams with Smith, Brown, Higginbotham etc.

I cannot imagine Cesc Fabregas being at the Emirates much longer.

[MiG16]

Arsene should not have played Fabregas

my guess is, the guy said

boss, let me play. its the CL. its against Barca. I wanna play even if Im not fit.

that meant even before van Persie was sent off we were already playing with 10 men against 11.

Cesc hardly touched the ball!

[StevieH]

Was an enthusiastic Arsenal fan in the heyday of Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp et all, now I can't spell or pronounce most of the players' names.

i can certainly see how names as complicated and multisyllabic as 'nasri', 'song', 'sagna', 'walcott' and 'clichy' could confuse a thick person.

[smokie36]

Arsene should not have played Fabregas

my guess is, the guy said

boss, let me play. its the CL. its against Barca. I wanna play even if Im not fit.

that meant even before van Persie was sent off we were already playing with 10 men against 11.

Cesc hardly touched the ball!

The way the game went in the first leg the mad prof should have had a back up plan. You know some different tactics for beating a technically better side.

Pure gallic arrogance in my opinion.