Fabregas 2003-2011

Any reasonable man could only be happy for Cesc Fabregas. He has gotten his wish- a move back home, to play for the best team in the world, the best team many of us have ever seen.

As an Arsenal fan, however, his departure is a sad moment. It sums up Arsenal's current status as a selling club- developing talent, then feeding it to the big boys.

Before, Arsene Wenger got the best out of his big players before they moved on. Overmars, Petit, Vieira, Henry. Their best years were at Arsenal.

Cesc Fabregas is only 24. At Arsenal, the total reward for his endeavours, in trophy terms, is a solitary FA Cup, won in flukey fashion against Manchester United in 2005.

Few would deny that he is moving on to better things, even if he might have to sit on the bench for a while. In fact, considering his recent injury-plagued seasons, some bench time may be the very best thing for Cesc at the moment.

He goes from being Arsenal's top dog to another mega-talented cog in the well-oiled Barca machine.

Fabregas may well, in the final analysis, be seen as the greatest player who ever played for Arsenal. The lack of success at the club during his time there is not down to Fabregas. In a cruel twist of fate, his best years at Arsenal came at a time when the club could not afford to spend substantial amounts of money.

Arsenal's other recent midfield great, Vieira, left weighed down with medals. But he played with Bergkamp, Petit, Overmars, Henry, the old back four, Seaman, Ljungberg, Pires, Gilberto, Campbell... throughout his Arsenal career, Vieira was a big character in a team of big characters.

Fabregas was blooded alongside Gilberto and Vieira in the 04/05 season. After that season, Vieira left, and from then on, experienced players were sold, and not brought in. By 07/08, Fabregas was the team's de facto leader, despite his youth. The squad was now so light on leaders that the mentally fragile William Gallas was given the armband. This ended in well-documented disaster, and Fabregas was made captain in 08/09.

For the last three seasons, Fabregas has been asked to carry some fairly mediocre players. Patrick Vieira never had to do that. He fought admirably for the cause, but you can't help feeling depressed over the last few years. One of the finest midfielders in the world, but without a team worthy of his talent. The last good partner he had was Flamini (07/08). Maybe Diarra could have complimented him well, but Wenger ditched him, even in the knowledge that Flamini was likely to leave on a free that summer. And when Xabi Alonso wanted to join Arsenal at the start of 08/09, the move collapsed because of some trademark Arsenal penny-pinching. Missed opportunities abound. Fabregas has had some very kind words for Wenger, but I think the manager let his best player down.

It has been an extended period of transition- one still ongoing- and whatever Wenger's public proclamations, the club's main priority has been to qualify every year for the Champions League.

They have done so. Without Fabregas, this would not have been the case. Will it continue to be the case, now that he's gone?

More Summertime Ramblings

Arsenal are being heavily linked with a couple of pricey moves- for Everton's Phil Jagielka and Valencia's Juan Mata.

The news suggests that a Fabregas move is only a matter of time. There is no way Wenger would spend 15 million on Jagielka and 20 on Mata, on top of the 10 on Gervinho, if there was not a substantial amount coming in.

If I may speculate, the plan is probably this: push through those two moves and, if Barcelona offer around 40 million, send Cesc home.

It's hard to see Fabregas staying any longer even if Arsenal have to compromise and accept a bit less. Wenger wants to get what the player is worth, but he has never been a man to hold onto an unhappy player and Fabregas clearly doesn't want to hang around anymore.

It's a strange situation. He's by far Arsenal's best and most important player, and he would walk into any team in the world- except Barcelona. Barcelona are being asked to spend 40 million on player who would in all likelihood warm the bench for much of the next season or two. You can understand their reluctance to pay big bucks, but they have engineered this situation. They could have waited a year or two to make their move, and then Xavi would be at an age where he would probably welcome some bench time himself. Instead, they have waged a relentless campaign to unsettle a player they want but don't really need. Fabregas's desire to go home and win some medals is palpable, but I'd love it if he realised that Barcelona are being disrespectful to both him and Arsenal, and decided to hang about for one last tilt at the title with the Gunners. I'd certainly rather Fabregas stay one more year and leave for 40 million than Nasri stay one more year and leave for nothing. Sadly, it seems the latter is much more likely.

Jagielka- a good player. He has Premiership experience and that, more than anything, is what Arsenal need at the back. Again, it seems Wenger has decided against bringing in a more physically imposing centre back. Samba and Cahill may be bigger men but Jagielka is a better player and his name alongside those of Vermaelen, Djourou and Koscielny makes up, on paper at least, a very strong quartet of central defenders.

But don't be surprised if both of these mooted deals fall through. This is Arsene's Arsenal after all.

They Are A Bit Good, Aren't They

BARCELONA 3-1 Manchester United

So it's quite simple: Barcelona are the best team in Europe, and Manchester United are a very distant second.

And Barcelona can still thrill when they are not faced with a parked bus.

I wondered about the wisdom of United starting with the same eleven against Schalke, and their apparent plan to press Barca rather than sit off them.

For eight minutes or so, it looked a masterstroke. They pressed ferociously, Barca looked nervous, and it was all quite reminiscent of the beginning of the 2009 final.

Here, a couple of long, straight forward balls had Masherano and Pique looking jittery, and Valdes had to sweep up.

But as in 2009, Barca found a foothold around the 10 minute mark. This time it came not in the shape of a sucker-punch goal, but in dominance of the ball. The intensity of United's pressing inevitably dropped, but they still looked to release Hernandez early when the opportunity arose. The Mexican could not time his runs, though, and was caught offside four times in the opening twenty.

The convincing attacking was done at the other end. Xavi and Iniesta were, at times, conjuring yards of space where there seemed only inches. With Messi breaking into the box on more than one occasion, Ferdinand and Vidic were forced to make some heroic challenges. Pedro prodded a Xavi cross wide from close range, and Villa, looking in the mood, came very close with a couple of snap shots.

A goal was on the cards. It came when Iniesta released Xavi into the United half with a nonchalant pass. The captain for the night (Puyol was on the bench) advanced towards the area, waited patiently for the right option to present itself, and found Pedro pulling into acres on the right of the box. He took a touch and, with Van der Sar poorly positioned, passed the ball casually inside the near post.

The simplicity of the goal, coming as it did after a spell of Barca brilliance, must have unnerved United, and it took them a while to gather themselves.

But when they did, they scored a fine goal of their own. The chance stemmed, again, from determined pressing. Abidal threw up the line from deep inside Barca's half, but United squeezed effectively, and Rooney picked up the ball. A quick one-two with Carrick, who was playing well, freed up Rooney to drive into the box, and then another one-two, with Giggs, opened space for the shot, which he swept imperiously into the top corner.

United had been ruthless when their first big chance arrived. Barca were less efficient in front of goal. Messi found Villa on the right, and his return pass into the goalmouth was just missed by the little man.

It had been a very, very good contest up to half time. Barca the better side, but United playing very well, bringing out the best in their illustrious opponents. 1-1 and finely poised. It threatened to be a classic, but in the end wasn't, because Barca were a little too good. Their superiority for the first twenty-five of the second half was almost total.

They got back in front when Messi was left in space on the edge of the area. As Evra charged, a static Vidic inadvertently unsighted his goalkeeper, and Messi's sweet shot skipped past Van der Sar. United in response were playing very direct, still looking quite dangerous at times, but their attacks were only sporadic and they were not making any chances.

Barca, on the other hand, were on fire, and it looked as if only their profligacy and, at times, complacency, could stop them ending the contest. Alves was put through, and denied by Van der Sar. Then he crossed into the goalmouth, but an extravagant flick from ? did not provide the finishing touch and United scrambled clear. Xavi swerved in an effort from range that was well parried. At last, just when Nani was introduced and you wondered about Barca's freshness in the final twenty minutes, Villa curled in a magnificent third from the edge of the area.

After that, you would have been entitled to expect one of two things. Either Barca would score a couple more, or they would pass, pass, pass and frustrate United, who had already been chasing shadows for much of the second half.

It was a tribute to the mental strength of Ferguson's side that they dominated the remainder of the game, visibly still believing in their chances of executing an unlikely comeback. Barca tried to tip-tap their way to the final whistle, but United snapped into challenges as they had at the start of the match, and stormed forward in numbers. Rooney curled an effort onto the roof of the net; Nani cut in from the right but dragged his shot wide. Barca sat back in the last few minutes, made some defensive changes, and snuffed out the rest of what United had to offer.

The curtain came down on the season, and even if overall it was far from vintage, it had ended with a very good game, one that showcased the best of Barcelona.

Alex Ferguson showed real class, giving Guardiola warm congratulations.

In fairness, this United side had also shown their best, and the qualities which make them the best team in England. Theirs truly is a never say die attitude. But that, along with their own considerable talent, was not enough to even approach the greatness of an amazing Barcelona.

Fragments of a Big Match Preview

QUESTIONS

United- will they look to press Barca? Or sit deep?

Jonathan Wilson uses stats to say Barca have become less committed too attack, more inclined to sit deep. They certainly use possession as a means of defence as much as attack. Is it making them boring to watch?

Then again, not really their fault that most teams aren't playing exciting football these days.

Are United good enough? More specifically, will the centre of their midfield be good enough? Apparently, it will be Carrick-Giggs again. No place for Fletcher? Frankly, I'm shocked. Maybe he's not quite fit enough. I guess there would be nothing as useless as a half-fit Darren Fletcher.

"The same team they brought to Schalke". That's the word on the street. Good and all as United were that night, Barca could never be as limp and lifeless as the Germans were. And while a similar team swept Chelsea aside in the "title decider", Ancelotti's team were likewise impotent, looked almost unmotivated- amazing for a game of that magnitude.

All of which points to the biggest worry for United fans- that their team simply has not been tested sufficiently this season to prepare them for the test to come.

United can confidently ask questions of their own.

Even if Barca have a near-monopoly on possession, will this work to United's advantage? Can Barca's backline deal with the pace of Hernandez? Is Mascherano a good enough centre back, if indeed he does play there? And whoever plays left back for Barca- can they cope with the rampaging runs of Valencia?

Will United's apparent physical advantage at set pieces come into play?

First Goal= Vital: a cliche, but especially true of this game.
United score it- Barca forced to press- spaces left for United to exploit on the break.
Barca score it- they feel the freedom to pass the ball to death until United leave some gaps.

Sterile Domination was the term Wenger used to describe it. A couple of question marks still hang over the anointed ones. Their behaviour in recent big matches makes a mockery of their own haughty principles. But more importantly, as Wenger implied, they often leave something to be desired on the level of spectacle. Their adherence to possession is so strong that it arguably blunts their creativity. For instance, for all their superiority over Arsenal in the Camp Nou, they only really started to open Arsenal's fragile rearguard up after Van Persie had been sent off. At the Bernebeau, too, the goals came against 10 men.

They are undoubtedly the best team around at the moment- nobody should debate that- but the smugness of Xavi and their other footballing philosophers is hard to swallow when too often, their matches are strangely dull.

Still, being a biased Arsenal fan, I hope they give United a pasting.

Unfortunately, my sickening gut feeling is that this will be United's night... despite the laughter induced by this from football365:

United have had plenty of valuable time in which to fine-tune their preparations for the Wembley showpiece and many hours have been devoted to '11-a-side practice games between the first team and squad members lining up as Barcelona.' It is understood that Michael Owen has taken up the role of David Villa, while Paul Scholes has imitated Andres Iniesta and 'Portuguese winger Nani has performed the 'Messi' role in training, replicating the Argentine forward's movement in the final third of the pitch.'

If they wanted a shite impression of Barcelona, why didn't they just invite Arsenal to Carrington?

Why United Can Beat Barca

It seems certain after this week that the Champions League final will be contested by Barcelona and Manchester United.

Barca are a formidable team, and it seems at times that other sides are terrified of even trying to play football against them.

But Arsenal's 2-1 win at the Emirates against them earlier in the competition will surely give Alex Ferguson hope.

The Gunners did need a bit of luck, but they managed to get at Barca's defence and, eventually, score two fine goals, enough to win out on the night.

Their gameplan, or the game they were forced to play, consisted of sitting off Barca until they entered the Arsenal half, then pressurising them, and when they won the ball back, breaking quickly behind Barca's attacking full backs.

It worked for Arsenal, for ninety minutes at least, and United are better equipped to do it than Arsenal are. Arsenal are a possession team who were forced to play mostly on the break because Barca would batter them at their own game. United are more used to playing on the break, more adept at soaking up pressure and then striking. They are quicker, they play with natural wingers. All of their players, including those up front, seem to enjoy working hard when the other team has the ball. They are better at breaking up opposition play than Arsenal, and under pressure, their defence is much less likely to crack.

Arsenal's victory was quickly forgotten after their timid, shotless showing at the Nou Camp in the second leg, but Alex Ferguson only needs to beat Barca on one night, over ninety (or 120) minutes. You wouldn't have believed it watching lastnight's farce, but it is possible to play football against Barcelona and come out on top.

Because Arsenal are a poor man's Barcelona, Ferguson may see Sunday's game at the Emirates as a chance to again test out the game plan he will use in the Champions League final, one he has honed over numerous recent victories against the misfiring Gunners.

An Ugly Game Ends With A Beautiful Goal

Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona

There was not much on show at the Bernebeau to contradict my claim from lastnight, that European football is in decline.

Barcelona are, undoubtedly, Europe's best team. They are so good at their style of football that most teams just try to contain them, and kick them, and hope for a goal on the break. This is part of football. When one team is inferior in terms of ability, they are forced to adapt to give themselves a chance of winning the game. Real Madrid may be the second best team in Europe, but they are some way short of Barca in quality and style, and they were not going to play open, expansive football, and risk getting tonked 5-0 again.

Barcelona are aware of this, but it seems to breed a pomposity that leaves a bitter taste. They seem to believe that their footballing superiority equates to a moral superiority. Paradoxically, they go to great lengths to gain further advantage in the course of a game by illegitimate means.

Approaching half time, it had been a poor game; bitty, but not particularly dirty. Things got out of hand when Pedro ran into a Real player and crashed and rolled and cried, claiming, as did his team mates, that he had been elbowed.

The atmosphere in the stadium and on the pitch grew poisonous, and at half time there was a ruckus that saw Barca's sub keeper Pinto dismissed.

Admittedly, Real played in a robust fashion, and a red card was always a distinct possibility. What is disappointing is the sense that Barcelona play to try to get opposition players dismissed, rather than relying on their footballing superiority. Pepe's tackle on the odious Dani Alves was high and reckless, no doubt, and may have warranted a red card, but it was hard to shake the notion that the badgering behaviour of the Barca players throughout the game influenced the referee's decision.

As against Arsenal at the Nou Camp in the second round, Barca were given a numerical advantage early in the 2nd half, and their play improved as a result. Here, there was not the avalanch of chances that Almunia faced in the earlier game, as Real retained their earlier shape and discipline. But Barca, and Messi in particular, simply found more space. It probably did not help Real that Mourinho was banished from the touch line for throwing some sarcastic barbs in the aftermath of Pepe's dismissal.

The first goal was vital. Real had played poorly in possession before the red card but their initial plan may well have involved scoring late, as they have done in the two recent games against Barca. Even reduced to ten men, they would not have regarded a goalless draw as a disaster. But Barca's away goal sucked the life out of the home side.

Messi drove to the edge of the box, and not for the first time, had an effort blocked. Xavi moved the ball wide to Afellay, on as a sub. As the Dutchman faced up to Marcelo, the full back stumbled slightly, and this gave Afellay the time to make a yard of space and cross into the goalmouth where Messi, sprinting across Ramos, deftly knocked the ball through the legs of Casillas with a first-time volleyed finish.

It was a great cross, a great run and a great finish, but better was to come, and all neutrals will at least have one fond, lasting image of beauty from what was a nasty game. With the clock ticking down, Messi ran from close to half way with the ball seemingly glued to his feet, jinked past a couple of challenges and sped through to knock the ball right footed into the far corner.

That goal killed the tie and means that we will, barring minor miracles, see United and Barca in a repeat of 2009's final.

This game will remain a talking point, however. Certainly, Barcelona are the team that neutrals would prefer to see progress, but their behaviour has sullied the image they project of representing all that is good in the game.

Real Madrid did not come to play, but this was not a surprise to anyone. But there was a sense that Barca recognised the difficulty they would have in playing through those massed ranks of white shirts, and made it a priority to get a Real player sent off.

The red card may have been deserved. Pepe's tackle was high, potentially dangerous, but contact was minimal and there's no doubt that Dani Alves was feigning injury. We have seen Pedro and Sergio Busquets do the same. There may have been some niggly fouls elsewhere in the game, but the bad atmosphere was created more by play-acting than by any genuinely dangerous tackles.

It may be the case that Barcelona see it as fair that if other sides will attempt to stifle them through strategic fouling and negative, spoiling tactics, they will play dirty too by rolling around, pretending injury, and crowding the referee. But if that's the case they really need to drop the air of moral superiority. After all, a lot of people don't see one way of playing as inherently superior or more right than all others. Some might say that while Barca are perhaps the best passing side that football has ever seen, they lack the swagger of some of history's other great teams, and can even seem robotic by comparison.

What should not be lost amid all this is that they are certainly preferable finalists to Real Madrid, evebn if Mourinho's team feel they did not get a fair crack of the whip. It is rich of Mourinho to get so self-righteous in condemning Barca's apparent use of the 'dark arts'. From Porto to Madrid, via Chelsea and Inter Milan, his teams have showed a constant willingness to bend the rules of the game in their own favour.

A cynic might suggest that this is all that unites the very best teams. What worries me is that there are not very many good teams around anymore, and that this Champions League has failed to produce many games that will be remembered for the right reasons.

Real v Barca again

After lastnight's debacle, tonight's contest between the two best teams in Europe ought to be refreshing.

Barca's 5-0 win in the league at the Nou Camp is receding into memory, as impressive as it was. While it provided the platform for Barca to romp home in the league, it also provided Mourinho with food for thought, and in the two recent games, he has implemented a far more effective plan for dealing with Barca's burgeoning ability.

In the 1-1 draw at the Bernebeau, Real came back to win a point despite being a man down. In 120 minutes at the Mestalla in the Copa del Rey final, they kept Barca out, and Cristiano Ronaldo's fine header won the cup.

In both games, Barca have been on top for significant periods. And yet they only broke through once, and that a penalty.

They are not playing as freely as they did in that 5-0 win. That was never likely to be the case, because this stage of the season brings a heightened pressure which makes it harder to play expansive football. They will, of course, commot to their unique brand of attacking, but they need to find a cutting edge to slice through that dogged Madrid backline.

The tie against Arsenal showed their weaknesses almost as well as it did Arsenal's. With Barca so superior, in the second leg in particular, how did they come within a cunthair of being knocked out by a late Arsenal goal?

They were wasteful in front of goal over both legs and they simply cannot afford to replicate that against a team that will not give them as many chances.

There is also a popular argument at the moment that Pep Guardiola has mismanaged his squad. He does not have the strength in depth that Mourinho's team boasts, but in what many argue to be a relatively easy domestic league, he has failed to give Messi, or some of his other star players, much of a rest. Some say that this may be contributing to the team's less spectacular performances as the season goes on.

In a way, it's a match between two teams who are good defensively, while not having particularly good defences. Barcelona defend by keeping the ball, but when their teams do manage to get at them (which is pretty rare) they can be opened up on the break. Mourinho's Inter did this brilliantly in the first leg of last year's semi-final.

Recently, Mourinho has found some extra solidity by using the centre back Pepe as a destructive presence in midfield, sacrificing the more refined qualities of Mesut Ozil. Ozil played, and was little more than a spectator, in the 5-0 defeat. That game exposed the inadequacies of some of Real's defenders. Sergio Ramos is unconvincing, and Marcelo is better on the attack than in his own penalty area. Even the usually unflappable Carvalho looked flustered and lost.

But nearly all defenders prefer to defend deep, not leaving spaces in behind for speedy attackers to exploit. After that humiliation, Mourinho will never again attempt to play a high line against Barcelona. With Khedira injured, he'll bring Lassana Diarra in, and Madrid will look to fill the space in front of their own back four, cutting off the supply line of short, incisive passes between Barca's interchanging front five.

Can Barca use the wide areas effectively? Zlatan Ibrahimovic was turfed out because he impacted on Barca's ability to press as a unit in all areas of the pitch, and also because he was so disappointing over those two legs against Inter. Now, in his absence, they again lack a tall, physical presence up front, and are unlikely to score from a high cross into the area. So Real will look to defend narrow, and push Barca into playing the ball wide.

It should be a fascinating tussle between two contrasting philosophies.

another shite post

BARCELONA's run of four games in eighteen days against REAL MADRID started with a 1-1 draw in the league game at the Bernebeau. The title run in in Spain lacks intrigue because Barca are eight points clear and there is no chance they will relinquish that lead. Even had Madrid won this game, you wouldn't have given them much hope. But the game was interesting as a prelude to the bigger ones on the horizon.

Barca showed yet again their lack of a ruthless edge. Every team has its flaws, even one as accomplished as this Barca, who are embarrassingly superior to every other team in Europe.

David Villa has gone nine games without scoring, and snatched at a couple of chances lastnight. It seems ridiculous to be critical of Messi, who is going to finish with more than 50 goals this season, but he has developed a tendency to be a little too cute in front of goal. It does not usually matter, because with Xavi and Iniesta pulling the strings, there is usually another chance on the way. But in the very biggest games, it could prove costly.

You only need to reflect on the Arsenal tie. Over the two legs, and especially the second, there was an evident, yawning chasm in quality between the two teams. In the deciding game, Arsenal could not manage a shot, whereas Barca, after RVP's red card in particular, produced an endless litany of wasted opportunities, as well as the three goals. 4-3 on aggregate, the final score, did not do justice to the balance of play over two legs. It could have been 14-3. But had Bendtner stuck away that late chance, Barca could have gone out. That surely served as a warning- they need to take more of their chances, or their greatness will go to waste.

In the latest game against Real, Barca held the expected monopoly on possession. But chances did not flow. Mourinho was never going to repeat the mistake of the Nou Camp game in autumn, when he abandoned his habitual policy of containment against Barca, and saw his team spanked. While Barca were, again, the better side, they failed to finish the game off, even at a goal and a man up. Real always looked as of they could score from a set piece.

Eventually, a penalty was awarded, Ronaldo stuck it away, and the ten men had a point. It was a good performance from Barca and they will doubtless play with more intensity in the games to come, but so will Real, and it must worry Guardiola a little that recent big matches have seen his team fail to turn a stylistic superiority into a scoreline to match. I wonder if Real might be the team to punish their profligacy.

Food For Thought for the Hype Merchants

Sometimes, stats don't lie. Van Persie and Wenger can berate the officials all they like, but on Tuesday night, Arsenal did not have a single attempt on goal. The whole game turned into an attack vs defence exercise. While the red card contributed to that in the second half, there were no excuses for Arsenal's lack of forward momentum in the first. They were simply outfought, outpressed and outpassed.

As with that 2005 FA Cup Final, Wenger didn't plan it, it just went that way. Mourinho parked the bus, Arsenal crashed it. They tried to pass, tried to play, but the opposition were on another level, so it became, by accident, a rearguard action.

Keys and Gray may be gone, but the Sky Sports hype machine lives on, and you will still hear many more times this season that the English Premier League is the world's best. Arsenal are the second-best team in said league at the moment. They could not muster a single shot against La Liga's best. A common argument for the current superiority of English football is that the teams at the bottom can beat the teams at the top; all that that really proves is that the top teams in England are either in decline to some degree (United, Chelsea) or still progressing towards being a very good team (Arsenal for the last few years, Spurs, Man City, Liverpool). They are basically arguing that the Premiership is greatest because it has no great teams. Barcelona would wipe the floor with almost every team in that league, just as they do with almost every team in Spain. I have no problem with people stating that the Premiership is the best to watch, even though that is only a matter of opinion, but I would appreciate it if the pundits could just try to be a bit more critical-minded in suggesting why Wolves are able to take points off the top teams.

Wenger's Faith is Shaken

Arsene Wenger is sometimes ridiculed for his faith in young talent. Tonight he showed a lack of faith in some of his players.

How else do you explain the starting line up? Minus Alex Song, Denilson was left on the bench despite being the only other "holding player" in the squad. Fabregas started despite his clear lack of fitness. Van Persie started despite a similar problem, and both Chamakh and Bendtner were left on the bench. Wenger professes his belief in his squad, but tonight his faith only extended to his star men. Taking chances with the fitness of players has become a familiar ploy and this is not the first time we have seen it backfire. Last season, Fabregas played in the first leg of the tie against Barcelona and missed the rest of the season as a result. This time out, he was carrying an injury, I have heard, from the fifteenth minute on. Who is to say what damage had been done by the time his ineffective performance was finally brought to an end by second half substitution.

I know it meant a lot to the guy to play at the Nou Camp. But what about the team? What about the rest of the season? If he is playing a game when he's not ready, it is stupid of him and stupid of Wenger. It hinders Arsenal on the night and, possibly, for the rest of the season. The same goes for the Van Persie gamble. For Wenger to take these risks seems defeatist- like saying, "we cannot beat Barca without these players. Even if Fabregas is half-fit, he's better than a fully fit Denilson". Not the case, especially when playing Barcelona involves having to run yourself into the ground, constantly closing them down. It seems ludicrous to me that, with Arsenal down to ten men and trying desperately to hold onto that 3-2
aggregate lead, an already injured, immobile midfielder was left on, while a fit, defensively-minded one was left sitting pitchside. Fabregas was only withdrawn after Barca had turned the tie around.

After the red card, Barca commenced to batter at Arsenal's door with incessant pressure, and they had been cutting through at will for a long period before Xavi eventually found the net. Wenger failed to act, as if paralysed by his own rage at the injustice of Van Persie's sending off. Arsenal limped on with Nasri as the nominal out ball up front, and with Fabregas, Diaby and Wilshere forming a shield of foam in front of an overworked back four. A more proactive manager would surely have thrown on Bendtner or Chamakh, and Denilson. Admittedly, the enforced change of goalkeeper in the first half did not help, as without that, Wenger probably would have used Denilson at 1-1, knowing that he could still put on Arshavin and one of the forwards if needed.

Still, it seems amazing to me that Wenger seemed to wait for disaster, and then try and change things from a losing position. It's not like Arsenal were comfortably holding out, or even playing well, at 1-1. It was an incessant tide and the manager sat back and watched it grow instead of making changes to try to stem it.

What does all of this say about the likes of Bendtner, Chamakh, Denilson? It disgusts the manager when the fans show a lack of patience with still-developing players. What of his own lack of faith? If he really felt so daunted by Barcelona that he didn't feel he could cope without his main men, he should have considered the bigger picture, and how Arsenal would fare for the rest of the season without them. Because make no mistake, he risked their seasons by playing them in tonight's game. Whatever the manager's outward rhetoric, what kind of self-belief will Bendtner, Chamakh and Denilson carry into the rest of the season? The latter in particular must wonder how on earth he could be deemed an inferior option to the stuttering, choking Diaby, who seemed to lose the ball every time he had it tonight.

Battered again but...

...Barca are too good to have to rely on an extra man all the time. Throughout the first half, on the rare occasions that Arsenal were bold enough to try tackling, the holier-than-thou home players bitched and badgered at the referee. Abidal rolled and moaned when tackled cleanly by Rosicky, trying to get the game stopped, but when Wilshere did something similar minutes later, he was surrounded by pompous pricks trying to pull him to his feet. I'm not trying to make excuses, because Arsenal were completely outclassed, but from the moment Abou Diaby's penalty area foul on Messi went unpunished, practically every decision went the home side's way.

It was a surreal game in many ways. Arsenal had two shots, if you're being kind. The first came from the head of a Barcelona player, and gave Arsenal an undeserved equaliser. The second saw Robin Van Persie sent off in ludicrous circumstances after he didn't hear the referee blow for offside. So in effect, there was not a single legitimate effort on goal by the team in yellow. Even stranger, Bendtner should have had one, should have scored, should have put Arsenal back in a winning position, but his touch was poor and Mascherano and Valdes smothered the chance. That was with minutes to go, by which point Barca should have been into double figures.

The first half was a story of atrocious passing by Arsenal, under ferocious pressing by Barca. There was no threat on the home goal, while the pressure steadily built at the other end, without the steady flow of chances we saw in the first leg. Arsenal never looked comfortable under siege. They wanted to play football, but could not deal with the pressure they were put under, and because Rosicky, Nasri and Van Persie all prefer to move towards the ball, there was no way out, no way of finding even temporary relief. Their play became steadily more ragged, until Fabregas gave the ball away on the edge of the area with a silly backheel straight to Iniesta, who found Messi with a lovely dink through. The impudent Argentine clipped the ball over the flailing Almunia's head, then vollyed it into the empty net. That looked like game over, as Arsenal had offered no threat at all.

After the lucky equaliser, and the unlucky red card, Almunia kept Arsenal in it with a number of fine saves. The Spaniard had come on for Szczesny, who injured his hand saving an Alves free kick in the first half. 10 v 11, it was one way traffic. Rosicky, Diaby, Wilshere and Fabregas, anonymous until his mistake and not fit to play any real part, proved no real barrier in front of the back four, who were forced into all kinds of desperate interventions before a lovely run from Iniesta and deft touch from Villa sent Xavi through to provide the inevitable goal. Easy to say it from the vantage of an armchair, but Wenger really needed to make some kind of change to stem the tide after the red card. That said, there were no obviously robust options on the Arsenal bench.

The aggregate scores were level again with just twenty minutes to go, but with Arsenal's lack of defensive nous, there was no chance of holding out that long. They barely lasted a couple of minutes before Pedro was felled by Koscielny in the box, and Messi stroked the resultant penalty into the corner to give Barca the advantage. A further away goal would have sent Arsenal through. Late on, good pressing from Wilshere and Arshavin saw the fomer cross for Bendtner, but the Dane fluffed his lines. In truth, an Arsenal victory would have been a bit of a travesty after they had been comprehensively outplayed. Barca were amazingly wasteful in front of goal again, having seemed to create chances at will.

Arsene Wenger was livid with the referee, and put forth the opinion that Arsenal would have progressed if not for the red card. He's being overly generous to his own team, who had failed miserably to play to their best in the first half, and were gifted a goal out of nothing. But we'll never know quite how the second half would have panned out if both sides had eleven men. It's likely that Arsenal would have had a few more decent attacks, and a second goal would have left Barca needing four, so the home side could not have attacked with no thought of being caught at the other end, which is basically what they were able to do for the rest of the game.

But what Arsenal, the masters of self-pity, need to avoid is wallowing in excuses and perceived hardship. They were outplayed again over two legs, and as Guardiola fairly assessed afterwards, couldn't string three passes together all night. For Mourinho and Inter, that was all part of the plan. For Arsenal, it was an abject failure to live up to their own pretensions. They shouldn't lose sight of that fact because of a harsh decision. They need to concentrate on salvaging something from a season in danger of freefall. That quest starts at Old Trafford this weekend, where Ferguson's team will also be looking to bounce back from recent disappointments.

BARCELONA 3-1 ARSENAL
messi 2 (1 pen)
xavi
busquets og
Aggregate: 4-3

Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland...

A disappointment, but a familiar disappointment. For Arsenal to drop points at home to Sunderland ought to be shocking, but it's not a completely unexpected result. Three big reasons for that.
1- Arsenal don't play well under pressure
2- Arsenal don't recover quickly from setbacks
3- Arsenal don't cope well without Cesc Fabregas
With the absences of Song, Walcott and Van Persie added to that list, it was never likely to be as straightforward a game as some assumed.

Bad luck played a part. Their keeper made a couple of great saves. Chamakh crashed a header against the bar. Arshavin sliced wide with Bramble falling all over himself and the Russian. And very late on, the same man was played through by Bendtner, danced around the keeper and rolled the ball in, only to be wrongly flagged offside.

But overall, it was the kind of Arsenal performance the Emirates has seen too many times- a slow start, turning into a frantic siege late on as Arsenal strive to secure a result. Since the move from Highbury easy home wins have never become a regular habit, and if you want another obvious contrast with the team that's going to win the league this season, there you have it. United have, if I'm not mistaken, only dropped home points once all season long. Arsenal have, by way of example, lost at home to West Brom and Newcastle.

The team needs more urgency at the start of games, but perhaps when the midfield features Denilson and Diaby, a lack of fluency is to be expected. The Brazilian has fallen out of favour this season, while the "new Patrick Vieira", as some idiots used to call him, is really a YouTube player who does a couple of amazing things during a game (that usually don't lead to a goal) and otherwise spends his time taking too many touches on the ball, slowing every move down and exhibiting a complete lack of footballing intelligence.

Arsenal created chances, particularly toward game's end, but without Fabregas the chances are never as frequent or as clear. We only really appreciate when he's gone the effortless creativity of the guy. I read recently that, statistically, he makes more chances on average than any other player in Europe. For all Arsenal's attacking midfield players, they find it difficult to replace that surgical precision. And for all the huff and puff of Bendtner and Chamakh, neither can blow houses down like Van Persie. A word even for Walcott, whose raw pace is a rare and precious commodity in the Arsenal squad.

Arsenal's injury problems have surely relaxed Barcelona ahead of the second leg on Tuesday. The man most likely to exploit the open spaces they leave behind them is out. And so is Arsenal's primary source of goals. The stalemate today increases the likelihood that Wenger will risk Fabregas and/or Song, and the way things are going, you wouldn't be surprised if that led to more injury problems. Remember that Fabregas played the first leg last season when clearly not ready, and as a result, wasn't seen for the rest of the season.

It all seems painfully familiar. A promising campaign falling apart in the space of a fortnight. The first two chapters of disaster are complete- the loss of the Carling Cup final, and the loss of vital points in the title race. Getting knocked out of Europe by Barca and of the FA Cup by United would complete a familiar picture.

It seems cruel that while Arsenal fall short of being a very good team, they are also a long way off being a lucky one. On Tuesday night they will need a whole pile of luck. Barca can step up as they like to, and Arsenal without Walcott will likely fail to break behind their high line effectively. And we can hardly expect Messi to be as profligate as in the last game, although you'd also expect Arsenal to defend much better than they did on their last visit to the Nou Camp. If Barca have a huge amount of possession- and there's no reason to expect otherwise- they will make chances. I think they will score a few and go through. Arsenal are unable to play the kind of disciplined game they need to.

It's a pity that the next week has become even more important than it should have been, as a result of that cataclysmic cup final. Because they messed up a relatively simple task, now the success of the season rests on two very difficult ones. If Arsenal cannot beat Birmingham, or Sunderland for that matter, why would the players believe they can win in Barcelona or Manchester? And if those games go badly, will the players have the heart or the energy to keep up with United in the league?

Sometimes it seems this Arsenal team are destined to fail, and that the only thing to be decided is how they do it. So let's sit back and find out.

If this season were a film....

it'd be Groundhog Day

OUT of Barcelona away: Van Persie, Walcott.
DOUBTFUL for Barcelona away: Fabregas, Song.

RVP, Fabregas, and Song were all absent for the Messi Show last season. So were Gallas and Arshavin.

This time, of course, Thomas Vermaelen will not play. And Laurent Koscielny is apparently out of the Sunderland game at the weekend. Suddenly that game looks a lot tougher. Again, expectation is growing, as the title race seems very close. Judging from how Arsenal dealt with expectation last weekend, I wouldn't be too optimistic. Then again, Sunderland are in a rotten run of form, and Arsenal enjoyed the best possible outcome in the replay against Leyton Orient- goals for Chamakh and Bendtner. With Van Persie out, you were starting to wonder where the goals would come from.

Still, if it's a straight shoot out for the title, who would you back:
The goal threat of Berbatov, Nani, Hernandez and a resurgent Rooney, or that of Bendtner, Chamakh, Arshavin and Nasri?
United's defence or Arsenal's?
Ferguson's scrappers or Arsene's bottlers?

Arsenal got a big favour from Chelsea the other night, but they'll need a few more if they're to win the title. Anyone who thinks this Arsenal team will win the rest of their games needs their head examined. They wouldn't even do it at full strength. To expect it of them now, injury-ravaged as they predicatably are, would be ludicrous.

You say pessimism, I say realism.
I think Arsenal will get turned over again in the Nou Camp.
I think the wheels will come off as the title charge enters its home strait.
And I'm afraid I struggle to see Arsenal coming through that FA Cup tie at Old Trafford. Especially because, assuming Arsenal have just exited European competition, Wenger will probably not be able to resist prioritising the Premiership.

It's a pity that the success or otherwise of this season seems to hinge on two games against Manchester United, a team Arsenal haven't beaten in what seems like a long time. Recent skirmishes have suggested that Ferguson found a formula to deflate Arsenal, and Wenger has failed to react in any meaningful way. I don't think the Arsenal players will relish meaningful head-to-head games with United- let's face it, if they weren't strong enough for Birmingham, they will find it difficult against United.

It'll be an Arsenal team that seems scared of winning, against a United team unaccustomed to defeat. You can call Darren Fletcher or John O'Shea or Michael Carrick average players; they'll be busy deciding which of their medals to slap you over the head with.

And much as Arsenal fans can trot out the holier-than-thou lines about thinking football is more than just a fight for trophies, it's getting a bit tired. We did not see Arsenal win a trophy on Sunday, and we nor did we see wonderful football. The game was fascinating and entertaining because of Arsenal's mental fragility. Maybe that's why people find Arsenal so fucking entertaining all the time- because they always give the other team a chance. Great football counts for little if it is only produced on the minor stage, with nothing at stake.

We're entering the stage of the season when true grit is what's called for, and if the Arsenal squad's mental state is anything like its physical state....

yes I am in a bad mood

Goal of the Week

I was on the site 101 great goals lastnight, had a look at their usual list of contenders for goal of the week.

Bicycle kick? Check. Long range thunderbolt? Check. Free kick? Check. Solo strike? Check.
Team goal?...

A slow week for team goals, you might suggest. But what of Arsenal's winner against Barcelona? Surely one of the better passing moves of the season, and at a big moment in a big game.

There is a general tendency in football to praise the spectacular over the subtle. Spectacular goals deserve attention, and they get it, but there is sometimes an element of fluke. It takes good technique to find the top corner from thirty yards, but sometimes you get the feeling that if the player in question tried the same shot for the rest of his playing days, he wouldn't pull it off again.

And the footballs in use nowadays can seem so random in their flight that you are tempted to question whether technique really matters as much as it used to. Should it really be possible for a ball to be so light that it can be hit with the instep, swerve in one direction, then the other? Reminds me of those cheap footballs we sometimes played with as kids. Glorified balloons.

In this day and age, the team goal should be King. Whereas the long range strike can seem random in its effect, the team goal can be measured, as was Arsenal's against Barcelona. There was little margin for error throughout that move. Bendtner's pass inside to Wilshere had to be guided well enough to evade the pressing Barca midfielders. Wilshere's first-time pass to Fabregas was made to look easy, but required confidence and technique. Fabregas's vision, even on an off night by his standards, was evident in the way he took the pass, turned, and played Nasri through almost in one movement. The ball he sent to the Frenchman was perfectly weighted for a run at goal. As the defenders flooded back, Nasri showed intelligence in recognising the tight angle for a shot, turning inside, and picking the right pass (far from the most obvious one) for Arshavin to finish.

Few would argue with the brilliance of the goal. And goals like this are relatively rare, which should add to their recognition. Instead, 101 great goals chose to praise a number of similar-looking long range belters.

Historically, a couple of team goals have reached legendary status. Brazil's to cap the 1970 World Cup win is a little overrated, by today's standards. Its status may be symbolic as much as anything else, signifying the collective brilliance of what was, by all accounts, the best international side of all time.

To someone who started watching football in 1994, one of the more notable lessons from watching Carlos Alberto's goal is how much football has sped up since then. This is not to take away from the brilliance of that team and that goal, but while Barcelona, Arsenal and the Spanish national team attempt to produce football of a similar calibre to that great Brazil team, they are forced to do so at a higher speed and under greater physical duress.

It might not necessarily make them better, but it does mean that to put a flowing move together and finish it with a goal deserves more recognition than it often gets these days.

Woo! Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona

No one has ever questioned the ability of this Arsenal team. But I've often questioned its character. Against Barcelona, however, they showed a lot of fight. And, despite the common complaints about a lack of experience, Arsenal's three best players were Sczcesny, Wilshere and Koscielny, none of whom had seen much top-level football before this season.

To get a win, Arsenal rode their luck, but that was expected against what is a superior side. Messi had one of his mortal nights; despite laying on Villa's opener, he missed a couple of gilt-edged chances, one in each half. At times he miscontrolled the ball (!) and at times he was too selfish when he could have played in a team mate. Bottom line, Arsenal did not shackle him, and will need to improve in this regard in order to stand a chance of progressing.

It was a fantastic game. In its almost constant stream of action, it echoed Real Madrid's visit to Highbury in 2006. As on that occasion, the scoreline does not really reflect the amount of goalmouth action. Barca will certainly feel they were worth more than one goal. As well as his two surprising misses, Messi had a goal wrongly disallowed at 1-0. Arsenal went to pieces for a spell after Villa's strike, and during this time Sczcesny had to pull off a point blank save from Pedro's flick. The Barca winger was through on goal in the second half but hesitated and allowed Koscielny to get back. Overall, Arsenal's offside trap malfunctioned too often and Djourou and Koscielny failed to strike the right balance between stepping up and tracking back. But Arsenal were never going to learn to defend brilliantly in such a short time and the players deserve a lot of credit for great work rate and, by their standards, great organisation. They are not used to playing for such long stretches without the ball; on this occasion, in contrast to the corresponding fixture last year, they looked ready for the challenge.

It is no secret that Arsenal aspire to emulating Barca's style of play. At the moment, they are no match for them in the possession stakes, but at the Emirates they showed that they can play in more than one way. Again, the contrast with last season was pronounced. Back then, Arsenal looked like they didn't know what to do on the rare occasions when they got the ball back. This time, not only did they press better, they also counter attacked in dangerous fashion. Despite the general acclaim of Barca's performance, Arsenal executed the plan pretty well throughout the game, not just late on. I've read from a few different sources that Barca were in control throughout; in possession terms, they usually were, and looked dangerous most of the time, but their control of the game was tenuous because Arsenal were often ripping them apart on the break. Total control it was not.

Arsenal had their chances too. Early on, Barca looked jittery and the home side seized on their uncertainty pretty well, without always showing the surest touch themselves in the final third. Fabregas was guilty of a few poor passes early on but he created the game's first chance. After Walcott jinked into the box, he squared to the captain, and Fabregas chipped a beautiful pass over Alves and Puyol. Van Persie blasted the bouncing ball goalwards from a tight angle but Valdes stood up well. This came after Walcott had broke and tried to set Van Persie through, slightly overhitting his pass. Just before Barca's opener, another break, instigated by the excellent Wilshere, saw Walcott play in Fabregas to the right of the area. The ball was again slightly overhit, and forced Fabregas wide. As Valdes advanced, the captain flipped the ball across towards the head of RVP, only for Abidal to make a goal-saving intervention. Soon after Villa's goal, Wilshere was at the heart of another counter attack, running beyond Barca's midfield, then playing in Van Persie. The Dutchman dithered a little, getting the ball stuck under his feet, and finally shanked his shot horribly wide.

Make no mistake, there has been some revisionism about the balance of the game. Second half, Arsenal were the better side early doors. They struggled to make a clear cut opportunity but Barca looked less authorative and were under pressure at times. Van Persie almost diverted in Nasri's low cross from the left. Pique was booked for a panicky tackle and will miss the second leg.

Then (between 65 and 70 minutes or so) there was a spell which seems to have defined most peoples' opinions of the game overall. Arsenal lost their way, looked a bit disheartened. Messi ran to the edge of the box, shot selfishly, blocked. Eboue gave the loose ball straight to Iniesta, who played a lovely slide rule pass to the Argentine. Sczcesny made himself big, and Messi could only find the side of the net. Replays suggested he could have squared for one of two team mates. Immediately, with Barca looking as dominant as they had at any point in the second half, Guardiola sent Keita on for Villa. Negative. Simultaneously, Wenger sent Arshavin on for Song. Positive.

There was no immediate effect. The game degenerated into its first real quiet spell. But, as I saw written elsewhere, you have to wonder if Iniesta would have benefitted from the removal of Alex Song, Arsenal's holding player, had the Barca prompter not been moved into the front three to accommodate Keita.

Walcott had a run at Maxwell, tried to cross, the ball rebounded out for a goal kick. This seemed to sum up the winger's night, and he was soon replaced by Bendtner. At one point Gael Clichy knocked a free kick aimlessly through to Valdes from the Arsenal half, and one wondered if the Gunners had anything left.

Then, it happened. The full back who can't buy a final ball conjured his second decent right-footed chip of the season (after his cross for Song's winner against West Ham). Van Persie had a chance out of nowhere, but was fast approaching the byeline. Bendtner made himself available for the expected cross, and Valdes shifted position slightly, moving away from his near post. Van Persie blasted the ball, cutting across it so that it zipped into the space between the post and the flummoxed goalkeeper. It was an audacious effort from a player who was having a poor night to that point. A goalkeeping mistake, too, but how many players would be good enough to take advantage of it? A ridiculous shot- never has selfishness been rewarded so handsomely.

The goal changed the atmosphere completely. Barca were not so cocky, Arsenal's tails were up, and the noise was deafening again. Arsenal had a strong few minutes, but then Djourou gave the ball away needlessly, and Barca outnumbered Arsenal in the home side's final third. Twice more, Messi messed up. First he miscontrolled, then gave the ball away. Koscielny found Bendtner, who passed inside to Wilshere. The Englishman, having the match of his young career, spotted Fabregas in space and found him with a first time pass. Fabregas took it on the turn and then, with the outside of his right foot, sent Nasri steaming down the right and into the Barca area.

First, you were sad it wasn't Walcott. Then, you were glad it wasn't Walcott. Nasri was not quite quick enough to go it alone, and Keita got back. Nasri worked his way in onto his left, and then, displaying the kind of vision poor Theo couldn't dream of, rolled a perceptive ball back and across the area for Arshavin, rushing in from the left. This was exactly the kind of chance the Russian had been spooning into row Z lately, but the Emirates pitch does not present many bobbles, and a lightning move of great passes ended with another, Arshavin cooly dispatching past Valdes and the two covering defenders. The Emirates erupted.

Predictably, with seven minutes remaining, there were moments of panic. A couple of minutes from the 90, Arsenal were opened up with horrific ease, and yet again Messi was haring at the backline. This time he played in Alves, in acres to his right, but the shot was fired straight at Sczcesny. Then in stoppage time, Arshavin bungled a header back to his keeper from Busquets' diagonal. Alves kept the ball in, squared to Messi, but the little man was crowded out, the ball was booted away, and moments later the final whistle sounded.

It was a memorable comeback but the performance was far from perfect. Maybe it's about as close as Arsenal can be to perfect at this moment in time. They hassled the opposition, they were fairly incisive and pacey, and, in the end, they took a couple of chances. You'd expect Messi to be more clinical but, to a lesser extent, Van Persie suffered from the same problem. Both sides had a lot of chances; Barca's were the clearer ones because Arsenal's high line invited passes through it. Sczcesny was confronted by Messi twice, Pedro twice, Villa and Alves; only once was the Pole beaten.

Arsenal will need to defend better, because there is no chance that Barcelona will be as wasteful again. Despite the often flowing football, a lot of the chances stemmed from Arsenal sloppiness. For the goal, Djourou and Koscielny stepped up while Clichy played Villa on. Throughout the first half, Alves was given the run of the right flank, as if Nasri was not even aware of the danger. Arsenal gave the ball away in dangerous areas aswell.

But everyone knows about Arsenal's flaws. The great significance of this game to European football overall may be to remind everyone of Barcelona's weaknesses. They have been rightly lauded ever since the tonking of Mourinho's Real Madrid, but their defence is far from impregnable and their style of play leaves them open to quick, direct counter attacks. Other sides will have taken much encouragement from the way Arsenal opened Barca up on a few occasions. Those teams may not muster the same panache that marked Arsenal's magnificent winning goal, but they may not need to- remember the way Chelsea's fast, physical forward line almost battered Barca into submission two seasons ago at Stamford Bridge. If there is anything that will scare Barca more than the pace and skill of Arsenal, it's pace and power. And how many teams in the Champions League can play better on the back foot than Arsenal? Quite a few.

As it stands, Arsenal can still hope to progress. I don't expect them to do so because of their discomfort with the defensive side of the game, which is likely to be tested even more severely at the Nou Camp. But whatever happens, Wednesday was a night to remember, a great game of football, and it was nice to take the pompous bastards down a peg or two, for now.

To Press or Not To Press

It's easy to speculate on ways that Barcelona may be stopped. The execution of the plan is a different thing altogether.

They have ran into trouble in the Champions League against teams that defended deep. Inter last year. Chelsea, despite ultimate defeat, in 2009. Manchester United in 2008. It is highly questionable, however, whether Arsenal could play effectively in such a manner. They are not accustomed to soaking up pressure and playing on the break. Most of the time, in the Premiership, they are the team with the majority of possession.

Fact is, any "plan" may well go out the window. Last season, there was no plan to sit back. Barca's brilliance pinned Arsenal back. This time, Arsenal need to be a little more ready, if possible, for such a scenario.

It's a long time since Arsenal could have been termed a counter-attacking team, though Walcott's pace and Arshavin's directness do offer the opportunity to spring quickly. They are more likely to try to break up Barca's passing high up the pitch. The Chelsea game ought to be the blueprint. But Barcelona, needless to say, pass the ball a lot better than Chelsea, or anyone else. And just as they are used to teams sitting deep, they are also used to passing under intense pressure, and playing through it.

When Real went to the Nou Camp this season, Mourinho changed up, perhaps believing that the players at his disposal could not defend the Inter had the season before. Real played a high line and tried to press, and got absolutely roasted. David Villa revelled in the green grass behind Carvalho and co, and Messi, Xavi and Iniesta all found time and space to pick defence-splitting passes. In other words, it's well and good to simply suggest that Arsenal should push up and put Barca's midfield under intense pressure, but without energy, organisation and controlled aggression, it could backfire spectacularly.

When it comes to the defensive side of the game, Jose Mourinho is clearly a better organiser than Arsene Wenger. Yet his team were hammered. The only hope for Arsenal fans is that their attack will prove more potent than Madrid's did, and make the most of the opportunities they will get against Barca's vulnerable backline.

At least Messi won't be running at Sylvestre, as in the second leg of last season's tie, but at an Arsenal defence that has looked more assured of late (with the disturbing exception of the St. James' Park debacle, when, in fairness, Squillaci's introduction and the absence of Song in front of the defence clearly bred panic).

There would be no shame in losing to this Barcelona team. And in football, as they always say, anything can happen. It's often forgotten that, despite their depleted line-up, Arsenal actually briefly led last year's tie beyond its halfway point.

Don't Get Your Hopes Up

Barca preview? I have little option but to echo much of what I said last season.

Barcelona are better in every aspect. Better with the ball, better without. More skilful, more organised, more dynamic, more tactically adept. They have a more experienced goalkeeper and a better defence. They are better at creating and taking chances.

They have the best player in the world. Backed up by the best passer.

This is the best Barcelona team of all time. Some suggest, without even waiting for the benefit of hindsight, that they are the greatest club side ever. Arsenal? This Arsenal side isn't even close to Wenger's best. And Wenger's best would have struggled against this Barca team.

Ok, they have weaknesses. But are Arsenal equipped to exploit them?

Everyone knows they are the team to beat. But Arsenal see them as the team to be. That is why I see little hope. The 'Barcelona lite' accusation may seem a little trite but there is a definite ring of truth to it. Arsenal at their best are Oasis to Barca's Beatles.

Wenger likes to talk up the team's growing maturity but such talk rings hollow when they are finding new, sick ways to enter the record books. A team that throws away a four goal lead against a distinctly average opponent like Newcastle does not deserve to be seen a serious challenge to Barca.

Arsenal have only one way to play. They will not suddenly devise some tactical masterplan. They will try to play the way they always try to play. You could say, quite simply, that Barca play the same way, much better, and that's why they'll win. But it's not quite that simple. Barca don't just have more talented players, but they will work harder to stop Arsenal playing than vice versa. Their high-energy pressing is surely a big reason why their ostensibly vulnerable defence is never quite shown up as you'd expect it might be. A great irony is that, as I recall, Graeme Souness followed up Liverpool's tonking of Real Madrid a few season's back with the assertion that continental teams cannot match Premiership tempo. At the Emirates last year, Arsenal were so defused by Barca's ferocious early pressing that they literally couldn't get out of their own half, and could have been four or five down inside twenty minutes.

Are Arsenal in better shape than they were for last season's quarter final? Probably. Last season, Van Persie was not banging goals in as he is now, not even fit in fact. In the course of last year's tie, Arsenal were decimated by injury and suspension. Gallas limped out of the first leg early, leaving Song to partner Vermaelen, and that uncertain marriage helped yield two goals for Ibrahimovic. The defence now has a new look to it. Djourou and Koscielny look solid together, though, needless to say, they haven't faced anything like this test.

Not to downgrade Messi's second leg magic, but that game saw Arsenal shorn of Song, Fabregas, Arshavin, Gallas and Van Persie. Such depletion seems unlikely this time, and so the Gunners ought to give a better account of themselves. Nasri should be back in time to play a part in the second leg, too.

REASONS TO BE FEARFUL
Sagna suspended. The notoriously headless Eboue waits in the wings. Sagna's consistency is at odds with the unpredictability of the team in general, and his understudy in particular. Nasri's flashes of brilliance have stolen the plaudits, but Sagna may be Arsenal's player of the season so far.

Walcott's progress is a cause for cautious optimism. Despite the rough edges of his game, he turned out to be Arsenal's most potent weapon against Barca last season. He has developed enough for fans to expect a more substantial contribution this time. Barca like to push high up the pitch and there ought to be space for Walcott to speed into. If someone can release him.

Fabregas has had a relatively disappointing season. He remains by a distance Arsenal's best player. Last season's first leg saw the captain playing too close to Bendtner, unable to exert any influence in a midfield that Barcelona absolutely dominated. It was clear that he was not fully fit. When Arsenal get the ball, which may not be as often as they are used to, it might pay to be a little more direct, to try and release Walcott early.

Of course, it might turn out that the visitors are better prepared for Walcott's pace this time. And he may be hindered somewhat by the absence of the rock-solid Sagna on the same flank.

Overall, neutrals may be tempted to wheel out the term "mouthwatering" for a match that will pit Fabregas and Wilshere against Xavi and Iniesta, Van Persie against Messi, and so on. The truth is, Barca would have more reason to be worried if Arsenal were able to steal Mascherano for the night. Arsenal don't have the bite or the bloodymindedness of the teams that have troubled Barca in recent times. Barca know that Arsenal will try to play and they will be anticipating an enjoyable night.

Barca Again...

Strangely looking forward to another tonking at the gifted feet of the newly anointed Greatest Team of All Time (TM).

NOTHING TO LOSE

Barca are superior in every area to Arsenal.
It seems strange to think that, more than halfway through last season's weird quarter-final tie, Arsenal had worked themselves into a winning position. Especally when you remember the grinding humiliation of the first twenty minutes of the first leg, when Barca took Arsenal's aristocratic pretensions and stuck them where the sun don't shine (and somehow failed to score).

While the lead that Bendtner gave Arsenal lasted only a couple of minutes, it still said something. It spoke of Arsenal's spirit and Barca's potential profligacy. They should have had the tie done and dusted within a half hour of the first leg, instead they needed Messi's genius to dig them out of a little trouble.

Of course, few would expect David Villa to be as wasteful as Zlatan was at the Emirates (despite his eventual two-goal-haul), and Barcelona have probably improved since that tie.

To push them close, Arsenal would have to try to impose a tempo that is no longer in their own comfort zone. They are Barca-lite. They would enjoy themselves in Spain and come 3rd. They no longer have the power and the pace to trouble a technically superior side. You know that Chelsea or United would give Barcelona a lot more to worry about.

In fairness, it should also be noted that even when Arsenal were a "power team", they often found themselves outplayed by technically adept teams- most memorably, Deportivo la Coruna in the second group stage in 2002. As I've said before, I think that game and similar chastening experiences in Europe inspired Wenger to change tack and prioritise possession and technique over power and pace.

It has backfired spectacularly. Chelsea and Manchester United routinely overpower the New Gunners, and an admittedly special Barcelona side shows up their passing game as comparatively poor, inefficient and unexciting.

TO EVEN BOTHER Barcelona, Arsenal need a Vieira, or even just a Flamini. Alex Song is going backwards with every step further up the pitch but even if he is redeployed as a dedicated holding player he is not good enough or mobile enough to stem the flow alone and Xavi, Iniesta and company will relish the chance to tear into Arsenal's woefully ragtag rearguard.

Expect to be watching fireworks through your fingers.

50% Chance of Disaster

In the 2nd round of this season's Champions League, Arsenal will play Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Schalke.

Barcelona would absolutely muller Arsenal.

Real Madrid would absolutely muller Arsenal.

In the other two scenarios, the Gunners would be expected to win through, but as the group stage has proven, anyone has a chance against Arsenal these days.

I would struggle to get excited if the draw presents a tie against either of the Germans. The sad fact is, Arsenal's continued progress in the competition would represent only delayed disaster. They will be turfed out by the first good side they face.

Wenger has never beaten Mourinho and the chances of that ever happening decline with every new day of misguided, myopic idealism.

And if Barca can beat Real Madrid 5-0, logic dictates that they could aim for double figures over two legs against Arsenal {they could have had five after twenty minutes at the Emirates last season).

The further Arsenal get, the greater the chance they will meet another of the English sides.

Arsenal cannot beat Manchester United over two legs.

Arsenal cannot beat Chelsea over two legs.

Arsenal could beat Spurs over two legs, but imagine they didn't.

So I will finish this by saying I hope Arsenal get Madrid or Barca. I pray that elimination comes soon so the winnable tournaments may be focussed on for the remainder of the season.

And with that I return to drinking this half-empty cup of tea.

Dunphy in Rash Statement Shocker

"Barcelona are way ahead of the rest, they're gonna win the Champions League this year Bill".

They may be way ahead of the rest, but Eamo is getting way ahead of himself.

Few were betting on Inter this time last year....