UEFA CL QF: Arsenal v Barcelona (Mar. 31st), Barcelona v Arsenal (Apr. 6th)

That game was complete insanity.

 

I only gotta see 25 min but what a game! I can only imagine the end of it!

 

You missed a cracker. Try and catch a replay.

The first half hour was a Barcelona onslaught. They had 12-16 shots at the half IIRC, half on target. Almunia stood on his head and the Gunners tripped over their feet. Only towards the final fifteen minutes of the half did Arsenal muster anything of their own.

The Gunners had a lot of sloppy tackles but as expected the Barca players fell over at every opportunity. Arsenal received five yellow cards, one to Fabregas which will keep him out of the second leg. Barca received one yellow to Pique which will also force him out of the home game. Both Gallas and Arshavin exited the game in the first half with injury to be replaced by Denilson and Eboue.

Right at the beginning of the second half that big bird-like man scored on a hapless Almunia who committed half-way to coming out of the box and got lobbed. He didn't undo all of his good work from the first half but he reminded everyone that he is a good shotstopper but a sometimes horrible decision maker. Not long after that Ibrahimovic broke down our back left wing (for the second and certainly not the last time) and roofed a shot past Almunia from the corner of the box to seemingly put the tie to bed.

Theo Walcott changed the shape of the game as soon as he came on outpacing the Barca backline and creating crosses. At about 2/3 of the game he streaked down the line and slotted a goal through Valdez's legs to reinvigorate the team. More crash-bang football followed with Barca suddenly losing their form. A chance was created for Fabregas in the box but as he swung at it his leg got in between Puyol's and he went down. The call was made for a PK--automatic red for the offender--and Fabregas was cool on the shot and netted it easily. Then he promptly went off with an injury and limped the rest of the game, Arsenal having no substitutions left.

For the most part Arsenal were hugely outplayed but all that matters is the scoreline.

 

Also, Henry came on to a very nice ovation then was roundly booed when he tried to get on goal. Good times.

 

Incredible that both captains will be carded out for the second leg.

Gotta think it hurts us more, though.

 

Thanks for the recap Speeds. (repped) And you are right about the beginning being an onslaught from Barca. It seemed Shot after shot. Capitalized by (I think) A Messi shot going off of Almunia's foot. I was watching on ATHD or whatever so I'm still not entirely sure who it was. But that first bit I saw left me very worried about the final result.

 

Broken leg? Hope not. Seems unlikely given the fact he was up and running shortly after.

 

Yeah only way I could MAYBE see him still on the leg, is with a Hairline fracture. But even with those you are slowed down considerably. But if he kept playing on a fracture... what a badass!

 

Their back line is going to be significantly weakened. If we push hard enough we should win that game.

Also, nobody is talking about Song but he locked down Messi for the most part. Great game from the young lad.

 

Is it better to play on Tuesday or Wednesday? I don't know--I suppose Wednesday provides more rest from the weekend game but less time until the next one--but we're up on Tuesday, this time at Nou Camp.

Expected lineup: Almunia, Sanga, Campbell, Vermaelen, Clichy, Walcott, Nasri, Song, Diaby, Rosicky, Bendtner.

Arshavin, as expected, will not suit up.

Pique and Puyol are out for Barca and (possibly misinformation) the birdy fellow up front might not play.