Buzzin Football

I have just watched one of the best games of football ever. But if Arsenal are going to stand any chance in the second leg at the Nou Camp next Tuesday then Arsene Wenger needs to tell  his players that they will always be punished if they stand off a team of Barcelona’s calibre, and watch them play.

I don’t rate Manuel Almunia as a goalkeeper.  But tonight he alone probably stopped Barcelona sucking on their half-time oranges leading by three or four goals. With Barca having an alarming 70% of the possession in the first 45 minutes, and playing some of the most attractive ‘pass and move’ football I have seen since watching Brazil as a young boy. But for all their flare and skills, it was still 0-0 until twenty seconds after the restart.

A simple through ball left the Arsenal back four stranded and Almunia in no-man’s land, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had not scored against English opposition in his previous 10 attempts, scored the first of his two goals.  The second was a similar through ball that caught the Arsenal defence ball-watching as Ibrahimovic thumped the ball into the roof of the net.  2-0 surely it was all over for another season, as far as Arsene Wenger’s Champions League aspirations were concerned.

At that stage I imagine anyone watching the game thought Arsenal was going to fall apart.  But it was then the young guns decided with a true musketeer cry ‘all for one, and one for all!’

With no fear left in their heads and fire in the belly, Arsenal decided to ‘have a go’ at ‘the best team in Europe’.

The introduction of Theo Walcott appeared to stun the Barcelona defence and spur Arsenal and the Emirates Stadium into life.  And even when Walcott scored to make it 2-1 I still felt it wasn’t going to be enough to save Arsenal their first defeat by a foreign team at the Emirates Stadium.  But then a great game turned into an amazing one as Puyol appeared to tangle with Cesc Fabregas in the penalty area, just as Fabregas had swung his leg back to shoot.  The resulting penalty seemed harsh, let alone the red card that means the Barcelona captain will miss the second leg along with his centre-back and former Manchester United team-mate Pique, who received a yellow card earlier in the game.

Fabregas scored the resulting penalty, and as if by magic Arsenal were now looking to win the game as they continued to attack,  wave on wave of attack spearheaded by Theo Walcott who, as the only Englishman on the pitch was being closely watched by Fabio Capello.

Thierry Henry received a very warm reception as he replaced Zlatan Ibrahimovic when Barcelona were 2-0 up, only to receive a chorus of ‘boos’ every time he touched the ball thereafter.

On the final whistle Fabregas, who had injured himself scoring from the penalty but had stayed on as Arsenal had already used all three substitutes, limped off.  But he was already going to miss the second leg in the Nou Camp by receiving a yellow card early in the game along with four other Arsenal players.

I cannot belief Barcelona didn’t win this game.  But fair play to Arsenal for their never say die attitude.  That said, it was a pleasure to watch Barcelona completely outplay a very good Arsenal team in the first half, and I feel they will do so again in the second leg.