Any gooners on here currently bricking it?

[suityou01]

I've never seen Modric, VDV or hutton put in a shift.

What was missing was a destroyer in the centre of the park - a Roy Keane, Gerrard, Mascherano.
someone who was prepared to do the dirty things and give themselves selfishly for the cause.

Modric and VDV are gifted players but not grafters.

HTH

Bale currently holds the PL record for most metres covered in a game.
Modric is a grafter, don't agree with you there.
Concede the point about VdV.

[FiveTimes]

Bale currently holds the PL record for most metres covered in a game.
Modric is a grafter, don't agree with you there.
Concede the point about VdV.

Bale does cover the ground but on the flanks.

My point was that you need a destroyer in the middle of the park not someone who will run up and down the wing.
Pack the midfield with destroyers and hope to pick up a breakaway goal.

[doodab]

Chelsea came close to beating barca a couple of seasons ago until a last minute dodgy goal went in.

I disagree that barca centre halves would struggle against crouch, spurs would need the ball in order to feed him. they had 75% possession last night and apply constant pressure all the time.

If I remember correctly the last EPL team to beat Barca were Liverpool

Inter managed to nullify them last year by parking the bus. It wasn't pretty but it can work if you have an organised unit.

There are a few possible approaches, not all of which are proven to work.

1. Jose's Inter Milan 11 behind the ball method, which worked last year.
2. The "flying dutchman" kick them off the pitch method, attempted and failed against Spain in the world cup final
3. The "Geordie" method a.k.a. we're going to score one more than you, which worked 10 years ago against an admittedly incomparable Barcelona side and might just work for Gareth Bale (who if back to his best ought to give Dani Alves a few moments of excitement) & Peter Crouch.

Playing them at their own game as tried by Arsenal, and Man U two years ago to a lesser extent, is doomed to failure. No English team (or anyone else for that matter) is good enough at keeping the ball to pull it off. You need a solid defense that can take sustained pressure, fast high quality counter attacking, and a little bit of luck. Chelsea have come closest in recent memory.

[doodab]

I've never seen Modric, VDV or hutton put in a shift.

What was missing was a destroyer in the centre of the park - a Roy Keane, Gerrard, Mascherano.
someone who was prepared to do the dirty things and give themselves selfishly for the cause.

Modric and VDV are gifted players but not grafters.

HTH

That is what this Arsenal side are missing IMO. Vieira in his prime would have given them something to think about.

[Doggy Styles]

Playing them at their own game as tried by Arsenal, and Man U two years ago to a lesser extent, is doomed to failure. No English team (or anyone else for that matter) is good enough at keeping the ball to pull it off. You need a solid defense that can take sustained pressure, fast high quality counter attacking, and a little bit of luck. Chelsea have come closest in recent memory.

Chelsea outplayed them that night, robbed by an incompetent referee. Chelsea did beat them the year (or was it two?) before that.

I'm not a Chelsea fan by the way, I just think they are set up to beat these passing teams (Arsenal were their bunnies until they imploded in December).

[Incognito]

Nasri & Wenger have been charged by Uefa. It's a ******* farce. If I was a gunner who'd travelled I'd be looking for my money back from Uefa for flights and match ticket down to their employee's negligence.

Have you seen the match report on Uefa? No mention at all of the dubious decision just says Van Persie was red carded.

[original PM]

Not sure if any of you really recall the Man U - Barca final.

man u were all over them for the first 10-15 minutes and if Ronaldo (love him or loathe him he is a great player when he plays) had not missed 2 sitters it may have been a different story but he did so it was not.

Barca are not unbeatable by any means they are a bit weak at the back but they attack with like 7 world class players so will punish any mistake.

on another note Man U will stuff the Gooners this weekend....

[BoredBloke]

When the gooners played them over here I thought that Barca lookged pretty impressive in the fisrt half while Arsenal were being torn to bits. In the second it was like the whole Barca side had been substituted and replaced by people who looked like them. They were not good at all. They are beatable but you have to catch them on an off day!

[d000hg]

That Barcelona midfield looks a bit weak to me

One-nil to the Arsenal.


runs away after hexing Arsenal...

[Doggy Styles]

That is what this Arsenal side are missing IMO. Vieira in his prime would have given them something to think about.

Peter Storey in his prime would have stopped them thinking about anything.