When you look at some of the midfield options we have, it doesn’t look so promising, there is potential in Diaby, but Denilson and Rosicky while being good, have not performed to their expected levels in

To me, what some of you say, that Barcelona were the better team an we were outclassed, so on, so forth, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Do you seriously expect any team in the world to go to the nou camp and outplay or match Barca?

Some say that this team is far from finished, that we need at least 4 game changing players. what a load of bull.

Real Madrid comes to mind, they do have that amount of expensive, and quality players, and yet, when they went there, lost 5 nil. so the logic is flawed.

I do agree some of our bench could be improved, especially in midfield.

Our second and third choice forwards (Bendtner and Chamakh) are adequate in my book, not great but can do a job.

When you look at some of the midfield options we have, it doesn’t look so promising, there is potential in Diaby, but Denilson and Rosicky while being good, have not performed to their expected levels in quite some time.

What I, or the manager, would have given to still have the likes of Flamini and Diarra yesterday, those are the kind of players we need, who can really challenge for a spot, some real competition in midfield. thankfully Ramsey has come back and can provide just that.

Yesterday, I believe we played the game that suited us to progress in the tie. who better to know that than the manager himself? to have a go at Barca? sure, but not from the start. I think his plan was to keep the game close, try to get to half time with a nil-nil draw or with a one goal deficit, and if Cesc hadn’t done such a childish mistake we would have had it. Then, because of Barca’s hi energy tempo, they would become tired around the 70th minute and then we would have a go at them, just like the game we won, just the way we drew last year, in the final half hour. that’s it.

Consider this: last year they were 2 goals up with half an hour remaining and yet we managed getting a draw, thanks to Theo’s entrance and his speed.

In the return leg, with 5 or more key players missing, we got spanked.

This year, very similar scenario in the first leg, but our team is stronger, closer to them, and fully fit, with all available options, so we beat them in the final half hour of the game.

We let them keep a high tempo, play unproductive football, keep possession, the keeper being one of the players more involved because he is making a lot of passes.
then the body takes its toll, and we go forward, beautifully, sporadically, like a lover in the night, concise.

why couldn’t we do that in the return leg, at least for the first half of the game? because they fear nobody. They fear no repercussion from attacking so high up the pitch, there is no Theo Walcott, so Arsenal can hardly play counter attacking football, which is what makes them vulnerable. If van Persie were to get a pass or long ball, he would swiftly be covered by either Busquets or Abidal, both faster than him.

I do believe there were a couple of options in that respect, Eboue for one, and I would have to say Clichy as well, and it could have been done because Gibbs was available, and Nas could have been deployed on the opposite side of whomever. a big gamble of course.

the 1-1 came too fast, and as most of the world would agree, financial interests are opposed to Arsenal going through, or more than that, on Barca not going through, in any way possible.

Mourinho was very smart last season, and by publicly stating that UEFA wanted an all Spanish final in the Bernabeu that he was wary of any ref’s decisions to impede his side from progressing in the return leg, UEFA had to be a bit cautious about who they would appoint to be the referee, and what he would do.

I believe Arsene should have done the same, and also comment on Bussacca’s stats in favour of Spanish teams. about 20 won, one draw and zero lost. that would have stirred things up before the game but they would not be so cynical as they were yesterday.

I knew, and probably most of us knew, that if Barca needed help, they would get it. They were having a lot of trouble, couldn’t beat the offside trap, and found no space. sure, they kept the ball, but to what end? they tried and tried, but hardly had any clear opportunities, that is until Cesc game them a goal.

I hope he finally learns that they don’t really want him, they just talk about him when we are going to play them or when a new president is taking office. They booed and whistled when he came out. so much for Barcelona dna.

In the second half, things immediately seemed different, we started going forward, pressing them, got a goal. It was like the rumble in the jungle, Ali vs foreman. There was a method to the madness, let the beast spend most of its strength trying to knock you down, but in return, you keep your energy, and hold until it is time to strike.

On both occasions, economic interests were in play, as in any sporting event. Ali wasn’t supposed to win, neither were we. but when Busquets own goal came, it was as if Ali had knocked foreman out in the fourth round, it came too early so the situation could be mended.

So, we were robbed in a despicable, cowardly fashion. just like in 2006, same teams, different ref’s, same orders, same bosses, same interests.

Barcelona were struggling at parc the princes as well, and we should have been ahead, and I’m pretty sure that when Lehmann is red carded, the player is a yard offside, but there is no wide camera angle on that one, and I have searched for it, downloaded 3 different versions of the game from different channels and there is none. you just see Ronaldinho making a pass, then you see Lehmann swooping the players legs.

I’ve hated this Barcelona team since that day. They are a good team, but they have not beat us in equal conditions, we have beat them. I don’t know about before though.

The one positive thing I take from the game, is that it probably bond the team even more, because they were wronged and cheated, and that Barcelona had to go to great lengths to get the result they needed. best team in history? don’t make me laugh.

A quality team full of cheats and of cynical fans. I don’t envy that.

Bad luck lost us the Carling cup, but I’ll admit Birmingham played very well, I think it should have ended in a draw after 90 minutes with either one taking it after that.

In the champions league, had we had that final half hour to show what we had gone there to do, I’m confident we would have gone through.

In the premiership, we have been wronged more than a couple occasions, most recently against Sunderland and Newcastle especially, and united have been helped more than a couple of times, just like they always are, so it boils my blood when so called Gooners say this team is not good enough to win anything. They either have not seen the games or simply have shit for brains.

They may not be the invincible, but that team is long gone, and this one is the best in the league, and one of the best in Europe.

Yes, some of the bench should be improved, but don’t tell me that most of the team isn’t there already.

I don’t know if we will win the league, or the FA cup, because there are things outside of football that can prevent it from happening, what I do know is that we are good enough today to do it.

All non believers can sit and wait for that glorious day when we finally spend all of our money and Messi, Cristiano, Kaka and Eto’o come in to warm our bench.

Mean Lean’s Response

Thank you Luis Zelaya, plenty interesting parts in this to chew on.

Firstly our performance on Wednesday evening. We are being shat on from pillar to post (whatever that actually means) from sections of the media for having so little possession and attempts on target. I think this is partly down to the fact that we usually dominate every team we come across in the league and they are taking great satisfaction that it happened to us.

I think many people, including the sports media are missing a point here. We sat deep intentionally, we conceded the midfield and allowed them onto us. It was working perfectly fine with Barcelona passing into the brick wall called Djourou until Cesc rather strangely attempted a back heal outside his penalty area.

Domestically when we come up against a team who sit back it is called clever when we do it, then we are weak. Nothing new there then I guess.

Real Madrid went to Barcelona after spending about 20 times what our squad is worth and got spanked 5-0, they played an open game and got whooped.

We did not get the chance to take our game to them late in the second half when they would have tired, like they have every time they have played us, apart from our reserve team in the Camp Nou last season, thanks to the referee for an ‘incompetent’ decision to send off our match winner.

As for our squad players not being up to the standard, I think it is extremely harsh to say that about many of those players. Many are not the finished article, their ages tell you that.

It is massively unrealistic to expect the same quality three levels down in each position in the squad. When you have a collection of professionals, some are going to be better than others whilst some will be out of form when not playing, that is only normal and is the case for every other team.

I am not pointing the finger directly at you but many people have posted messages suggesting that we need world class players as back ups.

If anyone looks around European football at the big clubs, how many players of top top quality are sitting on the bench waiting for a chance? Your example of Diarra is a perfect choice. He came to Arsenal and within months he was kicking and screaming his way out of the club. Why? Because he wanted to play first team football.

Instead of average experienced players who are happy on the bench, Wenger chooses hungry young players with scope to improve with age and are more likely to sit and wait for their chance because of their young age.

A player of Aaron Ramsey’s quality at 28 would not be happy to sit and wait to play for us, that is for sure.

“A quality team full of cheats and of cynical fans. I don’t envy that.”

I love that line, very much agree with you on that one. I also agree that we are the best team in the league, we at the very least have the strongest squad, not only that but the squad with the most scope to improve. That is often overlooked, often swept under the carpet as insignificant but it is massive and why we shouldn’t write off this team as not good enough.

Look at Wilshere from last season to this. He is a different player. Look at the scope that Wilshere, Ramsey, Gibbs, Walcott, Nasri, Song, Djourou have? If we keep this squad never season then I believe there will be no arguments as to which team is the best in the country, I really believe we will be clear at the top because the players have grown in strength both mentally and physically.

This season we are head to head with the Mancs. It is pretty much a straight race to the end with 10 games remaining.

Let’s hope we can forget about what happened in Barcelona and channel our frustrations into desire for the league run in.