After the route to the first goal and knowing how quick Theo Walcott is, why ignore him, why change the way you are facing? It was a bad move from Diaby, a mistake, one that Arsenal may regret

Match Review – Barcelona 4 Arsenal 1 – Champions League

‘If you had to go out to a team, then it would be a team that play the game the right way’

‘It is no disgrace losing to a team who have the best player in the world.’

‘It is no shame losing to the best’

These are likely to be cliches that you have come across since the Messi show last night. It is difficult to argue against any of the above but I must admit I am left a little unfulfilled. I wanted to watch Barcelona vs Arsenal, instead I got patched up Arsenal against the best team in the world.

It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Arsenal, going to the Camp Nou to face the form side of world football at present without a large chunk of your first team. At times you have to hold your hands up and say you were well beaten but it would have been nice to know how the side would have done with half of our best players playing.

Injuries are part and parcel of any side and it is something that has to be factored into any competitive season but you cannot blame me for being frustrated at having to play against a team with the quality of Barcelona without 5 of your most consistent and talented players.

If the second leg played again without Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol and Pique and we had Van Persie, Cesc, Song, Arshavin and Gallas then it could well have been a different story but there is no point going down that road as we will never know the answer, at least not this season but nevertheless the team did themselves proud with a very spirited performance that could have played out a different path if other choices had been made during the early stages of the game.

Arsenal got the perfect start to the game when Diaby and Nasri won the ball on the half way line, Diaby took on the spirit of Cesc Fabregas and slotted a first time pass into the path of the electric Theo Walcott. Walcott sprung the trap and had Bendtner waiting in the middle, Theo’s pass was not executed correctly but Bendtner’s speed of thought enabled the striker to reach the ball first and poke it over the floored Valdes.

Everything was looking good, we were working harder off the ball than in the first part of the first leg and the match had a more even feel to it. Messi had already shown flashes of his danger by curling over the crossbar. At 1-0 up Diaby had a great opportunity to find Walcott who was in space on the right, it needed a repeat of the first defence splitting pass, instead Diaby dwelled on the ball and chose Bendtner who was not in the better position, the move filtered out.

After the route to the first goal and knowing how quick Theo Walcott is, why ignore him, why change the way you are facing? It was a bad move from Diaby, a mistake, one that Arsenal may regret. There is nothing to suggest that Theo Walcott would have a) scored or b) found the right pass but if he was played in, he would have been through on goal and you cannot ask anymore than that.

Moments later Messi had taken the ball popped it inside and ran after the return, a move that he attempts pretty much every game from the right or the center of the pitch. It was Silvestre who was unfortunate to play the two and Messi with very short back lift fired in over the outstretched Almunia.

It is the little things that make such a difference at this level. One pass from Abou Diaby could have seen Arsenal take a shock 2-0 lead but instead minutes later it was 1-1 and Barcelona were back in the driving seat.

Leo Messi is not just a jinking dribbler, he is much more than that. He is a winger, a striker and playmaker a complete attacking talent. He showed that with his second goal his pass to the overlapping Abidal was inch perfect, a defensive splitting pass that Xavi and Cesc would be proud of. Messi was the player getting back onto the loose ball into the box and he calmly lifted the ball over Almunia on his weaker side.

Minutes later the hat-trick was complete. Vermaelen challenged for a header too far up the pitch, Keita headed forward to the sprinting Messi, bearing down on Almunia’s goal he slowed time down and executed a lovely chipped finish over Almunia.

Messi 3 Arsenal 1.

Barcelona were the better side at that point but they were hardly posing much of a problem to Almunia, apart from one individual. I see Barcelona as a very good footballing possession side with one outstanding game changer. On our day we are a great passing side but we do not yet have the type of player who can make something from nothing. Not from the half way line like Messi or Ronaldo can. We have several youngsters in our squad who can hopefully one day get to that level but patience will be required.

We had some near misses in the second half, almost half chances. Bendtner could have been quicker to a ball in the box. Rosicky snatched at a chance when taking a touch would have been the better option but we did not really test Valdes in the Barcelona goal.

We pressed better than we did in the first leg but even that wasn’t as hard as the Barcelona players worked to win the ball back. My second disappointment of the second leg was that we were not able to play our game regardless of the defensive work from the home team. I was hoping that we would grab the game by the scruff of the neck after the break and dominate the possession, start creating chances on the Barca goal and pull the game back to 3-2. At 3-2 the game would have swung in our favour but we could not keep the ball for long enough apart from a few occasions.

Messi scored his and Barcelona’s fourth in the last minute of the ninety. Messi took a pass from the impressive Xavi and jinked his way into the penalty area on the second attempt he slotted the ball through Almunia’s legs.

It was all over. A great start by the Gunners gave us hope but we couldn’t deal with Messi. Without Cesc and company we could not put our stamp on the game and then Barcelona kept the ball away from us.

I have never heard Arsene be so frank in his words after the game. Barcelona were the better side and Messi is the best in the world. He once again ripped into our defending. He was indeed correct. Barcelona are the better team, at least against the last players standing.

This has been the second time that I have wanted to watch these two battle it out. In 2005 we were down to ten men and in 2010 we were missing big players. I hope we get another shot at them in the near future.

Like I said via twitter, if there is one lesson that I would like our team to take from these double headers it is the work without the ball. Arsenal were never allowed to show what they could do and that alone is enough to send Barca through without the input of a player who some dub as the best ever.

The players have a break to put this to the back of their minds and focus on beating Tottenham.

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