ddippshit and other sturbborn barca fans should take dressing from real barca fans who are giving arsenal credit. Regardless of whateva happens at camp nou,as it stands arsenal take a goal advantage and if we play our A game again,we are more than capable of knockin barca out.

Lemme giv y'all somethin to think about:

1.Do you think arsenal won't score at all at Nou camp? I hope u face reality that arsenal WILL score. With Rvp,Nas and Fab in, and Puyol,pique out we should score more than we did when we played at Nou camp.

2. Do you think barca can score 4 against a far improved arsenal side compared to last year's squad? NO. Days of silvestre,campbell and alminia are over. Barca can't score 4 against us anymore. So chances of arsenal qualifyin aren't as little as these barca boyz think.

3. Plus records show that arsenal win away well. Ask real madrid or ac milan. And barca don't do well after losing a first tie in knockout stage.


Go Gunners. This team beat the best. Messi,xavi,villa were all on parade,  Giv credit, Binshes

Where were the three balon d'or veterans when 19 yr old Jack Wilshere held down the midfield? He was man of the match!
Look, people never learn that NO condition is permanent!
Once upon a time, Brazil dominated world football, then came France, Argentina, Germany and most recently Spain. Spain was humiliated by Argentina after the world cup (against the predictions of the so-called pundits).
FOOTBALL is not STATIC! Things keep revolving. Players get wiser n more experienced! Teams grow stronger with time.
As an Arsenal fan, I'll tell you the scoreline is more important than beautiful football cos I've seen it happen to us time and time again.
We have combined determination, ruggedness and cutting edge to our beautiful football this season. Hence it was not surprise that we beat Chelsea to their game - ruggedness!
Before the 1st leg, a lot on people never believed in what the Arsenal community believed in. Now they have swallowed the humble pie and have turned their focus on the result at the Nou Camp.
Will Wenger and his boys field cripples at the Nou Camp?
Will Barca field any better players than they fielded at the Emirates?
STRATEGY, like what we saw at the Emirates, is what COUNTS not assumptions/speculations.
In a short while, Barca (or Real Madrid) will reel out a list of the Arsenal players they want to sign on! Because they are ALL WORLD CLASS!
These guys are young (average age is 23 years!) with players like Wojiech (20) and Wilshere (19) brimming with unparalleled confidence!
It's their time, they will SOAR!

If FIFA/UEFA were not aware there could be uncertainties, shocks and surprises, they'd have just abandoned the game between Arsenal and Barca and handed Barca automatic qualification based on their previous soccer pedigree!
Upsets will come (like we saw on wednesday and between Spurs and AC Milan) and more will come in the return legs.
Don't write any team (in the last 16) off!

dipo2much:

ddippshit and other sturbborn barca fans should take dressing from real barca fans who are giving arsenal credit. Regardless of whateva happens at camp nou,as it stands arsenal take a goal advantage and if we play our A game again,we are more than capable of knockin barca out.

Lemme giv y'all somethin to think about:

1.Do you think arsenal won't score at all at Nou camp? I hope u face reality that arsenal WILL score. With Rvp,Nas and Fab in, and Puyol,pique out we should score more than we did when we played at Nou camp.

2. Do you think barca can score 4 against a far improved arsenal side compared to last year's squad? NO. Days of silvestre,campbell and alminia are over. Barca can't score 4 against us anymore. So chances of arsenal qualifyin aren't as little as these barca boyz think.

3. Plus records show that arsenal win away well. Ask real madrid or ac milan. And barca don't do well after losing a first tie in knockout stage.


Go Gunners. This team beat the best. Messi,xavi,villa were all on parade,  Giv credit, Binshes

hey boi, u sound like you just had 2 much menstrual fluid 2 drink. (ever since the last 4-1 bashing y'all been whinning about losing key players instead of GIVING BARCA PROPS. even hercules beat barca, there wasnt so much noise. arsenal wont win the champions league, arsenal wont produce a ballon diorist, arsenal best passers in england! cant even have a 40% possession against barca. props to arsenal 4 achieving an UNPRECEDENTED FEAT; OBVIOUSLY A MUCH HAPPIER DAY THAN THE DAY U WON THE CHAMP, OH SORRY THE PREMIER LEAGUE.

underscore:

Where were the three balon d'or veterans when 19 yr old Jack Wilshere held down the midfield? He was man of the match!
Look, people never learn that NO condition is permanent!
Once upon a time, Brazil dominated world football, then came France, Argentina, Germany and most recently Spain. Spain was humiliated by Argentina after the world cup (against the predictions of the so-called pundits).
FOOTBALL is not STATIC! Things keep revolving. Players get wiser n more experienced! Teams grow stronger with time.
As an Arsenal fan, I'll tell you the scoreline is more important than beautiful football cos I've seen it happen to us time and time again.
We have combined determination, ruggedness and cutting edge to our beautiful football this season. Hence it was not surprise that we beat Chelsea to their game - ruggedness!
Before the 1st leg, a lot on people never believed in what the Arsenal community believed in. Now they have swallowed the humble pie and have turned their focus on the result at the Nou Camp.
Will Wenger and his boys field cripples at the Nou Camp?
Will Barca field any better players than they fielded at the Emirates?
STRATEGY, like what we saw at the Emirates, is what COUNTS not assumptions/speculations.
In a short while, Barca (or Real Madrid) will reel out a list of the Arsenal players they want to sign on! Because they are ALL WORLD CLASS! wilshere held down what midfield? are u in a slumber?  DID ARSENAL ATTACK OR COUNTER ATTACK?
These guys are young (average age is 23 years!) with players like Wojiech (20) and Wilshere (19) brimming with unparalleled confidence!
It's their time, they will SOAR!

wilshere held down what midfield? are u dreaming?  did arsenal attack or COUNTERATTACK? which?

wilshere held down what midfield? are u dreaming? did arsenal attack or COUNTERATTACK? which?

underscore:

If FIFA/UEFA were not aware there could be uncertainties, shocks and surprises, they'd have just abandoned the game between Arsenal and Barca and handed Barca automatic qualification based on their previous soccer pedigree!
Upsets will come (like we saw on wednesday and between Spurs and AC Milan) and more will come in the return legs.
Don't write any team (in the last 16) off!

IAM VERY PLEASED U USE THE WORD UPSET. YOUR FELLOW GUNNERS SHOULD LEARN FROM U. ITS MORE APPROPRIATE 2 SAY ' ARSENAL UPSET BARCA' trust me if u say that i mite just change my mind and give y'all the props u so crave.

@ dippwhatever, are you sure you watched the same match? Go to the Brca website and read Guordiola's comments.

Have you seen online reviews? Go through this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/16/arsenal-barcelona-champions-league-report

check match statistics and the player ratings tabs

Wake up! Or are you still stunned?

Last year Inter "upset" Barca, this year Arsenal have "upset" them in the first leg.
But if its another team, you will use the word the work won/defeat/beat abi? Barca wasn't registered like every other football club, abi? Hence their unique definitions of losing a match. Wake up to the reality of out times!

underscore:

@ dippwhatever, are you sure you watched the same match? Go to the Brca website and read Guordiola's comments.

Have you seen online reviews? Go through this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/16/arsenal-barcelona-champions-league-report

check match statistics and the player ratings tabs

Wake up! Or are you still stunned?

Last year Inter "upset" Barca, this year Arsenal have "upset" them in the first leg.
But if its another team, you will use the word the work won/defeat/beat abi? Barca wasn't registered like every other football club, abi? Hence their unique definitions of losing a match. Wake up to the reality of out times!

seen the site, and i dont think u read it youself b4 recommending it to me. do u want me 2 point out the salient points there. show me another site my friend.

From there, you can see the match statistics, player ratings etc. That clearly buttresses my claims.

Now, i just showed you how to use the internet to support arguments.

You should research more sites and base your arguments on better facts than your thoughts and stop asking me to spoon feed you with more.

Facts are not necessarily what we think/believe.

I rest my case. Na so Goliath do when David kill am.

Barca WILL NOT make the top four of the EPL. The likes of Wolves will make the top 4 of the La Liga!

underscore:

From there, you can see the match statistics, player ratings etc. That clearly buttresses my claims.

Now, i just showed you how to use the internet to support arguments.

You should research more sites and base your arguments on better facts than your thoughts and stop asking me to spoon feed you with more.

Facts are not necessarily what we think/believe.

I rest my case. Na so Goliath do when David kill am.

Barca WILL NOT make the top four of the EPL. The likes of Wolves will make the top 4 of the La Liga!

it is u who say that. SAY THAT AGAIN AND OBSERVE THE POSITION OF UR TONGUE. IAM QUITE SURE ITS IN UR CHEEK.

I have seen your comments with others and concluded its unnecessary to continue this discussion.

"hey boi, u sound like you just had 2 much menstrual fluid 2 drink. (ever since the last 4-1 bashing y'all been whinning about losing key players instead of GIVING BARCA PROPS. even hercules beat barca, there wasnt so much noise. arsenal wont win the champions league, arsenal wont produce a ballon diorist, arsenal best passers in england! cant even have a 40% possession against barca. props to arsenal 4 achieving an UNPRECEDENTED FEAT; OBVIOUSLY A MUCH HAPPIER DAY THAN THE DAY U WON THE CHAMP, OH SORRY THE PREMIER LEAGUE".

Not worth it!

underscore:

I have seen your comments with others and concluded its unnecessary to continue this discussion.

"hey boi, u sound like you just had 2 much menstrual fluid 2 drink. (ever since the last 4-1 bashing y'all been whinning about losing key players instead of GIVING BARCA PROPS. even hercules beat barca, there wasnt so much noise. arsenal wont win the champions league, arsenal wont produce a ballon diorist, arsenal best passers in england! cant even have a 40% possession against barca. props to arsenal 4 achieving an UNPRECEDENTED FEAT; OBVIOUSLY A MUCH HAPPIER DAY THAN THE DAY U WON THE CHAMP, OH SORRY THE PREMIER LEAGUE".

Not worth it!

thanks boi, have a nice day.( it took u so much time 2 see it)

Nice read guys:
Jack Wilshere is the midfielder we have been waiting for

Arsenal scoured the world for a player like Jack Wilshere but it turns out he was in Hitchin all along

The performance of Jack Wilshere, right, for Arsenal against Barcelona would have graced either shirt. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Arsène Wenger has roamed the earth for footballers who can pass like Xavi or Andrés Iniesta. For a long time he may have thought English youngsters were good only for giving the ball away or getting into scrapes in nightclubs. Imagine his surprise, then, when he found what he was looking for in Hitchin, a Hertfordshire town from where Valerie Singleton went on to present Blue Peter – a show Jack Wilshere has not long grown out of.

In French academies and African villages Wenger has pursued players capable of executing his vision of what football should be: a game of pace, skill, fluidity, adventure. But all he had to do was motor north from the club's training ground at London Colney to a heartland of suburban Arsenal support. There he found the most gifted young English midfielder since Paul Scholes, who made his debut for Manchester United at the age Wilshere is now.

The difference is that Scholes padded on to the scene in a League Cup match at Port Vale while Wilshere, at 19, already appears indistinguishable from Barcelona's two best midfielders, who took silver and bronze behind Lionel Messi in Fifa's world footballer of the year award. In Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Pep Guardiola's team Wilshere could have worn the livery of either side, such was his range of passing, his courage in demanding the ball in tight spots, his confidence and sense of belonging.

The two compatriots who bear comparison from the last 25 years are Scholes and Paul Gascoigne, who crashed the picture with Newcastle shortly before his 18th birthday, against QPR, in April 1985. Scholes was a small bundle of dexterity and toughness who still lacked the physical dimensions to convince United's coaching staff he would fully make the grade. Gascoigne was more of a maverick: brilliant but troubled, blessed but wayward.

This is where Wilshere's story veers off into its own sparkly realm. A Premier League debutant at 16 years and 256 days, the Stevenage-born but Hitchin-raised Wilshere won his first England cap at 18 years and 222 days and has already played 48 times for Arsenal.

Gascoigne was granted the freedom to self-destruct. Scholes had to fight his way through a thicket of selectorial challenges. At various times in his early years Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Juan Sebastián Verón all stood in his way. Scholes is a majestic player who has had to accommodate or work around rival talent more than we appreciate. In the end his class and loyalty paid dividends. At first he was seldom in command of his own destiny, as Wilshere is now.

In the aftermath of Arsenal's thrilling counter-drive one witness pointed out that Barcelona may forget Cesc Fábregas next summer and come calling for Wilshere instead. Normally, hype fixes itself on a young striker who announces himself with a rash of goals, or a zesty teenage winger who smears full-backs on toast. This time, though, praise is being stacked up for a young English conductor in the hardest position of all: a fresh face with the full repertoire of short and long link-play, balls round the corner and probing passes delivered on the run, like Steven Gerrard at his best.

In all dimensions Wilshere exceeded the bounds of what ought to be possible for a player of his years against the world's best club side. Gascoigne's finest moments were in an England shirt. In his brief prime he locked antlers with many formidable opponents. There is no memory, though, of him having to struggle against a Messi, Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi in spaces so heavily compressed that the rest of us would have no time to shout "help!" between receiving and losing the ball.

Scholes mastered this art steadily, in the company of serial trophy-winning colleagues. Wilshere seems to have arrived there by some developmental miracle. No time seemed to elapse between reports of his promise and the delivery of those hopes against Barcelona, in a Champions League knockout tie, amid suffocating pressure.

There is good news on the England front too. In an interview before the game Wilshere surrendered an insight into how highly his international team-mates rate him. Fabio Capello is in danger of using him as a luxury David Batty but Wilshere says: "I spoke to Frank Lampard before the [Denmark] game and he said – 'don't just sit, we've seen you can go forward, so if you want to go forward just tell me and I'll sit' – which is similar to my role with Arsenal really, when I have that licence too."

Lampard, who has travelled up many dead ends with England, is evidently helping with the future, which has arrived early, in the shape of a young orchestrator who defies the English norm. The system can be beaten.

underscore:

Nice read guys:
Jack Wilshere is the midfielder we have been waiting for

Arsenal scoured the world for a player like Jack Wilshere but it turns out he was in Hitchin all along

The performance of Jack Wilshere, right, for Arsenal against Barcelona would have graced either shirt. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Arsène Wenger has roamed the earth for footballers who can pass like Xavi or Andrés Iniesta. For a long time he may have thought English youngsters were good only for giving the ball away or getting into scrapes in nightclubs. Imagine his surprise, then, when he found what he was looking for in Hitchin, a Hertfordshire town from where Valerie Singleton went on to present Blue Peter – a show Jack Wilshere has not long grown out of.

In French academies and African villages Wenger has pursued players capable of executing his vision of what football should be: a game of pace, skill, fluidity, adventure. But all he had to do was motor north from the club's training ground at London Colney to a heartland of suburban Arsenal support. There he found the most gifted young English midfielder since Paul Scholes, who made his debut for Manchester United at the age Wilshere is now.

The difference is that Scholes padded on to the scene in a League Cup match at Port Vale while Wilshere, at 19, already appears indistinguishable from Barcelona's two best midfielders, who took silver and bronze behind Lionel Messi in Fifa's world footballer of the year award. In Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Pep Guardiola's team Wilshere could have worn the livery of either side, such was his range of passing, his courage in demanding the ball in tight spots, his confidence and sense of belonging.

The two compatriots who bear comparison from the last 25 years are Scholes and Paul Gascoigne, who crashed the picture with Newcastle shortly before his 18th birthday, against QPR, in April 1985. Scholes was a small bundle of dexterity and toughness who still lacked the physical dimensions to convince United's coaching staff he would fully make the grade. Gascoigne was more of a maverick: brilliant but troubled, blessed but wayward.

This is where Wilshere's story veers off into its own sparkly realm. A Premier League debutant at 16 years and 256 days, the Stevenage-born but Hitchin-raised Wilshere won his first England cap at 18 years and 222 days and has already played 48 times for Arsenal.

Gascoigne was granted the freedom to self-destruct. Scholes had to fight his way through a thicket of selectorial challenges. At various times in his early years Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Juan Sebastián Verón all stood in his way. Scholes is a majestic player who has had to accommodate or work around rival talent more than we appreciate. In the end his class and loyalty paid dividends. At first he was seldom in command of his own destiny, as Wilshere is now.

In the aftermath of Arsenal's thrilling counter-drive one witness pointed out that Barcelona may forget Cesc Fábregas next summer and come calling for Wilshere instead. Normally, hype fixes itself on a young striker who announces himself with a rash of goals, or a zesty teenage winger who smears full-backs on toast. This time, though, praise is being stacked up for a young English conductor in the hardest position of all: a fresh face with the full repertoire of short and long link-play, balls round the corner and probing passes delivered on the run, like Steven Gerrard at his best.

In all dimensions Wilshere exceeded the bounds of what ought to be possible for a player of his years against the world's best club side. Gascoigne's finest moments were in an England shirt. In his brief prime he locked antlers with many formidable opponents. There is no memory, though, of him having to struggle against a Messi, Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi in spaces so heavily compressed that the rest of us would have no time to shout "help!" between receiving and losing the ball.

Scholes mastered this art steadily, in the company of serial trophy-winning colleagues. Wilshere seems to have arrived there by some developmental miracle. No time seemed to elapse between reports of his promise and the delivery of those hopes against Barcelona, in a Champions League knockout tie, amid suffocating pressure.

There is good news on the England front too. In an interview before the game Wilshere surrendered an insight into how highly his international team-mates rate him. Fabio Capello is in danger of using him as a luxury David Batty but Wilshere says: "I spoke to Frank Lampard before the [Denmark] game and he said – 'don't just sit, we've seen you can go forward, so if you want to go forward just tell me and I'll sit' – which is similar to my role with Arsenal really, when I have that licence too."

Lampard, who has travelled up many dead ends with England, is evidently helping with the future, which has arrived early, in the shape of a young orchestrator who defies the English norm. The system can be beaten.

u spoke my mind >>> Wilshere has better consistency than fabregas this season >>> even in the barca match he held the midfield well >>> this shows as Wenger did not dare risk putting in Denilson for him (as usual) >>> check out the stats between Wilshere and Fabregas, watch their games closely >>> Wilshere is a revelation and if he continues this way >>> people like Xavi will grreen with envy when he is mentioned

underscore:

Nice read guys:
Jack Wilshere is the midfielder we have been waiting for

Arsenal scoured the world for a player like Jack Wilshere but it turns out he was in Hitchin all along

The performance of Jack Wilshere, right, for Arsenal against Barcelona would have graced either shirt. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Arsène Wenger has roamed the earth for footballers who can pass like Xavi or Andrés Iniesta. For a long time he may have thought English youngsters were good only for giving the ball away or getting into scrapes in nightclubs. Imagine his surprise, then, when he found what he was looking for in Hitchin, a Hertfordshire town from where Valerie Singleton went on to present Blue Peter – a show Jack Wilshere has not long grown out of.

In French academies and African villages Wenger has pursued players capable of executing his vision of what football should be: a game of pace, skill, fluidity, adventure. But all he had to do was motor north from the club's training ground at London Colney to a heartland of suburban Arsenal support. There he found the most gifted young English midfielder since Paul Scholes, who made his debut for Manchester United at the age Wilshere is now.

The difference is that Scholes padded on to the scene in a League Cup match at Port Vale while Wilshere, at 19, already appears indistinguishable from Barcelona's two best midfielders, who took silver and bronze behind Lionel Messi in Fifa's world footballer of the year award. In Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Pep Guardiola's team Wilshere could have worn the livery of either side, such was his range of passing, his courage in demanding the ball in tight spots, his confidence and sense of belonging.

The two compatriots who bear comparison from the last 25 years are Scholes and Paul Gascoigne, who crashed the picture with Newcastle shortly before his 18th birthday, against QPR, in April 1985. Scholes was a small bundle of dexterity and toughness who still lacked the physical dimensions to convince United's coaching staff he would fully make the grade. Gascoigne was more of a maverick: brilliant but troubled, blessed but wayward.

This is where Wilshere's story veers off into its own sparkly realm. A Premier League debutant at 16 years and 256 days, the Stevenage-born but Hitchin-raised Wilshere won his first England cap at 18 years and 222 days and has already played 48 times for Arsenal.

Gascoigne was granted the freedom to self-destruct. Scholes had to fight his way through a thicket of selectorial challenges. At various times in his early years Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Juan Sebastián Verón all stood in his way. Scholes is a majestic player who has had to accommodate or work around rival talent more than we appreciate. In the end his class and loyalty paid dividends. At first he was seldom in command of his own destiny, as Wilshere is now.

In the aftermath of Arsenal's thrilling counter-drive one witness pointed out that Barcelona may forget Cesc Fábregas next summer and come calling for Wilshere instead. Normally, hype fixes itself on a young striker who announces himself with a rash of goals, or a zesty teenage winger who smears full-backs on toast. This time, though, praise is being stacked up for a young English conductor in the hardest position of all: a fresh face with the full repertoire of short and long link-play, balls round the corner and probing passes delivered on the run, like Steven Gerrard at his best.

In all dimensions Wilshere exceeded the bounds of what ought to be possible for a player of his years against the world's best club side. Gascoigne's finest moments were in an England shirt. In his brief prime he locked antlers with many formidable opponents. There is no memory, though, of him having to struggle against a Messi, Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi in spaces so heavily compressed that the rest of us would have no time to shout "help!" between receiving and losing the ball.

Scholes mastered this art steadily, in the company of serial trophy-winning colleagues. Wilshere seems to have arrived there by some developmental miracle. No time seemed to elapse between reports of his promise and the delivery of those hopes against Barcelona, in a Champions League knockout tie, amid suffocating pressure.

There is good news on the England front too. In an interview before the game Wilshere surrendered an insight into how highly his international team-mates rate him. Fabio Capello is in danger of using him as a luxury David Batty but Wilshere says: "I spoke to Frank Lampard before the [Denmark] game and he said – 'don't just sit, we've seen you can go forward, so if you want to go forward just tell me and I'll sit' – which is similar to my role with Arsenal really, when I have that licence too."

Lampard, who has travelled up many dead ends with England, is evidently helping with the future, which has arrived early, in the shape of a young orchestrator who defies the English norm. The system can be beaten.

typical english!  they overhype the epl, they overhype their english nationals.  same guys who lambasted wilshere after the denmark friendly. wish wilshere well anyway. england so badly needs a player to win the world player of the year. let them keep trying.

Some of us may have to "see" outside the box!

For all my football processing brain cells, i think its good enough and patriotic to hype your team's players but we all know the truth anyway.
I saw someone on here talking about wilshere and United's legend 18 in the same paraphrase, in the first place,there's been no better FACTUAL passer of the ball in the three lions' shirt (perhaps with the exception of Paul Gascoigne)than Paul Scholes,and i dare say for now that wilshere is not even good enough to lace the ginger prince's football boots, so watch your comparisons and let sleeping dogs lie. Moreover,for the records,paul scholes won two superb trophies in his first season with united,and he played a large part in winning those two, including the Premier League and the FA youth cup in May,1992. I don't need to post his CV here but he's also among the most decorated players his country has ever seen ala Gary Neville. Wilshere has potential but he's still 19 and technically he's not better than the young Mc of Chelsea or the Davide Petrucci of Manchester United, anyway,those guys a'int English so we all know what happens with the English press when the young bud a'int English.

O boi, see frustration!!!!!!!! Peops dey vex 4here gan!!

Konjour:

For all my football processing brain cells, i think its good enough and patriotic to hype your team's players but we all know the truth anyway.
I saw someone on here talking about wilshere and United's legend 18 in the same paraphrase, in the first place,there's been no better FACTUAL passer of the ball in the three lions' shirt (perhaps with the exception of Paul Gascoigne)than Paul Scholes,and i dare say for now that wilshere is not even good enough to lace the ginger prince's football boots, so watch your comparisons and let sleeping dogs lie. Moreover,for the records,paul scholes won two superb trophies in his first season with united,and he played a large part in winning those two, including the Premier League and the FA youth cup in May,1992. I don't need to post his CV here but he's also among the most decorated players his country has ever seen ala Gary Neville. Wilshere has potential but he's still 19 and technically he's not better than the young Mc of Chelsea or the Davide Petrucci of Manchester United, anyway,those guys a'int English so we all know what happens with the English press when the young bud a'int English.

Jack is far better than Paul Scholes @19 he is the best 19 yrs old player @ the moment.dont know what u man by TECHNICALLY. this is isnt any english hype if u v not been watching this young man in the premier league at least you saw him in the barcelona match. we need to see josh n david play consistently b4 we can even think of comparing them with jack.josh I av seen but david I hanvt.

shevalync:

Jack is far better than Paul Scholes @19 he is the best 19 yrs old player @ the moment.dont know what u man by TECHNICALLY. this is isnt any english hype if u v not been watching this young man in the premier league at least you saw him in the barcelona match. we need to see josh n david play consistently b4 we can even think of comparing them with jack.josh I av seen but david I hanvt.

Well,i have been watching roughly 85 percent of the Manchester united reserve games and some important academy matches now since 2006 and i have definitely watched every single match that Le Arse have played this season and i reitirate my stand. You even raised my brows by suggesting Jack is far better than Scholesy at 19. Same ol' hype i've been talking 'bout. Yeah,Scholesy didn't play as much matches for the first team as at wilshere's age,but that was due to the presence of World-class heavyweights in the team,no sane manager would leave Mark hughes,Eric Cantona,nicky butt,Teddy sheringham on the bench for scholes as at then cuz they were all capable of playing as a supporting striker but the talent was obviously there and wilshere is NOT far better. Davide petrucci can spray the same 30 yard passes wilshere does,Zap! albeit 40 feet passes and he has an eye for goal too but he's been injured for a while now. Wilshere plays regularly for Le arse cuz of the low number of top quality players you find at the grove. Even fabregas wouldn't break straight away into the Barcelona starting eleven End of, btw, There's no gain talking again about English players and hype, however,my comment earlier was a tad ambitious, ;Dscholesy didn't win the youth cup in 92. He won the double in 94-95,though.

More:
Why Barcelona win proved Arsenal youngsters have maturity to triumph at the Nou Camp

By John Cross
Published 12:05 17/02/11

The Uefa Full Time Report is packed full of incredible statistics and Arsenal's win over Barcelona made for particularly fascinating reading.

Arsenal made 423 passes and completed 299, which is 71 per cent. Barcelona made 773 and completed 629 (81 per cent). Barcelona also had 61 per cent of the possession.

Let's face it. Arsenal do that to Premier League opposition week-in and week-out and don't always win. You can bet a few managers will have managed a wry smile as they watched Barcelona "do an Arsenal" on Arsenal. But you've got to make passes count.

Which is why there's only one statistic that really matters and that is: Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona.


There's also another factor that cannot be measured by statistics - never-say-die spirit.

Arsenal had it in abundance. They will need even more of it in the Nou Camp for the return leg on March 8.

But there's no doubt in their minds - they can complete the job against Barcelona. The return leg will all centre on Cesc Fabregas' emotional return to the Nou Camp.

However, the other stat to blow me away related to Jack Wilshere. He made 48 passes and completed 40, which is 83 per cent, according to Uefa's post-match report.

That ratio is higher than any other Arsenal midfielder and was better than even the great Andres Iniesta with 81 per cent.

For a 19-year-old up against the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, that is just astonishing.

No wonder England boss Fabio Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini left the Emirates smiling. They have seen England's future and they like what they see.

Even when Arsenal were being pinned back and dominated during the first half, Wilshere never gave up - and shone.

When Arsenal led their late rally, Wilshere was at the forefront, driving forward. Samir Nasri was clearly not fully fit and Wilshere stepped into the breach to be Arsenal's best and most creative player.

It was a coming of age for Wilshere and a coming of age for Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger will point to the fact he had players missing when they crumbled in Catalonia last year, but the Arsenal manager was also hurting after such a heavy defeat.

That was Arsenal's inspiration this time. They have matured individually and collectively and really put in a brave performance that said more about their mental strength than their beautiful football.

Other players deserve great credit, too. Keeper Wojicech Szczesny was superb. He's only 20 and yet showed amazing confidence and belief to stay on his feet for as long as possible even with Messi bearing down on him.

There is simply no way that Szczesny should be displaced as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper. He must work on his kicking, but he admits that. Don't forget that this was his Champions League debut.

Theo Walcott has also matured from supersub to first team regular. His pace frightened Barcelona, his passing, final ball and crossing is so much better now. He's even shut Chris Waddle up.

Laurent Koscielny had a towering game. His stats are superb, too. Sometimes it can be hard when writing and filing copy throughout game to digest it in the way you would when watching on TV. That's maybe why my 7/10 rating for him doesn't do him justice at all.

We file copy throughout the game, and when you have late goals it makes life difficult adding new words. Readers are amazed that we have to write before the game's over but that's a tribute to my colleagues' match reporting skills. They get a chance to rewrite later.

But another player deserves a mention and that's Andrey Arshavin. He came on and made a real difference, helping to set up the equaliser and, of course, scoring the winner.

Yet afterwards, Arshavin was straight down the tunnel, no celebrating. He walked through the mixed zone area for press interviews without stopping.

Clearly, the Russian was upset at being left out of the starting line-up. But the Champions League is a squad tournament and Arshavin showed just how important a role he has to play.

Let's hope he's not sulking and is merely determined to learn his lesson, accept his kick up the backside and come back even stronger.

Arsenal have certainly done that from a year ago.



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/john-cross/John-Cross-on-Arsenal-Why-Barcelona-win-proved-youngsters-like-Jack-Wilshere-and-Wojicech-Szczesny-have-maturity-to-triumph-at-the-Nou-Camp-in-Champions-League-article700585.html#ixzz1ELWLegTl

i thought we played this game on wednesday?

the thread should be renamed to the upcoming return leg,

@ underscore

You are making Barca a greater club by making all these posts. I dont think if Barca won their fans would go through all this effort to put up all these kind of posts esp as the second leg has not been played. 

I think everyone gets your point until the second leg.

Noted sir, but I thought the posts were free!
Second leg will surely come, we eagerly await it but there must be a build up!
That's what's going on: posts and counter-posts!

underscore:

Noted sir, but I thought the posts were free!
Second leg will surely come, we eagerly await it but there must be a build up!
That's what's going on: posts and counter-posts!

lol. true sha.

only empty barrels make d loudest noise let us wait til 2nd tie n knw who win

Well, I ain't gat much to say. Let's just wait until march 8 for Arsenal to prove critics wrong, and I believe they will!

I hope Barca will up their game once again,
they played nonsense yesteraday against Bilbao in thier home turf,
Pepe need to do something asap and Messi has to wake up.
Barce must deal with Arsenal,I no wan hear story

^^^^

Snooze

you good?

Good job Arsenal,

Rvp, samir, arsh, cesc, , will al b @ nou camp. we'll silence al playa haters dia cuz we'll gun d catalans @ camp nou. lst seasn was injury plagued & al u gun haterz, u shld knw by now cuz i found out dat since 2006 (sorry, ur only knwledge abt ftball is ua ability 2 shout "4 lyf"dat al dat is nided 2 beat valdes is a gud shot away frm his position.guners al d way(nb: gunerz faithfuls, we're nt arses. check d meanin' of d wrd ARSE in ur dic )

Rvp, samir, arsh, cesc, , will al b @ nou camp. we'll silence al playa haters dia cuz we'll gun d catalans @ camp nou. lst seasn was injury plagued & al u gun haterz, u shld knw by now cuz i found out dat since 2006 (sorry, ur only knwledge abt ftball is ua ability 2 shout "4 lyf"dat al dat is nided 2 beat valdes is a gud shot away frm his position.guners al d way(nb: gunerz faithfuls, we're nt arses. check d meanin' of d wrd ARSE in ur dic )