Much has been said about Arsenal's performance at the Camp Nou last night. Here is my verdict.

I think the team played very well. I guess people didn't take Arsene Wenger seriously when he said Arsenal was going to alter its style to play Barca.

Have we so easily forgotten Inter Milan vs Barcelona from last season? How about Man City at the Emirates last season and earlier this year? I don't recall them having any shots on target against us in those two games.

The strategy worked perfectly, keep it tight, don't attack, retain posession and clean up at the back. Notice that at 11v11, Barcelona was unable to play the usual diagonal ball to Alves. Its first goal came from a training ground mistake from Cesc Fabregas—that showboating had no place at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona's great weakness—and indeed Arsenal's offensive strength—lies in the delivery of killer set pieces, and we punished them hard with it.

Unfortunately, all the 50-50 balls fell their way, and you sense that Mr Bussaca was playing the game of his life so he could be signed by Manchester Utd—the club of his dreams to replace the aging Howard Webb and Phil Dowd.

Van Persie should never have allowed emotions get to him, but I daresay Alves deserved the little punch in the face he received! As an incident involved Alves and Clichy showed, our Catalan friends are very good actors. He was barely touched at the studs and he went down holding his ankle.

That aside, the commentators estimate that Van Persie kicked the ball approximately one second after the whistle had sounded. It is obvious that he thought he was still onsides and despite that, the ball hit the hoardings and went straight into the hands of Valdes with no time wasted. Stupid decision, if I may say.

Nasri and Van Persie, on two separate occasions, were held at the neck by Xavi and Abidal. No cards? This was all in full view of the referee. This was more than a little assistance from the Swiss offical. In Nasri's words, "Bussaca is the best!"

Our chance to go through fell Bendtner's way, but he chose to control it rather than hit it first time. Mascherano's lunge put paid to my 3-2 prediction.

In all, I can say the following:

1. Barcelona still has not won at the Emirates.

2. 11 vs 11 and with a full squad we have beaten them 2-1

3. They needed Arsenal to be down to 10 men before going on to win 3-1

4. The early injury to Wojciech Szczesny and Van Persie's red card meant there was little room for tactical manouvering by Arsenal.

5. An aggregate score of 4-3 to Barcelona shows that the gap between the two teams is indeed closing. How many teams can boast puttting three past the best team in the world over two legs?

At 31 Xavi can be said to be a footballing phenomeon. Samir Nasri is only 23, but according to Arsenal scout Giles Grimandi, he is much better than Xavi was at his age. Do you want to bring young Wilshere and the missing Walcott into the mix?

Although Barcelona had the rub of the green at the Camp Nou, there is still a league and cup double on for the Gunners.

Bring it on, United, are you watching?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/631242-barcelona-may-have-won-the-tie-but-arsenal-showed-they-were-no-push-overs

Wat a sentimental dumb view

True confessions of a GOONER!

irrelevant

ahonohai:

At 31 Xavi can be said to be a footballing phenomeon. Samir Nasri is only 23, but according to Arsenal scout Giles Grimandi, he is much better than Xavi was at his age. Do you want to bring young Wilshere and the missing Walcott into the mix?

Giles Grimandi? The same Grimandi? The dumbest defender ever to play in the EPL?

True, Barcelona hasn't won at the Emirates. Arsenal hasn't won at the Camp Nou either. Touche.
Such petulance is unncecessary

Nonsense

and here comes another story teller

All my article did was state a few points and summarize the positives.

The best team in the world won the tie, but they had plenty of help along the way. A poor decision may, I repeat MAY have denied us the opportunity to witness an upset. At 1-1 Arsenal were going through. . . make of it what you will

ahonohai:

All my article did was state a few points and summarize the positives.

The best team in the world won the tie, but they had plenty of help along the way. A poor decision may, I repeat MAY have denied us the opportunity to witness an upset. At 1-1 Arsenal were going through. . . make of it what you will

Dude, a penalty against Arsenal (Clichy on Messi) in the first half, plus a possible sending off of Koscielny in the same first half would have probably meant at least 2-0 up at the interval, and one man down. A massacre might have followed in the second.
In games where Barcelona have taken a 2-0 lead at the first half ending, they have gone on to win by 5 nil on the average. Maybe even 5-1 if Busquets had still conceded the own goal. But with a man down, Arsenal would prolly not have gotten a corner to start with.

Poor decision, yes. But he made a number of poor decisions all round, which could have swung the tie either way. Arsenal did not respond to their poor decision, period.
Arsenal should learn their lessons and stop whinging.

Keep on consoling yourselves.

@o.poster,
what you have done through your article is what a friend of mine will call: A BEAUTIFUL NONSENSE.
what is wrong if you openly advise you stingy coach/club to buy quality players who can stand the taste of time.
are you not aware that van persie and fabregas were not fit to play in that game?
are you not aware that the only shot on goal by arsenal was the own goal bosquet scored?
are u not aware that what van persie did was a bookable offence in soccer?
with these nursery school boys your club parade in the name of youngstars will always succumb to preasures. didn't u see ur gallas playing for spurs and doing what he knows how to do best but to ur heaven and earth coach, he is a very old player and desever nothing but 1k a week. this same gallas was involved in the swap of ashley cole of chelsea. did u not see ur mathiu flamini playing for ac milian? uncle, nobody eats his cake and still have it. at the end opf the season, we expect wenger to offload the likes of fabregas, van persie, rosicky, ashravin, alumunia for old age reasons and then go for nursery school students. no wonder your young guns will never grow old.
fergie of man u have won the most of trophies among epl coaches, yet in his team u will see the oldest of players talking about van dar sal, schools, giggs etc.
you have a team that cannot defend and cannot absorb preasure without getting frustrated.

ahonohai:

At 31 Xavi can be said to be a footballing phenomeon. Samir Nasri is only 23, but according to Arsenal scout Giles Grimandi, he is much better than Xavi was at his age. Do you want to bring young Wilshere and the missing Walcott into the mix?

Why not also add Diaby,Fabregas,Song,Ramsey and Rosicky to that list too. Buncha Pathetic Whiners!!!. . . . . . . You lost, GET OVER IT.

AjanleKoko:

Giles Grimandi? The same Grimandi? The dumbest defender ever to play in the EPL?

I think you are being overly kind there. Dude was worse than that.

Zero Shots on Target.

80%+ possession by barca.

3 goals against by 3 different people.

red card against.

i beg to differ. you had your asses whooped same as manU got taught a lesson (no stone throwing. I am a manU fan).