Oh Boy, Am I Looking Forward To This
Mar 30th, 2010 by 'holic
It can’t come quickly enough now. A day of following the reports from training and the press conferences just kick-started the butterflies a little bit early. This is one of the feelings you get into football for. The game just about every football fan on the planet would like to see, and I’m going to be there. Thank you whichever greater being is overseeing all this!
It has been a day of ups and downs. ‘Cesc isn’t out there, but Gallas, Nasri, Diaby, and Arshavin are.’ A couple of kind souls were breaking the news as it happened. Obviously there is a tendency to concentrate on the availability, or otherwise, of Fabregas. If his participation tomorrow would cost us his services for the rest of the season then it is too high a price to pay. We will probably need him even more in the second leg.
The other big decision for Arsene to make is the choice between Sol Campbell, and the allegedly fit-again William Gallas, in the back four. Whichever way he goes will be the right way, but I suspect from his guarded answers in the press conference that Campbell will get the nod.
So, being pessimistic about the skipper, I suspect we’ll line up with Almunia; Sagna, Campbell, Vermaelen, Clichy; Song, Diaby, Nasri; Rosicky, Bendtner, Arshavin. That’s a pretty good, balanced line-up, if you ask me. That midfield trio would mean Song and Diaby can pick up the likes of Messi, Xavi, and Bojan in front of the back four where they will be looking for space. Nasri will have a little more responsibility when we are going the other way, and will need to support Bendtner when we are attacking wide.
I can see already one person in particular wondering why no Denilson. No offence intended here. I think he would have started if the away leg was first, but I just think that selecting Sagna will give Arsene a defensive set-up he is confident in. That midfield trio gives us options in both halves of the pitch. If Cesc is passed fit this is all irrelevant anyway!
I don’t want to focus too much on Barcelona. They have threats everywhere, but in particular we will have to be aware of the support Clichy is likely to need if Alves and Messi are doubling up on their right flank. On the plus side Iniesta is out, Pique is doubtful, and Abidal is fit! How much more could we have hoped for.
A word too for Thierry Henry. It seems he is unlikely to feature much, if at all. I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting us to give him the reception he so richly deserves, and I’m sure he’ll get. I’ll give his song everything before the game starts, and then get I’ll right behind the team he graced for so long, and so well.
The ‘holic pound? How on earth do you predict what will happen in a game where both teams are capable of scoring a hatful? Part of the fascination of this tie is that literally anything could happen. How long since you have seen Arsenal 11-5 against at home? That has to be worth a little side bet, but the big one is going on Abou Diaby to score at any time. He is 11/2 with Paddy Power, and I’m pretty sure if we need a goal as the game progresses you will see him getting forward in support more and more.
So that’s it. In the morning I doubt work will distract me too much, and I have already warned the office I will be in full battledress! I’m looking forward to a few pre-match Guinni with friends to settle the nerves. I’m also looking forward to getting in the ground and seeing another fabulous banner from Red Action that I have had a sneak preview of. If you are there as well let’s give it everything we have for ninety minutes, and then some. The boys deserve it, and may need it.
114 Responses to “Oh Boy, Am I Looking Forward To This”
Eboue will play, how could you leave him out? Cesc will also play. 2-1 win the Arse
To be honest Bernard, I don’t think he’ll worry about me leaving him out 😉
I’ll take that scoreline now, though.
Heh! Great stuff mate as ever. Have a brilliant time and sink a pint a pint of the black stuff for me beforehand.
So make it two pints!
your in cuckoo land if you think your midfield can control messi, bojan and xavi add to that toure aswell and you are as good as out, you have no chance same as all clubs who come up against that team, even with fabregas you still stand no chance, you bernard are delusional if you really think you will put 2 past them, yes you could possibly score twice but only after barca have scored six and took there foot off the gas, im looking forward to meeting you in the league so we can sing out loud about you being destroyed by barca and out of the CL and then for our team to stop you in your title hunt, good luck for tomorrow as you will definately need it. COYS
Not sure about the banner. Why not just a picture of Cesc? No need for McLintock and spirit of 1970.
I’ll join you in a Guinness.
79 eh? What would a Spurs fan of that vintage know about Championships and European Cups then?
i know more about wining cups in europe than you do, what was the last cup you lifted in europe?…………. oh yeh you havent have you.
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Not too hot on your history either, are you fuckwit? Goodbye.
Oh, and don’t bother looking for it. It was 1994 the last one. How can you be so stupid with only one head?
heres my question:
in a choice between gallas, vermaelen and campbell who is your first choice centerback partnership for the strongest and most reliable deffence?
If they were all in peak fitness, Biko, nobody would doubt it is the first two.
Evening ‘holic.
Quick pint for me, Bayern have just gone 2-1 up against Manure,
Back in a bit!!
A spurs fan coming onto an arsenal board, only to talk about derailing a title challenge. No mention of any successful competition of his team, mind you. Typical.
Eboue is a big game player. I’m torn as to if he should be started wide right. If Cesc is fit, then no. But he is not and Nasri is shuffled into the middle, it might be necessary. I’d love to start Walcott, but I think tactically we’d be losing way too much by starting him at home this early in the tie. My favorite line up would be:
Almunia
Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Clichy
Song Diaby
Cesc
Nasri Arsh
Bendtner
We are his Cup Final, Ramen, and the ‘tard knows it.
Saw that H2H. Not such a good night for Chamakhattack though 🙁
Lloris is definitively the hot keeper of the moment, he’s just made a series of saves against Chamakh to keep Lyon in the lead. Great stuff! Looks like Lyon has a foot in the SF.
At the same time Rednose has been too greedy with his substitutions. He may rue his decisiosn in the second leg with Robben back to torment their defense. It’s going to be very open.
Reading your introduction and team selection it feels good to realize we have so many good players that even against Barca it’s hard to choose which ones to leave on the bench. Cesc should not play if he is not 100%, same for Arshavin (who I suspect has been soldiering too much this season when he should have taken some rest) and Gallas. In any case I can’t see Sol playing considering the pace of Barca’s forwards so I bet it will be either Gallas or Song alongside TV.
Song must be in midfield. Against Barca, midfield is the priority not defense. We must be dominant in midfield. I think Gallas will play. It seems to much like a Wenger ploy to comment on his fitness only to spring him into the matchday squad.
Arshavin must play and play well. This half-assed business and fluffing of chances must stop. It’s Barca for FFS, put your money where your mouth is and go off like a roman candle. We believe in you Andrei, now go do it.
And there’s a line at the end of the BBC and Guardian reports that I have been waiting for while to read:
BBC:
2137: Wayne Rooney hobbled off at the end in Munich.
Mario Gomez appeared to tread on Wayne Rooney’s foot and the English striker had to be helped off at the end.
Guardian is even more optimistic:
And now Wayne Rooney has been helped off the pitch. He looks in a really bad way, unable to put any weight on his right foot. It’s not his knee: Gomez accidentally trod on his right foot and Rooney immediately waved to the bench before collapsing to the turf, head in his hands. We’ve seen that reaction before, and it could easily be a broken metatarsal. Actually, on second look it seems to be a twisted ankle. Sky are sure it’s not a metatarsal, but it still looks nasty. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him for the second leg, or the match against Chelsea.
But hey not a problem for them. They have Berbatov.
Here’s my line up:
Almunia
Sagna Vermaelen Campbell Clichy
Song
Diaby Cesc
Nasri Arshavin
Bendtner
If Cesc isn’t fit. I think Nasri will play the Cesc role. And I think Eboue will play where I have Nasri now, high up the pitch on the right. Wenger likes Eboue in the home games because of his directness, but he won’t start in defence ahead of Bak. Eboue gives more protection than Theo or Tomas Rosicky, and I would be surprised if Arsene plays Tomas and Nasri.
PS ‘holic the only “greater being” overseeing this one is Arsene. Oh, and Cesc if he plays.
wayne rooney has sprained his ankle and that missing link and closet united fan and top cunt richards keys said “this is not for the faint hearted.” TWAT……
Alas i cannae bloody wait for the game as well, hopefully cesc will be fit, but i think nasri will be key, there is no gerrard pique and milito is not the most mobile and i think we will get chances its just a matter of taking them when they come..
COME ON YOU GOONERS
Back again.
Good stuff “holic and you’re right, these games are what it’s all about, enjoy the experience tomorrow night mate.
I havem’t been around that much lately as I’m busy doing up a bar in North Holland which I hope to have open soon. To help me get some real work done I’ve removed all distractions (internet, iphone tv etc) but there’s no way I’m missing tomorrows game.
Sing your heart out for the lads tomorrow, I’ll be watching here on the box but my heart will be there.
Same again please barman.
Come on you reds……
Cheers.
Great stull Holic as per usual Sir!
Matt
Gomes did nothing I watched the game Rooney did not want to foul him and jumped out the way on his way down he twisted his ankle and it looks like he’s done it properly. He couldn’t put any weight on it.
Typical English media blame on a foriegn player…!!!
Holic pound sounds good too I’ll be having some of that I think.
One part of me cant wait the other is worried and the other is excited as hell…
It was the cup winners cup in 94 in fact spursman…when was your last?
Don´t pay the Spud anymind, he´s probably suffering from vertigo and is feeling a little dizzy.
Normal service will probably soon be resumed.
I saw highlights of the 1st half of the Lyon tie ´holic, Chamakhattack was putting himself about nicely from what I saw, missed the 2nd half though.
He was playing well H2H, and looked to have got a second equaliser but was denied by a fantastic point-blank save from Lloris. Then Lyon got a fortunate penalty, and at 3-1 it looks tough for les Girondins.
Have a great time tomorrow night, ‘holic & everyone else who’s lucky enough to get there.
I can’t wait to watch it, regardless. The banner, from what I’ve heard, will be pretty special. 🙂
Come on you reds!!
3-1 is not the end of the world, ´holic. (I know you got a soft spot for them)
That away goal could be really important.
A 2-0 home win and their home and dry.
Anyway, one for the road, my butterflies are starting to act up. A little less then a day to go and hardly a fingernail left. 😉
Cheers.
this feeling is quite similar to the one we all had for the SF against the Mancs… in fact its the same innit?
looking forward to spending some time with the boys from teh Arsenal Supporters Club Cape Town!!! If u listen carefully you mite just hear us singing all the way in england!!!
Exactly the same, Saffa. Let’s hope the result is very different.
Diaby and Song are certs and if Fab doesn’t make it then Nasri will play in there and perform like he has recently.
If Fab does make it, Nasri will play in one of the 2 wide positions.
For me the difficult call is whether Asharvin plays. One one hand i’d like his creativity out there but can we really cope with his lack of desire to help out going the other way?
Messi is going go be raiding down that right and Clichy is going to have is hands full dealing with him without having their full-back making the extra man while Asharvin watches from the other half!
Perhaps Rosicky, who will work back to help, will play on the left or even Eboue. Neither are as creative as Asharvin nor the goal threat so it’s a tough call. Plenty of options with or without Cesc though.
Definate starters; Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Nasri and Bendtner.
Add to that 3 from; Sol, Willy, Cesc (if fit), Rosicky, Eboue, Asharvin.
more confident about this game than i was before the Brum game. Any sort of win will do even if we concede. I fancy us to score in the Nou Camp.
Diaby to be key man for us.
I can not wait for kick off. If you can not get excited by games like these then there really is no point. I will be very surprised if Cesc does not make it. If he doesn’t then I have no problem with Nasri playing that roll.
I fancy us to nick it tomorrow. I think if we play with belief and spirit then we can do very well. Guardiloa ha just been on Sky saying that we have been one of the best teams in the world for the last 10 years. He clearly rates us so I do not see why anyone on here should doubt our abilities.
Agree totally re Henry. He will get a massive welcome back and then let battle commence.
Holic, and all you others. Do not be too harsh on the little Spuddie. Making silly remarks on here is the nearest he has ever been to the Champions League so cut him a bit of slack. If he was not about then who else would be watching Eastenders tomorrow night? He wont be going anywhere for fear of depriving his village of its idiot.
Keep the faith.
This one’s all about possession. Unlike the United and chavs defeats Barca won’t set up simply to soak up our pressure then counter us. I doubt there are 2 major sides in Europe that control as much possession as these two, therefore it’s a simple case of whoever can control the ball is looking good to win the tie. We need huge performances from Vermaelen on Messi and Song everywhere in the middle and Cesc/Nasri/Whoever has the role of our central playmaker.
I have a feeling about 1-1 tommorrow night, and 2-0 to The Arsenal at their place. And this morning I put a cheeky fiver on Arsenal + Bayern to qualify- tonight was the first step to nice 45 quid in the back pocket!
Steve, if the decision is left to Cesc, he plays. It won’t be, and after Saturday that is good news. Can’t say more. I really hope he is genuinely fit enough to start, but if not, it’s time to let Samir loose.
Arsene has already said that he will only play if he is 100% fit. He would not even put him on the bench if he wasn’t. Very sensible and like you, I have no problem at all in seeing Nasri in that roll. I do think that young Sami is destined for very big things.
Arsenal to go through and face CSKA
Lyon to go through and face Bayern
Arsenal-Bayern Final
Arsenal to do the double.
@TheMeerkat
Simples.
I like it.
I see it that the back five are sorted as per who’s fit, I think eboue will be wide right, with nasri wide left, i figure this cos nasri is better back up for clichy, song & diaby in the middle, AA and 52 up front.
Bleeding stewards better not be trying to make block 5 sit down tomorrow!!
I’m so excited i’d better not get there at half 3 like before and got pissed before kick off 🙂
I got a good feeling about tomorrow night and the next few weeks!
COME ON YOU REDS!
38. No you don’t. Arsenal-Bx
was also wondering if you meant ‘Ebway’ rather than Denilson in the blog
I hope you amp up all the supporters around you from the minute you get there ‘holic! I live in New Zealand and will be going old school wearing my old Henry shirt. I hope Gallas starts as I think that will give our boys a psychological advantage. Cesc or Nasri will do the job. I can’t help but hope Cesc makes the bench and then does a Villa on them. Give me an extra cheer for Henry! COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
Great to see that even when chasing (for them) untold highs of, er, fourth place, Sp*rs fans can still think of nothing better than reading Arsenal blogs and trying to have a go at us.
It’s just brilliant to be looking forward to a game tomorrow that bills Us and Barca as the two best footballing sides on the planet – and to think I am going to be there – cannot wait! What an achievement for our club, with all that has been done over the last 5 years, and all the money we couldn’t spend over the last 6 years.
Be proud Gooners and sing your bleedin’ heads off tomorrow.
COME ON RRREEEEEEDDDDDDDSSSSSSS!!!
i m been looking to my match ticket all night and it s only few hours away and i can sleep. becuause i m too excited .Need 3 glass of vodka ASAP barman.16 hour and half…………………………………….tick tock tick tock 😀
one nil to the arsenal i say
come on you gunners!
we dont 2 be panic we are going 2 win by 2 goals to nil a goal 4rm AA nd bendtner 52
Good luck gunners, weve had a great season and id like to see Eboue play, I think hes grown so well after being treated so badly and I think he is a definate goal or creative threat on the right. Song, Diaby, Nasri, cesc and tv have all been brilliant, All in all such a great season and the players really deserve some success as much as we do. Ill be up at 4.30am in Australia to wake the neighbours and scream my head off at Bentners second hat trick. (please Almunia be calm)…
GOOD LUCK
Yes Holic my money’s on Sao Paolo’s Samba Sensation to start with Song and Diaby. Nasri AA and Nick up front. Enjoy. I envy you the opportunity.
I remember being this excited about the ManYoo match last season :(.
So this time im not having any expectations
You could argue that football players are professional and don’t really need much motivation – they get paid millions to play football. But I have a feeling that most if not all of the lads have something extra to play for this week, personally and collectively.
Clichy for mine has been a bit harshly dealt with at times this season. Now fit and in form, he has a chance to really stick it up his critics taking on probably the most formidable right side in world football. And, after seeing a poor performance by Evra against Bayern, would be seeing a chance to grab a WC starting spot (though who knows with Domenech).
Almunia may be playing for his career. His form has been reasonable of late, but people only remember a keeper’s mistakes (and he’s had plenty this year).
The team as a whole have been written off so many times, and Joe Public probably gives them little chance of getting past Barca.
I could probably go through the whole team and point out each player’s extra motivation for this game. But I’m feeling much more positive for the lads now. Barca may be (probably) the best team in europe at the moment, but with the spirit our boys have had in recent weeks, I think it will take their absolute best football to beat us. Either way it’s going to be great to watch, and hopefully they shed their nerves, take the handbrake off and win this game!
Great article by Samuel on our state of affairs and the reasons for our trophy drought: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1262378/MARTIN-SAMUEL-So-Arsene-Wenger-artist-throw-paint-pot-Barcelona.html?ITO=1490&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailymail%2Ffootball+%28Football+%7C+Mail+Online%29
Forgot to mention Rocky in the piece. Sing his name loud tonight Gooners. He would have loved today.
I have my boy decked out in full Arsenal gear to provoke the in-laws. Working a treat!
For me Diaby needs to have one of his big games and we have to take the opportunities when they come. Barça´s defence isn´t the best around, especially without Pique.
Watch out for Dani Alves tonight – the mad eyes of a true nutter!
In Barca, heart in London….
Oh, and have put the cava on ice ready for the celebrations. May I tempt you to a breakfast taster..?
Just arrived at work this morning chaps and to be honest with you I don’t think I will be able to concentrate and do any work today, well I’ll try my best but as the time ticks away and brings us closer to this magnificent encounter it’s really difficult to be focused on anything else but this game.
Nasri gets my thumbs up to start if Cesc isn’t fit and I agree with Holic & Steve T if he aint fit there is not much point we still need him for the weekend and the return leg against Barca.
Catalan Gunner
I love it…!!!
Good man Catalan,
I need something. Guts churning like a cement mixer…
Cannot Wait just hope its not over before its began im sure it wont be and we will come away with a lovely 3-1 victory,
And as for Heebie earlier how many league titles have you won ?
How many have we won at YOUR GROUND ?
RIP ROCKY NEVER FORGOTTEN,
A GREAT GREAT TALENT BUT MORE THAN THAT A GENTLEMAN,
HE KNEW WHAT IT MEANT TO PLAY FOR THE ARSEANL !!!!
He will be looking down tonight watching Rosicky bang in a goal in his shirt,
nerves … delicious, scary, but this is what we are in it for.
So much better to experience the fear and excitement than peek jealously over the neighbour´s fence!
Lol Catalan,
Unfortunatley for our Neighbours our Fence is slightly to big for them to peek over 🙂
..it does explain the signing of Crouch though,,,,
@ Goonerholic
I can see it being a very close game tonight, however I think we’ll beat them 2-1.
I’ve had a cheeky bet on the above scoreline at Paddy Power (9-1 odds).
Just went to Paddy Power and put one for Diaby to score in 90 min and for us to win the game at 11/1 not bad that one.
Guts begining to work overtime, nearly lumch time chaps. Can’t wait now I will need a few to calm me nerves down later on.
COME ON ARSENAL….COME ON ARSENAL….COME ON ARSENAL…!!!
I’m going to get the ground early for once, and hopefully we can get the Grove rocking! Come on you Gooners!!!
Getting ready to depart work. This is going to be mahoooooosive.
COME ON YOU RIPROARING!
If we can replicate the atmosphere from last seasons semi against manure before kick-off, it should be a night to remember.
It’s now almost half-one here in Sweden, and I have done jack shit all day at work. I’m not the slightest bit nervous, just excited as hell and the deluded spud who posted here just made things better – because he reminded me of the fact that these are the games most fans can only dream of seeing their teams play. And it is incredibly funny that in what can turn out be their best season for something like 30 years the only thing that keeps him going is the hope of seeing us lose to one of the best teams in the world…
Just had a dream..Its 2-1 to the Arse with Eboue getting the winner!
I think we need to keep a clean sheet tonight, as an away goal could be a killer.
Lars,
Probably a good thing your boss is not a Gooner he he otherwise he would be having few words with ya 😉
I have done bugger all myself and thank god my boss doesn’t like football unless he checks Websense and finds out what I browse during the day.
Leaving work at 15:45 tick tack tick tack…
Ladies and gentlemen !
The day is upon us, prepare for victory.
Arsene tried to buy a herd of wild horses and was unable to get them to the Emirates in time so I believe our captain fantastic will start.
This is no slight on Nasri but Cesc could be a spider in disguise as he has so many eyes for the right pass that Nasri doesn’t have ( YET )
The midfield battle that will ensue tonight needs a man of Cesc vision with his slide rule pass that takes out their entire defence in one foul swoop. When the chips are down the team turns to Cesc to lead by example and fight for every ball. He can also dictate the pace of the game which he can slow to help nerves or quicken to form a deadly attack. So I really really want to see Cesc out there tonight.
If Cesc is unable to play then yes Nasri is a ideal replacement. i would like to see Rosicky and Eboue on the wings and this is why.
Rosicky for Arshavin : This is based on work ethic and confidence. Rosicky works harder for the team than AA and his confidence hasn’t been shot to pieces of late. AA is missing chances that he would have just slotted home 3 months ago. His shoulders are down and his body language doesn’t come across as a man who has belief in his ability at the moment. We cant afford any passengers tonight and AA keeps drifting in and out of games, we cant allow that in this game. If you have read any of my previous posts you will know this isn’t a dig at the little Russian as I think he is a fantastic player just low on form and belief in himself at this moment in time.
Eboue for Theo : Again work ethic and confidence, however Eboue has been a revelation this season and is taking on his man and beating him. Has he been injected with something by Arsene as a test subject or have those years of belief from the boss paid dividends, I am going to go with the latter. Eboue`s defencive capabilities are better also. Finally i think AA & theo will be better impact players if needed because they will both be chumping a the bit to get on.
Defence, Gallas if fit should play along side Verm with Clichy and Sagna. No matter how much i have loved Sols performances of late I believe he could be found wanting against a team so fleet of foot. If Gallas cant play i would go with Song even thou it would be a blow to loose him from his favoured position. Denilson should be flooding with belief at the moment so I would slide him in to that position.
Midfield, Has to be Cesc the talisman along side the other sensation Diaby and Song or Denilson depending on the CB role situation.
Goalkeeper, No Choice sadly. Almunia please have a good game.
Hard work and 100% commitment from the whole team will see us to victory.
To all going tonight can I just say please please get behind the lads as I know you will. Also you lucky lucky lucky bastards I couldn’t get a ticket and I hate you all.
Seriously guys enjoy what i believe will be a stunning match.
COME ON YOU ARSENAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arsenal 1971 behind you all the way my man!
@Arthur: thankfully, I don’t have particularly rigid working hours so I can manage my own time to a great extent – and I’ll be leaving in about an hour and a half and head for the pub 🙂
Going through Langley. Will be on the Guinni before 3 😉
Keep going Holic, that’s my man!
Well tonight is the big night, it’s just 5 hours away for me here stateside (East Coast, USA) and I cannot wait. I hope Cesc is fit because he makes a world of difference in our midfield, if not I know Diaby and Nasri can step up to fill the gap. I’m also glad to hear Gallas is fit although Big Sol has been in fantatic form since his return to the side, Gallas offers speed which we will need v Messi and his band of ferry men, but Sol offers height v. Zlatan so it’s a difficult call especially if Gallas isn’t 100% fit?? I hope AW doesn’t risk Cesc tonight if he isn’t 100% fit either cause this is a 2 match tie and I’d hate for him to re-aggrevate the knee tonight and miss the away leg at camp nou, we shall see fellow gooners, we shall see….. I’d be happy with an 0-0 result just so long as they don’t get that crucial away goal, or two God forbid…. I have this funny feeling again Gooners, and I don’t get these often, as a matter of fact the last time was in 2006 when we made it to the CL final in Paris, I have the feeling that we will beat Barca over the 2 legs, I won’t give a score, I just have that sneaking feeling our boys are gonna step up tonight and next week and do the Biz over’em. Anyhoo here’s to the victory tonight and to moving on to the Semi’s!!! UP THE ARSENAL!!!!
Holloway Road is grey and cold, but I am here 😉
Maybe grey and cold is good for now I’m sure it will feel warm and bright when The Almighty Arsenal will be victorious!
I’m Going to pop into the Quays for a few pints of the black stuff to steady the old nerves before a brisk walk up to the ground.
Atta Boy ‘Holic,
I, too, have adorned my cold, sterile corporate legal office with the warm, red colors of the most capable team in world football. Come on you GUNNERS!
I’m still at work 🙂 5 minutes to go thou…
Hitting Drinks Cabin on the way home….
I had few so called collegues say to me this and that but you know what I thought you brainless cunts!
And it’s Arsenal….Arsenal FC…..We’re by far are the greatest team….
There was no way I was getting anything done today, except for polishing off this crate of Bavaria, which is going quite well may I add.
You’re on my old turf now ‘holic mate, have a pint of the Black Stuff from me in the Tollie (or wherever you land) and enjoy the experience tonight.
A glass raised to all you lovely gooners all over the world.
Cheers.
First lager down 23 to go
Up The Arsenal!
Run, do not stroll, to this wonderful article on Cesc by the Guardian’s Spain correspondent, Sid Lowe:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/mar/31/cesc-fabregas-barcelona-arsenal
There’s a similar one on the BBC website too.
Last night’s two CL games were fantastic. The French derby was a great advertisement for French football and Bayern were far better than I expected. I watch them regularly (I like a lot of their players) but they’ve been poor recently, having lost 2 league games in a row (one at home). Great to see Utd sucker-punched by the criminally underrated Olic. I had a feeling he’d get his name in the papers this morning – everyone was talking about Robben and Ribery and ignoring him.
As to tonight….I can barely contain myself. Can barely eat or concentrate. I just hope for a good entertaining game and that we give a good account of ourselves.
I think we can do better than Chelsea last season, and I think AW is relishing this tie. At our best, at our most concentrated, disciplined and unified, we can beat anyone. We can most certainly do this. Anyone watching Mallorca and Zaragoza v. Barca (their last 2 league games) will tell you that Arsenal can most certainly defeat this Barca team.
on the central line. Really cant wait for this now. Come on you rip roaring gunners.
Keep the faith.
totally off topic – but today marks 9 years since the sad loss of David Rocastle. What a special player and man he was…..let’s hope we pull something special tonight to honour that memory.
Cheers – come on The Arsenal
Apologies – my control F – Rocastle found nothing in posts above….but Rocky is of course mentioned above. My mistake…sentiment remains the same.
Captain Fab is starting, what a battler! Let’s hope he and everyone else can give their 110% on the pitch.
Looks good so far 😉
@marcus: agreed on the refreshing quality of the french tie, whoever wins it will give hell to their opponent in SF.
1844: STARTING LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Almunia, Clichy, Vermaelen, Gallas, Sagna, Diaby, Song, Fabregas, Arshavin, Bendtner, Nasri.
Barcelona: Valdes, Maxwell, Puyol, Pique, Alves, Xavi, Busquets, Keita, Pedro, Ibrahimovic, Messi.
Good line-ups! Great midfield battle in perspective!
@Catalan Gunner: deliciously scary indeed. Are the Barca fans as nervous as us?
Henry is on the bench — Cesc just warmed up and came thru it fine. Henry warmed up and went down the tunnel to a huge cheer from the crowd.
15 mins in… 9 shots to them…. almunia 4 or 5 brilliant saves
WAKE UP GUNNERS
Arshavin booked for the sort of tackle that brings heaps of abuse down on teams who dare to make challengs on the Gunners. ‘Tis th way of the world.
Oh dear. And Fabregas.
half time and we’re not out yet thx to M Almunia talk about zero to hero
Cesc after his yellow will have to play his heart out in 2nd half then he can rest next week
Come on gooners wake up and score – you can do it
Hell of a first half!
Thank you Manuel!
Barca tried to kill the game early like United and Chelski did against us but we’re playing better and better, Barca will try to choke us at the start, if we withstand the onslaught we’ll win it.
GO GUNNERS!
THE COMEBACK OF THE CENTURY!!!!!
Wow. Wow Wow.
Go on my Arsenal. Fantastic fight back!
Excellent team display.
Ooh….and well done to Almunia. The guy gets too much stick and he earned his corn tonight….seriously!!!!
We ain’t done yet……not by a long way 🙂
The commentator (Clive Tillesley) was a knob in the extreme tonight. Worse and most biased commentary I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to!
I am truly ashamed of him!!!!! 🙁
Actually, Matt, what Barca did is what they always do, it’s what separate us from them: they consistently and collectively fight for the ball to the very end, it’s their OFF THE BALL movement that makes them superior. We simply don’t have that — not consistently or collectively. We sort out that part of our game and we’ll start to win trophies.
Large parts of that game were very embarrassing to us: gooners now know what the likes of Hull and Bolton feel like when they can’t ever get the ball and resort to kicking.
What Cesc did tonight was legendary. And look at Theo: fkg amazing! Fantastic impact sub, and in a big game.
So: no Pique, Puyol or Cesc at the Camp Nou.
And the ref was crap, kept booking our players when they tried to press Barca because Barca players kept falling and diving every time they were touched.
Nasri and Almunia (despite his mistake for Ibra’s first goal) were MOTMs. Denilson was very good, Diaby was awful.
My heart can’t take much more.
Can’t believe it.
21 minutes to go we didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell, and although it will be a major ask at the Camp Nou, ai least we’ve given ourselves a fighting chance, this ain’t over by a long shot.
How proud am I of those boys tonight???
Briliant, drinks all round.
What a night, what a game!
Our ‘rope a dope’ tactic worked!! Barca stunned & if not for all the injuries we suffered particularly Cesc’s we could have floored them.
Got battered at the start. Whole team looked nervous and scared, with a few of the walking wounded starting. Thank Almunia for keeping us in the game after the first 10-15 minutes.
Great come back in the end, and I thought we should have pressed on for the winner after we came back to 2-2. Eagerly anticipating the return leg next week.
That was just horrible and wonderful. In a way it was like watching a traffic accident. You just couldn’t turn your eyes from it even though it was all going ugly, fast. Luckily the ambulance in the form of TW14 was quick to arrive at the scene and sort it out. Man of the match could well go to him for the impact but I have to award it to Fabregas for battling every fucking second even whilst hobbling.
Vermaelen not doing his part for the two goals but I’ll forgive him for that for the effort he has put in during the season, and with a make-shift backline positional errors will always happen. It’s aaaawright by me a night like this. And hey – we did play Barca.
Since Almunia was Shotstopper Deluxe 2000X I won’t say a word about him rushing blin… erhm. Awesome performance overall from him.
I just loved the commitment and the game and however this ends – these are the games we live for, innit?
Keep the faith!
@marcus: in the early stage they played with more intensity than I have seen them so far this season but yes the little triangles are so typical. As long as they were fit to do it they indeed pressed much higher and as you say they all press very hard. But once the storm passed and we played higher up the pitch I thought we matched them off the ball. It’s a pity we lost it stupidly much more than them though. They don’t hesitate to pass backwards and we should take a cue from them there as well, a secure pass back is better than a daring but lost forward one.
One thing I want to correct: the first goal is not Almunia’s fault, Ibra was totally free and Almunia tried to close him. It was a superb lob and if one of us had scored it we’d never blame it on the keeper. He is definitively MOTM for me, without him we woud have sunk in the first 15 minutes.
On the other hand Diaby proved that you have to be 100% fit to play those games.
Humiliation? You must be kidding? They had a fantastic start but after that we reorganized and matched them. And we definitively have more grit than them.
If there is one thing to improve it’s our tendency to come on the pitch too relaxed which obviously every big club is now aware of. If we focus from start to finish at Camp Nou we can make it.
@Sooth: so do I! It’s certainly within reach.
The lads really made us proud tonight.
It’ll be a very tall order to make it through, but tonight might be worth it just to have seen some people exploding with indignation at our cheek in coming back, and some especially hilarious wankers suggesting we should be embarrassed by the end result. To which you can only politely say: bog off.
Fucking glad they let us have their ball for a while at the end. 😉
On the negative side I watched it on Fox Sports and the twats commenting couldn’t be happier to see Barca fly from the starting blocks.
And I forgot a big credit to Wenger for the right sub at the right time.
Sorry drunk as a fart
I think we did well scored two goals…….
AA eeds t oget better……….
They are betable……….just look at them…………….
I switched to a gibberish (to me) channel after our first goal and I thought we looked pretty dominant. The way they looked at the end I thought we should have chased the winner in the dying seconds. Both teams gave it all, they’re supermen.
But then given my heart rate you’d have thought I was running with then on the pitch 😉
Well 2-2 isn’t the end of the world, but it sure makes it a tall order at Camp Nou. I’m proud and upset at the sametime, I wanted us to beat those bastards so badly and now they have a 2 goal advantage, but I dont see them parking the bus at their place, they will come out of the blocks and try to bury us early, that will play into our hands, well unless they actually score a couple of more… Theo was fantastic, and I agree that the Fox Soccer commentators were total jerkoffs, I hate those buttholes to the max!!! Sorry to see Cesc limp off, but I did say last night on here that it was a gamble to play him if he wasn’t 100% fit, well it came back to bite us in the wazooo, now he is out for Camp Nou, bummer!!! No matter like I said I’m proud of the boys, played there guts out and after they settled in they showed that they are just as good as Barca, Up the Arsenal
Arthur, Ha Ha,
It appears that you have drunk so much that it seems your name has shrunk.
Have another, cheers mate.
H2H (oops, it´s happened to me too.) 🙂
Just got in from the game. Some of those lads in red must have bollocks the size of space hoppers. Don’t know many teams that would have come back from that and got something our of it. At the end I thought that we were the most likely to nick it.
A fantastic game of football and sometimes you just have to hold your hands up. the 44th minute was a massive turning point for me. That was the first Barca pass that went awol.
Full credit to everyone. We have played possibly the best club side in the world and battled to the the end. Very proud to have been there.
After tonight if I ever read another purported Gunners fan question the boys heart, their mettle, or Cesc’s dedication to the Arsenal, I will personally bash their head in with a cane around which was wrapped tonight’s match review.
Long live the Arsenal and good courgage to Cesc, Wenger… even Almunia!
Regardless what happens on the second leg, or the remaining games of the league, the rest of the punditry can go UP THE ARSE!
Lonestar, I too will be there with you for bashing the questioning Gunners fan.