Barcelona at Arsenal

• DeyDurkie5

  

  Anyone watching this one? Going to be a great match to watch, the crowd is already loud as shit
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  soccer is for pussies...change your avatar
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;680954 wrote:change your avatar

  
  Yes, please change your avatar.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  and arsenal tie it up...end of this 2nd half is going to be interesting
• DeyDurkie5

  

  the little russian has done ittttt
• gorocks99

  

  Effing sweet. Nice job Gunners!
• SportsAndLady

  

  Martin Tyler's call on Arshavin's goal was great
  
  Arrrrrrrssssssssshaaaaaaaaaaaaaavinn!!!!!!
• Mulva

  

  Barca will stomp them by about 3 goals in the return leg IMO.
• Automatik

  

  I can't f'n believe Arsenal won.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  It was an insane game..the first 45 was back and forth, barca with the majority of posession but arsenal had some very good counters. The first 20 minutes or so into the second was kind of boring, but it picked up big time for those final 25. Definitely a great match to watch, especially with that crowd
• Murdski99

  

  Mulva;681146 wrote:Barca will stomp them by about 3 goals in the return leg IMO.

  
  Not too sure about that sir. Pique will be out and Sagna and Vermalen will return to bolster the Arsenal back line.
• I Wear Pants

  Good game.
  
  I do have to give a very good edge to Barca at their place. Can't imagine them being beat twice. Especially with the likes of Messi. Though that's why they play the game.
• Automatik

  

  Don't forget Messi had 4 goals in Barca's home leg last year. This is no lock. I'm just glad Arsenal FINALLY got a win over another big time club.
• Laley23

  

  Barca just struggle at the back with the makeshift back line when Puyol is out. He shouldmbe back for the return leg, but stupid as Pique got a card...Abidal can fill in OK in the center of defense, but it means Maxwell has to play on the outside, and well....he is no Abidal out there and frankly just isn't very good.
  
  Arsenal played really well. I think Baca were expecting them to sit back like last year and they didn't. Made for a highly competitive and entertaining game.
  
  In the return, I'd expect Barca to win like 3-0 or 3-1. Messi missed some chances he won't miss again, the pitch is bigger and the crowd is louder.
  
  Side note: did anyone else think Xavi looked unusually bad (bad is relative, because he was still good, but for him his play seemed off) yesterday?
• Automatik

  

  Eat it Laley....EAT IT EAT IT!!
  
  2-1 Gunners I still can't fucking believe it!!
  
  Still gotta go to Nou Camp though.....honestly I'm not confident. Arsenal is so inconsistent I have no good expectations. RVP has been ballin out lately....you know what that means. Injury coming soon.
• Laley23

  

  Automatik;681981 wrote:Eat it Laley....EAT IT EAT IT!!
  
  2-1 Gunners I still can't fucking believe it!!
  
  Still gotta go to Nou Camp though.....honestly I'm not confident. Arsenal is so inconsistent I have no good expectations. RVP has been ballin out lately....you know what that means. Injury coming soon.

  
  Haha, I loved the "We've got CESC" chants. Pretty good out of the fans!
  
  Arsenal has always been my second favorite team in Europe. I guess its not a surprise since they are a "mini"-Barca and play the same style. Ajax is the only other club I can even think of that plays that way (with any success). If Arsenal can somehow get the draw (and I say draw, cause I just cannot even fathom a win in Spain) I will be pulling hard for the fighting Wengers
  
  But if Puyol is able to play, I dont think Arsenal has near the success on the break outs or possession in the final 3rd. He compliments the midfielders perfectly. Its amazing, that for his age, he is still at the very top of his game. Maybe the best CB in football.
  
  As for RVP...he is soooo good, I wish he could be healthy for a few years to really see what he can do at all levels. He reminds me of Messi when Messi couldnt stay healthy for about 3-4 years. He seems to have finally (knock on wood) shaken that and is dominating. I think RVP can be the best striker in the world if he could just stay healthy.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Laley23;682067 wrote:Haha, I loved the "We've got CESC" chants. Pretty good out of the fans!
  
  Arsenal has always been my second favorite team in Europe. I guess its not a surprise since they are a "mini"-Barca and play the same style. Ajax is the only other club I can even think of that plays that way (with any success). If Arsenal can somehow get the draw (and I say draw, cause I just cannot even fathom a win in Spain) I will be pulling hard for the fighting Wengers
  
  But if Puyol is able to play, I dont think Arsenal has near the success on the break outs or possession in the final 3rd. He compliments the midfielders perfectly. Its amazing, that for his age, he is still at the very top of his game. Maybe the best CB in football.
  
  As for RVP...he is soooo good, I wish he could be healthy for a few years to really see what he can do at all levels. He reminds me of Messi when Messi couldnt stay healthy for about 3-4 years. He seems to have finally (knock on wood) shaken that and is dominating. I think RVP can be the best striker in the world if he could just stay healthy.

  
  I'm glad you finally came on here to comment...the thread was pretty dull but some good convo going...The only thing I disagree with is your RVP claim. I just don't see what everyone else sees and that is a top striker. I am in disbelief that you even consider him someone who can be become one of the best strikers in the world if healthy.
• Automatik

  

  WHEN he plays he has shown several flashes of greatness. I don't know about one of the best but he has the talent. I think hes like 26 or 27 now so who knows what will happen.
• Laley23

  

  DeyDurkie5;682397 wrote:I'm glad you finally came on here to comment...the thread was pretty dull but some good convo going...The only thing I disagree with is your RVP claim. I just don't see what everyone else sees and that is a top striker. I am in disbelief that you even consider him someone who can be become one of the best strikers in the world if healthy.

  
  I had to work during the game. Watched it last night at midnight.
  
  Ive seen some of the most amazing finishes, and they are from him. I think he has more pure skill than many of the strikers out there who I currently consider better than him. I give him the benefit of the doubt in not realizing the talent (ie, injury and not just laziness etc). But I think hes got more skill than Villa, Torres, Rooney. I also am not counting wingers as strikers, so no Messi, Robben, Ribery, etc.
  
  Id probably only put a handful of guys above him: Ibra, Eto'o, and Tevez to me have the technical skill, foot skill, pace, and finishing ability. RVP would be up there with them for me, if he could ever play for a whole season.
• Automatik

  

  My fav RVP goal.
  
  Wonder Strike!
  [video=youtube;WLeiaMl4XDU][/video]
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Laley23;682439 wrote:I had to work during the game. Watched it last night at midnight.
  
  Ive seen some of the most amazing finishes, and they are from him. I think he has more pure skill than many of the strikers out there who I currently consider better than him. I give him the benefit of the doubt in not realizing the talent (ie, injury and not just laziness etc). But I think hes got more skill than Villa, Torres, Rooney. I also am not counting wingers as strikers, so no Messi, Robben, Ribery, etc.
  
  Id probably only put a handful of guys above him: Ibra, Eto'o, and Tevez to me have the technical skill, foot skill, pace, and finishing ability. RVP would be up there with them for me, if he could ever play for a whole season.

  
  two things from that I don't see eye to eye with...torres being considered one of the top tier talents, and the fact RVP can't stay healthy. That's why I don't put RVP in that upper tier
• Laley23

  

  DeyDurkie5;682481 wrote:two things from that I don't see eye to eye with...torres being considered one of the top tier talents, and the fact RVP can't stay healthy. That's why I don't put RVP in that upper tier

  
  Im confused...you dont think RVP has trouble staying healthy??
  
  Also, I wouldnt put Torres there now, but his top form is what I was going off of. Since about a year and a half ago people said Spain had the #1 and #2 strikers in the world.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Laley23;682484 wrote:Im confused...you dont think RVP has trouble staying healthy??
  
  Also, I wouldnt put Torres there now, but his top form is what I was going off of. Since about a year and a half ago people said Spain had the #1 and #2 strikers in the world.

  
  RVP HAS trouble staying healthy, my bad I needed to clarify that. And they did, but torres has slipped in the past year or so and it has showed.
• Automatik

  

  I'd say Torres steadily declined after the last Euro.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  Automatik;682511 wrote:I'd say Torres steadily declined after the last Euro.

  
  it just looks like he is hesitant. Before that Euro, he had no hesitation when it came to striking balls out of the air, wobbling, etc. And now it seems like he is afraid to take that touch and hit it even knowing the player is there.