Against all odds

Two nil up and they cocked it up. Not very good this Barcelona side are they? Well apart from having 12 shots at our goal in the first 29 minutes, dominating possession for the whole game and chasing every one of our players down for the first 70 minutes.

Still, the word “character” was thrown around after Theo, the lone Englishman as the commentators like to point out came on to rejuvenate what seemed to be a wholly lost cause for us.

Had we come in at half time being 2-0 down I would have accepted it. Barcelona played some phenomenal stuff, that too at our ground. No other team has ever done that and we’ve watched quite a few games. “It was men against boys” a phrase the media here like to use when we lose to Utd and Chelsea. Outfought, Outplayed, Outhought. I know Barcelona are the best club in the world but it was all too easy. The first tackle made in anger resulted in a yellow card and an injury. Arshavin often criticized for not doing his bit defensively, tried and didn’t succeed. He would be later replaced by Eboue.

The effort was there but it came at different times.

Almunia had the game of his Arsenal career. Just after half time Jens said he had never seen a keeper in Europe make so many saves in such a short space of time. He was my hero for the first 30 minutes. If I was an Arsenal outfield player, I would have ran up to him and hugged him. Or done this at half time. His saves kept us in the game.

Then in the early part of the second half, two long passes over the top ala Stoke or Chelsea (against a more creative side) style gave Ibrahimovic the service his ego demanded. Having missed a few chances he made no mistake. The first was a clever chip after Almunia came off his line trying to narrow the angle. The second was more simplistic – That’s all I’m going to say on that.

I sat motionless as the goals went in. We’ve been here before. It was Barcelona but I could later understand Arsene’s anger at the type of goals we conceded. An Arsenal team in 1999 (featuring the old English defence) were outplayed 4-2 at Wembley in the first round. Keep it in perspective I thought.

25 odd minutes to go and Arsene not given enough credit for his substitutions – our subs have a great record of scoring goals in the Premiership by the way – brings on Theo just as Barcelona are seen to be taking it a little too easy. Theo gives problems to Maxwell and anyone on that right flank. His pace, his desire to drive forward something Guardiola’s team wasn’t too familiar with. Then Diaby having a forgetful game starts a move of sorts.

 Diaby intercepts play and passes it to Cesc. Cesc finds Bendtner and the Dane threads it to Theo. Theo cuts in and takes a shot. It isn’t the strongest shot but somehow it beats Valdes. 1-2. Game. On.

Barcelona don’t know what to do. They try to shock us n the counter. Guardiola brings Henry on. A ploy to distract us tactically and mentally. But Soldier Cesc, Captain Cesc battles on and is just about to rifle a shot past Valdez from a Bendtner pass when he is taken out by Puyol. He’s off. He’s off. Well if they can take out Cesc by diving, our skipper can take their skipper out legitimately.

Cesc to take the penalty. He has to score. It’s Barcelona – it is his chance to leave his mark.

Straight down the middle and Valdez is beaten.

Amidst the mini commentary for those two goals, I forgot to say how impressed I was by Nasri’s performance in the first half. He didn’t do much  but caused much confusion in the  Barcelona camp.

Otherwise it was scrappy from us but hey coming back from 2-0 down to draw against the Champions of Spain, Europe and the World. We only had 2 shots on goal and scored from both. Who would have thought we would be more clinical than  Barcelona?

Oh and I haven’t even mentioned Messi. Who is that guy anyway? Just kidding. I bet he is saving himself for the Nou Camp. Then again this Arsenal team won’t be so charitable. A tough assignment made tougher but not impossible.

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