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Michelin Man
He can actually **** right off. He had stud marks in the back of his leg. I'm sure it didn't hurt at all. Just because he didn't break his leg doesn't make it an ok tackle FFS.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6075367,00.html?


I agree, how many Arsenal players' legs have to get horribly broken before people stop thinking that dangerous (he had a lot of momentum and no control) tackles such as that one are ok? :mad:
Spanish Football > English Football
Some of the comments by English supporters over the last week about La Liga being rubbish, except for Barcelona, is laughable. Bitter.

But Arsenal for the win please. I'd love it if they knocked them out. Arsenal have had rotten luck this season. I'm surprised they've fought so well this season after RvP went out. They have too many injuries and I'd consider it a miracle if they beat Barca, but I'm going for the underdog. You can do it.
Reply 8302
RobbieC
I wouldn't want us to abandon our way of playing, but we need to have a focussed counterattacking strategy in tandem with our quick passing, and need to up the tempo a little.

Basically, not focus on merely outpossessing, as that won't really work... but passing quickly enough that they can't press us.

That big pitch may work out very nicely for us.


Indeed, that is absolutely key if Arsenal want to be in with a realistic chance. I agreed with you on this completely before the first leg, and after the outcome of that match, it just reinforces the point.

Soaking up Barca pressure will obviously be a prerequisite, and the deeper midfielders will be absolutely key in this. Despite the poor performance last week, I think Diaby can be trusted with this role, but I have my doubts on how Denilson would fare. On the ball he's sound, and even though he's okay at breaking up play, I think he makes poor decisions off-the-ball too often.
Reply 8303
Jeppaloth
**** 'em up in the most unattractive way please. Barca are far too smug for my liking.


Me or the team :awesome: To be fair their smugness can be backed up even though it is an undesirable trait.
Reply 8304
Sephirona
How on earth can you be living in England and support a Spanish team? Unless you're Spanish or have lived in Spain or something you seem like a fake. :rolleyes:


Have had this debate countless of times but here we go again.
Couple of points.

- I have been only living in the UK for 6 years now, and supported Barcelona since 1998.
- I'm not Spanish, never lived there nor do I speak the language, no connection to Spain whatsoever.

Now my question to you is, is your geographical location a prerequisite for the team you support? Are Arsenal fans residing in Hungary, Japan or Namibia less of a fan than you are?

If you think I'm fake than that's up to you but the notion that you have to support a team from the country you come from is not only a silly proposition but quite flawed when looking at a clubs international stance.
...
Arsenal.com
Wenger - Nasri will lead our game in Barca

Arsène Wenger says Samir Nasri will make Arsenal tick in Barcelona.

The manager says his French midfielder will fill Cesc Fabregas' boots at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night after the captain was ruled out for the rest of the domestic season with a cracked fibula.

“He [Nasri] will of course be important because he will lead our game," said Wenger.

“I would love Cesc to be there 100 per cent. But we have no choice, we have to compensate a little bit.

"I have to find a good balance in the side to make life difficult for Barcelona. But of course Nasri is one of the players who can create."

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-nasri-will-lead-our-game-in-barca?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+arsenal-news+(News+Feed)
Reply 8306
Overmars
...


Expected right?
Overmars
...


So, Arsene says the obvious, right?
Yup. But you never would've known with Arsene. He also mentions something about waiting to see if he'll play Sol, so a midfield of Song, Diaby, Denilson wasn't unlikely. But now that he has hinted at Nasri taking Cesc's place, we know for sure he'll be playing centrally -- which is good news.
Drug Campbell up to the hilt, ye need Song in midfield, imo.
RobbieC
Song and Verm will be drilled if they are to play together now. They'll be fine, as fine as any CB pairing against the best attacking force in club football.


As much as I wish this was true, find it hard to believe... :frown:

Clubber Lang
Its all well and good saying rape them at 70mins with Walcott.

I think the real issue is not getting raped in the first 70 mins yourselves.


Have to agree with this, the key is not unleashing walcott on a tired barcelona team... although it COULD gift us a goal that's NOT going to win the tie. What will make/break Arsenal will be possession and distribution. That's why I think Rosicky should definitely start with Nasri. What scares me is our fill-in CB and Diaby having another off-day!
I think Rosicky should start on the left, not in the middle though. Having Nasri and Rosicky in the centre would leave us too vulnerable imo, they aren't physical enough.

Diaby's performance is quite crucial imo, if he has a mirror of the last performance, we're pretty much buggered, but he could turn the game around if he allows us to dominate midfield and give the ball to Nasri and Bendtner.

I'm glad that Wenger has lots of confidence in Nasri.
Barça
Have had this debate countless of times but here we go again.
Couple of points.

- I have been only living in the UK for 6 years now, and supported Barcelona since 1998.
- I'm not Spanish, never lived there nor do I speak the language, no connection to Spain whatsoever.

Now my question to you is, is your geographical location a prerequisite for the team you support? Are Arsenal fans residing in Hungary, Japan or Namibia less of a fan than you are?

If you think I'm fake than that's up to you but the notion that you have to support a team from the country you come from is not only a silly proposition but quite flawed when looking at a clubs international stance.


I'm not going to go into this too much because it will get me in trouble but what I will say is that locals who go to matches and actually support their team (as opposed to some of the "arsenal fans" who have got a season ticket because it's fashionable :mad:) can never be considered less of a fan than someone from say china.

IMO local fans who actually care for the club should always be given priority over the international fans (hence the membership scheme at Arsenal).

I wouldn't call you a fake fan but what I would say is that a lot of the passion of supporting Barcelona is far more than football than what you can ever understand as a foreigner. The whole of FCB is entwined with catalan history as I'm sure you know it was the only place they could speak their language under General Franco. Therefore IMO you could never be a Barca fan to the level of a local Catalan especially those older than 30ish. Mes que un club and all that.

Where are you originally from though? Because I know if I lived in a country where the quality of football was ***** I'd definitely support a foreign team (or not at all). I tried watching a non league game before and I just couldn't bring myself to do it, the quality was just so bad!
Reply 8313
We beat Barca at the Nou Camp lads :teehee:
Holy ****, the match is tomorrow! It just hit me today lol.
Deshi
We beat Barca at the Nou Camp lads :teehee:


Well bus parking at the Nou Camp does seem to work as you, Chelsea and United have all shown, but I just don't think we can do it, plus we need to score to progress :colonhash:
Michelin Man
I'm not going to go into this too much because it will get me in trouble but what I will say is that locals who go to matches and actually support their team (as opposed to some of the "arsenal fans" who have got a season ticket because it's fashionable :mad:) can never be considered less of a fan than someone from say china.

IMO local fans who actually care for the club should always be given priority over the international fans (hence the membership scheme at Arsenal).

I wouldn't call you a fake fan but what I would say is that a lot of the passion of supporting Barcelona is far more than football than what you can ever understand as a foreigner. The whole of FCB is entwined with catalan history as I'm sure you know it was the only place they could speak their language under General Franco. Therefore IMO you could never be a Barca fan to the level of a local Catalan especially those older than 30ish. Mes que un club and all that.

Where are you originally from though? Because I know if I lived in a country where the quality of football was ***** I'd definitely support a foreign team (or not at all). I tried watching a non league game before and I just couldn't bring myself to do it, the quality was just so bad!


depends on the club imho. In terms of FCB clearly there is a lot of political history hence the passion involved in the El Classico matches; however I don't think there is much difference between a local chelsea fan and an international one who've both supported the club pre-Russian billionaire. I think what can devalue an international fans understanding is a lack of experience of the history of the club, especially when that history extends beyond football like blackburn and burnley . When that history is solely routed to football however there isn't much difference as the rivals change, the importants of certain matches is more fluid or variable thus an international fan who exists in a state of -hear and now- is at an equal standing as a local fan.

As for Barca the poster, I think anyone saying he's a fake fan is being ridiculous. His knowledge of the club, the extent to which he follows and analyses every detail, the passion shown evidently through his posts: these are traits of a true fan. but as you said, I don't think an international fan of a highly political club with lots of history has the same feelings and emotions as a local who's been through it all.
Messi's tiny ankles shall adorn the bow of whichever flash car Song is driving. Im also glad some GSL in La Liga won with Ibra where Marshal Tito failed.
Reply 8318
So apparently Song is out - http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-name-18-man-squad-for-barcelona-game

FFS he is more important than Cesc was in this game, my optimism in this game is started to decrease
nooo soong..we are absolutely ****** now..****** i tell you