Kevin Whitcher
It was the kind of occasion that Arsenal’s new stadium was built for, and it’s no exaggeration to say the place could have been sold out three times over. Uncharacteristically, there were not many empty seats and when the official attendance figure was announced, for the first time in living memory, it was actually credible. Additionally, most people made the effort to get in before kick off. It was a game not to miss and all Arsenal fans who were there will be glad they witnessed a special night.
Granted, there’s a lot of work to do to make the quarter finals, but no more could reasonably be asked of Arsenal than to win the home leg. To keep a clean sheet while doing so would have been the stuff of fantasy, and the tie has echoes of that in 2001 when Highbury witnessed a first leg 2-1 victory over Valencia in the quarter finals of this competition.
It was a rollicking good match with both sides attempting to attack with purpose. Lionel Messi was busy, but a mixture of determination and on a couple of occasions, his own lack of clinicism when presented with the chance to find the net kept him off the scoresheet. I was amazed that his first half dink over the keeper went wide. In fairness, the visitors fashioned by far the best chances for the first hour of the game. Their goal looked to be clearly offside, although I haven’t seen it on television at the time of writing. Arsenal diced with death by playing a high offside line, but it was understandable given that Barcelona do enough damage with limited space without offering them even more.
Really, it was a case of defend for your lives and lessen the burden by having a go at them. Theo Walcott’s pace certainly worried them once again, although the end product was disappointing on this occasion. Theo is a Russian Roulette footballer. Excitement builds as he runs with the ball into danger areas, but after that, you just wait to see if a sublime pass or shot on goal follows, or the danger passes until the next time as he produces another ‘Theo moment’. The early break when he had the chance to square to a free Nasri on his left could still have produced a goal if he had weighted his chosen pass to Van Persie correctly. Let’s hope he is saving his bullets for the second leg. Maybe the players don’t shout loud enough for the pass or something, but you’d have fancied Nasri if Theo had found him.
The referee could certainly not have been accused of favouring the home team, and at one point, I had to check my programme to ensure Phil Dowd was not the man in the middle. However, I watched the first 15 minutes of the match on the box before hitting the sack last night and in my opinion Song’s booking was a reasonable decision. You can’t blame the ref for the questionable call on David Villa’s goal and possibly the crowd reaction made his performance seem worse than it was. I won’t know until I have the time to watch the complete match again. Still, nothing wrong with the home crowd pressuring the referee with some abuse. It was a fantastic atmosphere, and you sensed that the noise helped the Gunners. The recent match with Everton showed how much difference a committed and vocal home support can make to events on the field. As Arsenal kept battling, so gradually, the tide turned.
Nasri, returning from injury played manfully, but you could tell he was not at his sharpest. The substitution of Arshavin for Song was one that worked well. Song had been walking a tightrope since his yellow card, and Arsenal needed to get back in the tie by doing more up front. Nasri dropped into Song’s position and Arshavin looked like the player we know he can be. Bendtner replaced Walcott a few minutes later and two goals came in the space of five minutes that literally rocked the stadium. Both were sublime.
Football is a game of change and only four of the players who started last season’s home game against Barca started this one. The team had fewer key players out injured this time around and – although the visitors’ class was there to see – Arsenal were not administered a football lesson as they had been last spring. The two stand out players for me were Jack Wilshere and Laurent Koscielny. But as a team effort it was superb. Barcelona are rarely beaten. This was only their second defeat this season (unless you count the Spanish equivalent of the Charity Shield) and their first since early September. Whether it was purely a memorable night when Arsenal beat one of the all-time great sides or the stepping stone to the quarter finals is something we will find out in three weeks’ time. Undoubtedly, Arsenal must go for it over there, as to try and defend a one goal lead at the Nou Camp is something you can’t see any side pulling off.
However, for now, Arsenal must use the confidence they have gained from this result and continue to play well and win less glamorous matches. Orient on Sunday will see few of those that started yesterday evening, but it is important that the Gunners progress. They should have enough to beat a League One side even with Denilson starting. Stoke next week is a vital game in putting pressure on United and then there’s the day out at Wembley and the prospect of the first silverware since 2005. Newcastle away must become a blip, a bad day at the office that will not affect the team. Beating Barcelona should go a long way towards ensuring that.
A great and memorable night, the kind that makes being a football fan worth all the angst and agony.
The new issue of The Gooner went on sale at the match last night and for those unable to make the Stoke game, it can be bought online here.
