You know, my only concern about this fixture is how many 'supporters' will be lost or gained after the 2nd leg. I would hate to see any more folks like blue N' tosser showing up. I am also suprised that railhawk and rewinder aren't so doom and gloom. Time for the Trailer Park Boys mentality to show up. Just make sure Lahey and Randy don't show up.
Yeah, EPL vs La Liga arguments are silly. The tops teams in either league would thrive in the other league. As it was mentioned, Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres are able to play in both leagues. Our little Spanish midfielder is scoring quite well in EPL and even Michael Owen had decent goal/min ratio in La Liga. If a quality player is able to adapt culturally off the field, has a good work ethic, self belief and is played in correct position they will thrive. Other times, managers do not how to use a player of a certain style or the player is unable to adapt to a different culture or lack the work ethic to thrive the player will fail. Or they were probably not that good to begin with. However, if one league's defense was so much better than the other then that league's top teams would thrive against teams from the other league. And as we have seen in the Champions League that is hardly the case.
Right, this should be very interesting. A couple of points, I see Arsenal almost as much as Barcelona. It's not clear to me at all which way this will swing. I know that Arsenal fans will be dreading this more than Barca fans will . . . On Ibra: He was great for the first third of the season or so but is pretty poor these days. I would prefer if he didn't start Henry: Finding great form again, has been one of our best players recently Our form: While not as mind-blowingly consistent as last year, the team is still just as good when we fire on all cylinders and we seem to be coming in to our stride at the moment. (P.S: We lost to atletico last year as well ) And if Messi keeps this form up, em . . . sorry Also think that EPL vs La Liga is a stupid debate. Most of the people who talk about it only watch one or the other. Arsenal are the most spanish style team in the prem anyway (which is the style I prefer). May the best team win!
Nice read about whether it is best to have the first or second leg at home. http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/19/champions-league-away-goals-home-advantage/
Since I rarely come to this forum I didnt know Blue'N'Gunner was just a delusional fanboy. From now on, no more answering to him... i dont know how you guys deal with him lol. Anyways I hope both teams go out to score. EDIT: sometimes its good to have first game at home, eg barca had first game at home last season vs bayern and finished it already by winning 4-0.
why would we be "dreading" this? you dont play in the champions league to play CSKA moscow or whatnot. I bet guardiola isnt exactly happy with this draw.
It's called the 'ignore' feature. And don't worry about us..we never go out to defend. Couldn't do it if we wanted to. And yeah..it goes both ways about home vs. away in the first leg. It certainly feels better to play the second at home, but we've had great tournaments playing the first game away (Madrid 2006 comes to mind).
Exactly, im betting Guardiola was like alot of us wanting CSKA then Chamakh's club then Lyon. But with that said, i watch the CL to see the big teams face off. Thats why i hate when there are interleague matches in the champions league. Bring on Barca/us, and Merchandise United/Bayern.
absolutely roos. did not want manyoo (lame), or cska (lame), or bayern munich again (lame). this is going to be awesome, a great challenge... totally different challenge than what we are used too.
No one wants to draw Barca, but man, what a fun game this will be. Beautiful soccer all the way around and great stories in the leadup. I can't wait.
It's a dangerous tactic for anyone who tries it against Barca. It worked for Rubin Kazan but they were extremely lucky in that game. The key is to take the game to Barca and to disrupt their possesion of the ball. Stuggart managed to do it in Germany, and of you watched the Club World Cup Estudiantes did it in the first half and they outplayed Barca. In the second half they stood back and defended and paid the price.
barcelona posters are already complaining about what shirt they will have to wear in the champions league final... talk about arrogant!! lmao. do they realize we arent racing santander?
Imagine the reception Henry will get on returning home, then the reaction Cesc will get when he scores the away goal that wins us the tie...
This tie is going to be epic. It's time for Cesc to step up and prove that he is the best player in the world.
The only bad thing about this tie is that whichever of our players plays well will then be linked with a move to Barca in the summer.
Well, When we win this years CL we will have gone through Barca, Inter and ManUre. There will be no complaints about us having the "easy route". I have a feeling boys.... You remember that 27 minute performance Cesc put in earlier this year? Try 180 minutes of the same! Come on you gunners!!!