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Champions League 2010-11
Topic Started: Jul 16 2010, 07:51 AM (4,388 Views)
Don Balon
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Arsenal-Barcelona 2-1
Roma-Shakhtar Donetsk 2-3

I think SuperEagle's pre match analysis of what Arsenal needed to do turned out correct, after going down 0-1 in the first half to a David Villa goal, when just as last weekend Messi found him and he beat the offside trap, Arsenal came back and won the match with 2 second half goals, one a shot by van Persie from the end line where valdes gifted the first post and the second a counter where Arshavin finished off a nice cut back pass from Nasri. Arsenal played an impressive 2nd half and their pressure seemed to get to Barcelona who were imprecise in the 2nd period with Messi and Iniesta unexpectedly quiet. I also wondered about taking Villa, the team's most dangerous attacker off although the plan was to strengthen the midfield with Keita. But Pedro to me would have been a more appropriate sub in my opinion.

On the other hand Arsena's changes, especially Arshavin livened up the game and got them the win. There is still a lot to do and with an away goal and only down one I would still rate Barcelona favourites but Arsenal did what SuperEagle wrote of and they had the right attitude in this game. If they carry that over to game 2 we should have quite a match.

I did not see the match but Shakhtar with a 3-2 win in Rome! Roma went up 1-0 but Shakhtar led 3-1 at the half before Roma made the score more respectable in the 2nd half. But an away win with 3 goals, it looks pretty good for Shakhtar.
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Simon
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Sure enough I thought the match at the Emirates was highly entertaining, very open, and both teams wedded to their attacking principles. Both teams very dangerous - Barca had more of the ball as one might expect, but Arsenal made the better chances, didn't take them in the first half (and at times were too reluctant to shoot, which IMO is a common drawback of theirs), but they stayed in it when they were under the cosh and scored a couple of very good goals in the second half, especially the second. Young Jack Wilshere was outstanding, I thought.

Still reckon Barcelona will go through though. Anyway, I can't complain at the game of football I've just watched!
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Onslow
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Arsenal began well then I thought Barcelona calmly took over the game and started stringing their passes together. They got the goal from Villa, not long after Messi uncharacteristically missed a golden chance and it looked like this was going to be Barcelona's game. But full marks to Arsenal for coming out in the 2nd half with renewed energy and the substitutes Wenger made paid off by giving more life to the team midway through the 2nd half just as it started to look Barcelona were capable of killing off the match. Barcelona's subs, on the other hand, did nothing for them and in the end that proved decisive. Van Persie got behind Pique and scored from that tight angle when he caught Valdes guessing he would cross it, then that quick counter and Nasri passed to Arshavin to finish it off. A fine win for Arsenal but they have a difficult time of it in Barcelona only up a goal. Odds are Messi and Iniesta will not be as anonymous then as they were tonight. But if Arsenal play with tonght's energy then maybe they can nick a goal or two on the break?

Great win for Shakhtar. I am pleased to see a club from outside one of the principal 4 or 5 leagues now with a good chance to make the quarterfinals.

Edit- I agree with Simon, Arsenal-Barcelona was entertaining football, the type of match for which the Champions League was created and Wilshere was outstanding.
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Nkono
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I have read comments here about energy and attitude from Arsenal and I have to think that is true. It looked to me, particularly in the 2nd half that they outworked Barcelona and that is pretty rare as Barcelona with their defensive pressure usually outwork their opponents but in the 2nd period I had the impression Barcelona almost put the match on cruise control and thought they would ease on to a 1-0 win. But that was not the case as Arsenal made their adjustments and got those two goals. Should be an exciting 2nd leg and while I agree Barcelona are still likely favorites to go through, I do think Arsenal now have more confidence now than they did before the start of this game that they can pull this out.
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Winslow
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I missed the Emirates match--heck of a day for the Winslette to have a significant birthday--so there's nothing for me to say except thanks to Don B. for posting today's results. Roma actually took the lead at home on a Perotta goal just before the half-hour, but Jadsen equalized a minute later and Costa and Luis Adriano also scored before the break to put the Ukrainians two goals up. Menez scored with half an hour to go, but Roma came no closer.

I noticed for the first time today that Shakhtar's badge spells out the team name in Cyrillic letters--it looks like WAXTAP. Good name for a fantasy team.
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Simon
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Arsenal looked more resilient than I gave them credit for in the post I made before the game. If they defend a little deeper (and better, some of their defending still looked a little haphazard to me) and they score in Spain, and I think they can, then who knows what will happen.

I confess here to having a preference for Barcelona advancing, mainly because the London-based media will be insufferable for us northerners if there are three London teams in the Quarter Finals! ;)

Couple of interesting stats I heard tonight. Barcelona have never actually won an away game under Guardiola in the knockout phase of the CL. Usually their home results see them through, but perhaps not always. Secondly, both teams will play another four matches between now and the second leg! Come on UEFA, get rid of this rubbish staggered way of doing the last 16, please...
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Lalo
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I watched extended highlights of Shakhtar's win in Rome and it was impressive. A vey technical team with an all Brazilian front four they took play to Roma in the first half. Because they are in preseason they lost their energy in the 2nd period but they had enough to record that win in Roma. Watch out for Douglas Costa and Jadson, the first will soon play for Brazil, the 2nd made his debut last week.

Looked like Barcelona tried to phone it in during the 2nd period. Credit to Arsenal but I was left wondering about Barcelona's unaccustomed lack of passion in the 2nd 45.
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Yogi
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I subscribe to the theory that Arsenal outworked Barcelona in the 2nd half. It looked to me too like Barcelona were trying to cruise to a win but they got distracted and let van Persie get in behind them and score from an improbable angle and that goal lifted Arsenal and deflated Barcelona a bit. As somebody else also commented why was Villa taken off when he was their most effective attacker? This result should make leg 2 very good now though.

Lalo is right about Shakhtar, they were excellent in running Roma ragged in the first half but then tired a bit in the 2nd. In 3 weeks for leg 2 they should be in better game shape plus they have a 1 goal lead to protect going home. The key to this game? in my view it was Jadson scoring on a deflected shot only a minute after Roma took the lead.
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Merengue
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I think it was a combination of outworking Barca and that Arsenal also played without fear against them. Sure if Messi converts that first half breakaway it is a different score but Arsenal showed some mental strength normally not associated with them in coming back to win. like a few others noted, I also thought Arsenal's subs heled them while pulling Villa off was a mistake for Barca. It has not been a good week for Barcelona, a tie at Sporting in league play and now this loss at Arsenal. The first chip in their armor?

Joe Jordan must be a good wind up merchant because he got Gattuso the most wound up I have ever seen him!

Claudio Ranieri's job stability is not the greatest after that loss today. I did not see the game but saw the goals, Douglas Costa's was top notch. He is a very good prospect and as Lalo pointed out it would not be surprising to soon see him playing for Brasil.
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Sammy Maudlin
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A good few days for north London with first Tottenham then Arsenal winning [causing heartburn for folks like Simon! ;) ] Jack Wilshere's play really impressed me as he was very active and distributed the ball well for the Gunners. The type of performance which must have made Fabio Capello smile.

But Arsenal should be wary because last year after drawing 2-2 at the Emirates, Barcelona beat Arsenal 4-1 in the return leg so there is still a lot of work for the Gunners to do if they are to win this series.
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libero
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Shakhtar really played a great first half against Rome, in the 2nd I think it was a combination of sitting on a 2 goal lead and some fatigue as they are not yet in optimal game shape in their preseason. But did they look good in that first half. They have good collective work with their eastern European defenders and defensive midfielders combined with Brazilian atatckers. They mix speed, technique and organizaton very well. As another poster commented, it is refreshing to see a club from outside one of the main leagues take a giant step towards the quarterfinals. As Shakhtar get closer to the restart of their own league their overall form should continue to improve too. This will be a fun team to watch this spring.
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carioca
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Douglas Costa of Shakhtar is only 21 I believe but he looks very good. The whole team played well as libero notes above but Douglas Costa is a star in the making. He is quick, good on the ball, shoots well and has fit in to the overall collective work of Shakhtar. Sometimes we Brasilians are accused of being too individualistic on the field of play but that label does not apply to any of the Brasilians with Shakhtar.

Douglas Costa barely played for Gremio before heading to Ukraine but in the near future he will become a full time international. In the meantime I cannot wait to see he, Neymar and Ganso team up on Brasil's sub23 team which will play in the next Olympics!
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rosarino
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I do not want to take away from Arsenal's win as they staged a fine second half comeback and did show an attitude which will come in handy in leg 2 but I am surprised nobody has yet commented that the headed goal by Lionel Messi in the first half when it was 1-0 should have counted? It was ruled off for offside but that was the wrong call as Messi was behind the ball when a teammate, I believe it was Pedro, shot, Arsenal's goalie saved the ball and Messi ran on to the rebound and headed it in. The linesman incorrectly raised his flag though and the goal did not count. But it should have.

At the Nou Camp Barcelona will use their extra wide field to spread the ball about and they will find the holes in Arsenal's defense. Plus what are the odds Messi and Iniesta will each have another off game?

I will join others here in praising Shakhtar's Douglas Costa, he is going to become a star.

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Sporting
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I was impressed with the way Arsenal stood up to Barça's pressure, but really, if Barcelona (and especially Messi) had taken their chances the game would have been beyond the gunners long before their spirited comeback.
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Dr. Z
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rosarino,Feb 16 2011
10:04 PM
I do not want to take away from Arsenal's win as they staged a fine second half comeback and did show an attitude which will come in handy in leg 2 but I am surprised nobody has yet commented that the headed goal by Lionel Messi in the first half when it was 1-0 should have counted? It was ruled off for offside but that was the wrong call as Messi was behind the ball when a teammate, I believe it was Pedro, shot, Arsenal's goalie saved the ball and Messi ran on to the rebound and headed it in. The linesman incorrectly raised his flag though and the goal did not count. But it should have.

At the Nou Camp Barcelona will use their extra wide field to spread the ball about and they will find the holes in Arsenal's defense. Plus what are the odds Messi and Iniesta will each have another off game?

I will join others here in praising Shakhtar's Douglas Costa, he is going to become a star.

Thank you rosarino, that goal should have counted and in injury time Arshavin tried heading a ball back to his goalie which he then handled, that could have been a penalty too. But sometimes you need luck in this game, on Wednesday luck was not on Barcelona's side but it was with Arsenal.

I share rosarino's view that at the Nou Camp you can expect better play from Messi and Iniesta and Barcelona should win. Arsenal had their day in leg 2 and won that battle, Barcelona will win the war.
Poniendo el pecho a las balas!
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