Arsenal did not make the mistake of showing Barcelona too much respect ? and terrified them with pace
1 Arsenal did not park the bus
But maybe they should have done. Their approach worked ? for about 10 minutes. Before this match much of the talk was about how to beat Barcelona. Arsenal had played a very intense game in a 2-0 win against Wolves at the weekend, pressuring the opposition all over the pitch. The suggestion that they were preparing for Barcelona appeared confirmed here. If Arsenal had shown Barcelona too much respect last year, it was a different story this time. Within five minutes, Dani Alves, Xavi and Maxwell had already lost the ball as Arsenal set about them high up the pitch, with Robin van Persie leading the pursuit and Cesc F�bregas coming in from behind him. Even Gerard Piqu� found himself hurried into passes, Barcelona resorting on a couple of occasions to clearing any way they could. But bit by bit Barcelona played the ball, maintained possession and rode the storm. By half-time they were in control. Ultimately, when it came to pressure, the side that did it best were in green. Arsenal's high line, meanwhile, provided the space for David Villa to give Barcelona the lead.
2 Messi cannot do it in England
If "it" is score goals. Seven times now Lionel Messi has played in England with Barcelona ? and he has not scored once. He should have done. After 15 minutes, he was racing through all alone, feinted to shoot, left Wojciech Szczesny on the floor, clipped the ball beyond him ? and fractionally wide of the post. Soon afterwards, he clipped a weak shot into the goalkeeper's arms. And when he did get the ball in the net, Nicola Rizzoli, the Italian referee, wrongly ruled it out for offside. But Messi's title of "false No9" is instructive. Although he has scored 40 times this season in all competitions it is not just about the goals. Dropping deep, constantly involved, he seemed to complete more passes than any Arsenal midfielder ? including the perfectly weighted pass between Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny after a scurrying run that Villa dashed on to to score the opener. It was Messi's 20th assist of the season.
3 Barcelona are vulnerable to pace
For all their control and possession ? and at times, it was quite astonishing ? Barcelona remain vulnerable to pace. Especially when employed directly, and especially behind the full-backs. Beyond the technique and the talent, Pep Guardiola's obsession is pressure ? a word he repeats like a mantra. That means a very high defensive line and full-backs who attack and push their opposition wingers back. Particularly Alves. If the wide midfielders are prepared to risk leaving them to advance, space does open up behind. There was more evidence here of the fact that Theo Walcott's pace concerns Barcelona. That was exactly what happened for Arsenal's second, scored by Andrey Arshavin. A Barcelona attack broke down on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area and a swift break found Samir Nasri racing through. His pullback, with Barcelona's defence exposed, reached the Russian, whose finish was true. Perhaps surprisingly, both goals came after Walcott had made way. The first was a clever ball over Piqu� to Van Persie, whose shot, struck true, found its way between a poorly positioned Victor Vald�s and his near post. Even when he is not at his best, Van Persie makes a huge difference to Arsenal. Barcelona learned once again that possession is not always nine tenths of the law.
4 Song treads a fine line
It was dissent that begat Arsenal's descent against Newcastle, when Abou Diaby was sent off at 4-0. Arsenal's midfield could have found itself weakened again here. Before the game Jack Wilshere had called on his side to be a bit "nasty" ? at times you wondered if Alex Song was being too nasty. He was handed a yellow card for a bad challenge on Messi and had committed five fouls more before the first half was out. He had also been guilty, like Diaby before him, of talking back at Rizzoli.
5 Villa is a fabulous striker
OK, so we did not exactly learn that here but some seem to have taken rather a long time to work it out. Villa's goal against Sporting Gij�n at the weekend means that he has now scored at least 15 goals in every single top-flight season he has played ? at Real Zaragoza and Valencia, too. As well as finishing as top scorer at the 2008 European Championship and the summer's World Cup. In this game, his opening goal was a model of intelligent movement and clinical finishing. This summer he joined Barcelona for ?40m. The only surprise is that, at 29 (28 at the time), it took so long ? ?40m is a bargain.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/feb/16/champions-league-arsenal-barcelona
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