***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

[Whitesox]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

The only player I was disappointed with all night was Eboue, but that is to be expected. Hopefully everyone remains fit until the next game.

Your thoughts on Alexandre Song's performance? I don't know if he was instrumental in the build up for the first goal (sadly, I got called away for a minute and Arsenal scored), but everything else I saw from him was mediocre, and he almost got himself sent off within 30 minutes.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Your thoughts on Alexandre Song's performance? I don't know if he was instrumental in the build up for the first goal (sadly, I got called away for a minute and Arsenal scored), but everything else I saw from him was mediocre, and he almost got himself sent off within 30 minutes.

I think we're much weaker without him in the side. He walks a very fine line, though. His yellow card tackle was an example of what he's not afraid to do, though, which is put a leg out and take a card. He's not afraid to make that tackle that stops the momentum and can save goals.

He definitely wasn't his best tonight, but I'd much rather have him out there than Denilson or Diaby. No matter how many poor tackles he might make, at least he makes them.

He could've been much better, but I think he did enough to contribute. I'm harsh on Eboue as his defensive work rate is a joke and when going forward, he often makes the worst decisions.

[Acid]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I should call a doctor, I've had a boner for longer than 4 hours now.

WHO'S THAT TEAM THEY CALL THE ARSENAL?
WHO'S THAT TEAM WE ALL ADORE?
THEY'RE THE BOYS IN RED AND WHITE, AND WE'RE ****ING DYNAMITE!
AND XAVI IS A WHOOOOORE!

[DIESEL]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Just finished watching the game on DVR. Great win for the Gunners!

I thought Szczesny came up pretty big for a young keeper in pressure situation.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Just finished watching the game on DVR. Great win for the Gunners!

I thought Szczesny came up pretty big for a young keeper in pressure situation.

For the last two years we've been hearing that he's our future keeper and it looks like it might be his time. It was touched on near the end of the game that he has one thing Almunia and Fabianski never had; confidence.

[Acid]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

For the last two years we've been hearing that he's our future keeper and it looks like it might be his time. It was touched on near the end of the game that he has one thing Almunia and Fabianski never had; confidence.

I thought you were going to say talent.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I thought you were going to say talent.

I'd say both work. The only joy I used to get out of Almunia was my roommate and I would sit and discuss during games just how sickly and hungover he would look. Then we'd make jokes about how when the camera wasn't showing him, he was actually leaning against the goal smoking.

As for Fabianski...no joy.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/17/arsene-wenger-arsenal-barcelona-champions-league

Great article. Love the confidence that is coming out of Wenger right now.

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

HOLY SH*T. HOLY SH*T. That was my reaction after the Arshavin goal. After I jumped up and down for about a minute, of course. At 77 minutes I was thinking this match was going exactly the way I had expected. I'm glad the last 23 minutes proved me wrong.

I really wish we didn't have to wait three weeks for the 2nd leg.

[Whitesox]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

No matter how many poor tackles he might make, at least he makes them.

I totally agree with this, but I also think that the cynical tackles he displayed tonight have a time and a place, neither of which are in a match of this magnitude. If he got sent off around '30, the tie is over as I see it. Barca would dominate a 10 man Arsenal. While he may be better than the alternatives, he needs to be more careful at the Nou Camp lest he condemn Arsenal to a hopeless struggle. I'll be looking for Guardiola to try and exploit him in 3 weeks (wow, I didn't realize how long of a wait we have until just now).

[Perceptor]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I thought you were going to say talent.

How true - He was solid tonight and I was pleased with the result. Yes, I also follow Barca, but I really wanted to see us pull this out. I agree - 3 weeks is going to be a painfully long wait for the second leg.

I still think we're in tough - Barca are very good at home

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

I totally agree with this, but I also think that the cynical tackles he displayed tonight have a time and a place, neither of which are in a match of this magnitude. If he got sent off around '30, the tie is over as I see it. Barca would dominate a 10 man Arsenal. While he may be better than the alternatives, he needs to be more careful at the Nou Camp lest he condemn Arsenal to a hopeless struggle. I'll be looking for Guardiola to try and exploit him in 3 weeks (wow, I didn't realize how long of a wait we have until just now).

The issue is he still has games like he did last night. However, he'll then have games where he makes great tackle after great tackle.

I think if he wasn't on that line and making us all nervous as hell, a team like Barca would walk all over us. Well, several more teams would.

I guess at this point, I'll take Song making my heart race as he gets an early yellow over Denilson or Diaby not even bothering to track back.

Song can still improve, though. I think in a few years he'll be at the point where he knows when to make a tackle and when not to, or when to make a more cynical tackle and when not to be.

But for now, I'll take the risk.

[misterbroom12]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

To be honest, I think Song is just as important to our midfield as Cesc is and as Wilshere is proving to be. His tackle that earned him the yellow was purposeful to break up Messi running at our retreating back line, and like most of us he probably didn't feel as if he was going to get booked that early and on his first foul. Once he did though, I think he read the referee beautifully and knew how much he could do before the ref had the balls to card him again. Every tackle after that was him playing as he knew he could without getting sent off. If you watch the game again, there was one tackle he made that seemed as if it was the last foul he had to give (the one commentator even noted that he felt one more and he could go off) and Song let up. He made sure he was in better positions to defend without having to possibly foul and even pulled out of some poke tackles that he would make on any other occasion. Like someone else noted, we need a player that will take a card for the team and will make sure people aren't running untouched at our back four and Song is that guy. He had me nervous as all of you probably were for that first half hour, but I do think he knew what he was doing and knew just how far he could push the ref without seeing red.

[Perceptor]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

Song plays on the edge, but we need him playing that way in order to win. We're a smaller team and not the strongest and having someone who can break up play is important. Barca has that as well as Mascherano and Busquets.

As much as I like Barca, I wanted to see us pull this one out. While you see the Chelseas and Liverpools spend boatloads on players, I continue to believe that it is teams that have the youth systems like Barca and Arsenal will be the ones successful over the long haul

[rsnomar05]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal "Gunners" Thread***

To be honest, I think Song is just as important to our midfield as Cesc is and as Wilshere is proving to be. His tackle that earned him the yellow was purposeful to break up Messi running at our retreating back line, and like most of us he probably didn't feel as if he was going to get booked that early and on his first foul. Once he did though, I think he read the referee beautifully and knew how much he could do before the ref had the balls to card him again. Every tackle after that was him playing as he knew he could without getting sent off. If you watch the game again, there was one tackle he made that seemed as if it was the last foul he had to give (the one commentator even noted that he felt one more and he could go off) and Song let up. He made sure he was in better positions to defend without having to possibly foul and even pulled out of some poke tackles that he would make on any other occasion. Like someone else noted, we need a player that will take a card for the team and will make sure people aren't running untouched at our back four and Song is that guy. He had me nervous as all of you probably were for that first half hour, but I do think he knew what he was doing and knew just how far he could push the ref without seeing red.

I disagree about Song's play on Wednesday. He is vital to our midfield, but I think he was a little reckless in constantly throwing up his hands in protest after every foul called on him and there are other refs that would have shown him a second yellow. Song needs to be physical and needs to show Barca that he is not intimidated, but he can't afford to be walking a thin line between getting sent off and staying on, as if we go down to ten men on Barca's turf, we're doomed.