CL: Arsenal v Barcelona - 23/02/16, 19:45

[Rex Stone]

I doubt Giroud will start this. We'll probably have less than 30% of the ball, so we'll rely on counters. Welbeck is more suited to pressing game, plus his pace can be useful in counters.

Chamberlain will have to stay infield to cover Neymar/Alba combinations and also provide for an extra man in midfield.

My lineup:

Cech
Bellerin - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Monreal
Coquelin - Ramsey
Chamberlain - Özil - Sanchez
Welbeck
​

We have about 5% hope of going through this tie, so hoping the score is kept at a respectable level and we don't get humiliated

I'm hopeful. There's a clear way to play against them as evidenced by Atletico and Juventus. Play with a clear game plan and we can run them close if not win.

That 2008-2011 was the scariest team you can possibly imagine, they don't scare me like that team did.

 

[albakos]

Yes, but it's Wenger we're talking about.
He'll never throw a losing XI out there and will be looking to use the best XI to counter them.

 

[arsmile]

I'd start flamini

tell him to injure messi ASAP- don't worry about getting sent off and banned for the rest of the season.

 

[Kroket]

Barca looking dodgy at the back against Las Palmas, if we bring our shooting boots for once we're definitely in with a chance.

 

[Gegen Pressing]

Interestingly Barca playing a full strength XI vs Las Palmas,
no need to rest messi & for tuesday. Ouch

 

[US_Gooner]

Interestingly Barca playing a full strength XI vs Las Palmas,
no need to rest messi & for tuesday. Ouch

Busquets injured then?

 

[Kroket]

Busquets is suspended in the league.

 

[fabo]

Think the home game can be close but we're definitely getting done over two legs. Hopefully it's not too painful and damaging.

 

[TheLoneFalcon]

Yeah but does that mean they'll get so badly beaten they'll be eating through a straw?

Heh, thought someone might point out what happened in the end.

 

[Aevi]

What I have seen from Barca vs Las Parmas:

- Masherano is a great passer from the back (Would be player I would model Chambers to be)
- MSN weakness seems to be the offside trap, they get a bit excited going forward.
- Their defense buckles in chaotic situations, they then lose structure because they panic.
- They are by no means invincible, so many mistakes even by the infamous Messi.
- They have a pressing style of single people attacking the ball.

 

[OnlyOne]

Us discussing the game.

Barca fans discussing the game.

This should have more likes.

 

[SuperGoon]

I'll take a 0-0 tbh.

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Can we please just keep 11 on the pitch in a CL game ??
Perfect game for alexis to get his life sorted, he's been good for us in the CL previously and it's his old team.. A brace is pending.
2-1 Arsenal (Away goal obviously as that's what we're going out on)

 

[US_Gooner]

This should have more likes.

Not everyone psyched for rape jokes.

 

[Giroud]

I think Giroud should start to be honest. We're going to need someone to take down some high balls because are midfield will likely struggle to break the press and we will probably have to resort to long balls most of the time.

Get it up to Giroud, knock it down to Özil who can set Sanchez and Ox/Walcott free and hope for some decent set piece opportunities too.

 

[Trilly]

If we're proactive in winning the ball rather than just dropping into shape then we can definitely give them some problems.

The Las Palmas game I just watched gave me some faith. Barca's finishing today made Theo look clinical but despite that LP were unlucky to leave with no points. They kept Neymar and Messi on most occasions and seemed to cut through Barca's defence with ease.

La Liga is a quality league tbh, imagine the 18th placed team in England doing some of the stuff Palmas were doing today.

 

[Malky]

Think the home game can be close but we're definitely getting done over two legs. Hopefully it's not too painful and damaging.

Think we could pull a surprise result at home, Barca's defense looks poor. Conceding a fair share of sloppy goals this season but there attack is devastating, cant see us keeping them quiet and us winning this over two legs, especially with the state of our finishing, or lack off.

 

[raag]

What I have seen from Barca vs Las Parmas:

- Masherano is a great passer from the back (Would be player I would model Chambers to be)
- MSN weakness seems to be the offside trap, they get a bit excited going forward.
- Their defense buckles in chaotic situations, they then lose structure because they panic.
- They are by no means invincible, so many mistakes even by the infamous Messi.
- They have a pressing style of single people attacking the ball.

Yeah. The first half, they gifted quite a few great chances to Las Palmas. They failed to take any of them and then got punished when Neymar scored.

 

[US_Gooner]

seemed to cut through Barca's midfield with ease.

Fixed

 

[Rex Stone]

Interestingly Barca playing a full strength XI vs Las Palmas,
no need to rest messi & for tuesday. Ouch

Got all stocked up on HGH for this week.