Next to a felled British hero, there is nothing quite like a great British escape. Arsenal was comprehensively outclassed by Barca for the whole of the first half and much of the second, and yet managed to force an equaliser with one penalty that most of Catalonia believed a major miscarriage of justice.
Sitting where I was behind the Arsenal goal, it was impossible to tell, and the replays on the giant screen at the Emirates stadium didn’t help. Was it merely coincidental that all they showed was Cesc Fabregas scoring the penalty rather that the alleged penalty being committed?
But this was a game of nobility mixed with tragedy, no question. Some beautiful football was indeed played, mostly by Barca but not exclusively. The big Swede Ibra squandered much too many chances in the early stages and then redeemed himself with a sublime lob. Xavi in midfield showed what a magnificent creator he is. Messi, not on his best form, nevertheless. As for Arsenal, they were saved thanks to some brilliant goalkeeping by Alumnia, and ever greater heroism by Cesc Fabregas.
The sight of Cesc fighting his guts out (and his leg) for Arsenal against fellow Catalans gave a gladiatorial feel to the evening, as did Thierry Henry’s extended ovation at the end, applauded, as Cesc was, by fans of both clubs.
This was an evening when football was played as it should be , with mutual respect and minimum anger. It was gratifying to have several Arsenal fans come up to us cules after the game in the pub and pay tribute to the quality of Barca. How different to Stamford Bridge where Chelsea fans try and compete with each other in the range of verbal abuse they throw at us, the volume rising as their football gets more ugly.
It was a fantastic night of football. The walk to the stadium, the fantastic match, the away supporters not sitting for a second all match long, all the singing and jumping, the desperation after the missed chances and the happines after the two Ibrahimovic goals, the tension after Fabregas equaliser, the chats with Arsenal fans after the match… just as football should always be!
The result is great however deep inside i feel we should have won the match and go to the second leg with a much better result.
Today at work two colleagues who are Arsenal supporters (one of them was also at the stadium yesterday) told me that they’ve never seen football of the quality and beauty of that played by Barca on the first half yesterday… and comming from an Arsenal supporter that says a lot!
lets get some more comments from cules and Arsenal vans before next Tuesday!
Being a Spurs fan, Jimmy, I was appalled at Barca’s inability to finish off the Arse inside the first 10 minutes. Nonetheless, the sound of deathly silence inside the Emirates Stadium was at least a welcome sign of the fear and panic spreading inside every Arsenal fan, as your Catalan brother Messi ventured forth. If your team somehow fails to raise the trophy aloft in Madrid, I shall suspect match-fixing. I trust you have cleared the diary.
Shankly, as you all know, once said: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.” Life is not about mutual respect and zero anger tolerance. Within the rules it is a serious struggle and a fight and that makes football such a fascinating and wonderful spectacle. Give me Chelsea hard core any day over the “noble” / fine weather Arsenal fans who rave about “quality” but in 5 long years (about to become 6) has resulted in zero silverware. Give me the blood and thunder of Drogba, the power of Terry, the rage of Ballack, the tradegy of Moscow, the Platini/Laporta fixed semi final that allowed Barcelona go through to the final last year. Yes, the guts of Hamlet over Swan Lake any day….
TRUST ONE CHELSEA FAN TO SPARK OFF another one!
Patrick Hennessy to me
show details 19:09 (53 minutes ago)
“Great escape” – like the one you cheats pulled at the Bridge last year with the aid of UEFA and the world’s worst ref?
Nice one!
Contrast with the enduring nobility of another Arsenal fan. It takes one decent club to recognise another one.Peter.Thal.Larsen@thomsonreuters.com to me
show details 14:35 (5 hours ago)
Your boys were embarrassingly superior, especially in that first half hour. Haven’t seen Arsenal outplayed in that way since Dynamo Kiev, with Schevchenko and Rebrov, came to Wembley in 1999.
Suspect the heroics may have cost Arsenal any chance of winning the league, though.
Well if we want to talk about robbery and great escapes… we can always hark back to 2005 at Stamford Brigde and the John Terry goal where Carvalho man handled Valdes to impede him from making a save.. that was robbery..