Barcelona 4 - Arsenal 1: Tactics tactics tactics......

"Finally, Wenger will get what he has always wanted, a team that plays all out football, to really judge his side? I can tell all fans what to expect, we will be brushed aside by Barcelona because Wenger will not be smart, he will not change his tactics, he will not want to do all required to win."


That is what I wrote on March 28, and over two legs, this is what happened. We got outplayed over the two matches, we were never ever really in a position to win the tie. The first leg, we sustained a siege not seen since Mordor declared war on Gondor, Almunia kept the team in the game, but by that time, Barcelona had laid the foundation for what they aimed to do. From then on, the result was never in doubt from that night in London.


In the Camp Nou, Barcelona took us to the cleaners. Despite capitalizing on their high line once that Walcott squared to Bendtner to score, after that, our lack of quality, cohesion and tactics was on view for everyone to see. We should have defended with quality, instead, our lack of pressing and tactical know how saw Messi break our lines and slam home to get back in business. The second, Abidal did something our fullbacks never do, crosses on the floor especially when we have midgets up front, the ball found its way to Pedrito who laid it off to Messi who chipped past Almunia. The third, our high line was exposed by Keita who headed to Messi who chipped past Almunia, 3-1 at half time.


In the second half, Barcelona played clever, passing and inviting Arsenal to show if they had anything more, and we never, we never pressed, when we did have the ball, we never had any quality as Barcelona fought to get it back like a mother jealously guards her children. The fourth was coming, earlier on, Messi had made Vermaelen and Sagna look like amateurs, even nutmegging Sagna in the box, and for he repeated the trick, dancing past Eboué, past Vermaelen twice before putting it through Almunia's legs.


Why we never ever change tactics is weird. We never man marked, and Messi or Xavi, and if you decide to do that, you need to apply equal pressure on the team, we never did that. I also do not get why a team that is full of champions fought so hard compared to us. We have won nothing, and have everything to gain, yet Barcelona looked like they were the ones who wanted to be champions.


Some say we were missing key players, 5 of our starters, but Barca missed 4. It also shows that the squad needs more quality. I'm certain had Barcelona had 1 more of their key players out, they would have found a way to make the difference, we never found a way. Wenger has to take responsibility for not moulding champions, these guys are getting older and not yet on the level of being a champion.


I'm also angry we are always knocked out at the business end of the season, and every year we never learn. Last year, after Utd beat us, I wrote "Arsenal is now a DEVELOPMENT team and not a WINNING team, the future lies on the edge of a knife, ONCE YOU LOSE THE WINNING MENTALITY, IT'S HARD TO GET IT BACK, just when will we start WINNING again?" Even Wenger intimated that he may have to change after that game, and guess what, he never. This time he says we have to add in the summer, but I don't think he will.


Player Ratings

Almunia 3: Got chipped twice and another through the legs. Intimidate the striker, don't allow him to score, even clatter into him. Poor display.

Sagna 3: Still can't cross, never made the difference at the back.

Silvestre 1: Flopped for the first, too slow for the second, the third never prevented Messi from being distracted, subbed off by the fourth. Please Leave Now.

Vermaelen 2: Made to look foolish by Messi. Talked a good game, but when examined by the best players, he hasn't made the difference. Rooney and Drogba have all destroyed him, now Messi has done it too.

Clichy 2: Lax defending, and what a game to decide you are Roberto Carlos by starting to shoot, with woeful consequences.

Denilson 2: By passed all evening, no pace, no pressing, no personality.

Diaby 2: Released Walcott once, decided against doing it which ensured we never scored a second. Again fails to deliver in the big games, chasing shadows all night.

Nasri 2: No creativity, no pressing, no personality.

Rosicky 1: Was rated 50:50 for the game, it showed, awful.

Walcott 1: All he has is speed, whilst many thought he was our weapon, Barca had Messi who has speed and technique and intelligence, something Walcott doesn't.

Bendtner 2: Not making the difference in the big matches, needs more than hard work at this level.

Eboué 2: Allowed Messi to dance past him for the fourth.

Eduardo 1: Not for this level anymore.


Coach Rating

Wenger 1: Selection errors, Silvestre is no good, so either put Sagna there or switch to a back 3. Eboué should have started as well.As for tactics, we had none apart from try release Walcott, we need more than that at this level. Also what happened to the pressing we saw in the 6-1 win against Everton? If we did 25% of that, we would not have allowed Barca over 60% of the ball.

Time To Go To Work.

On Sunday, Arsenal need to clock in for work and get a job done, it doesn't matter how, they simply HAVE TO WIN. This is where we can really judge if we are ready to box with the top teams for a domestic championship.


Last season, the players never went to work and were destroyed 4-1 at home, in most instances, such a result should lead to questions on the trainer, especially as the team sucked all season. I called it '11 employees contracted for 90mins', this time round, all 18 members of the matchday squad need to stick together and be ready to bleed, or as Gallas said in 2007 after the Man Utd 2-2 home match where he scored a last minute equaliser, "We had to fight. We said if we had to die we would die together on that field."


The players need to understand, allowing Chelsea to extend their current 8 point lead at our expense is out of the question, as seen by other teams losing 9-1 in the league, we cannot rely on others to do the job for us, if you want something done, do it yourself. This means we need to chase goals, and unlike last season where Wenger elected to use 1 striker and have 2 on the bench, this time, use Vela and Eduardo together from the start, where else do you expect the goals to come from if they don't start?


Tactically, Wenger needs to change some things. This Ancelotti side is very narrow, but they can also change instantly to become a more wider team because Ancelotti has done a lot of tactical work with the players. We need to pressure who ever is at the base of their midfield and stop the ball coming out, and by doing this, we also leave ourselves open for Chelsea to run at our defence or shoot from range. As a keen watcher of Serie A, the way to beat Milan under Ancelotti was not stifle Kaka or Pirlo, but ensure Gattuso and Ambrosini never made the primary pass to them, Wenger needs to do this and whoever does it must be fit and concentrated for 90mins.


Silvestre has been a common denominator when we have lost heavily, and he seriously needs to have a good game, it is matches like this where we need him most, and if he doesn't have a good game, I expect the other 9 out field players to help him out and not leave him in the cold to freeze, if they do, we will lose.


I won't predict a result, but I'm certain we will lose if we don't force the issue and tell Chelsea we are willing to die, Chelsea have nothing to prove, nothing to lose, only everything to win, a loss and they won't lose top spot for another fortnight, a win and they have daylight over an opponent allowing them more room for error. We lose, we have no room for error, and are fighting for nothing for the rest of the season.

The Inquest Begins.

As the case is, to find out what Le Boss really says, do not catch it on the BBC or SkySports, instead turn to the French Media. Speaking to French Media, the Arsenal chief confessed "This is my biggest disappointment. Fans were expecting a great evening ... And to disappoint them like that, it's a huge disappointment. "....."I have to take a step back and review the situation. In recent months we were making good progress. But we are failing to win the matches that really matter. This calls for reflection. "

Upon speaking to one Arsenal squad member who also played, he opined ,"I was very surprised that the leaders of the team gave up so easily, we have 60 000 fans who have come to see Arsenal fight for 90mins, and if we are to lose, let us lose with them in mind."

Two conclusions from this, the Arsenal manager has realised that this is the last straw, and the frustations of the fans will be intensified more next season unless significant changes are made. He also realises that this team has shown it is not equipped to win trophies, in the big matches, the team constantly loses, think of the title run in last year where his side threw the matches against Chelsea and Man Utd, and also threw away the match against Liverpool in the Champions League.

The second is one player has realised he has to break ranks and take leadership in this side, such a defeat will increase this players stock with the fans, whilst some other senior members must take a good long look at themselves in the role of this crushing defeat.

Do or Die Time yet again.

As we have become used, Arsenal's season comes down to one game to define a season, this time we must beat the reigning European CHAMPIONS, World CHAMPIONS, English CHAMPIONS, League Cup CHAMPIONS....get the drift? Manchester United have not lost for 24 games in Europe, and taught Arsenal a lesson at Old Trafford, thank God we have Almunia.

I hope the manager Wenger does not mess around with fancy formations or deployments, we need to be simple, play to our strengths, take the game to the opponents, and crucially WIN. This means no 4-2-3-1, no 4-5-1, it means 4-4-2, and if Van Persie cannot start, Bendtner can, after all he has scored 14 goals, 2 less than Adebayor and 3 less than Van Persie, he can score so play him.

It also means stop the Diaby project immediately, he was supposed to offer physical battling vs Chelsea and Man Utd and did not, he was supposed to get forward and try score and did not, it's like playing with 10 men, only that he takes up space. Play Song or Denilson and lets get on with it.

For the sake of all Arsenal fans, lets stop playing attractive football and lets start playing WINNING FOOTBALL. This starts tomorrow Wenger, the players and fans need to get that WINNING MENTALITY back now.