5. The Arsenal Triumvirate
In the first half I tweeted, ‘Van Persie, Fabregas, Nasri need to up their game #Arsenal’… little did I know Wenger used my Twitter as a motivational tool at half time.
In the initial 45 minutes, we were subjected to a out of sorts, still injured Nasri.. not really running directly at the opposition as we know he can, and reluctant to put the ball into the box, likewise Van Persie was also very cumbersome, and the pace of the game seemed like it was too much for him and his usually assured touch and underrated heading ability seemed to have deserted him… there were calls in some corners for the introduction of Bendtner…which would sum up his first half display.
As for Fabregas, whilst he was still pretty influential he was guilty of being caught on the ball in dangerous areas and not the sharpest of players in the final third. He like the aforementioned players, was a man transformed in the second half and if the likes of Wilshere came of age…the same could be said for this particular trio of players, all of whom are considered very talented yet still to break through into the elite category of the worlds leading footballers.
Van Persie’s finish past Valdes was fortunate but also intelligent, in that he seized onto the fact that Valdes had anticipated a cross and left his near post gaping wide. Fabregas’ through ball to unleash Nasri was mesmeric and typically Cesc and Nasri topped it off with a composed pass across the box, perfectly weighted for Arshavin to expertly tuck away into the right hand corner.
Conclusion (looking towards the 2nd Leg):
So a gutsy, one of those magical ‘I was there’ nights for Arsenal. The question is, was this a one off Arsenal flukey display or a genuine coming of age performance which will mark a watershed for the Gunners and propel them to the next level?
The answer in my opinion is that Arsenal have undoubtedly progressed in comparison to last season. Wilshere gives their midfield a new dimension, Nasri likewise has developed into a pivotal figure, Szczesny looks the real deal so far in the problem area of goalkeeper, and Koscielny might finally settle down and become the perfect partner for Vermalean…if he ever overcomes injury. That said, the Nou Camp might prove a step too far and one can’t see Barcelona struggling to score goals. The return of Puyol could go one of two ways, one outcome could be that they could tad tighter at the back, but on the other hand will their lack of pace defensively come back to haunt them and will this win give Arsenal the confidence to see it out and expose Barcelona’s shortcomings. The Stage is set for a quite wondrous finale….
Click HERE to see the original article. This article was first published on TheBusbyWay
Written by Rae M
Im grateful for the article.Much thanks again. Fantastic.