Friday 18 March 2016

Barcelona vs Arsenal, Champions League: Goals from Neymar, Suarez and Messi see off Gunners:-

Wright reckons that if Arsenal come third or fourth Wenger has to go. "The natives have turned - more want him out than in."
Interesting, and probably not inaccurate from Wright.

Wenger speaks

"The performance was good - it was a great game - we go out with regrets but they have exceptional quality up front and can take advantage of any mistake.
"I felt we were wobbling a bit at 1-1 and they took advantage
"It is difficult to take to go out but well done to them, we wish them well.
On Iwobi penalty claim: "I don't know if he was touched. Overall I think the referee had a good game"
On substitutions: "I wanted to protect Danny Welbeck - he has had some problems recently."

That penalty shout

 They are still discussing Alex Iwobi's first half penalty shout, which Howard Webb maintains should have been a penalty as "Mascherano has a duty of care" not to touch the striker.
I agree - it should have been a pen. Mascherano doesn't mean it but it impedes the striker. Gary Lineker isn't so sure.
Alex Iwobi goes down under the challenge of Javier Mascherano

"It's out of order"

Rio Ferdinand has just described Suarez's volley as "a liberty" and "out of order". Brilliant.

Arsenal's strikers talk

Danny Welbeck: "We had a plan to try and get through. It's a difficult place to come.
"We had a couple of opportunities where we should have done better and there's a lot to be learned.
"We wanted to leave out mark and it's disappointing to go out like this."
And Alex Iwobi, in what seems like his first ever TV interview after some basic media training:
"It's an amazing experience and hopefully I can get more of these chances in the future."
Looking to the weekend game against Everton: "Yeah, it's an important game and we're going to try and win and do our best to come top."

Match report

Jason Burt was also at the Nou Camp and has filed this match report as Arsenal bow out of the Champions League once again.

How did that happen?

They may be out...

...but I highly doubt that many Arsenal fans will be too disappointed with that. They actually played really well and but for some poor finishing might have got something from this.
More positives than there might have been - does that make sense?

So Arsenal are out again

Full time - Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal

It's all over at the Nou Camp and Barcelona go through by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline.

90 mins + 1

Arsenal nearly get a consolation but it's another really good chance that goes begging for the Gunners. They don't score enough goals for all of their talent, this Arsenal team. Walcott feeds Giroud who lays it off for Sanchez but he drags it wide.

90 mins

Two minutes of added on time

GOAL!! Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal (Messi)

It's a bit scrappy but a lovely, lovely finish from Messi. Neymar tries to play Suarez in but his pass is intercepted. he gets another bite at the cherry and it eventually comes to Messi who digs out a sumptuous scoop/chip with the outside of his left boot.
Lionel Messi makes it 3-1

87 mins

Mascherano goes walkabout and leaves a gap at the back which Walcott very nearly takes advantage of. He races through but Ter Stegen is quick enough off his line.

85 mins

The thing about this Barcelona strike force is that they just always want more. They have an insatiable appetite to make history by breaking even more goal-scoring records. They are great fun to watch.

82 mins

Neymar to Messi to Neymar, then towards Messi but Gabriel nips in to nod it out for a corner. Busquets has a free header but cannot trouble Ospina.

80 mins

Three chances for Arsenal - Alexis forces a good save from Ter Stegen direct from the free kick, Giroud follows up, his shot is  straight at the keeper who palms it up but into a dangerous area where Walcott is waiting. He heads at goal but Mascherano is back to clear.

79 mins

Well done Arda. On the pitch for little over 60 seconds and he has Barcelona's first yellow card of the match, bringing down Monreal as he broke forward.

77 mins

Arda Turan comes off the bench to replace Ivan Rakitic. The tie is over but it's still a lively finish at the Nou Camp.

74 mins

Barcelona break with Roberto, Neymar, Suarez and Messi, and McManaman describes it as "four on four....arguably". Arsenal defend it well and it comes to nothing.

72 mins

Some subs:
Sergi Roberto replaces Iniesta for the hosts; Walcott and Giroud come on for Iwobi and Welbeck. That's Arsenal's two most dangerous players off the pitch. Odd decision.

70 mins

66 mins

Arsenal respond quickly with Welbeck skipping a challenge in the box and firing at goal. He beat Ter Stegen but is denied by the woodwork.

GOOOOAAALL!! Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal (Suarez)

Game over - and it's an utter beauty from Luis Suarez. Dani Alves lofts are fairly harmless looking cross into the box and Arsenal pulls away from Bellerin who slips - but it doesn't matter a jot. Suarez leaps and volleys back across goal with the ball nearly at head height and it flies into the top corner giving Ospina absolutely no chance.
Suarez scores for Barcelona

62 mins

Another lovely touch from Iwobi produces a decent chance for Sanchez but his shot is turned behind Welbeck has a free header from the corner but it's just wide. A revival still looks unlikely - but it looks a hell of a lot likelier now.

57 mins

A terribly misjudged backpass-header from Mathieu puts Welbeck in on goal, but Mascherano recovers exceptionally to block the Englishman's path.

56 mins

Barcelona come back at Arsenal with a slow, probing move that is suddenly ignited by Messi, darting quickly into the box to receive a return ball from Neymar. He drills low at goal and Ospina is forced into a smart save to his left.

53 mins

I said a goal would do Arsenal the world of  good and I now think however the scoreline ends up Arsenal can take a great deal from this game. They are actually on top now.
Ter Stegen watches on as Elneny scores
Ter Stegen watches on as Elneny's shot flies in

GOAAAAALLLL!!! Barcelona 1-1 Arsenal (Elneny)

What a hit from Elneny! Arsenal are getting more and more joy down the right. Sanchez comes out to the wing then pulls it back for Elneny who whacks it into the top corner from the edge of the box. What a first goal for the club.

50 mins

Barcelona break from the corner and Alexis, tracking back, rugby tackles Neymar in the centre circle and is given a yellow card for his trouble

49 mins

Arsenal start positively; Iwobi again bright, he plays it to Welbeck who beats his man and is about to feed Ozil before Sanchez nicks it off him. He finds Iwobi though and his effort is deflected wide. 

46 mins

The second half is up and running.

The players are out for the second half

This shows how Arsenal managed to get close to the Barcelona goal in the first half despite relatively little possession. Admittedly much of that was Barca playing it around at the back, but Arsenal did have chances.
Barcelona vs Arsenal - possession
CREDIT: OPTA

So, what's happened

Basically, Arsenal have given a pretty good account of themselves - Alex Iwobi in particular - but, once again, they haven't taken their chances; once again, have been sloppy in possession near their own goal and, once again, have fallen behind.
There is no chance whatsoever of a comeback, but still some positives to take, certainly. Arsenal will have more chances in this game if they keep playing like this.
Arsenal's Alex Iwobi shoots over the bar
Iwobi shoots over the bar CREDIT: RICHARD HEATHCOTE/GETTY IMAGES

Half time - Barcelona 1-0 Arsenal

Coquelin charges into Messi and thinks he's got the ball but Messi bounces off him and gets his own back by swivelling past the Arsenal midfielder. He then feeds Suarez who tries an audacious chip from the edge of the box but doesn't catch it right.
That brings the half to a close.

44 mins

More injury woe for Arsenal as Flamini boots the ball out of play and limps off holding his hamstring. Coquelin on.

41 mins

Nice play between Iwobi and Welbeck and the latter is in on goal again, only to be denied by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Mascherano.

40 mins

Arsenal are growing into this and have two good chances in quick succession. First Ozil's low ball across the goal just evades all Arsenal targets and then Bellerin's cross is headed towards goal by Sanchez but it's JUST wide. Hope?? Surely not!

38 mins

Bellerin does well down the right to get a ball into the box and it falls to Iwobi but he blazes over. 
Gabriel went into the book for protesting to the referee after the earlier Iwobi incident, by the way.

35 mins

Penalty shout for Arsenal. Iwobi is put through by Welbeck and he goes down in the box. On first viewing it looks like he has his heels clipped and the replays suggest Mascherano has touched him. It's a really difficult call for the ref and you can understand why he hasn't given it but I do think he's got that wrong.

33 mins

Barcelona are so calm in possession and I don't really see how Arsenal fight this. They stretch play so much and as soon as Arsenal start pressing, Barca just go over them. They do exactly that to escape trouble and are on the attack once again.

30 mins

Mathieu with a straight ball and Suarez is in down the left, and he pulls it back for Neymar but his shot is weak and Ospina saves.

28 mins

Messi and Neymar like spending so much time together that the both come out to stand over a corner. Neymar eventually takes it.

25 mins

Elneny to Iwobi and he lays it off to Welbeck who is running from deep. He has Mascherano one on one but the Argentinian stands up brilliantly and gets a foot in. They clear, but Arsenal come again and Flamini wins a corner from what looks like a lost cause. They take it short and feed Flamini 25 yards from goal. He strikes it well enough but it flies over the bar. 

22 mins

Decent enough response from Arsenal who are lively in attack and breaking forward in numbers, despite the obvious threat at the other end.

GOAL!! Barcelona 1-0 Arsenal (Neymar)

There it is. Any hope of a revival is even more dead in the water than it was two weeks ago.
Arsenal gift possession to Barcelona and MSN pounce. Messi presses and wins possession, Busquets feeds Suarez, who plays in Neymar and the Brazilian slides it under the onrushing Ospina.

17 mins

What a touch from Messi but it is matched by a brilliant save from Ospina. Neymar finds Messi over the top of the defence and he brings it down beautifully, pokes at goal and Ospina denies him.

14 mins

A lot of players would be overawed by this occasion but Iwobi has been really calm in possession, even on the edge of his own box. Very impressive indeed as he skips a challenge and nearly finds Bellerin charging down the right.
Decent effort from Elneny from range, but it's a few yards wide of Ter Stegen's right-hand post.

12 mins

Barcelona are turning the screw and stringing passes together nicely, but Arsenal are up for this and looking extremely organised at the back. No way through so far.

10 mins

Busquets is dispossessed in central midfield and Ozil pounces. He breaks and has runners either way. They drag players out of the middle and it opens up for the German. He shoots from 20 yards and it's just wide. Positive signs, though.

8 mins

Lovely interchange between Messi and Rakitic and suddenly Suarez is through. He looks miles offside and the linesman takes an age but eventually raises his flag. Strange he didn't flag immediately and Steve McManaman is typically bewildered.

5 mins

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