Arsene Wenger says there’s no magic formula to help Arsenal beat Barcelona tomorrow evening, only to try and attack and cause their ‘magicians’ some problems.
The Gunners trail 2-0 from the first leg, and need something of a miracle to go through to the quarter-finals, but he says they’ll try their best against the best side in Europe.
“It will be important to have a solid defensive line,” he said. “To beat Barcelona there is no magic word.
“Only a solid defence, but we have a very clear job: attack, and this is what we like to do. Will we do it knowing that the Barcelona wizards will require us to have a good defensive performance.
“We fight to win trophies and right now we are not favorites, but no matter how big the challenge there is always an open window, however small, for tomorrow. You never know what can happen.”
The Arsenal manager picked our Andres Iniesta for special praise, hailing him as one of the best Barcelona products.
“Iniesta is one of the best players who the club has produced. Indeed, he was in the the academy with Mikel Arteta.
“Arteta told me that if he didn’t not succeed, others have no chance. Iniesta has the problem that Messi is always in front, but he is one of the best in the history of the club.”
We apologise that as we’re in Spain, eating ham, we can’t do a photoshop of Barcelona wizards, but hopefully Wengalf can say “YOU SHALL NOT PASS”, before some monster whacks him into the depths of hell with his sneaky bastard tail.
Knowing our recent CL history, I’m half expecting a gloriously tragic 1-0 win. At this stage, would just be happy to see the lads put up a good fight and get a result that doesn’t take our confidence level any further into our overdraft. Enjoy the trip Blogs!
I’m predicting a 3-0 Barcelona win. And believe me, that wouldn’t hurt, because I think the worst case scenario (a genuine plastering of the 6-0 variety) is by no means beyond the frailties of this current squad.
Bring on the shame!
it does feel like a dead rubber dosent it, still, we can only but hope that “in football anything can happen”?
Guys, i know being a gooner, i should be roaring like a lion, huffing, puffing, pounding my chest and all that but I confess, i feel like a sheep being led to the slaughter….sorry
For us to qualify this evening the stars and planets would have to align.. it would need to be the ultimate footballing hail Mary. Our biggest problem if we manage to keep Barcelona at bay, is can get a fair bite of the cherry?? because lets not forget, some of the most shocking refereeing I have ever seen in my life, some of it bordering on match fixing in all honesty, usually occurs when English sides take on the mighty Barcelona; we aren’t just playing against one of the best club teams in the world, but we will also be… Read more »
The magic formula is to score some goals and not let them score any goals. Perhaps I could take over.
Tried that in the first leg. Failed on both fronts.
Wengalf, hysterical. Thanks for the amusement blogs, first smile in Arsenal related matters in a while.
I said the exact opposite about Jonjo Shelvey – If he succeeds, everyone has a chance.
Regardless of what happens tomorrow against barca, I hope wenger comes out pre Everton and announces that he will resign at the end of the season if we do not win the league. It will quiet down the wenger out brigade and get rid of the toxic atmosphere, because odds are they’ll get their wish, and hopefully gives these players the kick up the backside they need to perform somewhere near their potential. Then it’ll be up to the players. No more excuses. And the fans will be able to give wenger the respect he deserves even if results don’t… Read more »
That will never happen in a Bazllion years.
Stan likes money + Wenger makes him lots of money + Stan likes Wenger = no sacky sacky for Arsene
Sod it – time to have a go and have fun. Football is fun, right?
We are expecting to get beat, but what we want is proud performance with 100% effort.
I have tried to find a thousand words to describe my feelings about tonight, but you sir, summed it up nicely for me in a few words!
1 – 3 would do it? Just saying…
Really no need to thumb me down for being a “romantic” and hoping Arsene wins the CL for us as a parting gesture at the end of this season??
You shall be thumbed to the pits of hell for uttering a single word of hope!
We are not in it to win it init?
How do Barca’s magicians compare to Watford’s wizardry? This could be something worthy of further debate coyg!!!!
Southampton’s soothsayer’s
I know the magic words to stop Barcelona… bang bang (in the knee cap)!
That’ll be 3 million for my services. Thanks!
Well, what it boils down to on the day is 11 men of theirs against 11 men of ours……or if you want to be nitty picky, 6 very special players of theirs against 3 of ours…4, if we had cech
Not a level playing ground, granted, but anything still possible…no?
This is must the most anticlimactic match this year.
Lets make history, we need to stop their winning streak, no 38 for Barça
Lose to Swansea, Watford at home and to the shittiest Man Utd team in years, all in one month, and we’re supposed to believe these bottlers can beat the best team in the world away? sure…
I’m definitely not saying we’re likely to, but it would be the Arsenal kind of thing to do.
I suspect a dose of the usual here.
They are all over us possession wise for 60 mins. As they tire, We slowly come into it. We somehow get a goal and believe history is in the making. Have a man sent off or suffer some other horrible injustice and concede 2+.
We’re out but we had a go.
Where is the customary injury?
I put a tenner on Arsenal winning 4-2. Call me deluded if you will but it feels so right
DELUDED.
Called you so. Thank me later!
Just play like the kid on the street would. Just play to score goals. To put the ball in the back of the Catalan net. Don’t worry about titles or medals or fourth place battles. Be hopeful, be a little stupid, remember why you kicked the ball as a little boy. Play with a little joy. Find victory in defeat. And if possible find victory itself. But just play for 90 minutes in such a way, you come out with your heads held high.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
I am starting a campaign for Karan to be our next manager! 🙂
The magic word is “Vermaelen”! Since Pique is suspended, Vermaelen will step in and let us smash 4 past them. That was the plan all along! Who said Wenger doesn’t do tactics!? 😉
Please thumb me down!!
Final score tonite:
Arsenal 3(0) – (2) 0 Barca
Are Barca that good that they are letting us play at home again?
I do not understand why do we always have to be the underdog, and not just against Barcelona, but any team really. If Arsene has a knack for “snapping up” youngsters with huge potential, how come none of them have reach the levels of Neymar or Messi? How come our teams are always far behind?
What potential is he talking about? Aston Villa?
Its mission impossible time.
Who doesn’t favour us for an upset?
We are the underdogs so nothing to lose.
If Wenger can knock out Barca with this odds, it would indeed be a massive scalp.
COYG!
Too bad we don’t have Santi around to help climb through that very very small window.
Wenger’s arsenal, always flirting with hope but almost always coming up short.
My Missus says his shoes go well with the stadium
Well that’s a good start! COYG!
If we get a good start I wonder who the ref has decided to red card, I think ospina.
truly they are magicians in deed! their magic is worked by magicians who form the unit. messi is the best player in the world, neymar is arguably the best player in Brazil, so is Suarez the best in Uruguay, whereas iniesta is possibly the best Spanish player presently. so any average coach can shape these world class players into a magical unit. the greatest failings of arsene Wenger at arsenal is his arrogant and blantant refusal to go into the transfer market and buy world class players who can shape his team into world class capable of competing with the… Read more »