Arsenal vs. Barcelona Tuesday 745PM: Page 8 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal vs. Barcelona Tuesday 745PM

Savz

Clrnc wrote:
Yep, if we are brave we will start Welbeck. To stop Barcelona, we need stop their supply source, Busquets. Welbeck completely stopped Xabi from playing in that 2 leg. Whenever Busquets suffer, Barcelona suffer.

It's the case when they lost 4-1 to Celta. Busquets got man marked completely and Celta pressed him intensely whenever he got the ball. His passing completion was shockingly below 80 (his usual was 90+). Similarly, Atletico and Malaga did the same and they only lost narrowly at Camp Nou.

How will starting Welbeck mean that Busquets will get nulified?

If anyone, it'll be Coquelin/Ramsey's job to stop Busquets.

Clrnc

If Coquelin and Ramsey is pressing Busquets that high up we are dead. We are not playing a highline against Barca, we will be deep.

Mello

Yes, we can't leave just our CMs to press theirs, as it's 2 vs 3 in central midfield. Not to mention Barcelona are experts at playing through that kind of pressure. Let their CBs have the ball, have Welbeck mark busquets and try and set our wide players up to score on the counter.

Rex

Wenger has made a point of having someone very, very close to David Silva when we have played Man City recently.
Giroud did the press conference with Wenger, and I can't remember any instances when the player from the press conference didn't start the actual game. Personally, I think right wing is the only position where it is unclear who will play.

Ray

Cazorla/Wilshere would have been brilliant for this type of game. I can see Ramsey and Coquelin struggling under pressure.

HomeSteak

We have scored 6 goals in our last 7, Barcelona have scored 23 in their last 7 😆

Segway

Ray wrote:
Cazorla/Wilshere would have been brilliant for this type of game. I can see Ramsey and Coquelin struggling under pressure.

That's a big worry for me too. Imagine one of those Ramsey hospital passes goes straight to Messi. And how will they cope with getting under immense pressure throughout the match with their limited technique?

Rex

You make it out as if giving the ball away is a Ramsey trademark, whereas Cazorla and Wilshere never have this problem. For me, I remember plenty of times cursing at the tv when Cazorla was dispossessed when dribbling right outside our penalty box, and there are plenty of occasions where the same is true for Wilshere.

Rex

I also happen to believe that our boys will be under less pressure tonight compared to the Bayern games. Guardiola teams notoriously press hard, but that's not how I see this Barcelona team. I'd say both Coquelin and Ramsey did just fine against Bayern in that regard.

Qwiss

Rex wrote:
You make it out as if giving the ball away is a Ramsey trademark, whereas Cazorla and Wilshere never have this problem. For me, I remember plenty of times cursing at the tv when Cazorla was dispossessed when dribbling right outside our penalty box, and there are plenty of occasions where the same is true for Wilshere.

In a 2 legged game where we are expecting to be the better side and control possession maybe Cazorla is a better option, especially in Europe where control and possession are more important than in domestic games. However against Barcelona where we will need more aggression, athleticism and an ability to counter attack effectively it seems to me Ramsey is clearly the better tactical choice.

Bold Tone

I'm totally relaxed about this game as i have no expectations of winning.
This may work in our favour and allow us to play without the handbrake.
I also think this Barca team's midfield allows the opposition to play as their pressing is no where near the Guardiola standard.
Main worry for me is Koscielny/Coquelin/Flamini/Bellerin getting early yellow cards for flying into a "shot from the stands" Suarez, a "dying swan" Neymar, "oscar winning actor" Biscuits and the "elusive ghost" Iniesta.

Ray

To start a counter you need the CM's to have a sharp first touch and quick feet to counter the pressing. Something which Cazorla and Wilshere excel at and Ramsey/Coquelin don't.

Ramsey excels at attacking the space though, Ozil will probably end up having to come deep.

jones

Qwiss! wrote:
Rex wrote:
You make it out as if giving the ball away is a Ramsey trademark, whereas Cazorla and Wilshere never have this problem. For me, I remember plenty of times cursing at the tv when Cazorla was dispossessed when dribbling right outside our penalty box, and there are plenty of occasions where the same is true for Wilshere.

However against Barcelona where we will need more aggression, athleticism and an ability to counter attack effectively it seems to me Ramsey is clearly the better tactical choice.

That's why I'd play Ramsey on the right if we had Cazorla available. In recent weeks Ramsey has been dire in possession even agianst EPL relegation fodder, I shudder to think of what he'll do vs Barcelona.

Just want us to get out with no injuries and unhumiliated, everything else is a bonus.

Captain

Feel like coquelin will get sent off tonight.

goon

I'd say Koscielny looks like the one who might go. Hopefully Wenger has drummed it into them not to do anything stupid.

Barcelona haven't lost in 32 games. Bodes well for us, law of averages and all that.

Rex

Right now my feeling is we will win tonight 2-1. Don't expect that feeling to last very long. 🙂

GaelForce

Rex wrote:
Right now my feeling is we will win tonight 2-1. Don't expect that feeling to last very long. 🙂

Hold on to that feeling Rex!

We got this.

arsedocmd

suarez didn[t do much against us during his liverpool days, hope it continues. whatever.

General

Agreed this Barca team doesn't press as aggressively as they did under Guardiola but they are still one of the best at getting the ball back. You need outright pace on the counter to have a chance and this is what a lot of these Spanish teams lack.

goon

I was watching the Sporting Gijon match a couple of weeks back, they hit Barcelona on the counter with relative ease on a few occasions, and this was with a reserve side. They might be a bit more alert to that threat with us but I think that's the best way to get at them.

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