This article is a re-post and merge of my now defunct OurFootballBlog football writing blog from 2010 – 2011.
Arsenal have a big job on their hands tonight, with the first tie poised at 2-2 Arsenal must go to the Nou Camp and score. The problem they face is simple, will they still be in the game by the time they do?
Wounded Soldiers
Tonight’s game will have a different feel to last weeks exhibition display of football, injuries dominate the headlines for both sides. For Barcelona the main worry will be in defense, they’ve plenty of flair players to fill in the gaps for the likes of Ibrahimovic and Iniesta, but they are light on good defensive replacements. Marquez will almost certainly come in at center back, but he’s been left wanting already this year and someone will have to play out of position alongside him.
Arsenal in many ways have bigger problems, a fully fit squad could give the Barcelona team they are likely to face a good run for their money, but they are missing key players themselves, Gallas, Fabregas, Arshavin all out. Not to mention Alex Song, he looked to be in line to fill the boots of Gallas fearing Sol Campbell’s immobility may be an issue against Pedro, Bojan and Messi but he looks like he will miss out. Further more after playing 90 minutes at the weekend Sol may be nursing a hamstring injury – can Arsenal really paper over their defensive cracks against such a creative and clinical side?
Bring in the Reinforcements
So we’ve established both sides are weakened, who’s likely to shine from those coming into the game? Someone who needs to shine (rather than might) is Theo Walcott, he needs to prove to both Arsene Wenger and Fabio Capello that he can play against the biggest teams in the world and make himself the centre of attention in the same way Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney et al do. That might be setting the bar high for Theo, but this is a player who cost Arsenal around £12.5 million in total aged just 16. Okay he didn’t ask for the price tag, but it’s clear that the potential for a truly world class player is there and tonight he needs to show that’s still the case. Looking at Barcelona there are two ‘reinforcements’ that have the potential to do what Walcott needs to do, both Bojan and Pedro have shown immense talent in their short first team careers. Pedro is very highly rated and in fantastic form at the moment, Bojan scored twice this weekend and has a couple of years on him in the side for good reason – either can set this game alight.
Attack!
This game will be won and lost in… defense tonight. Both sides are injury stricken, both sides will bring in players of a lower calibre than their first 11, both sides will attack the other knowing fragile defenses are ripe for the intricate football both sides play.
Whatever happens Arsenal must attack, they have to score and I believe they will, but with defensive frailties on par, or even more severe than those of Barcelona and against a front 3 of Pedro, Bojan and one Lionel Messi can they hold out long enough to be in front by the time they actually get that goal? My heart says yes, my head, well, it says no.
