So the expected happened, with a Lionel Messi tap-in and penalty practically dumping us out of the Champions League. And although hardly anyone would have raised an eyebrow in surprise if anyone had predicted this outcome, we can’t help but feel hard done by.
After all, the goals themselves stemmed from our own mistakes courtesy of marginal lapses in concentration. For the first goal, Per Mertesacker slid into nothingness and opened space for Messi to run into. For the second, Mathieu Flamini felled the Argentine with practically his first involvement in the game, although Mertesacker could be apportioned some blame too.
It’s also true, however, that prior to conceding we had made a good account of ourselves. We defended well, worked hard and kept them at bay, spurning infrequent chances along the way. It was as good a game plan we could come up with, and we executed it as well as we could.
For the first half (and parts of the second), at least we looked like a team with a plan. Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were offering protection to Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal, who themselves were disciplined effectively. Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny manned the goal well, staying back and dissuading any attacks. And when the time came to counter, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud huffed and puffed, trying to blow the house down.
From the few chances we did create, it’s obvious we had to take them. Oxlade-Chamberlain shot straight at ter Stegen when he had the upper half of the goal at his mercy. Aaron Ramsey skewed a good chance outrageously wide (how many times have I said that?). Giroud saw his header saved expertly. He then inexplicably passed to Walcott when he was running in the other direction, and when Olivier could have had a pop himself. It was fine margins like these that we grasped against Bayern Munich but not against Barcelona.
However, to suggest we deserved any kind of result would be inane. Arsenal were second best the whole night and always set up for an ugly, and (to an extent) fluke win. It’s valid for any team facing this Barcelona to set up the way we did, but that doesn’t mean we can in any way compare ourselves to them.
Luis Suarez had three chances of his own, Neymar had one superbly saved by Petr Cech and Messi had two (which he took). Ultimately, their chances were better than ours, their possession was larger and they scored more goals. Ultimately, FC Barcelona are far better than us.
This wasn’t even a severely weakened Arsenal side. If not for injuries, only Santi Cazorla would have featured in the starting XI (and Ramsey isn’t a bad substitute for him, you know). We were nearly full-strength, well rested and had our time to prepare for this game.
There’s absolutely no shame in losing to the best team in the world, but till when are we going to tolerate that? When will we rectify our mistakes and try to emulate Barcelona?
Answer me this – would Luis Enrique substitute Francis Coquelin for Mathieu Flamini? Would he have pushed his center backs higher up the pitch whilst attacking, especially if one of them was Mertesacker? Absolutely not. If Barcelona played cautiously in the first half and turned on the screw in the second, then from now on, that’s what we try to do. If Barcelona don’t forget their defensive structure whilst attacking, then that’s what we do.
To put things in a broader context – if Barcelona have an uber front three, then that’s what we try to purchase. If Barcelona have a manager who doesn’t make pointless substitutions and fails to notice tactical subtleties, then that’s the type of manager we try to attain.
Credit to the players because they did what was asked from them, for the most part. However, it doesn’t take an expert to know that most of them are mediocre players in comparison to theirs. It’s time to compare – Mertesacker, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud and Ramsey are good players, but are they Barcelona standard? Shouldn’t we have a coaching staff to get them there, or have scouters to buy better players?
Because let’s face it, Barcelona have found the right system. They have the right academic structure, a balanced squad and the best tactical gameplan. It’s no wonder they’re on course to winning their second treble in as many years. Why must we try to thieve a result from them, and not beat them at their own game?
Our team is good enough to just about win the league (this year), but what next? When will we truly aspire to be the best in the world, as the Catalans have? When will we try to win a competition we’ve qualified in for so long? When will come the time Barcelona adopt a park-the-bus philosophy against us?
I’m waiting patiently for that ambition to arrive.
-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]
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