I became a futbol fanatic one year I lived in Spain as a ten year old. I lived in Madrid but my favorite team was the Barcelona of Johan Cruyff, Hugo Sotil, and Miguel Rexach. I have been a drop-dead Barcelona fanatic ever since. The highlight of the season for that Barca team came as they gave Real Madrid a golada of 5-0. I still think Cruyff was the best player of all time. So its no surprise that I was supremely stoked for Wednesday's Champion's League final between Barcelona and Arsenal.
The Gunners hadn’t allowed a goal since Match Day 2 and only 2 in the entire competition. The two goals they allowed between minutes 76 and 81 doomed their aspirations of winning the Champion’s League Final. Goals by one of the world’s premier strikers Samuel Eto’o and also by substitute Belleti, both on assists by Henrik Larssen, were the difference in an extremely tight game between the two classic teams.
Arsenal bravely held off an extremely skilled Barca team, playing with only 10 men since the 18th minute, when Eto’o was brought down by Gunner keeper Lehmann on the edge of the box on a breakaway (after Eto'o was tackled the ball rolled to Giuly who put the ball in the back of the net). Lehmann earned a red card and Arsenal were forced to sacrifice Robert Pires and play shorthanded. The hot debate of the play was whether the referee should have allowed the ensuing goal rather than red carding Lehmann. Barcelona would have a goal and Arsenal their full team. As it ended up, Ronaldinho’s ensuing free kick went wide of the left post and although the score was still nil-nil, Arsenal would have to play shorthanded the rest of the match. The tense drama was thus beautifully established.
Arsenal had proven their exceptional defensive prowess throughout the competition, and their bid to pitch a shutout that had started in Match Day 2 lasted until the 76th minute. In between the 18th and the 76th, Sol Campbell headed in a perfect cross from Henry that Victor Valdes could only stare at. The play had been set up by Eboue’s dive on the edge of the box as it didn’t appear that Puyol even touched him on the play. No matter, the Gunners took advantage and this game took on an even more surprising form. In the 45th, Eto’o got a clear chance at goal but hit the post but replays showed that new keeper Almunia actually deflected the ball into the post thus you have to credit him with a great save at the time. The game headed into the second intermission and one wondered if Arsenal would crumple in the face of relentless Barca pressure.
After the break, Iniesta replaced Edmilson for Barca and then the key subsitution occurred as Larssen replaced the ineffective vanBommel in the 61st minute. The next 6 minutes proved to be critical to the outcome of the game. Hleb went wide with a grazing shot in the 61st and Valdez saved Henry point-blank in the 67th minute. Two clear opportunities for goal on breakaways. Had Henry netted, I think would surely have spelled doom for the Azulgrana. As it resulted, Barca poured it on and eventually got their two well deserved goals to clinch it.
A lot of credit has to go to the Arsenal defense (see more on that below) for resisting as long as they did. Had Arsenal been able to hold Barca off until the 80th or so, I think the dreaded frustration factor would have kicked in (you know when a soccer team dominates endlessly but just can't put in the back of the net and it starts to lose confidence and then it just never does score) and Arsenal would have won it. Also of interest was the fact that ESPN commentators Tommy Smythe kept saying that Henry wanted Arsene Wegner to put in a substitute to give him some help, but that help came too late in the forms of Juan Antonio Reyes in the 85th minute. (Why do coaches wait so long to make a tactical substitution especially in a game where your players are getting tired because they only have 10 men ? Bad bad move Arsene).
There were some interesting pre World Cup previews on display in this game. For one, if Ronaldinho and Henry are the arguably the two premier players in the world (an argument I have made before here), then now I think that Kolo Toure could be the best defender on the planet. His defense on Ronaldinho was absolutely incredible tonight. He made the stunning Brazilian look less than stellar tonight. Also, Sol Campbell looks to be quite well recovered and looks to be quite fit to play for England.
I also think the Spanish players (Fabregas, Puyol, and Reyes had he been allowed a chance to play more than 6 or 7 minutes) are going to make Spain a very dangerous team at this year's World Cup. Could this be the year that Spain break through? I don't know but I hope so.
At least for now, I'm quite content that my beloved Barca is atop the Champion's League.
1 comment:
Arsenal did start off very well with Henry almost scoring right away. Somehow I forgot about that as the game went on and his touches dried up, but if had managed to score early, I think Arsenal wins this thing 1-0. As it was, I don't think Henry (or Ronaldinho for that matter) was on his best form for that game.
About the substitution debate, I would tend to agree with you about not putting in an attacking player to answer Henry's pleas, but I think Wegner should have put another fresh body on defense instead. I've come to this realization after hearing several comments of this nature. Now, who that replacement should have been I have no idea. Maybe Wegner didn't have anybody suitable. He eventually settled for Reyes who is more of an attacker.
Jote, I totally agree with you about the World Cup. I am competely psyched up for this mate !!
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