There are totally 24 players from these two teams who will represent their countries to play in the World Cup.
Just got back to the office...great game. Barca totally deserved the victory. Arsenal's goal was crap after the dive. It should have been 3-1 as the ref should have allowed advantage on the Lehmann red card play.
Well, you can't have it both ways. If he allows play he doesn't give Lehman the red. And the other two goals wouldn't have happened as they did. Campbell's goal was actually very well struck. It just a shame Henry didn't hit the net when through later in the game. At 2-0 it would have been over. Arsenal showed great heart in the game but you can't say Barca didn't deserve it. You can play 10 against 11 toward the end of the game, but not for 75 minutes. I think Wenger should have brought Reyes in a lot earlier for some fresh legs to stretch Barca a little more. Mad Jens....what can you say...
Yes, you can have it both ways. He allows the play to finish, therefore not taking away a clear advantage from Barca. He can then card Lehmann after the play. He should have allowed it to play out, period. Either way, Barca was the best team today. I wasn't saying that Campbell's goal wasn't very well done. It was the terrible call that lead to the free kick that lead to the goal that was a travesty. No one was within 2 yards of Eboue when he went Karl Malone.
He should have allowed it to play out and not sent of Lehman. That's not true - the Barca player was right on top of him. 10 against 11 for 75 minutes - no doubt about it.
Arsenal's lucky that the Spurs aborted themselves last week against Westham - otherwise a loss here and it's bye bye CL next year and probably bye bye henry.
Looks like Henry just played his last match for the Gunners. He pleaded with Wenger to make a substition almost the entire match, then did you see him talking to him during the trophy ceremony? Considering Barca's interst, I'd be stunned if he returned next year.
Well they should have known that the pasta salad looked funky. No seriously you've got to feel for them, tough luck but the game did look pretty sloppy.
Maybe Lehman only deserves a yellow if the play is allowed to continue. Since it wasn't, the red was well deserved. The Barca player had actually already been pushed out of the play by Eboue before he went down. Either way, there is no way you can seriously say that this shouldn't have been anything other than a yellow card on Eboue for diving. Even before the red, Barca was starting to take control. Arsenal had a nice push in the first 5 minutes and had 2 good shots on goal. Arsenal was not very strong in the back this time. Eboue was getting abused on the left side by Eto'O and Ronaldinho. There really is no telling what would have happened if it was 11 on 11. Then again, Cole probably would have seen his 2nd yellow for grabbing the refs arm after fouling Ronaldinho in the 2nd half. The ref probably didn't pull the card since Arsenal was already short a man.
I think the ref should have let the first goal stand. Also, I would rather have the ref let the keeper keep playing simply so it would have been a more entertaining game. If Arsenal go down a goal things would have really opened up, as it was they just bunkered in for 70 minutes. Eboue clearly dove to get the foul, but the set peice was run perfectly. Before Barcelona scored their defense wasn't handling the counter attack very well. It was great to see Larsson play a part in both goals, what a way to end his major club days before going to the Swedish league to retire.
Yes, and that is the point about not having it both ways. IF they had allowed play to continue than a red would be unwarranted because they would have scored (ie a scoring chance was not prevented). I doubt Lehman would have let either the near side goal nor the goal between his legs go through ala Alumnia. Of course the whole game would have been different because Arsenal would not have been down a man. I can definitively say that there was a Barca player closer than SIX FEET to Eboue. As I said earlier in the thread I didn't think it was a free kick. Sigh. Ok, I guess you're a barca fan or an arsenal hater that just can't take the situation and appreciate that barca won. Almost none of this drivel is true, however. Barca was not 'starting to take control, were having less problems at the back than Barca, and saying Eboue was getting abused is pure fantasy. For his age and experience I would expect it but Eto'o on the left was a complete non-factor. I was only when he ventured into the middle that he became a threat at that point in the game. 11 on 11 I think Arsenal wins - they almost won 10 on 11 for 75 minutes. But barca has won and we must tip our cup to them and not besmirch their win. It is their fault neither that mad jens cut down eto'o, that the referee didn't let them have the advantage, nor that henry missed chances to finish barca off even down 10 -11 but up 1-0.
I could care less if he comes back, we were 16 points better than you and played with a winger and defender as our central midfield pairing for the majority of the season. That being said, I still don't think he's coming back.
Pires is supposedly on his way to Villarreal which is odd since they don't usually operate that way and tend to get 'budget' stars.
Not a soccer fan and only watched a little, but I was really surprised at the athleticism of Barca. They made it interesting to watch. And WTH were the giant flames in the stands?
Henry and Ronaldhino are such a pleasure to watch. Sometimes they look like they can somehow phase right through defenders. It's a shame that most people in this country don't know about/care about such remarkable and skilled athletes.
I have to agree with Hayes. To say Eboue was getting abused is plain silly,what game were you watching??? Arsenal,for the very few times they counter attacked, were stuck playing defense for most of the game. Arsenal deserve big time kudos for outplaying Barcelona for 75 minutes, with only 10 men and without the anchor of their defense (mind you that every goal Arsenal conceded in CL play was when Lehmann was not in the net!!!). This game reminded me a lot of the 1st leg of the Barca/Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge. A red card that was hotly debated and the same scoreline. I think that the difference for Barca winning the game was definitely their coach, Rijkaard. His two substitutions helped pave the way for both goals. I think Barca is a very good team, it's just that they didn't show it tonight. Ronaldinho had a very bad game especially for a player of his caliber. Eto, with the exception of two plays, was almost non-existent and Barca's defense was shaky at best (I held my breath every time Henry had the ball because he made the defense look like swiss cheese on occasions and should have scored easily on one play). Barca were the best team in Europe for most of the year and one of the best team's to watch by far with world class players. It's just the fact that they didn't show that tonight that leaves me with a bad taste. They are way better than what they showed today. As for Henry, I think it would be a mistake to leave England. His game is much better suited to the EPL, so why ruin a good thing? Being a Manchester United fan, I had to grin a little by the red card only because of Arsenal's history for picking them up so often under Wenger. It wasn't deserved to be sure and the referee was horrible in my opinion, but I guess we'll have to chalk it up to karma
