Arsenal didn’t believe they could defeat Barcelona and so they didn’t turn up and deservedly crashed out of the Champions League losing 4-3 on aggregate.
Just because Arsenal had a one goal lead going into the return leg with Barcelona, didn’t mean that they had to play defensively, especially against the best team in the world. And Arsene Wenger has much to be blamed, using the wrong strategy.
Common sense and the law of averages will tell you that if all you are interested in is to defend, then sooner or later the other guy who is allowed to attack, attack and attack will put the ball into the goal. There is no such a thing as a full-proof defence. Just basic mathematics.
Arsenal have this fear about Barcelona that they seem unable to overcome. This is not a sign of a great team. And it is getting on one’s nerves to constantly hear Wenger saying that Arsenal can go out and beat Barcelona when in actual fact Arsenal do not have the mental strength to do so.
Against Barcelona, I think Arsenal have not recovered since their narrow 2-1 defeat to the Catalan team in the Champions League final in 2006?
Has Arsene Wenger lost his adventurous spirit and spank in terms of tactics and strategy? Has age caught up with him? He himself once admitted that perhaps he was getting old and might have difficulty in communicating with his young charges.
For now, Arsenal have just to lick their wounds and focus on the English premiership challenge. With Manchester United themselves slipping following consecutive losses to Chelsea and Liverpool, this is the best opportunity yet for Arsenal to seriously do something to seize the initiative and not further squander the chance to catch up and maybe finally win something.
Otherwise, Arsenal will rue their profligacy.
jinhuangdi 