Was Arsenal performance in Barcelona enough to inspire title charge?

Arsene Wenger has had to perform a delicate balancing act with the Arsenal squad, with an FA cup quarter final and a Champions League knockout game in Barcelona before an early kick off in a crucial and difficult Premier League trip to Everton.

It was clear from his team selection tonight that he did have half an eye on Everton and with us having the least possible amount of time to rest and get ready I cannot blame him. But he still played a strong side and I don’t think it was entirely because he felt we could go through, but also that we needed a good performance to build some confidence and find some form for the title run in.

The question is, though, was it enough? Saturday will tell us and we are all hoping to see the sort of Arsenal that was on show at the Nou Camp and not the one that was dumped out of the cup by Watford. There were signs last night that Alexis Sanchez is getting back to his old self and the performances of Welbeck, Iwobi and Elneny were positives.

The defence was not all we hoped but this was the most potent attacking force in the world and we had to take risks and I think the great saves from Ospina will give our defenders a lot of confidence. Will that be enough to inspire us to the win at Goodison that might just lead to a title charge after the international break?

Tags Elneny Iwobi Wenger

33 Comments

  1. 93 – the percentage of Elneny’s passing accuracy, the highest for Arsenal vs Barcelona. We’re not only talking about side and back passes here. Only Iniesta (95%) and Mathieu (94.6%) topped that not including subs.

    1. This article was flawed from start to the end!!! What performance you are talking about. I am in Madrid and watched the in the lounge of my hotel. It was embarrassing and people were laughing at Arsenal performance. Arsenal had 31% possession and there were times they could not touch the ball for 5 minutes!!!! Come on and get real. Flamini Mr windshield wiper was starting eleven, while Campbell on the bench. Wenger is the main reason we are in this mess. Besides, we were knocked out by Watford you think we had an inspiring game at Barca???! What are you drinking these days?!!!!
      Result of 3-1 is not reflection of the game. Now even Europe 3rd tier can beat us Olympiakos!!!!! Rings a bell?
      Wenger must go for Arsenal to regain its glory.

      1. Thank you for bringing that perspective. I talk football to a lot of my European colleagues and I’m affraid as Arsenal fans we tend to look at performances and certain players with rose tinted glasses. Yesterday one ofmy ffriends said we looked no netter than Villareal. That might give some perspective from a Spanish point of view.

        1. Barc v Villareal Feb 2015 was 3-2. So red thumb down guys you might not like it, but they did better than us in theory.

          1. Was that a Champions League match?
            No I thought not. So Arsenal are better than them in theory?

            1. I’m trying to explain what my Spanish friends saw yesterday, they not I said that. However, would you fancy Arsenal’s chances against the three Spanish sides who did qualify above Villareal – Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Athletico Madrid?

  2. On the title, it can be done but only if we play like last evening (offensively in creating chances) in every game from now on.
    But even then it might not be enough. We have some lunchtime games coming up and somedays Leicester are playing on Sunday after us, so we need to pile the pressure.

    1. Seriously !!!! So if Neymar had been injured we’d have probably beaten them …. Earth to delusional arsenal fans we’ve lost contact …. Jettison your wenger juice before it’s too late …

    2. Bellerin wasn’t learn from the Emirates fixture. He chased Neymar little too late. Last time Neymar passed to Messi, this time he scored himself. Bellerin need to extend his defensive awareness.

      1. He didn’t have Joel helping him on the right in defence. Sadly Alexis seems to have given up the chase a little in that department too. Iwobi doesn’t track back and defend on the wing,s either. I know you all love him, but he doesn’t do the defensive side.

  3. The EPL title race is between LC and Spuds unless Oil City can atch fire and win out.

    Arsenal FC should be inspired by the play of Iwobi as well asThe Egyptian Maestro, EL Neny. I concede the sample size is one game but both young Gunners were, along with DO the best players sporting red and white on the pitch all evening and should feature the rest of the EPL season.

    There continued emergence and

    1. evolution as first team players honestly makes the possible exodus of Theo and Ox a less than troublesome reality this summer.

  4. From what i saw barca players didn’t even sweat they were just trying to finish the match without injuries and doing all this they managed to score three goals, but I hope this will give us any kind of motivation.
    Stan/Wengergetthehellout#

  5. Barca is better than any
    EPL team so it was good
    preparation for Everton
    9 places below Arsenal.
    And no more injuries to any key players.
    So overall yes the team should be
    stronger for the experience.
    But players may be a little leg weary later in the game
    c.f. to Everton who had no mid week game.
    A loss will not be terminal but would leave us needing
    to win everything and hope other results go our way.
    Squeaky bum season is officially declared open.

    1. welcome back to the EPL…….. Say what say what anything can happen *singing wyclef’s old block buster*

    2. Remember how well we played against Barca at home? and then went on to lose to a Man utd reserve team, don’t be fooled by yesterday’s performance in short

      1. When are you going to stop with this stupid myth. Man United had ONE youth plyer. And he scored two goals.At Old Trafford. Don’t let the truth get in the way eh?

  6. Time will tell. 9 fixtures left: Everton, Watford, Wst Ham, Crystal Palace, West brom, Sunderland Norwich, Man city, villa.

    These are all ‘winnable’ matches with mostly bottom half clubs. Keep in mind gunners we prob have the easiest schedule to finish out the season so there’s always a chance.

    somebody needs to light a fire under these players tho, that’s the bottom line.

    1. Honestly, i dn’t like our remaining fixtures……… Dunno which ones u think are even winnable

  7. I’m actually proud of the way the team played today, it didn’t even look like the same Arsenal that played in the first leg. Why isn’t this team more consistent? why is the manager allowing this to go on? 9 games, if we play the way we played today we can get this title.

    Sanchez on the right flank should’ve happened a long time ago. He looked like a different man, rejuvenated.

    1. Statistically, 79 points ain’t win you league title dude. Can’t see how we can collect all points remain with those lack of conversion rate. But that’s the best we have to do, nonetheless. Right now the earth are rotating at Leicester. Still can’t except rationally that these guys are having Hollywood movie in the making.

  8. Fact-Messi scored more goals AGAINST Arsenal(in few games)than Wilshere scored (FOR Arsenal )on his entire career…that say it all,I rest my case.

    1. FACT – Messi has scored 9 goals against Arsenal
      FACT – Wilshere has scored 12 goals for Arsenal.

      FACT FACT FACT – Check your facts before putting your foot in your mouth

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