First of all Arsenal fans, did you see that amazing game between FC Barcelona and PSG last night? Just like Arsenal the Spanish La Liga champions needed to overturn a four goal deficit from the first leg but unlike us they managed it and broke a Champions League record into the bargain, but unlike us they were the beneficiaries of the decisions of the referee and you have to then wonder what might have happened at the Emirates on Tuesday if Arsenal had not been on the wrong end of the big calls.
Just like Barca last night, the Gunners started the match against Bayern Munich well and when we scored a good early goal the Germans were pushed onto the back foot. At the Nou Camp the nerves really started to hit the visitors when a second went in before the break and that is exactly what should have happened in north London but our referee and his assistant went temporarily blind when Theo Walcott was taken out in the box.
Just imagine the scenes in the Bayern dressing room if it had been 2-0 at the break. At the same time the belief would be flowing in the Arsenal side and the second half could have been so much different. Instead our referee decides to help out the Germans and whereas Barca were given two soft penalties to help them achieve this remarkable feat we were punished by some downright bizarre officiating.
So it could have been so different and you can see why Arsene Wenger was so angry and why he declared that the ref changed the game, as we can see the stark difference a couple of decisions one way or the other can make. Having said that, I do not think that we would have had the spirit and the desire to come back to score six after the visitors had interrupted the momentum by scoring as Barca did.
Perhaps another big difference is that their manager fell on his sword after the first leg debacle while ours huffed and puffed and nothing changed. What do you think Gooners, were the two refs the difference in these two attempted comebacks?
Bob.