Lessons to be learnt

Yet again Arsenal have been involved in a classic game. It was built up before hand as the battle of the two true footballing sides and certainly one side showed its class, unfortunately it was Barcelona. However Arsenal showed, what they have shown all season, grit and determination, the same grit and determination that will be needed in bucket-loads if they are to lift a title this year, especially if what is feared about Cesc and Gallas is confirmed.

At the time of writing, it is merely fears that two of our most pivotal players could be ruled out for the season. Even before the game it was touch and go, Cesc was named in the starting line up but given special dispensation to drop out if required. Gallas was going into the game on just a few days training after being out for seven weeks, so there was a massive element of risk on these two players and maybe in hindsight it has backfired but was it worth a try.

This season Arsenal have become Barcelona mark two, adopting the Catalan's side trademark 4-3-3 formation and playing similarly attractive football. I think all of this and the billing of the game as the battle of the footballing sides all fired up Barcelona to play some of the best football I for one have ever seen.

The pundits and the remarkably poor ITV were waxing lyrical over Barcelona and how outplayed Arsenal were, but did anyone think that maybe this was Barcelona playing at their very, very best, a standard that even they don't reach week in, week out. They were clearly coming out at the Emirates to prove a point, that the pretenders to their best footballing side title were just that, pretenders.

To be fair, they did just that. They were the better side for about 60 minutes but they tired towards the end, were even the great Barcelona side not able to keep up that standard for 90 minutes. Maybe I am just clutching at straws but an already average defence will be weakened by Puyol and Pique's suspensions and I doubt Iniesta will return so we can go to Camp Nou with hope but for the moment that's all, just a hope.

Lessons have to be learnt though, in the opening 60 minutes Barcelona were doing everything Arsenal were doing, just better. For the second leg and the rest of the season for that matter, we should watch this game and learn from it. Closing down was a team effort, it was closing down from the front and not just closing down for the sake of it, there was intent to win the ball and everyone did it even the great Messi.

The forwards, when not thwarted by Almunia, took their chances. However good Bendtner was, he had a couple of chances that he needs to start taking such as the free header which was fired straight at the keeper. Ibrahimovic, a similarly frustrating striker, was impressively clinical when through on goal, despite being strewn with errors, the first goal was very well taken and the second was past Almunia before he could react.

It could be argued that Barcelona just have better players, Ibrahimovic and Bendtner aren't exactly at the moment at least on the same level but if your going to beat Barcelona your going to have to beat them on effort if you cannot beat them in skill and that's exactly what we didn't do on Wednesday night. Without Fabregas, Gallas and maybe even Arshavin for the second leg, the effort is going to need to be massive to come out of Camp Nou with a win, which is what we need.

The game at the weekend against Wolves has become even tougher, Fabregas, Gallas, Arshavin will all be out of that game and there will undoubtedly be a hangover from a very tough midweek game. Plus there is another big decision whether to play Sol Campbell or rest him for the return leg, that decision could show what Arsene Wenger's priorities are. However with Man Utd and Chelsea meeting Saturday lunchtime, the result from that game could be just the boost the team need before coming up against an in form Wolves side. Every game is a big game from now on though.

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