Well Done Arsenal

Two teams who can only play one way gave a demonstration at the Emirates last night of how the beautiful game should be played. Arsenal, for so long the victims of the sucker punch, drew Barcelona into their half and twice hit them with the sort of counter attack used two years ago by Manchester United in the Champions League semi-final with such devastating effect.

The first half belonged to Barcelona, once Arsenal had got over the excitement of being allowed to play with the big boys, who dominated possession and who passed the ball with a precision that old Isosceles himself would have been proud. Never have so many triangles been seen outside of a Toblerone factory, it was stunning to watch, the only surprise coming when Lionel Messi inexplicably delayed shooting when through on goal and the ball was chipped agonisingly wide of the far post. When David Villa did rush onto a Messi pass and put the ball between the legs of the oncoming Arsenal goalkeeper you could sense that the Arsenal fans feared it would herald the beginning of an onslaught and in terms of possession it did - we are used to seeing Barcelona rack-up silly numbers in La Liga but to outpass Arsenal by two to one and have 60% of the play, as they did at one point in the second half was astounding.

Arsenal, we had been told by the Professor, were mentally tougher than the team that had capitulated horribly at the Nou Camp last April, the fact that only three of the current team had played that night also helped, and so it proved. Twice in the last twelve minutes Barcelona were caught with more men ahead of the ball than behind it and twice they were punished with unerring finishing, although Van Persie's goal was helped by Victor Valdes committing the goalkeeping cardinal sin of not covering his near post. The second goal was a thing of beauty, a sweeping move ending with Arshavin passing the ball into the net.

On another night Messi's first half goal would have been, correctly, allowed to stand and Barcelona would have gone in at half time 2-0 up but football is about ifs, buts and maybes and Arsenal were entitled to their moment in the sun.

Between now and the second leg Barcelona have to play two home league matches against Athletic Bilbao and Real Zaragoza and away games against Mallorca and Valencia. Arsenal have games against Orient (FA Cup), Stoke City, the Carling Cup Final against Birmingham City and then Sunderland away