Liverpool FC Forum

[Dundalk]

Well are regain is nearly over and what a year it has been, these two teams meet tonight to decide who takes our crown for the next 12 months until we win it back.

Good luck Barca, I cant listen to Gunners fans going on about this for a year, I reckon it will be 3-0

[laza]

Good luck Barca, my defence of Champion league's  prediction table rests with you

oh and the less English winners of CL the better 

[jonnymac1979]

Watched a programme with Andy Gray and Jamie Redkapp last night where they went over it tactically.  Quite a good programme, they used a points system over five different attributes like scoring goals, killer passing, set pieces etc... with Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.  They had Henry as the better by a point, purely on goalscoring ability.  That's what won it for him.  Andy Gray gave it 10 - 8 in Henry's favour.

It also showed you parts of games this season showing Barcelona's weaknesses.  In summary, Van Bronckhorst and Marquez needs to be exploited.  If Xavi plays, he might not be at 100% match fitness due to him being injured for so long.  If Eboue gets forward down that right wing, Gilberto needs to drop back in for cover because if the move breaks down, Ronaldinho will be in acres to run at Arsenal's defence with Eboue stranded upfield.  Common sense really as Ronaldinho doesn't track back too often.  Same goes for Ashley Cole on the other side with Deco and Giuly.

This should ultimately be a great game of football and even my little tantrum about Arsenal winning it isn't there as much anymore, it wouldn't really bother me that much if they won it, but I'll take any result as long as I'm entertained and the team that wins it deserves it.

[JC_81]

I can't wait for this game to be honest, probably the most excited I've been about a club game that we've not been involved in.  Gutted I'm going to miss the first 20 mins or so because I'm playing a match myself tonight...

I hope Arsenal don't freeze like they did against Villareal, because if they play their normal game then this one should be a cracker.  If they can play well enough to get Henry into the game often enough then I actually think they'll win it, he's the key without a doubt.  Barce are different.  They don't rely on Ronaldinho nearly as much as Arsenal do on Henry and for this reason I'd have them favourites.  But not massive favourites.  For the last couple of months Arsenal's form has been a match for any side.

To be honest I still don't want Arsenal to win it. I respect the way they play and all and I like watching Henry play, but it's just Wenger, he irritates the feck out of me.  The way he huffed last year and said that although LFC won the CL, it is a knockout tournament which ANY side can win and that a lot of luck is involved.  He said it is not as good a competition as the premiership.  Yet this season he rests players like Henry against United in a league game, saving them for a CL game - contradiction or what.  Anyway, should be a good one.

[greenred]

Wengers "lucky" comments last year annoyed me as well.He was obviously suffering from a severe case of sour grapes and probably embarrassed by Arsenals miserable record in the European Cup.Luck comes into it of course,but you can say that about every competition,even the Premiership.Twenty Eight European Cups have been won by five clubs...Madrid,Liverpool,Milan,Bayern,Ajax....not a "lucky" team amongst them.

[Judge]

on paper barca should steam it, but in euro finals (unless your a boro fan ), i think arsenal could shade it at best

however 2-1 to barca, or if they fall apart then barca could thrash them 4 or 5 nil

[RUSHIE#9]

Wenger's a nob when it comes to making public statements!! He may be a good manager but when it comes to opening his mouth he becomes a bit of a d1ck. . All teams need to be lucky to become winners of any competition but what makes that team stand out from the rest is having the ability and the desire to create that luck for themselves. As for tonights game, yes Barcelona have got weaknesses at the back and yes Ronaldinho very rarely tracks back but there is a hell of alot more to Barca than that. When they are on the defensive they have the pace to break so quick that they can be on their way back to the centre circle for the kick-off after scoring a goal before the defending team has retreated.  Ronaldinho doesn't track back but eto'o will and that makes him a dnager because he can win the ball back himself and then travel up the pitch at speed with it on the counter attack; this is something Arsenal will have to be very wary of as it has delivered many goals for Barca this season.
I predict a cracking game of footy with a 3-1 win to Barcelona.


BARCA BARCA BARCA BAARRRCCAAA!!!!!!!!!

[lakes10]

Barcelona or Arsenal ...who would i like to see win..why apart of me would love Arsenal to go down by 5-0 just so i can wine the bloke up next door, but in fact i would like to see Arsenal win, ok they dont have many english players but they are still a english team.
i will be backing Arsenal tonight....sorry

oh and if they do win i hope it would mean that Thierry Henry will stay in English football, i like to see the best players in the world play in the England.

[Fowler_ The _Prowler]

Pretty confident Barca will win.

[dawson99]

senderos deserves to play tho. its not fair that ALL season whilst sol campbell and ashley cole were injured a makeshift defense proved to be the best defense in the competition, just for the 2 injured players to get back to the final.

im cheering on arsenal with my mate stevie g

[stmichael]

can't wait for this game to start. in all fairness, what it really needs is an early goal because that way, the game will open up and it will be a great spectacle to watch. i don't want it to become like a game of chess (as the barca chelsea games were) and with the two managers philosophies i can't see it being.

arsenal are underdogs, make no doubt about it. i just worry greatly with this 4-5-1 system that they use in europe, that they'll struggle to get enough people forward to support henry. i honestly think that the way arsenal can exploit barca the most is on set pieces. victor valdes is a major weakness for them. so is van bronckhorst. he's decent going forward but he's no defender. arsenal will have to be extremely wary of deco "winning" free kicks around the edge of the box.

for some reason i've just got a feeling that arsenal will win it 2-1 in extra time. it's destiny, almost like us last year.

[account deleted by request]

Pretty sure Barca will win cos in my opinion Arsenal havent got the bottle to perform on the big stage and close finals are won with the heart and the mind. Gotta love Wenger anyone who throws soup and pizza over Alex Ferguson can't be all bad.

final score Barca 2 Arsenal 1

[kazza 1]

Have just been on the FC Barcelona web site. They are pretty confident that they will do it. I think they will. Scoreline for me will hopefully be 4 - 1 Barca

Tonights team's (from the above wed site) You can correct me if I'm wrong.

Barcelona...........
Valdes, Belleti, Puyol, Marquez, Gio, Edmilson, Iniesta, Deco, Giuly, Etoo, and Ronaldinho.

Jorquera, Xavi, Messi, Larsson, Oleguer, Van Bommel, and Sylvinho on the bench.

Arsenal,.............
Lehman, Eboue, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Gilberto, Hleb, Cesc, Lijungberg, Reyes, and Henry.

Almunia, Sanderos, Flamini, Pires, Song, Van Persie, and Bergkamp on the bench.


¡Va Barcelona va!!!!!

[stmichael]

xavi, larsson, messi and van bommel on the bench?

talk is that pires will start instead of reyes. it'll be pires' last game for arsenal as he's agreed a 2 year deal with villarreal.

[Ciggy]

Nothing to add yet only CMON BARCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!