Messi gives Arsenal knockout blow

How good is he? Lionel Messi one of the greatest players that has ever lived has single handidly beaten Arsenal 4-1.

Not a great night for Arsenal fans but a great match for the neutral. Arsenal had several key men missing for the trip including Arshavin, Fabregas, Gallas, Song and Campbell. Barcelona also had 2 key defenders missing Pique and Puyol who were both suspended.

Arsenal needed to get a good start but, with Barca having the home support they did not get a good start. Barcelona started lively and Messi had a couple of shots from outside the box but could not find the net.

Arsenal then had a chance and Bendtner managed to make it 1-0 and 3-2 on aggregate. Diaby slipped a lovely ball through to Walcott who then managed to find Bendtner but his first shot was saved. He then managed to get the ball in on the second attempt.

Barcelona knew they needed something special to get back into the tie and they did. Two minutes after Bendtner had made it 1-0, Messi scored a great goal from just outside the box. It happened after Silvestre made a hash of a clearence and passed it straight to Messi who blasted the ball home.

Barcelona were dominating the game and Messi got another chance to run at Silvestre but he fired his shot into the side netting.
A few minutes later Messi made it 2-1. Abidal crossed from the left and found Pedro who passed to Messi. Clichy could not get close to him and he fired into the back of the net for his second of the night.

Barcelona were dominating and Arsenal could not get the ball and without their two strongest defenders Gallas and Campbell, Messi went on and scored his third. Keita headed the ball past the Arsenal defence to Messi who went through and chipped the ball over Almunia to make it 3-1.

The score at half time was 3-1 and 5-3 on aggregate to Barca.

Barcelona continued to dominate in the second half and Pedro got a great chance to make it 4-1 when Messi took a quick free kick through to him but he chipped the ball over and wide of Almunia. The score remained 3-1.

Arsenal had a great chance for once but Bendtner was offside after Clichy had delivered a great ball to him but he hit the post anyway.

It already looked like an impossible task but when Barcelona made it 4-1 Arsenal's European dreams were over. Messi went through and then on the second attempt he slotted it through Almunia's legs. 6-3 on aggregate.

Arsenal were completly dominated by Barca and Messi leaving questions for Arsene about his defence and goal keeper.

The final score on the night was 4-1 and 6-3 on aggregate.

My man of the match: Messi

Bendtner injury time winner sinks Wolves

Arsenal needed to get all 3 points when they played Wolves at the Emirates to keep their title dreams alive. They managed to do that after Bendtner scored an injury time winner.

Arsenal started lively when Theo Walcott ran at the Wolves defence and crossed to Eduardo but his effort was saved by Hahnemann.Theo then got another chance to run at the Wolves defence. He then played the ball out to Rosicky who pulled the ball back into the path of Eduardo but completly scuffed the shot and the ball went wide. Clearly not the finisher he once was when he first joined Arsenal.

Arsenal continued to pressure Wolves down the right hand side and after a nice interchange between Walcott and Sagna, Sagna's shot was saved by the Wolves keeper.
Arsenal were attacking well and after a Rosicky corner was cleared the ball fell to Walcott who volleyed from out side the box but Hahnemann got to the shot and saved it.

The score at half time was 0-0.

Wolves then had one of their first attacks of the game and it resulted in a free kick to them after Karl Henry was brought down. The free kick was a good one but Almunia found it an easy save.

Then came the turning point in the match when Karl Henry was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Rosicky just inside their own half.

Arsenal then had a great opportunity to make it 1-0 when Walcott delivered the ball into the box to Rosicky but his shot was kept out.

Wolves wanted a goal aswell and they got a corner but the ball was kept out by Rosicky on the line.

Arsenal kept pressuring and a great chance fell to Walcott but he could only manage to stear his effort wide.

Then finally the goal came in injury time. Sagna crossed from the right into Bendtner and he headed home to keep Arsenal's title hopes alive. The stadium erupted and the players crowded around Bendtner to celebrate with him. What a crucial goal that was.Arsenal then should of made it 2-0 when they went on a counter attack but Denilson's shot was blocked.

The final score was 1-0 to Arsenal.

My man of the match: Rosicky

Fabregas scores late on but misses second leg

On Wednesday, Arsenal welcomed Barcelona to the Emirates for their first leg of the quarter finals of the Champions League and what a night it was!
With Arsenal the underdogs against the Holders from 2009 they needed a good start. They did not get that though.
Barcelona you could see were up for it as they put early pressure on the Gunners, but could not put any of them in the back of the net. One of the great chances fell to Ibrahimovic who skied his effort over the bar but he was offside anyway. He got another great chance after the Arsenal defence had misjudged the pass but he could only stear his shot into the side netting.

Arsenal could not get the ball out of their own half. Ibrahimovic kept on getting shots out but Almunia kept on making great saves. Xavi got a great chance as well but somehow Almunia dived across the face of the goal to keep yet another effort out. The rebound came out to Dani Alves and his shot took a deflection and Song had to head the ball clear. The ball fell to Messi who volleyed the ball but Song managed to block again. The attack was then over and the Barcelona manager must of been thinking how the score was not 1-0.

Arsenal finally managed to get their first shot of the game when Nasri shot from just inside the box but the ball just fizzed wide.

Barcelona kept getting forward and Messi looked to of had a penalty when he went down under the challenge of Clichy but the referee said no.

Eboue then had to come on for Arshavin because he was injured.
Bendtner got a great chance minutes later hitting the post but the linesman already had his flag up for offside.

Barcelona were still looking for that away goal when Fabregas fouled Busquets. Even though it was a fair challenge Fabregas was booked and picked up his 3rd yellow card of the campaign. He now misses the second leg in Spain.

The score at half time was 0-0.

The first half started off greatly for Barcelona after Puyol sent a great ball down field to Ibrahimovic who lifted the ball over the oncoming Almunia to make the score 1-0. That was his first goal in England.

Arsenal were all of a sudden sprung back to life after the goal and a great chance fell to Bendtner after Clichy's cross but his header was kept out by Victor Valdes.
Barcelona managed to clear the ball after and went on the counter attack. Dani Alves clipped the ball into the box but Xavi missed the header when he should of scored just like Bendtner.

Barcelona then came on the attack again and Alves put the ball over the Arsenal defence right into the path of Ibrahimovic who blasted the ball past Almunia for a simple second goal of the night for him.

After the goal Arsenal brought on Walcott for Sagna to give more pace to the game. Not that there was not enough already.
With Fabio Capello watching from the stands he needed to make an impression and he did with a goal. Bendtner played a lovely through ball for Walcott to run onto. He got the ball and side footed it past Valdes.
Then the star of the show Zlatan Ibrahimovic made way for Thierry Henry who got a tremendous applause. He was then greeted with a boo when he took his first touch.

Walcott was still running down the right hand side when he delivered a ball which was deflected into the path of Bendtner who headed the ball to Fabregas. Just as he was about to let rip on the shot Puyol made contact with him and Cesc went down. Penalty to Arsenal and Puyol was sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity.
Fabregas took the penalty and smashed it past Valdes to make the score 2-2.

Worrying signs though as Fabregas limped back to the half way line. He received treatment and Arsenal having made all 3 substitutions had to carry on for the next minute with 10 men. Fabregas wanted to continue though and came back on.

Both sides were still working hard though to get a winner but no one could put the ball into the back of the net.

The score finished 2-2 and sets up the second leg at the Nou Camp very nicely. Arsenal will miss Fabregas (broken leg) and Gallas and Arshavin (Calf strain) for the next leg though.

My Man of the Match: Walcott

Arsenal have feast of chances but only manage a point

Arsenal's title chances now hang in the balance after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham at St Andrews.

Arsenal had an early chance when Rosicky provided an early cross from the left into Diaby but put his effort wide.

Arsenal got another great chance moments later after a lofted ball from Fabregas found Walcott but his shot hit Joe Hart in the Birmingham goal.

Birmingham then had a chance after a Carr throw found Mcfadden but his shot was tame and it was an easy save for Almunia.
Birmingham continued to press and Cameron Jermome managed to work a shot but Almunia managed to tip the ball around the post.

Arsenal then went on the attack but a strong challenge from Gardner on Fabregas prevented the attack. Fabregas was hurt and hobbled off to the touch line to receive treatment, luckily he was ok and managed to carry on.

Nothing much exciting had happened in the first half as the score remained 0-0.

Birmingham had started the first half lively but failed to convert any of their chances.

Arsenal then had their first chance of the first half when Rosicky found Diaby who managed to find room to shoot but his effort fell straight into the hands of Hart.

Birmingham continued to get forward. They got a free kick just inside Arsenal's half after Gardner went down. The kick was lofted into the box towards Johnson. He stretched out to get it and the ball flashed across the box and hit the post. The rebound fell to Scott Dann but he kneed the ball sky high over the bar.

Arsenal needed someone to spring them to life and Wengar brought Nasri and Arshavin on.
Arsenal finally got the ball in the back of the net from Diaby but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Bowyer.

Arsenal got a corner but it was headed out. Arsenal managed to head it back though and the ball found Nasri who ran until he got to the edge of the box and shot. His effort found the back of the net. 1-0 Arsenal!

Arsenal were still getting forward and they were rewarded with a free kick when Carr brought down Arshavin on the edge of the box.
Fabregas took the kick but Hart managed to tip the ball wide.
After the free kick Arshavin had a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 but failed to connect right and shot wide.

Then out of nowhere Birmingham got the equaliser in injury time! Hart smashed the ball up field to Phillips who controlled and put the ball out wide. The ball came in and Phillips made contact and put the ball into the back of the net. It was a special goal for Phillips as it was his 250th professional career goal.

The final score ended 1-1.
My Man of the Match: Diaby