Арсенал (Лондон, Англия)

Barton's tackle on Diaby I've given Barton plenty of stick in the past but his tackle on Diaby while robust was perfectly acceptable. He was in control of his movement and won the ball. Diaby was caught in the follow through, due to the way he went into the tackle and although his reaction was understandable given his previous injuries, it was over the top and left Dowd no option but to show red. Should Nolan have been sent off? 'All we want is consistency ref,' tweeted Jack Wilshere. Nolan joined the fracas involving Diaby and pushed him. If Diaby had to go for two pushes, as Dowd indicated, then surely Nolan should have had yellow for his shove on Diaby and then at least another yellow for throwing Arsenal keeper Szczesny to the ground after Newcastle's first goal. Wilshere was right and should not be punished by the FA. Newcastle's penalties The first penalty was given for a silly tackle by Koscielny on Best. It was soft, but the defender made contact when there was no need. But the second penalty was baffling. Assistant Trevor Massey flagged having seen a push by Rosicky. Replays showed the decision was wrong.

«Ньюкасл» стал первой командой в истории АПЛ, сумевшей отыграть четыре мяча

В матче 26-го тура чемпионата Англии между «Ньюкаслом» и «Арсеналом» (4:4) был установлен абсолютный рекорд лиги.

«Канониры», поведя 3:0 к десятой минуте, закончили первый тайм со счетом 4:0.

Однако после перерыва «сороки» сумели отыграться, отправив в ворота лондонцев четыре мяча с 68-й по 88-ю минуту.

«Ньюкасл» стал первой командой в истории английской премьер-лиги, сумевшей спастись, проигрывая по ходу встречи с разницей в четыре мяча, сообщает Infostrada

Классная победа на классе. Радует, что еще Барселона очки потеряла [не стоит воспринимать последнее замечание сверх серьезно] Издание также сообщает, что голландцу и бесспорному герою матча предложили новый контракт до 2016 года. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1...ie-new-deal.html Оценки Guardian: Wojciech Szczesny 7.4 Bacary Sagna 7.6 Laurent Koscielny 7.6

Johan Djourou 8.1 Gael Clichy 7.4 Cesc Fabregas 8.0

Theo Walcott 7.9 Alexandre Song 7.9 Jack Wilshere 8.6

Pereira Neves Denilson 6.6 Andrey Arshavin 8.0 Marouane Chamakh 7.0

Robin van Persie 8.8 Nicklas Bendtner 6.6

Тройка лидеров на Arsenal.com на данный момент: 1. Robin van Persie 53% 2. Jack Wilshere 27% 3. Andrey Arshavin 6%

И Sky Sports: Wojciech Szczesny Didn't have a shot to save 7 6.9 Gael Clichy A good battle with Zubar 7 6.9 Johan Djourou Best Arsenal defender 8 7.7 Bacary Sagna Did his job 7 7.0 Laurent Koscielny Rarely troubled 7 7.1 Alex Song Tough in the tackle 7 7.3

Jack Wilshere Man of the match [это они так написали] 9 8.4 Cesc Fabregas Never had to get in top gear 8 7.7 Theo Walcott Missed a sitter but was a real threat 7 7.3

Robin van Persie Scored a fine brace 9 8.9 Andrey Arshavin Looked bright but missed a few chances 7 7.8 Denilson (Sub) Shored things up 6 5.6

Nicklas Bendtner (Sub) Looked poor 5 5.4 Марокканца они потеряли П.С.: никогда не мог подумать, что Gunners играют по схеме 4-4-2

Samir Nasri could feature for Arsenal in Wednesday's Champions League tie against Barcelona after the midfielder took part in a training session at the Emirates ahead of the game.

The France international has not played since injuring his hamstring against Huddersfield in the FA Cup on 30 January and had been expected to miss the last-16 first-leg match, but it now appears he may make a surprise return.

The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, was adamant that he would not take a chance on the midfielder if he was not sure of his fitness. "Samir is in the squad and the starting line-up will be decided tomorrow," Wenger said. "I will take no medical risk. It's good to have him in the squad.

"He's recovered quicker than expected. I said it would be 21 days but it will be only 17 days. Everybody's absolutely adamant that he's completely medically available. It's down to me to make the decision."

Nasri has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season and could turn out to be a key figure as Arsenal attempt to avenge their 6-3 aggregate defeat to the Spanish champions at the quarter-final stage of the competition last season.

Wenger, who described Barcelona as "the best team in the world", insisted that revenge was not something Arsenal are considering.

"I believe you can look at it the other way round," he said. "We have a good opportunity to show that we are not the team who played against them last year. We are highly motivated to show we are a different team.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world and you would think if we knock Barcelona out then we have a chance to win the competition."

Wenger pinpointed Robin van Persie as potentially a key man as Arsenal go in search of victory but refused to campare him to Barcelona's talisman Lionel Messi.

"I am happy [with his recent form] because I have always been a fan of Robin," he said. "I bought him at a time when not many people were convinced by him. "I won't compare [him with Messi]. It's something I've never liked. I believe in my players and they have the ability to do it. You exist at our level because you have qualities that are specific to you. Robin has exceptional qualities."

Wenger also revealed that his captain, Cesc Fábregas, who missed out on a move to Barcelona last summer, will approach this game in the same manner as every other.

"He will approach this game like he approaches every game with a huge desire to win. He wants to win every singe game and if he doesn't achieve that then he is extremely frustrated and tomorrow"

The potential return of Nasri is a massive boost to Wenger, who is already without the suspended Bacary Sagna, and he will be joined on the sidelines by Abou Diaby, who misses out with a calf injury sustained while playing for France against Brazil last week.

1 Internazionale

Champions League 20 Apr 2010

Much is made of José Mourinho's ultra-defensive approach to the semi-final second leg against Barcelona last year but Inter did actually lose that game and, but for a poor decision from the referee in the final minute, would have lost the tie. A far better performance came in the first leg at San Siro – the first time Guardiola's side had been beaten by more than one goal. Mourinho's team combined tight defending with physical pressure, quick counterattacking and an awareness, above all, of the space behind both Barcelona full-backs. They were helped though by Barcelona's marathon coach trip to Milan

Result

Internazionale 3 Barcelona 1

2 Sporting Gijón

La Liga 12 Feb 2010

As David Villa put it: "Sporting managed to do to us what no one else has done to us and stop us playing." "It can be hard," Pep Guardiola said, "when a team puts nine or ten men behind the ball and denies us space." Manolo Preciado built two solid lines, close together, ceded territory and possession and funnelled Barcelona into traffic. They had not so much parked the bus, one newspaper noted, as parked the airbus. Sporting got the opener on a swift break from the edge of their area but were pinned back in the second half. Barcelona were also stymied by the absence of Sergio Busquets and, in the first half, Pedro

Result

Sporting Gijón 1 Barcelona 1

3 Real Madrid

La Liga 29 Nov 2010

On the morning of the game at the Camp Nou, Gonzalo Higuaín could be seen hobbling round the team hotel. Most assumed that Mourinho would take the opportunity to replace him with an extra defensive midfielder and play deep. Instead, emboldened by Madrid's results until that moment, his team played high. But they did so without the pressure that makes that approach work and, once Barça got the first, they were sunk. Lionel Messi sliced them open, finding space behind for David Villa to punish them. Madrid couldn't get a kick. Of the ball or, even, of their opponents' legs

Result

Barcelona 5

Real Madrid 0

ARSENE Wenger warned only Arsenal's best will give them a chance of beating Barcelona on Wednesday as the two most attractive sides in European football resume their Champions League rivalry.

The English giants welcome the Spanish league leaders to north London determined to erase the memory of last season's masterclass, when Barcelona crushed Wenger's side 6-3 on aggregate over two legs.

Although Barcelona are overwhelming favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, Wenger believes his side have absorbed the lessons handed out in that defeat and are a stronger unit 10 months on.

"When you play a team like Barcelona you need all 11 to be at their best," Wenger said. "For us it is important we play with belief.

"What we have learned from last season is in the first half we gave them too much respect, we were lucky to get away with that (in the home leg).

"We are not favourites in this game but I think we can do it."

"We know from last season's games that what is most important is to play at our level. Barcelona are maybe better this season than last season but so are we. That will make the game even more interesting."

Last season, Arsenal were run ragged in a scintillating first-half display at the first leg, eventually fighting back from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw.

The return leg at the Camp Nou saw Wenger's men swept aside after a virtuoso display from Lionel Messi, scorer of all Barcelona's goals in a 4-1 win.

Wenger however believes that the presence of Robin Van Persie - who missed the match last year - and Cesc Fabregas, who missed the second leg, mean his team will be a different proposition for Wednesday's last 16 clash.

Barcelona meanwhile are likely to be without central defender Carles Puyol as they aim to bounce back from the disappointment of seeing their record-breaking run of 16 straight victories in La Liga come to an end in a 1-1 draw with Sporting Gijon at the weekend.

Barca winger Pedro Rodriguez agreed with Wenger that Arsenal were a stronger side from the one beaten last season.

"It will be a very difficult tie, different from last year as maybe they are more dangerous," Pedro said.