Arsenal face Barcelona: Mission Impossible?

Written by Nicholas Edwards

It may still be 57 days away but Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Barcelona on the 16th February is already prompting a lot of debate.

When the draw was made last Friday many were hoping for, and even predicting, a rematch of last season’s quarter final. Most Gunners fans were hoping for a different draw. Given the choice of the possible opponents in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Shalke; the Catalan giants were at the bottom of the wish list.

Now the team must face up to the responsibility of not winning the Group. Against teams such as Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade, Gunner’s fans (myself included) had expected an easy run to the knockout stages and subsequently an easier tie as group winners. It wasn’t to be the case and the mediocre performances have lead to difficult consequences.

Barcelona are the best football team on the planet right now. It’s hard to say that as an Arsenal fan but the 5-0 drubbing of Real Madrid proved that they are a step ahead of the rest in terms of quality. There is no weak point in their armour; there is no maintenance hatch in the death star for Luke Skywalker to take a shot at. They are solid in all areas of the pitch yet still play with a level of quality and flair that puts most others to shame. The current Barcelona team will be the hardest challenge that the Gunners have faced in a long time.

The main question is: do Arsenal have a chance?

Of course they do. Since the draw was made a number of Arsenal players have come out with statements supporting this idea.

“This is not some mission impossible, we can win this. Barcelona are not unbeatable. If they were invincible, they would win the champions League every year.”

These were the words of Cesc Fabregas who will surely be relishing the chance to prove his worth against his boyhood club.

Arsene Wenger was keen to put the tie in perspective, telling the official Arsenal website: “My reaction is very simple – difficult but possible.”

So, where do I stand on the debate? As a diehard Arsenal fan I’m certain we have the quality to beat Barcelona. When it comes to attacking play and technique I honestly believe we can match them. Our downfall lies in our mentality (Fabregas recently spoke of Arsenal’s fear). Arsenal players seem to play in a pensive manner when it comes to facing big teams. They seem to be caught between a desire to win and a fear of losing. If you look at Barcelona, they seem to take the opposite approach. They play with a fearlessness that allows their natural game to flourish. There will be talk of Arsenal’s defensive frailties but it is the mentality that needs to be corrected.

Arsenal did an amazing job at the Emirates last season to come from two goals behind to level the match. They started well at Camp Nou but Lionel Messi took over and showed the world why he is the best player in modern football.

However, I feel that last season’s two games have no relevance to the upcoming games. I am aware of how annoying it is to hear of teams bemoaning injuries to key players but it certainly was a factor last year. Big players were missing for Arsenal and it clearly has an effect.

February is a long way off and it is impossible to predict what will happen over the two legs. Who knows; Messi, Villa, Xavi and Iniesta could all be injured. Or it could be the other way round; Arsenal could be without Fabregas, Vermaelen, Van Persie, Chamakh and Nasri. It’s just too early to know who will be fit and who will be in form.

If the teams are fully fit and playing to the best of their abilities then one thing is for sure: it will be an amazing pair of matches that will be a tremendous showcase for football around the world. I’m not ruling out an Arsenal win (I’m praying that they can finally beat Barcelona) but it is a tall order, probably the tallest.

I just feel that the only team Arsenal has to beat is Arsenal. Once they overcome their insecurities and conquer their fears they will be capable of beating anyone. Whether they can achieve this by February 16th is another question altogether.

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