Tensions are understandably running high. There is no shame in losing to Barcelona at the Camp Nou – in fact there is little shame to be had for anybody associated with Arsenal other than maybe a couple of players and questionable decisions from the manager. It was the way in which it happened that angers us though, the consistent poor refereeing (both for an against) ultimately robbed football of what was set to be a pulsating final half-hour.

I will go onto the game in a minute but the temerity of UEFA to charge Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri whilst allowing Eric Abidal to get away with this is frankly astounding.

Time after time in the first half it was Barcelona falling to the ground that made the referee blow his whistle and not an Arsenal foul, it was like its written in FIFA’s ridiculous rulebook that you are not allowed to even touch a Barcelona player – and if you do you are some kind of anti-christ. The thing is, when someone like Dani Alves, the odious little rat that he is, scissor tackles one of our players he gets off scot-free.

Barcelona hated it when we didn’t respect them, there was nothing I liked to see more than Robin van Persie getting in their faces and letting them know that we will fight – not in the Ryan Shawcross manner, but the type that even had the permanently chilled Andrey Arshavin riled enough to go forehead to forehead with one of Barca’s precious little queens:

I think the foundation of our game last night was far too trusting in the officials, one bad call and we could have been facing an exit and that is far far too much faith being put in people who are renowned for making bad calls, and never admitting it. The high line got deeper and deeper as the pressure from Barcelona grew – a lot has been made out about how Arsenal went there with only defence in mind, I don’t believe that is the case and it is hardly an ‘abandonment’ of his philosophy of the typical Balague Barca types have been preaching. It is funny how he claimed we never pressured Busquets in his defensive role, yet it was him that scored our goal – watch the game before writing Guilliem, eh?

Barcelona are an amazing footballing team, but they are not great. Great clubs do not conduct themselves in the way that they do, Barcelona are arrogant, snide and enjoy the benefits from countless banks that bankroll them, they can do whatever they please. The only time we have faced them 1 to 11 in the strongest line-up’s we beat them.

And last night before the referee sent off van Persie for being a footballer, we were knocking them out.

The fact is that we defended like Trojans, like nobody ever thought we could. One stupid mistake put us on the back foot but by hook or by crook we were still fighting, we never gave up until after the sending off. By then we had been compromised by powers beyond even Wenger’s control.

Fabregas was fit enough to play at the weekend yet was still off-key tonight, he has had trouble with dealing with his hamstring troubles mentally and maybe they came back last night, he was only playing within himself at points this season due to this issue, scared of his hamstring going ping on him again. Robin van Persie was certainly not fully fit, maybe starting both was a bit of a mistake – it is a typical Arsenal thing to play half-fit stars th0ugh, they have always done it.

However, down to ten men and with a captain on his last legs after gifting them possession trying to pull off an egotistic back-heel we never really stood a chance of holding back Barcelona. Manuel Almunia did the very best he could, he was simply outstanding – redemption? No. Respect? Most certainly.

The sending off was the key for me though, van Persie could create something up out of nothing on a break but without him we didn’t even have an escape route, we still fought but it just didn’t happen in the end.

Here a few concerns I had though:

Yet again we went into a massive game conservatively. Did Rosicky merit his starting place? If he does I’m worth a go up front, honestly, he has been shocking this season yet can suddenly slot in against the best team in Europe? Abou Diaby is another player that I am sick of, he has just had far too many chances now and it is about time the boss made his mind up over him. Injuries are unfortunate but can you really say that he has improved a great deal in the past four years?

I don’t think we went out to defend, the starting line-up put us on the back foot and invited pressure, we couldn’t keep possession and it is getting alarming how easy we give the ball away when we are being put under pressure – it has been exposed countless times this season.

In the closing minutes there was just no desire, Abou Diaby was just jogging around like we were three nil up, we needed one goal yet there was no urgency at all and it was driving me mad.

The weekend is so important now, we must win against United in my opinion but after seeing the players trudge off, knackered, I don’t harbor much hope.

Cesc, Arsene and Robin – you have a task on your hands now. As I said earlier, there is no shame in being beaten by Barcelona – the only shame inflicted last night was Barcelona and the referee (plus officials) on themselves. Where was the common sense?

van Persie was concentrating on controlling the ball and getting an effort away, 95,000 people were standing up singing, and he is expected to hear a poxy little whistle from the referee? It was a scandalous decision especially when the timing between Robin’s shot and the officials whistle was one second.

Is this what it has come to?

I’m a proud Arsenal fan today, at least the referee can’t take that away. Onto the next one…

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