# Barca v Arsenal



## Deiseblue (9 Mar 2011)

Was at the game last night , I will never complain about stewarding at Irish sporting venues again !

We had designated seat numbers but the reality was that it was a case of first in takes the best seats and then stand on that seat for the duration !

Still we adapted and enjoyed a cracking game spoilt only by Van Persies sending off , it really was men against boys though and Barca for all their brilliance have a rugged edge as well.


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## Shawady (9 Mar 2011)

Aren't you a spurs fan?
Big game tonight.

It's amazing to see Barca do to Arsenal what Asrenal do to most teams in the premiership every week.
They are on a par with the great Milan team of Van Basten and co.


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## Mpsox (9 Mar 2011)

Watched it and got sicker as the game went on, are soccer players turning into the biggest bunch of wusses known to mankind? What does the like of Ruby Walsh, Tony McCoy or BOD make of these overpaid wimps rolling around in agony if they get so much as a finger touching them. Does your average soccer player have any pride?.

Used to be an Arsenal/Cork City fan, and still keep an eye out for them, but frankly, if there was a major soccer match on across the road, I wouldn't go to see it if I was getting paid to, it's an embarrasment at this stage.


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## Deiseblue (9 Mar 2011)

Mpsox said:


> Watched it and got sicker as the game went on, are soccer players turning into the biggest bunch of wusses known to mankind? What does the like of Ruby Walsh, Tony McCoy or BOD make of these overpaid wimps rolling around in agony if they get so much as a finger touching them. Does your average soccer player have any pride?.
> 
> Used to be an Arsenal/Cork City fan, and still keep an eye out for them, but frankly, if there was a major soccer match on across the road, I wouldn't go to see it if I was getting paid to, it's an embarrasment at this stage.



To be quite honest the pace and skill levels were frightening and the tackles were robust.

All 5 of us that travelled felt privileged to see players like Messi - his opening goal was a reminder of why so many of us love the game and Abidal is a giant of a defender and I could watch Xavi & Iniesta all day.

Sure players dive & roll but it's really a small price to pay in terms of Barca's overall brilliance.

Torn between Scobies & the Michael Collins for the Spurs game !


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## Sunny (9 Mar 2011)

Deiseblue said:


> To be quite honest the pace and skill levels were frightening and the tackles were robust.
> 
> All 5 of us that travelled felt privileged to see players like Messi - his opening goal was a reminder of why so many of us love the game and Abidal is a giant of a defender and I could watch Xavi & Iniesta all day.
> 
> ...


 
Agree about Messi's first goal. The touch deserved much more credit than given by the pundits. When I first saw it, I thought it deflected up off the keeper but it was pure genius. Barcelona are one of the finest club sides of all time. I still think their win over Madrid earlier in the season was the finest performance I have seen.


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## Deiseblue (9 Mar 2011)

Sunny said:


> Agree about Messi's first goal. The touch deserved much more credit than given by the pundits. When I first saw it, I thought it deflected up off the keeper but it was pure genius. Barcelona are one of the finest club sides of all time. I still think their win over Madrid earlier in the season was the finest performance I have seen.



Couldn't agree more.

The good news is that Barca & Real play in the league on the 16th April and in the Copa del Rey Cup Final 4 days later.


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## Mpsox (9 Mar 2011)

Deiseblue said:


> To be quite honest the pace and skill levels were frightening and the tackles were robust.


 
If that was robust tackling, then I hate to see what the Barca players would make of a junior B gaelic football match. Yes, the pace and skill of Barca is impressive, but there isn't a single reason for diving and rolling about. It's cheating, through and through.

Credit to James McCarthy a few weeks back after he headbutted Rooney's elbow, his reaction was fine, need to see much more of that.


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## Ceist Beag (9 Mar 2011)

Speaking of James McCarthy, I really hope he makes a competitive appearance for the Republic soon to eliminate any chance he could play for Scotland as I think this lad is the real deal and will be a great player for Ireland in years to come.


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## Staples (9 Mar 2011)

Mpsox said:


> Watched it and got sicker as the game went on, are soccer players turning into the biggest bunch of wusses known to mankind? What does the like of Ruby Walsh, Tony McCoy or BOD make of these overpaid wimps rolling around in agony if they get so much as a finger touching them. Does your average soccer player have any pride?.
> 
> Used to be an Arsenal/Cork City fan, and still keep an eye out for them, but frankly, if there was a major soccer match on across the road, I wouldn't go to see it if I was getting paid to, it's an embarrasment at this stage.


 
I'd agree.  Soccer at its best really is a beautiful game but really good matches are few and far between.  Overall the game has become toxic in terms of the way it's played, the low lifers at its forefront, and the complete absence of any sort of moral code.


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## MrMan (9 Mar 2011)

Staples said:


> I'd agree.  Soccer at its best really is a beautiful game but really good matches are few and far between.  Overall the game has become toxic in terms of the way it's played, the low lifers at its forefront, and the complete absence of any sort of moral code.



Everyone sees diving and overreacting as a real frustration, but then you sit back and realise that these guys are playing flat out for 90 mins covering over 10/12 kms per match amid flying tackles etc. The game has changed, it is more physical now if anything, supreme fitness is a given for all sides at the top level.

Low lifers are in all sports, footballers tend to get extra flak, but go into a pub with a bunch of GAA or Rugby boys and you'll realise that although they might come from 'fine families' they are well capable of dropping the tone.


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## Staples (9 Mar 2011)

MrMan said:


> Everyone sees diving and overreacting as a real frustration, but then you sit back and realise that these guys are playing flat out for 90 mins covering over 10/12 kms per match amid flying tackles etc. The game has changed, it is more physical now if anything, supreme fitness is a given for all sides at the top level.


 
Running 10km in a match is not a justification for diving and/or feigning injury to get a free or to get an opponent booked/sent off. 



MrMan said:


> Low lifers are in all sports, footballers tend to get extra flak, but go into a pub with a bunch of GAA or Rugby boys and you'll realise that although they might come from 'fine families' they are well capable of dropping the tone.


 
I'm no particular fan of rugby but I am at least impressed by the way in which they at least have some respect for the status of the referee. One aspect of football I fiind particulalrly distasteful is the aggressive pursuit of the referee by a bunch of players of a team when a decision goes against them (Man U, Liverpool, etc they all do it.) The behaviour of the players and club officals in the old firm games is another example. There are few other sports that seem to tolerate or foster these kinds of low standard.


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## Sunny (9 Mar 2011)

Staples said:


> Running 10km in a match is not a justification for diving and/or feigning injury to get a free or to get an opponent booked/sent off.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm no particular fan of rugby but I am at least impressed by the way in which they at least have some respect for the status of the referee. One aspect of football I fiind particulalrly distasteful is the aggressive pursuit of the referee by a bunch of players of a team when a decision goes against them (Man U, Liverpool, etc they all do it.) The behaviour of the players and club officals in the old firm games is another example. There are few other sports that seem to tolerate or foster these kinds of low standard.


 
Every sport has their problems. Look at the physical assault of referees at all levels in GAA . As for rugby, they have their own problems with on field violence. Football gets the bad press because of the money involved but it is no different to any other sport.


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## Staples (9 Mar 2011)

Sunny said:


> Football gets the bad press because of the money involved


 
No.  Football gets a bad press because of the poor behaviour (on-field and off) of a good number of its shining lights.



Sunny said:


> but it is no different to any other sport.


 
It's much more popular than any other sport so I would suggest it has a greater responsibility to set a good example.


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## DB74 (9 Mar 2011)

The problems in other sports do not in any way lessen sham of the diving/simulation aspect of professional soccer.

I have gone right off the game over the last few years


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## Sunny (9 Mar 2011)

Well in rugby, we had the whole bloodgate incident (and drug use). In snooker, horse racing and cricket we had match fixing and illegal payments from bookies. In cycling, athletics and numerous other sports, we had drug cheats. In GAA, we had assault of match officials and serious injuries inflicted on players through what amounted to common assault. 

So what sports do people play/watch?


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## Deiseblue (9 Mar 2011)

DB74 said:


> The problems in other sports do not in any way lessen sham of the diving/simulation aspect of professional soccer.
> 
> I have gone right off the game over the last few years



Last night's game contained so many moments of brilliance that I really thought the question of play acting and diving was peripheral.

Messi's opening goal & Xavi's through ball to create the goal were things to treasure , the passing and movement was astonishing - is it any wonder that it's referred to as the great game ?

As one Gooner fan said to me it was like watching Arsenal v Blackburn - with Arsenal adopting the Blackburn role.

All I can say is that last night's game reinforced my opinion that at it's best it really is the most magical game in the world.


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## DB74 (9 Mar 2011)

Bringing the problems that other sports have doesn't detract from the hugely negative impact that diving etc has had on soccer over the last few years so I don't see why they have to be brought into it.

Nonetheless diving is an on-field action which impacts on the game itself. Drugs & illegal betting etc don't actually detract from the spectacle of watching the sport live. Sure they impact later but they don't actually spoil the flow etc of the match itself.

I really enjoyed last nights game and didn't feel that there was much diving at all but in general, it is rampant in the game and it is ruining the game.


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## MrMan (9 Mar 2011)

DB74 said:


> Bringing the problems that other sports have doesn't detract from the hugely negative impact that diving etc has had on soccer over the last few years so I don't see why they have to be brought into it.
> 
> Nonetheless diving is an on-field action which impacts on the game itself. Drugs & illegal betting etc don't actually detract from the spectacle of watching the sport live. Sure they impact later but they don't actually spoil the flow etc of the match itself.
> 
> I really enjoyed last nights game and didn't feel that there was much diving at all but in general, it is rampant in the game and it is ruining the game.



I don't think it is ruining the game. some players go down easy, but there is generally some contact and while i don't like it either i might think differently if I was getting kicked constantly for 60 games a season. Diving or at least exaggerating fouls are plain to see in football because it is an open game that can be viewed easily in replays, rugby has plenty of cheating in scrums but its not obvious to the viewer and doesn't get the same coverage. 
A rugby player 'plays to the edge of the rules' or 'gains advantage for his team' but a football player is a cheat


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## DB74 (9 Mar 2011)

IMO there is a world of difference

I don't think I've ever seen a rugby player attempt to get an opponent sent off by feigning injury


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## Sunny (9 Mar 2011)

Well bloodgate was worse. And what is worse, diving to try win a penalty or the spear tackle that took Brian o Driscoll out of the lions tour with no punishment whatsoever? Nobody is saying football is perfect but no sport is. That's why people love it.


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## DB74 (10 Mar 2011)

On reflection it's not so much the diving or gamesmanship that bothers me. I played the game for 20 years myself and I'm sure there have been incidents where I have taken advantage of an unsighted referee or whatever. And I've had my shirt pulled and legs kicked off me plenty of times but you don't complain about that. That's all part of the game.

Today though it's more the clutching of the face and/or leg when little or no contact has been made that really gets my wick.

It was different in my day!


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## Shawady (10 Mar 2011)

FIFA investigating match fixing in two friendlies. Games finished 2-1 and 2-2. All goals scored by penalties.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9420778.stm


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