A great game for the neutral. Entertaining, attacking football that produced chances, errors, moments of brilliant, and set up the second leg perfectly. But when you look a little closer, the match hinged on the changes made by the managers.
Arsenal had their chances in the first half but they were counters presented by Barcelona's attacking football. When the full backs become auxillary wingers you can, when the opportunity presents itself, cause panic in their defence if you counter attack with pace. Indeed, with better decision making, Arsenal may have scored in the first half. However Pep Guardiola's men created several excellent chances and arguably should have scored more than David Villa's goal.
The side from the Emirates tried to press high up the pitch but Jack Wilshere and Song sat too deep. There is nothing more fruitless and exhausting than breaking your balls to press a centre back or defensive midfielder only for him to make a simple pass to a free team mate. The Spanish side make this look easier than it is, but with Arsenal trying to push up but their central midfielders too deep, Barca could get in dangerous positions and then slide someone in behind, as they did on several occasions in the first half.
Second half Arsene Wenger's side pushed Wilshere alongside Cesc Fabregas and Arsenal's pressing game became much more effective. Wilshere was getting much more involved in the game (personally I thought he was anonymous in the first half and caught in possession too much) and also much further forward.
Then, with the game very even, Guardiola made an ultimately horrendous decision. Seydou Keita came on for David Villa. Villa had been very dangerous in the build up as well as a goal threat. If Messi had squared the ball on a couple of occasions Villa would have six yard tap ins. In fact, out of the two the Argentian was the one having a poor game - his dribbling often slowed down moves, he ran into crowds and his finishing was wayward.
With Iniesta pushed forward, Wenger made his next decisive move - taking off the liability that was Alexandre Song and putting on Arshavin, pushing Nasri inside with Wilshere. With greater cutting edge going forward Arsenal turned the screw and got the goal their increasingly better play deserved.
Barcelona lost shape, found it difficult to get their passing game working, and Arsenal grew in strength. The Spanish champions were not poor by any means, which makes Arsenal's victory more worthy, and the away goal is key, but Wenger has certainly sharpened up his game plan to beat 'the greatest side in the modern eara'.
It's a great achievement to beat Barcelona anywhere, but will they be able to get the result they need at the Camp Nou? That's a completely different challenge altogether, although as Hercules and Mallorca have shown, it is not impossible...
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