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Arsenal’s Barcelona Bout Could Decide Their League Fate
Arsenal have a tall hill to climb to retain the number one spot in the Premier League, but their match up against Barcelona could be more important.
The Gunners have their work cut out for them. After two extremely deflating performances against bitter rivals Chelsea and consistent nemesis Southampton, Arsenal have tumbled from the summit of the British top flight in alarming fashion. Now the North London club will have to find a way to navigate the rest of the season in their very best form while hoping the likes of Leicester, Manchester City and sickeningly, Tottenham, stumble at some point.
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It is a tall order. This is a time when Arsenal will have to dig deep and find cohesion, momentum and solidarity in order to remount a title challenge. We have the players and we have a manager who has claimed this glory before. The most crucial ingredient in this equation, however, is confidence.
One thing that the Sky Blues, Foxes and Spurs all have in common is confidence. Manchester City seem to be buoyed by the acquisition of Pep Guardiola. Perhaps the Citizens are looking to flex their muscles in the last season of Manuel Pelligrini’s reign to truly put the league on notice.
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Jamie Vardy is in splendid form. It seems the assumption that Leicester would fade in the second half of the season was unfounded. Out of sheer decency I will not speak of Tottenham, but we have all seen their recent scorelines.
Arsenal play all three of these clubs in the coming weeks. Leicester and Tottenham will be faced before the end of March, and the Gunners face a pivotal game against City in May. However one thing that can be lost or overlooked in these Premier League skirmishes is the massive Champions League tie against the world’s most in-form club, Barcelona.
If you didn’t see, Barcelona recently pummeled Gary Neville’s Valencia 7-0. Luis Enrique’s side has eclipsed Pep Guardiola’s treble winning Barcelona squad. Arsenal must remain diligent and ready for the huge task that Barcelona embody. A drubbing at the hand of Spain’s most dominant team could be the a deathly blow to Arsenal’s already fragile confidence. A victory at home would be a great boost to the club, and even a draw would be encouraging.
In the FA Cup Arsenal have been able to gain some happiness away from the league, but ultimately the Gunners’ level of play has diminished due to the constant lower league opposition. In Barcelona, Arsenal face the ultimate measuring stick. A team composed of world class players throughout their starting XI. A loss, especially by three or more goals could be demoralizing for a team searching for identity.
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The manager has elected to stick with the team he has. He has bought one outfield player in two transfer windows. He has preached cohesion and continuity this entire time. Well, a Champions League face off with Barcelona will surely test our resolve. The team is spread paper thin. Confidence seems scarce. Finishing is nonexistent. I hate to be this negative, I really do. However these are the facts we must live with.
Being embaraased by Barcelona could spell the end of Arsenal’s title push, as well as Arsene Wenger’s reign. The players must be aware of this. The manager must stay up at night contemplating these facts. Arsenal must use this challenge as inspiration to play at their highest level.
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I’m not saying a win is mandatory. That would be unfair. However, a strong showing is a must. Arsenal have to go toe to toe with Barcelona, anything less and we can see a catastrophic end to the season.