The sad thing is it just reminds you just how far we are away from those kind of worldclass levels.

Incredible performance from the mickies. I have rarely seen any sides dominate Barca, even the 1st leg was an unjust scoreline. Of course this isn't a vintage Barca side but it still contains Messi.

The sad thing is it just reminds you just how far we are away from those kind of worldclass levels.

Incredible performance from the mickies. I have rarely seen any sides dominate Barca, even the 1st leg was an unjust scoreline. Of course this isn't a vintage Barca side but it still contains Messi.

The sad thing is it just reminds you just how far we are away from those kind of worldclass levels.

Yes I feel the same. There are lessons there though

They bought big in certain areas (Van dijk, Allison,) but most of their big performers are exceptionally shrewd signings. Milner, wijnaldum, Robertson and even Shaqiri.

If we were just a little more ambitious and awake in the transfer market we could get back to a decent level.

We only typically sign new players when we are desperate. We just got it so wrong over the last few years.

They did the same in the semi-final last season. Their defence has been creaking for years. Messi makes up for an awful lot of flaws in that team. Pique has totally lost his dominance. Roberto is a really average player. Lenglet is good on the ball but he's not a powerful defender. Vidal is hugely inconsistent and reckless. Coutinho has been largely ineffective there. They still have the quality of Busquets, Suarez, Rakitic and Alba. But there's a fair bit wrong there. Valverde got it all wrong too. That game was set up for Dembele to catch Liverpool on the break. Terrible performance in the second half.

We’ve got a long way back now but so frustrating that for a period we really were only a couple of marquee signings away from being right at the top. Top class GK, top class CB, holding mid and top class striker.

From needing only 2-3 big additions to the team we’re now in a position where we need 8 or so top class players

You've already forgotten him outplaying Pogba at Old Trafford last year? The problem he has is that he's literally had 2 games for the first team in his best position, as an athletic box to box midfielder.

Sure

Leno 8. (He’s saved us 50-70 million in the transfer market,)
Čech 5,
Bellerin 7 ....he was very good until the injury
Koscielny 6.... he shot but always give 100%
Mustafi 3, yes agree he’s dog food
Holding 7 was very good until the injury and would have had an England call up
Monreal 5, yes agree he just can’t maintain the required level now
Mavaraponas 4, yes agree he doesn’t look ready for this level
sokratis 7, 5 is way too low he’s been solid
Kolasnic 6 not good enough but can contribute sometimes
Jenkinson 3, just needs a move
Lichensteiner 4, past his best but tried his best
Ramsay 8 you gave 5! made a poor start but conducted himself with dignity
Mkhitaryan 4.5, yes agree bin ,
Özil 4.5, Yes agree bin
Iwobi 5, Should be sent on loan, agree
Maitland Niles 7, noble effort he’s played out of position all year !
Torreira 6.5. Amazing start but tailed off.
Xhaka 4, Yes agree some good passing but *%^@ all else
Guendouzi 7., Promising debut season
Wellbeck 7 Gave a good account of himself
Aubameyang 7.5 he can’t have been that bad if you score 20 goals in the premier league
Lacazette 7.5. Gave a solid account of himself. If we keep him he will have his best season so far next year

Think we are stuck with Xhaka, Mustafi, Özil and Mkhitaryan. Emery must figure a way to either get the best out of them or make them squaddies we don't have to rely on except early stages of cup games.

Robertson (Hull), Mané & Van Dijk (Southampton), Henderson (Sunderland), Milner (free), Wijnaldum (Newcastle) Shaqiri (stoke)

Extremely low cost bargains many from clubs struggling in the premiership or who had been relegated already critically with premeier league experience.

We just don’t look at this type of player at all.

I just look at Liverpool and don’t think we could play like that with Özil, Xhaka and mhikitaryan in the team. We could never replicate that level of energy, press them, Harry them the way Liverpool did.

Even if you buy in 2 quality defenders this summer that won’t change. This is a long term transition we are in.

How costly were those two late chances Barca had in the first leg at the death to make it 4-0. Easy chances really. Messi was fuming at the time. Liverpool pretty much knew they were out and we’re so desperate for the away goal they left the counter attack for 4-0 wide open.

No doubt liverpool’s Comeback was monumental but as always there are such small margins in these knock out games. Barcelona has some great chances in the away leg and Alisson saved them all, Liverpool had about 6 good chances and scored 4.

We need to play our strongest team v Burnley, if we finish 6th we run the risk of starting next season in July in Europa league qualifying IF Watford beat City in the fa cup final. Unlikely but why risk it. There is a big gap between the last day and the Europa final.

Obviously let’s focus on Valencia because losing 2-0 over there must rank quite high on the probable results

Spot-on TG.

If you witness the the intensity with which Fabinho and Henderson press and their mobility around the pitch and compare that with Xhaka you are basically comparing apples with oranges.

.

We need to play our strongest team v Burnley, if we finish 6th we run the risk of starting next season in July in Europa league qualifying IF Watford beat City in the fa cup final. Unlikely but why risk it. There is a big gap between the last day and the Europa final.

Obviously let’s focus on Valencia because losing 2-0 over there must rank quite high on the probable results

Nicholas won us the Littlewoods Cup as a parting gift.

Liverpool were brilliant last night and deserved it. I'm genuinely pleased for them.

I think Emery shares some of GG's ideas. All players, including creative type, must chase and harrass the opponents. Limpar was another "luxury" player GG didn't fancy after a couple of seasons.

I think there is definitely a good chance of Valencia overturning the first leg deficit, much more than should be the case with a 3-1 lead. Given our away form and the fact that our players appear to have the courage of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz I'd say it's a decent bet.

Limpar was one of my favourite players in that time. He was a little genius and some of his assists were sensational. George used to sub him every single game as a “reducer” and toward the end of his time didn’t play him much at all whilst clearly being one of our best players still.

Messi may be a total genius, but the supporting cast these days aren't Xavi or Iniesta, two of the most intelligent footballers I've ever seen.

That said, the ability to sustain intensity that this liverpool team have is astonishing, particularly given the age of the likes of Milner and the careers of some of the players pre Klopp.

I wanted Klopp when the Wenger whispers first started, but as soon as he went to Liverpool, I thought it was an ideal fit. He (with some help from a more fiscally generous owner and less incompetent transfer committee) has given them their vision of their club back. The only club we've got back is the Pre George Graham team of the end days of Terry Neill.

Limpar is still one of my favourite ever players. He seemed so exotic at that time - a foreign player. Loved him. He drove George mad though. I know we won a few more trophies but I think from 92 onwards George's magic was starting to wear off and we became just a cup side. Still had some incredible memories but the football was turning rank at that point. However, that '91 side was my favourite period for watching Arsenal I think, despite the invincibles being a better side. I think it was the nostalgia of youth for me.

Incredible performance from the mickies. I have rarely seen any sides dominate Barca, even the 1st leg was an unjust scoreline. Of course this isn't a vintage Barca side but it still contains Messi.

The sad thing is it just reminds you just how far we are away from those kind of worldclass levels.

...Obviously let’s focus on Valencia because losing 2-0 over there must rank quite high on the probable results

...However, that '91 side was my favourite period for watching Arsenal I think, despite the invincibles being a better side. I think it was the nostalgia of youth for me.

We'll never get there under Emery. He's decent, but he just doesn't have that transformative magic that Klopp, Fergie, or the early Wenger and Graham had.

We'll never get there under Emery. He's decent, but he just doesn't have that transformative magic that Klopp, Fergie, or the early Wenger and Graham had.