We want our Arsenal Back

That's what the away fans were chanting at Old Trafford yesterday and you have to give them full credit because that line succinctly captures the mood of all Arsenal supporters at present.

To give you a glimpse of what I am talking about, let me tell you how I started supporting Arsenal. We were the fifth grade at that time and European Soccer was THE THING. Everyone sported jerseys from various clubs and it made for a very exciting atmosphere during games. So I too wanted to choose a club to support but I didn't know where to start. The logical thing to do was to watch the different clubs and then choose a club whose style I liked. Well, that's what I did and out of all the clubs I watched, Arsenal stood out. Their free flowing passes and attacking flair was simply captivating. Watching Thierry dink the ball in the net after receiving a defence splitting pass was breathtaking and I knew I liked this club.

As the years rolled by, Arsenal have stayed true to this passing game and attacking instinct. Whether it was Cesc, Nasri or Song, Arsenal have ruled the roost in midfield over the past 4 years and have built their game on midfield creativity. At one point in time, they matched Barcelona for incisive passes.

But sadly, those days are long gone. Though Arsenal have fantastic midfield players like Cazorla, Arteta and Wilshire, they are not able to create moves like in the past. At the start of the season I though this was just a one off and Arsenal would soon be back. But they still are not. From Shalke to QPR and now Manchester United, Arsenal just don't seem comfortable with the ball. It's almost as if they do not know what to do next.

I am not sure what can happen in future games but I feel for things to turn around, Arsenal have to find their identity. They need to realise what they are good at and play their games accordingly. Judging by their players, they still seem to be a midfield side it's just that they need someone to really drill this into their heads.

Here's to hoping we get our Arsenal back.

My thoughts on the Neymar Situation

He is easily one of the most recognisable players in football. At age 20, he has already won the South American player of the year for 2011 and has even been nominated for the Ballon d'Or. One would logically expect that a player of his calibre would be plying his trade at the best clubs in the world. Is he at Barcelona? Is he at Real Madrid? How about Bayern Munich? Well the truth is, the player who has been rated the 'next Leo Messi' plays at Santos; a good club in Brazil but not at the world stage.

Its not that Neymar has not been linked with a move to Europe's best. Infact I am not sure which major European club he has not been linked with (maybe Arsenal). Despite all the interest though, Neymar has remained in Brazil. There are a number of factors responsible the most notable of which is Pele. I recall reading several interviews from Brazil's football icon asking Neymar to turn down the lucrative offers from Europe and instead stay at Santos. Initially it made sense. A young player should first build his name before making one of them big money moves. Pele was probably also concerned about Neymar's maturity at that time and felt he needed more games before he could make a mark on European football. But now, I feel his comments are quite ridiculous. Neymar is now 20 and that is age when gifted players start performing on the big stage. Having scored 117 goals for santos and 25 for the Brazilian national team, it's safe to say that Neymar is ready for a bigger challenge. Preventing a move now would only impede his development.

Having said that though, Neymar should make sure he transfers to a club where he will get enough game time. Many bright prospects move to a big club but finally end up glued to the substitutes bench.I feel he should consider a club that has a strong attacking mentality but do not have many players in attacking positions.

Neymar's got the talent, he has got the publicity and he has got the flair to be one of the best. But to truly reach his potential, he needs a bigger challenge; a challenge that can only be found in Europe. If Neymar plays his cards right, we could witness the birth of another Brazilian footballing great.

Chelsea vs Barcelona: How it will be played

Well here I am sitting at 12:00 am IST waiting for the mouthwatering clash between Chelsea and Barcelona and I was wondering how a game between sides with very different styles play will turn out. Well one thing is for certain, if Chelsea are to win this game, it could very well be just what Chelsea fans and Chelsea players will look back upon. Chelsea have had a horrid season and reaching the Champion's League final could suddenly breathe fresh air into a dismal campaign.

I definitely feel that Chelsea will stick to their long ball play, something Cesc Fabregas talked about recently.
Playing the long will definitely help Chelsea get past Barca's diminutive players and may help them create decent chances. Chelsea will more or less try and clog the midfield as most other teams have fruitlessly done against Barca in an attempt to halt Iniesta and Xavi. But for some reason I feel that these tactics will not work against Barca simply because if Chelsea resort to using the long ball, they will end up losing possession more often and will never have a real grip on the game and that is very dangerous especially if Barcelona is the opposition.
On the other hand, Barca will attempt to run and pass their way through an ageing Chelsea defence. I can just about see Sanchez and Messi ripping the defense to shreds with pacey zigzagging runs.As usual I feel that Barca's midfield will take complete control over game and will leave Chelsea gasping for breath.

My prediction: Barcelona wins. But if Chelsea do manage an unlikely victory, they will be on course to deliver a Champions League trophy to their Champions League fanatic owner.