Jeff Stelling’s Soccer Saturday crew were talking about Messi and the defeat in Barcelona.
Charlie Nicholas said he was in the Nou Camp with his daughter and some friends and it was a treat.
Charlie said Arsenal are still three players short.
Phil Thompson said Arsenal are not able to mix it up and need a midfield enforcer. Somebody like Darren Fletcher.
Merse and Charlie said he used to have Ray Parlour and Flamini to do that.
Matt Le Tissier said, “Don’t you think Arsene’s philosophy has changed, Phil? He doesn’t do that now.”
Charlie said, “Alex Song was a massive miss.” He also said, “When you have to play two left-footed centrebacks, it’s seriously unbalanced.”
On Theo Walcott, Le Tiss said, “I’m not sure that Arsenal is the right team for him. It’s all pass, pass, pass. There’s not enough space for him behind teams. I think he needs to be in a team that’s more direct.”
Later on my best friend phoned and we talked about the Barcelona game and the clasico tonight.
“Real Madrid are at home,” he said. “They should win.”
“It’ll be a draw. If it’s a draw and Barcelona win all their games, they win the league on head-to heads. If Real don’t win, Cristiano will be waving his arms in the air, appealing to the heavens, and giving the greatest exhibition of theatrics since Tallulah Bankhead hung up her boots.”
“I’ll ring you are half-time.”
“Bye!”
(Tallulah Bankhead was a legendary actress who said, “If I had to live my life again I’d make all the same mistakes – only sooner. “
She also said, “Cocaine isn’t habit-forming. I should know – I’ve been using it for years.” )