England's Number One, Captain Fantastic, Insert Any Fitting Headline Here...

Arsenal came back from the dead to survive what was almost torture from Barcelona last night.

The Emirates crowd were treated to another footballing showcase, though this time it was their team on the receiveing end.

I don't know about anyone else, but i gave up hope. 2-0 down at home to the European champions who were playing out of their skin, any kind of hope was far beyond the horizon.

Manuel Almunia proved to be the hero in the first half. He produced a string of great saves to keep the scores level at zero. A strong right hand from the majestic Sergio Busquets started the proceedings, and his saves seemed to get better as the half went on.

Xavi was allowed too much, Ibrahimovic was allowed to turn too often and Messi was given the freedom of the pitch.

Alex Song seemed clueless. The Cameroon international, arguably one of Arsenal's best players this season, was nowhere near his midfield opponents, and possibly produced the worse game of his season. He got rightfully booked, which seemed an inevitability, but his switch to centre half later in the game still didn't help preceedings.

Abou Diaby, another Arsenal midfielder who has had a brilliant season, again didn't seem to be in the game. He was slow in distributing the ball, hardly the Arsenal way eh?, and was sluggish in his movement. Again, maybe another player who had his worse performance of the season last night.

But while Almunia was stealing the show up one end, there were glimpses of what Arsenal could do. Samir Nasri, superb throughout, bent a shot just wide, whilst Bendtner should have scored in double opportunity albeit for an offside flag.

But with the possession stats at 70/30 in Barca's favour, we should have been two, three, maybe even four behind.

Half time was the break we needed, and obviousely 23 seconds into the second half, players were still on that break.

Ibrahimovic, who had never scored against English opposition before the game, was bought by Barca to introduce a 'Plan B' to Barcelona despite how good their Plan A - Their perfect passing game - is.

And their first goal was more Bolton than Barcelona. One long ball from centre half Gerard Pique put the Swede behind the Rsenal defence. And to be fair, he finished it well. Alex Song at fault, it what was becoming alomst a game to forget.

Ibrahimovic surely silenced all doubters with his seond of the game. In a build up not to dissimilar to the first, the striker gambled on the ball reaching him behind the Gunners defence, Thomas Vermaelen this time caught out of position, and the Barcelona player smashed it high into the net.

It was almost time to throw the gloves down, upto that point there was no real evidence that Arsenal were even capable of getting near the Barca goal, let alone scoring two.

But it was the genious of Wenger that changed the switch the play.

With Capello watching in the stands, Theo Walcott definetly chose the right time to perform.

Wenger changed his mind in substituting Samir Nasri, and opted to bring Bacary Sagna off.

And with Emmanuel Eboue reverting to right back, Walcott was given the license to attack the Barca left.

It gave Arsenal an outlet and he swallowed up any through ball put behind left back Maxwell.

A taste of what was to come was when the England international was played out wide behind Maxwell, only to see his cross come to nothing.

But with 21 minutes remaining. Nicklas Bendtner, who beforehand missed a sitter heading straight at Victor Valdes, played in Walcott, who cooly slotted the ball under Valdes to offer Arsenal hope. The Bacelona keeper will be dissapointed he didn't save it, but Arsenal fans started to believe.

Fabregas had a good chance with a free kick, whilst Barcelona were offering nothing in the latter stages of the game.

Then came the moment Arsenal fans couldn't quite believe was possible. Bendtner cushioned the ball for Fabregas, who would have no doubt smashed the ball home from only a couple of yards, yet it was Barcelona captain, Carles Puyol who caught Fabregas in the process of shooting which denied the certain goal.

The referee pointed to the spot, sent Puyol on his way, and Catalonian Cesc Fabregas despatched the penalty.

Subing the likes of Messi off and bringing on defender Gabriel Milito obviously signalled that even the Barca bench thought the tide turned.

Yet both teams almost wanted that winner in the last five or so minutes, but a draw just leaves this tie in the right way for us to tune in next Tuesday with much interest.

Arsenal are without tgheir influential captain. Fabregas picked up a very unfortunate booking in the game when it seemed he took the ball, but today's news reports feel that his season might be over anyways with a suspected broken leg picked up in the build up to Arsenal's second goal.

Barca will be missing their captain after his sending off, as well as Gerard Pique who picked up his 3rd booking of the competition.

But despite both sides skippers absent, as well as Barcelona also missing their other first choice centre half, this game could well be as close as the first game.

2-2 in theory is not a great result for Arsenal, but from the position they were in, I think they will be happy with that and will be looking to snatch it at the Nou Camp.