FC Barcelona Thread [2009/10]

[Arnau]

confirmed line up, alves is unhuman:
Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal; Touré, Xavi, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic e Iniesta.

 

[Pizarro14]

what does a latvian little shYt like you know about Canberra? cause you're from Australia little man (maybe in your goat fvcker dreams).. you're far too stupid to be an australian ..so go fvck yourself ''Melbourne citizen''

 

[Dytza]

Does this mean that I'm the only one the predicted for this game, and the only one that predicted correctly the whole 11 players since we started this little game?

Sh!t yeah! . I was in school so it was impossible to post. And you took a great advantage. I think the problem was the playing-hour for this game. Everybody totally forgot about this. And I missed the 1st half too. What a great day!

Official line-up: Valdes - Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal - Xavi, Yaya, Keita - Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Messi.

1. bybuti: 113 (+14)
2. Dytza: 101 (DNP)
#. Arnau: 101 (DNP)
4. ArgVega: 81 (DNP)
5. skiptomylou: 22 (DNP)
6. nigerianmiracle: 17 (DNP)
7. cmc211: 16 (DNP)

 

[Arnau]

those russians are even more defensive than chelsea in camp nou, if this is possible.

we will do it in the second half.

 

[vitu]

That Russian team almost taught you AGAIN that possession isn't all in football but also taking good advantage of your chances & defending well.

 

[Ulysses]

I told you Barca won't win in Kazan

 

[Dytza]

we made our lifes harder in this stupid group. We should have been already qualified with those teams. To be honest I'm not so excited regarding our trip to Kiev... The conditions are not like in Russia but still...

 

[MaestroZidane]

hey bybuti, what was that you were saying on the Madrid thread??


"hahahaha..."?... yeah I believe that was it.

 

[Arnau]

we made our lifes harder in this stupid group. We should have been already qualified with those teams. To be honest I'm not so excited regarding our trip to Kiev... The conditions are not like in Russia but still...

it is the toughest group, rubin and dinamo aren't their league champions by accident.

 

[ArgVega]

We make our lives so difficult some times, ibra, messi, iniesta had chances to put us ahead... very dissapointed, like in ossasuna, our finishing might be the death to us!

as much as I love it, sometimes we are a little to cute with the ball and try to get into the six yard box before we shoot!

 

[MaestroZidane]

hahahha

Yeah. Sure. I'll say it again.

I'm in a good mod bro. I believe in my team. All we need are 4 points. We are not in such a bad position.

But for sure, if we are out, which I can't even think, then you can come and laugh here. Then, I'll be furious, but not now.

Hell, If you get knocked out, I'll be even more shocked than you guys.

 

[Costacurta]

you should have kicked Inter's ass when you had the chance . I can't believe they wonned against Dynamo Kiew I had my money on the ukrainians ..

 

[Mandieta6]

Barca's problem is that they only have Plan A, and when that fails, more Plan A. It works most of the time, and even when it doesn't, you have enough quality to win matches, but that one-dimensionality won't win you the CL. It might get you the league, but not the CL.

Actually, that's not totally true, I've seen that sometimes you just loft balls to Ibra, but the point is still valid.

 

[Xifio]

Barca's problem is that they only have Plan A, and when that fails, more Plan A. It works most of the time, and even when it doesn't, you have enough quality to win matches, but that one-dimensionality won't win you the CL. It might get you the league, but not the CL.

Actually, that's not totally true, I've seen that sometimes you just loft balls to Ibra, but the point is still valid.

the "Plan A and more Plan A" approach used to be the problem a few years ago ... and I concede that it looks like that is the problem in a few of the recent matches ... but you can't say "it won't win you the Champions League" because it does when it works -- that's why Barcelona are the defending champions ...

if Zlatan's shot early in the match had gone in instead of cannoning off the upright, the story would have been completely different, and everyone knows that ... playing against a Barcelona side who have both the lead and the possession is a completely different task than trying to hit Barcelona on the counter when the scores are level ...

but a point that has to be conceded is that everyone now knows (more than ever) how to play against this Barcelona side: employ a deep-lying formation from the get-go, give them possession, let them keep passing it around just outside the area, and then when they get bored and make a mistake, capitalize with a quick counter ... it is a less-than-admirable way to play (IMO), but it can be effective (as precedent has shown) ...

I don't think the problem with this current Barcelona side is the lack of their ability to be diverse, but rather the application of their talent for diverse play ...

Zlatan, Dani Alves, and to a lesser extent Yaya Touré, have powerful long range shots, but they have hardly decided to have a pop on goal from distance in the recent matches (apart from freekicks) ... then there is just the plain and simple fact that those who have tried to shoot have been extremely wayward, or have seen weak efforts trickle towards the keeper's waiting arms ... it is partly that the players are being closed down quickly, but it is also just an absence of finishing quality ... but I think the talent is there to work around these minor problems ...

Dani Alves and Abidal should, on occasion, be bombing in crosses into the box with pace for Zlatan to head toward goal ... instead, balls into the box are floated to the back post, where Zlatan has to nod them back across goal for a teammate ... again, the solution seems straightforward ...

Messi keeps trying the same run again and again ... he doesn't have a right foot, and everyone knows it, so it is just a matter putting yourself between his left foot and the goal ... often he wriggles free, but sticking to basics against him seems to work ...

the solutions aren't too complicated ... the team is bursting with superlative talent ... it is just a matter of the individuals being in the right mindset, and clicking as a unit ... all fans can do is hope that the talent is put to the devastating use that we know it can on the pitch ...

 

[Dytza]

Damn. Ban yellow kits. We just lost 4 points in the 2 last matches with those kits. They are beautiful but ban them.

Pinky-orange ftw

the "Plan A and more Plan A" approach used to be the problem a few years ago ... and I concede that it looks like that is the problem in a few of the recent matches ... but you can't say "it won't win you the Champions League" because it does when it works -- that's why Barcelona are the defending champions ...

if Zlatan's shot early in the match had gone in instead of cannoning off the upright, the story would have been completely different, and everyone knows that ... playing against a Barcelona side who have both the lead and the possession is a completely different task than trying to hit Barcelona on the counter when the scores are level ...

but a point that has to be conceded is that everyone now knows (more than ever) how to play against this Barcelona side: employ a deep-lying formation from the get-go, give them possession, let them keep passing it around just outside the area, and then when they get bored and make a mistake, capitalize with a quick counter ... it is a less-than-admirable way to play (IMO), but it can be effective (as precedent has shown) ...

I don't think the problem with this current Barcelona side is the lack of their ability to be diverse, but rather the application of their talent for diverse play ...

Zlatan, Dani Alves, and to a lesser extent Yaya Touré, have powerful long range shots, but they have hardly decided to have a pop on goal from distance in the recent matches (apart from freekicks) ... then there is just the plain and simple fact that those who have tried to shoot have been extremely wayward, or have seen weak efforts trickle towards the keeper's waiting arms ... it is partly that the players are being closed down quickly, but it is also just an absence of finishing quality ... but I think the talent is there to work around these minor problems ...

Dani Alves and Abidal should, on occasion, be bombing in crosses into the box with pace for Zlatan to head toward goal ... instead, balls into the box are floated to the back post, where Zlatan has to nod them back across goal for a teammate ... again, the solution seems straightforward ...

Messi keeps trying the same run again and again ... he doesn't have a right foot, and everyone knows it, so it is just a matter putting yourself between his left foot and the goal ... often he wriggles free, but sticking to basics against him seems to work ...

the solutions aren't too complicated ... the team is bursting with superlative talent ... it is just a matter of the individuals being in the right mindset, and clicking as a unit ... all fans can do is hope that the talent is put to the devastating use that we know it can on the pitch ...

+1.
I don't know why I think everything with this 'anti-tactic' against Barça started from that stupid match against Almeria in Camp Nou.

 

[night]

Pinky-orange ftw



+1.
I don't know why I think everything with this 'anti-tactic' against Barça started from that stupid match against Almeria in Camp Nou.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'anti-tactic', but I'm going to assume that you mean ultra defensive + a few counter attacks. In this case, it is nothing new really. Almost every single lesser quality side will employ some sort of anti-football tactic like that when playing away to a top 4 side in their respective top league. It's frustrating to watch but we can do nothing about it
Also, I hate it how commentators praise those teams' display by saying something along the lines of "they provided a defensive masterclass, etc..".

 

[Dytza]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'anti-tactic', but I'm going to assume that you mean ultra defensive + a few counter attacks. In this case, it is nothing new really. Almost every single lesser quality side will employ some sort of anti-football tactic like that when playing away to a top 4 side in their respective top league. It's frustrating to watch but we can do nothing about it
Also, I hate it how commentators praise those teams' display by saying something along the lines of "they provided a defensive masterclass, etc..".

I wanted to say anti-tactic as a solution, antidot... Maybe I didn't choose the correct word. And until Almeria match I didn't haven't seen so many teams making this and not getting away with 3-4 goals...

 

[Mandieta6]

the "Plan A and more Plan A" approach used to be the problem a few years ago ... and I concede that it looks like that is the problem in a few of the recent matches ... but you can't say "it won't win you the Champions League" because it does when it works -- that's why Barcelona are the defending champions ...

if Zlatan's shot early in the match had gone in instead of cannoning off the upright, the story would have been completely different, and everyone knows that ... playing against a Barcelona side who have both the lead and the possession is a completely different task than trying to hit Barcelona on the counter when the scores are level ...

but a point that has to be conceded is that everyone now knows (more than ever) how to play against this Barcelona side: employ a deep-lying formation from the get-go, give them possession, let them keep passing it around just outside the area, and then when they get bored and make a mistake, capitalize with a quick counter ... it is a less-than-admirable way to play (IMO), but it can be effective (as precedent has shown) ...

I don't think the problem with this current Barcelona side is the lack of their ability to be diverse, but rather the application of their talent for diverse play ...

Zlatan, Dani Alves, and to a lesser extent Yaya Touré, have powerful long range shots, but they have hardly decided to have a pop on goal from distance in the recent matches (apart from freekicks) ... then there is just the plain and simple fact that those who have tried to shoot have been extremely wayward, or have seen weak efforts trickle towards the keeper's waiting arms ... it is partly that the players are being closed down quickly, but it is also just an absence of finishing quality ... but I think the talent is there to work around these minor problems ...

Dani Alves and Abidal should, on occasion, be bombing in crosses into the box with pace for Zlatan to head toward goal ... instead, balls into the box are floated to the back post, where Zlatan has to nod them back across goal for a teammate ... again, the solution seems straightforward ...

Messi keeps trying the same run again and again ... he doesn't have a right foot, and everyone knows it, so it is just a matter putting yourself between his left foot and the goal ... often he wriggles free, but sticking to basics against him seems to work ...

the solutions aren't too complicated ... the team is bursting with superlative talent ... it is just a matter of the individuals being in the right mindset, and clicking as a unit ... all fans can do is hope that the talent is put to the devastating use that we know it can on the pitch ...

It worked last year although it nearly didn't. I highly doubt it will work again this year. Just like you if you don't improve your squad, you're going backwards, if you don't improve your tactics, the same is true.

And I really disagree with the notion that defending form deep is ugly, or 'less-than-admirable'. If you've seen Chelsea play this season, you'd notice that they rarely apply pressure high up, and defend from deep and break on counters. Yet Chelsea's game this season has been incredibly entertaining. It's just a different way to play.

Regarding how teams tackle Barca's way of playing, well, what do you expect? For teams to go out there and get battered? No, few, if any teams can out-play Barca in terms of posession, so you have to defend well and kill them on the counter. Counter-attacking footie can be very entertaining. Personally, I find Barca's style to be boring. It's effective, but passing the ball around endlessly outside the area results in a slower game. Back-and-forth, chances at either end are much more entertaining, at least from my point of view.

Defense is as important as attack in footie, and any team that does it well should be commended. Now, if you never try and attack, and just park the bus, that's a different thing. But every big team has to deal with it, and most teams have different methods of dealing with it, so should Barca.

 

[Dytza]

I'm still waiting for an offensive antidot for this football if this exist. And yeah, what Chelsea did in the semifinal double was ugly... very ugly.

 

[Mandieta6]

I think it all about taking it more seriously and having a bit motivation. It's obvious that we lack motivation this season.

Look at Zaragoza match. After the critics we revived during the whole week, the team just reacted perfectly against Zaragoza. Also, we took the match against Rubin (the second match) very seriously. Against Rubin, we only missed some luck. Bad weather conditions were a factor that effected our players too, but still, that can't be an excuse.

This season, I think that our defense was in a very high level. What is not working, or saying in other way, what we are missing are only goals; we should be more effective in front of the goal. And IMO is a matter of luck, as in each game we create at least 5 awesome chances to score.

To support what I'm saying, I'll wait for the Mallorca game. I just think that we gonna 'destroy' them even though they are a very tough side. That is our next test. And if we don't get our form back, we gonna have real problems as we have very tough matches in November.

And another factor that I forgot to mention. Messi & Iniesta; They are not the same guys that we have seen especially during the last season. If Messi and Iniesta play well, then the whole team plays well. We need our Messi and Iniesta back

I don't think Barca revived for te Barca match. I watched it, and the main thing was that Zaragoza simply couldn't handle you. You did the exact same thing you always do, and it worked perfectly.

I think one problem is that Ibra and Messi sound like a mouth-watering combination, but they still don't have any chemistry between them. I wathed a summary of a few Barca matches, and it showed how very often, a move either involves Messi or Ibra, and only rarely the two of them. I think it also said that Messi gets the most passes from Iniesta and Xavi, whereas Ibra gets most of his supply from Pique and the defensive players.