The Ultimate Football Thread 2013-2014 Vol. 4 EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A etc

Nightmare of a game by Barça. I've posted it before, but I don't think this edition are solid or consistent enough to see out the season with major trophies. They become brittle against high-energy sides and the play is way too chaotic. Pretty much every chance is made through individual skill rather than the system manufacturing them. Xavi is still class, but he can't control games like he used to, and Busquets is left covering far too much ground to make up for it. That said, the general form of the players is very poor on its own, which is a massive worry with City midweek.


psk2310 said:
The chickens have come home to roost so to speak. That back line needed an overhaul since Pep left. I'm not sure Zubi & company know what they have or what they need. I'll be super pissed if they sign David Luiz... He's not ever coming back but I miss Pep. He demanded the absolute best from his players & always looked to Barca B & La Masia to promote...

Pique poking his foot again...
Click to expand...

So in a game where Barça were overrun in midfield and failed to score a single goal against the likes of Valladolid, you still manage multiple posts on Pique - who wasn't even one of the 5 worst players yesterday. :lol:

I agree re. the board, though. Elections must be held this summer. Puyol leaving and Xavi's decline marks the end of a cycle, and I don't trust this lot to be the ones to begin a new one. They are squarely to blame for the situation the club is in - specifically Rosell who set the budgets and had final say. Cutting corners buying players like Song and selling a player like Thiago is unforgivable. Pep is missed, but not for having demanded the best out of his players. I'm sure Martino does that too, but Pep is a visionary - which is why he always tinkered with the system and brought in new blood. As for La Masia, there's a reason he refused to play all academy grads, and it's because he believed it sent the wrong message. You have to be good enough, and so in a crucial match if you look to your bench and there sits Tello and Roberto, it's a problem.
 
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Mastamind89 said:
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View media item 848283
 
abovelegit1 said:
Nightmare of a game by Barça. I've posted it before, but I don't think this edition are solid or consistent enough to see out the season with major trophies. They become brittle against high-energy sides and the play is way too chaotic. Pretty much every chance is made through individual skill rather than the system manufacturing them. Xavi is still class, but he can't control games like he used to, and Busquets is left covering far too much ground to make up for it. That said, the general form of the players is very poor on its own, which is a massive worry with City midweek.


psk2310 said:
The chickens have come home to roost so to speak. That back line needed an overhaul since Pep left. I'm not sure Zubi & company know what they have or what they need. I'll be super pissed if they sign David Luiz... He's not ever coming back but I miss Pep. He demanded the absolute best from his players & always looked to Barca B & La Masia to promote...

Pique poking his foot again...
Click to expand...

So in a game where Barça were overrun in midfield and failed to score a single goal against the likes of Valladolid, you still manage multiple posts on Pique - who wasn't even one of the 5 worst players yesterday. :lol:

I agree re. the board, though. Elections must be held this summer. Puyol leaving and Xavi's decline marks the end of a cycle, and I don't trust this lot to be the ones to begin a new one. They are squarely to blame for the situation the club is in - specifically Rosell who set the budgets and had final say. Cutting corners buying players like Song and selling a player like Thiago is unforgivable. Pep is missed, but not for having demanded the best out of his players. I'm sure Martino does that too, but Pep is a visionary - which is why he always tinkered with the system and brought in new blood. As for La Masia, there's a reason he refused to play all academy grads, and it's because he believed it sent the wrong message. You have to be good enough, and so in a crucial match if you look to your bench and there sits Tello and Roberto, it's a problem.
Click to expand...

Pique (& Masch) looked asleep in the first half. He conceded space & he failed to clear his lines. If you look at the goal scored, it occurs because Pique took a poke at the ball & allowed the pass instead of keeping the ball & defender in front of him & shuttling him into the other defender. I will admit that he & Masch played somewhat better in the second half but that's been the story for Pique for 3 years now. He always plays one half well & the other bad or miserably bad.

I rewatched the game this morning & I don't think the midfield was the problem per say. In the second half I don't think a single triangle was formed. There were several times Xavi had the ball & not a single player came back to him forcing him pass the ball laterally. Barca looked like a Prem team yesterday.

Complacency is the biggest problem with this side specifically with the veteran players that should still be in their prime or the back end of their primes. They say the right things to the press but when it comes to game time they don't heed their own words.

The sad thing is I don't blame this loss on Tata, it's on the players as they looked lack luster & had no will to fight, Messi included. I think you mentioned that switching from the 4-3-3 should be done & I agree.

To be honest, I suspect it will get worse before it gets better (with the presumption that Zubi & company know what to do to fix things).
 
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Congrats to Arsenal I guess. Looks like that streak of years without a trophy is about to be over :smh:
 
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