All it proves is that Pep actually has balls, standing against the demands of a 1.94cm guy who is a black belt in Taekwondo.

Anyway, not that "having balls" is an attributte very needed for a coach.

At least in my Football Manager videogame, coaches don't have an attribute 1 to 20 for "having balls".

The fact that Ibra was astounded by the other players’ discipline does say a lot for the guy…
Pep should have known better when he got him

billy_gr wrote:
The fact that Ibra was astounded by the other players’ discipline does say a lot for the guy…
Pep should have known better when he got him

Exactly ! thats what i was thinking when i read that part... Ibra has enough talent and skills to compete with any top 5 player, obviously his professionalism need to be half as big as his ego.. such a waste ! I was personally one of the happiest people when i first heard about the prospect of him joining FCB.

The Franchise wrote:
Ibra started out as centerforward, he played there all his games. Pep played Messi on the right on paper, but in reality he was directly behind Ibra like a second striker.

All that this lead to was space taken up for Messi to move into, therefore remove that player and give Messi that space. Seeing as he is the best in the team, that makes perfect sense.

In theory, Ibra could/should of worked, but I think his lack of mobility was overlooked (even by guys as smart as Pep and Cruyff).

Ibra overall as a player is a tactical problem because he is too slow to be a striker up front on his own in a team who need that player to stretch the defence and give the midfielders room and passing options.

He needs someone in front of him who will run (which he has at Milan in Pato) or you have to play directly to him with longer balls and have him do a little bit of everything and with that freedom.

Didnt get that at Barca for obvious reasons.

Very well explained dani. Excellent post.

1. A man who took on Mourinho one on one certainly has balls.

2. You can't expect the likes of Ibrahimovic to understand the mettle that Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and company are made of. Even when Ronaldinho and company had ruined the atmosphere and the team was in free fall, these are the guys who were still sweating their utmost every single day for the team.

3. Ibrahimovic would know that a team's best player gets the star treatment. It happens everywhere. He himself has enjoyed it right through his career. However he cannot accept being in a team where someone else is this star player and he is an also ran. He is good enough to compete with most players to win this privilege but Messi is an altogether different level.

4. Even then Ibrahimovic was never asked to play on the wings. So this out of position complaint I don't understand much. Instead the team played a 4-2-3-1. The idea was both Ibrahimovic and Messi would play n the center and work in tandem. In theory I thought it would work very well but for certain reasons it never quite happened in practice. Just for a moment think who made the greatest sacrifice here. The answer is Iniesta. In spite of being a world class central attacking midfielder he was forced on the wings and at times was asked to supply crosses to Ibrahimovic for the entire 90 minutes but even then he didn't complain. If Ibrahimovic expected Messi to run around for him like his lesser strike partners of the past may have done then that would obviously not happen. All he had to do was adapt his game to some extent rather than throw a tantrum. No one was asking him to do the running because we know very well that's near impossible for him anyway.

5. Ibrahimovic is frustrated that 99% chances are that he will end his career winning nothing bigger than a league title - not a world cup, not a Euro and not a UCL. His Barca dream as he himself calls it is over and his best chance of winning the UCL and making it to the top three of the Ballon D'or for example have all passed him by.

6. We all could learn Stoic self control from Pep.

7. Perhaps Ibra has overlooked that he has revealed himself to be a bad friend. What Henry told him was in confidence. Henry is a very respectable player and not the kind to be making unprofessional comments in the media regularly. As human beings there are a lot of things we say in private which we don't say in public. It's not about being cowardly but about being respectful and considerate towards others. Celebrities especially have to take care of this. They obviously can't tell everything to the media that they would say to their near and dear ones. So for some possible cheap sales boosts and a chance to take out his frustration, Ibra has had no qualms in short selling his friend.

8. Being disciplined is not being scared or robotic. It's about professionalism and respect towards your team. Yes one should not accept everything blindly but that doesn't mean you have to insult the person in charge or go out of your way to make the presence of your huge ego clearly felt. I am sure that in spite of what Ibra said, someone as wise as Xavi for instance would be asking Pep a lot of questions but perhaps some people think that you can't question and debate without being loud and rude.

9. Excellent post by kizz. Very well elaborated and commented on.

10. Now just wait for alex's comments.

It's sad to see a player like ibra do dumb things like this, he could have easily adapted as well with messi being a CF, he has mountains of talent

Ibra is NOT slow, again, he just had a major attitude problem to the extent of not even caring to run for the ball.

Thanks for the post Arq, his comments don't seem as outlandish or inflammatory in that context. Let's not make Ibra out to be a villain. He's a guy that thought he was doing everything right, thought he was doing a very big effort, and then saw his performance decline for reasons he thought were beyond his control.

And let's not make Pep look like a saint either. In general, I sympathize with Ibra wanting to know why the current system is the way it is. I don't think it's irrational for him to want to know why. Modern coaches need to be able to explain things to their players. And Pep's silent treatment, which he also gave Bojan and Yaya, also strikes me the wrong way.

Its actually quite good to see Pep not saying anything negative about these comments from Ibra. Im sure he has heard what Ibra has said. I liked Ibra but it was really obvious that he wasn't going to last long with the team whilst Messi was playing at false 9. His comments make no difference to me. Pep is a legend of football. Always will be!

Here is what Pep had to say:



The trainer then addressed questions on his reportedly fractious relationship with the club's former striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is set to release an explosive autobiography detailing a breakdown in communication between himself and Guardiola.

"(I have) nothing to say," the Spaniard said. "There was nothing personal. I just want to thank him for the year he gave us where we reached 99 points (in La Liga)."

"He played, he proved his quality and helped us reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. There is nothing more to say."

There is a rumor flying around that the ballsy Zlatan Ibrahimovic will title his autobiography:

"When the Going gets Tough, there goes Zlatan: An Autobiography."

JD, superbly put, I must return the compliment. Every single point, on point.

When will the overrated flop get over the fact that he got dumped?
He jus wasnt good enough for us and Guardiola dumped his sorry ass.
Pep is giving him the best response.You dont respond to fools.Just ignore.
And I dearly hope Puyol knocks his head off at the San Siro.While we are at it,wouldnt mind him breaking his leg too.
Even if Puyol gets a lengthy suspension,it would be a well earned one.
I never thought I could hate a player more than Judas but now I do.

alexjanosik wrote:When will the overrated flop get over the fact that he got dumped?
He jus wasnt good enough for us and Guardiola dumped his sorry ass.
Pep is giving him the best response.You dont respond to fools.Just ignore.
And I dearly hope Puyol knocks his head off at the San Siro.While we are at it,wouldnt mind him breaking his leg too.
Even if Puyol gets a lengthy suspension,it would be a well earned one.
I never thought I could hate a player more than Judas but now I do.

I think a MANITA in the sansiro will hurt him more than breaking his leg..

23 November, 2011
ACMILAN 0 -5 FCBarcelona

I have always thought he was a great player, even when he was with Inter, but never really liked him as a person. Financially, this is very smart though, he's released a book a few weeks before the Milan-Barca game, put some inflammatory excerpts out in public, got us talking on this thread and now he's going to sell heaps of copies as a result!

btw, lol @ this... "sry ACMilan fans.. but Sansiro will look like Hell on 23 november.. u can only blame ibrabitch!"

I'm as pumped as you guys are for this, but I expect more of a contest at home. We managed a draw away from home without Ibra and Robinho... if the San Siro looks like hell it will be because it is full of Diavoli!

Tbh... I expect an easier game for us at the San Siro.. or at least hope for one! Simply because surely Milan will try to attack a bit in this game rather than park the bus. They shouldn't have the luck of a first minute goal and if they try to open up a bit more we should win. Simple as that.

I can tell you right now that we will play on the counter and our defence will be just as tight as last time. We will only play with 2 DM's if you're lucky. We will probably not attack until one of your players gives the ball up, especially if a wing-back loses it. Expect a long ball forward over the defence to Pato, who will sit right on the halfway line for the whole game, or a run and cross from Abate for a header.

BarcaKizz wrote:Tbh... I expect an easier game for us at the San Siro.. or at least hope for one! Simply because surely Milan will try to attack a bit in this game rather than park the bus. They shouldn't have the luck of a first minute goal and if they try to open up a bit more we should win. Simple as that.

Please explain to me how we parked the bus? Why does every Barca fan accuse a team that plays carefully against them of parking the bus?

Did you not notice how our fullbacks were actually pushed up away from the box while Nesta-Silva were the only ones in there? Our midfield which composed of Nocerino, MVb, and Seedorf stood deep while Cassano and Pato were pushed up as well. See where I'm going here? Our intention was to counter-attack.

How do you expect Milan with that midfield of theirs to actually take on the best midfield in the world with Milan's mid having the pace of a snail and not much technicality in there.

Unfortunately by Barca's defensive astuteness all attempts at counter-attacking were successfully nullified.

And you can see this for yourself as MVB was deeper then usual playing the sweeper role but Seedorf and Nocerino were constantly displaced on the flanks to catalyse the counterattack while Pato and Cassano prowled much ahead.

Zambro was deep to nullify the dangerous Alves while Abate was in attack mode.

Also, I don't think you know Milan's style itself is possession football.

And we both know you don't play barca in their own game.

This wasn't Madrid who parked 5+ men in the box as we actually had a plan while Mou's was to defend only.

That game just showed Allegri's tactical variance and him simply not being naive enough to take on a team with that midfield as also Ibra and Robinho were out who are vital to our attacking game.

How was the first goal lucky? Pato already explained how Allegri made him practice and anticipate this move before the match.

I would've that you wouldn't have confused the Milan plan with Mou's plans.

Arquitecto wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:Tbh... I expect an easier game for us at the San Siro.. or at least hope for one! Simply because surely Milan will try to attack a bit in this game rather than park the bus. They shouldn't have the luck of a first minute goal and if they try to open up a bit more we should win. Simple as that.

Please explain to me how we parked the bus? Why does every Barca fan accuse a team that plays carefully against them of parking the bus?

Did you not notice how our fullbacks were actually pushed up away from the box while Nesta-Silva were the only ones in there? Our midfield which composed of Nocerino, MVb, and Seedorf stood deep while Cassano and Pato were pushed up as well. See where I'm going here? Our intention was to counter-attack.

How do you expect Milan with that midfield of theirs to actually take on the best midfield in the world with Milan's mid having the pace of a snail and not much technicality in there.

Unfortunately by Barca's defensive astuteness all attempts at counter-attacking were successfully nullified.

And you can see this for yourself as MVB was deeper then usual playing the sweeper role but Seedorf and Nocerino were constantly displaced on the flanks to catalyse the counterattack while Pato and Cassano prowled much ahead.

Zambro was deep to nullify the dangerous Alves while Abate was in attack mode.

Also, I don't think you know Milan's style itself is possession football.

And we both know you don't play barca in their own game.

This wasn't Madrid who parked 5+ men in the box as we actually had a plan while Mou's was to defend only.

That game just showed Allegri's tactical variance and him simply not being naive enough to take on a team with that midfield as also Ibra and Robinho were out who are vital to our attacking game.

How was the first goal lucky? Pato already explained how Allegri made him practice and anticipate this move before the match.

I would've that you wouldn't have confused the Milan plan with Mou's plans.

Arq, I'm sorry... normally people don't walk into this forum and analyse things so closely. I don't intend to bash Milan at all with my statements. If you read what I had to say at the time I praised them.

I didn't actually say they parked the bus in the last game. What I said was, I don't think they will in this next game. What I remember of the first game was Milan score early then offered practically nothing for 90 minutes. It was pretty disappointing. Barca didn't play well either and should have put the game away. Whether Milan tried to attack or not, I don't remember too well, but all I remember is they certainly never attacked successfully. I'm not going to go back and analyse positioning etc. I believe you, you are certainly someone I trust when it comes to reading the game.

This was intended to be a quick post, not a profound statement. All I'm saying is, Milan were incredibly defensive against us in the Camp Nou (and rightly so, I understand its stupid to go toe-to-toe...) and I expect them to offer a little more at the San Siro. This should allow us greater chance to break them down, and I believe we'll win. That's all I'm saying.

As for the goal, I don't mean it was a goal of luck. It was just lucky for Milan that the goal came in the first minute as it allowed them to sit back and defend a lead.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:
And let's not make Pep look like a saint either. In general, I sympathize with Ibra wanting to know why the current system is the way it is. I don't think it's irrational for him to want to know why. Modern coaches need to be able to explain things to their players. And Pep's silent treatment, which he also gave Bojan and Yaya, also strikes me the wrong way.

Nice thoughtful comments alfred. You are without doubt one of the most broad minded and as far as possible unbiased posters here. I will say this though. Take any coach or at least top coach ever and you will have a long list of players who have had major issues with them. So I am not too surprised by what happened to Ibra or Bojan and don't have much of an interest in singling out Pep for blame. It's part of the game of football or even life the way I see it. Some places and some people work for you. Others don't. You need to judge for yourself and do what is best for your own interests. However trying to badmouth places and people that didn't work for you in order to take out your frustration and turning a complete blind eye towards your own failings is neither classy nor commendable. Hence Pep by his Stoic conduct remains well above Ibra as a dignified and classy gentleman who we can be proud of.

The Franchise wrote:JD, superbly put, I must return the compliment. Every single point, on point.

dani, thanks a lot.

Completely agreed JD, Pep is definitely the one coming out on top. That being said I don't think Ibra sees it that way, otherwise he would have never complained in public. I can see how this conditioned Pep's treatment of transfers, and why he was so desperate for Mascherano, as a result of the Ibras, Eto'os, etc, he wanted values humble personalities above all.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Completely agreed JD, Pep is definitely the one coming out on top. That being said I don't think Ibra sees it that way, otherwise he would have never complained in public. I can see how this conditioned Pep's treatment of transfers, and why he was so desperate for Mascherano, as a result of the Ibras, Eto'os, etc, he wanted values humble personalities above all.

Very well said alfred. I agree.

Ibra isn't the only one that has complianed, Im sure that Bojan said that he never ever wanted to play for Barca if pep was coaching and im sur eYaga also said that he Pep didn't give him much of go becaus of Sergio Busquests.

I never read a single negative comment from Yaya and would be interested to see any link where something like that has been reported.

well , singing a player for about 65 m and spendig 6 months without even talking to him , then selling him the next year for 24 m.

I completely understand why he is unhappy!