Matchday 32: Barcelona - Getafe | Tuesday, Apr 10 | 21:00 CET / 15:00 ET

Discuss the upcoming match here.

I have exactly 30 minutes to get back from training if I leave on time...cant risk this sort of thing on a CL day lol

I wonder who Pep will play up front?

I think Iniesta and Xavi will return, Montoya at rightback, Adriano leftback.

But up front is a mystery.

Alexis with Messi and Cesc?

Pedro with Messi an Cesc?

Alexis and Pedro again? Cuenca?

Cesc is suspended...
No 3-4-3 without Cesc. So Montoya will play for sure

Cesc is suspended? Oh well, choice between Pedro, Alexis and Cuenca I guess.

5th yellow card apparently according to all the other forums Im active with. Im sure their right. Inestia in the middle with Thaigo. Give another rest for Xavi and play him against Levante because that will be tough. Pedro, Cuenca and Messi up front. I was thinking of resting Messi with the tight schedule but with Fabregas out than we will have to play him. Though Im sure Pep will play him every game from now. We have a decent chance of winning the title.

I think left back would be the area that Barcelona will find difficult to take care of from now on considering the tight schedule until the end of the season. With Abidal out and no other natural LB other than Adriano, you still have to rotate the squad to avoid injuries, especially with Adriano who is injury-prone. Puyol can play as LB with mixed results but the catch here is that you can't play Puyol every match either because of his fitness, not to mention he will be used in CB rotations as well. You got the boys from La Masia, but I doubt if any of them are up to standards. I know this sounds quite ridiculous (so did playing Mascherano and Yaya as CB and see how those turned) but can Afellay play as LB? He has played on the wing, he is pretty quick and he used to play as DM for PSV so his defending qualities shouldn't be bad.

There isn't any problem. If you find Adriano a problem than Muniesa will replace him. He is another that has shown potential. Busquests I reckon will need to have a good game because of the lack of defense.

Is Pique still injured?

I'm not convinced we'll see both Xavi and Iniesta. I have a feeling Thiago will start again and I say why not. I'm not keen on Xavi starting the next 3 games in a row, and I'm not sure which of Levante or Getafe is more important to start. I'm going to go with Levante away being more difficult.

Mixed feelings as to who should start up front. I'd like Pedro to get a rhythm going, and maybe his goal will give him some confidence. I want him to play against Chelsea, so I feel he may only play 1 of the 2 between then. I think Cuenca might start.

Maybe:

Valdes
Montoya - Masch - Puyol - Adriano
Busquets
Thiago - Iniesta
Cuenca - Messi - Pedro/Alexis

Alexis will probably have the bench as Im sure sure we will need him most for the difficult away game. Pedro scored a goal so keep his 'confidence' up with another game. Im hoping he can score another one. Thiago to start and maybe we may see him and Busquests swap around occiasonally.

I'm going to the game tonight!

Hope we win though my talisman effect is seriously undermined since the last game we only managed a tie...

Don't worry, we've won all the games I've made a thread for

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Don't worry, we've won all the games I've made a thread for

:lol!:

I would like to see Pedro start as he scored so he can gain more confidence - he needs it. But i guess Pep knows best.

WTF
According to FCB_Cat twitter:
Valdés, Mascherano, Puyol, Adriano, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Alexis, Messi, Cuenca i Pedro

3-3-4?!

I think Xavi's attempt was in dead goal. They showed from another angle and the ball was inside.

Xavi's goal seemed legit to me.

I am so glad Pedro scored again

BTW, we played with only one real CD and 4 attackers

2012...15 years behind some sports because we dont have video tech.

Anyway, great performance and great win.

3.5 at the back, 3 real forwards AND Messi...a fascinating line up from a tactical point of view.

Adriano as a left defender (not a leftback nor leftcenterback), Montoya taking that role later on and finally Muniesa.

Busquets dropping back to form a 4 man defence when needed.

Messi playing a out and out number 10 role, perhaps a preview of his position when he gets up there in years and physically wanes.

Sanchez something like a number 9 and great width on both flanks from Pedro and Cuenca.

I think Messi is still a little "young" for the role, in that the player in this position is called on to be a passer much more than a dribbler, but Messi doesnt do that yet because he is still so capable. Great goal though.

Sanchez following up a excellent game with 2 great goals, I was shocked when I saw someone who isnt Messi creating something for themselves and then scoring.

And what a powerful jump and header.

Pedro 2 goals in 2 games. Hope that continues.

Good display by Barcelona, still a lot missed goalscoring chances especially in the first half.

The second goal was brilliant. 1-2 between Iniesta and Messi with the Spaniard performing the perfect backheel and Messi getting the perfect first touch on it and bang in home. Fantastic.

Pedro, apart from the goal was meh at best. I really like the guy but he is short of confidence. He is not as bold as the Pedro I remember a couple of years ago.

At work and missed the game. Could someone explain the tactics a bit more? Sounds interesting Dani, but I'm still intrigued as to how it worked/ looked.

Pedro has a couple of goals now at least. Great, he can only improve!

Alexis clearly in form which is vital for the run home.

Hope Pep uses a youth in the next game though.

As always, its impossible to chart down an exact formation as is the fluidity.

Basically this.



Busquets dropped in on some occasions, sometimes to build up play the VERY RARE times they pressed or threw another man into the center of attack.

Adriano and Puyol brought the ball forward a bit when the space opened up, but were never left and rightbacks making overlaps.

Montoya replaced Adriano, despite being a rightback and he was a little bit more adventerous, but that was probably due to the scoreline.

Iniesta made some runs in between the lines, like when he played a 1-2 with Messi for his goal.

Cuenca providing alot of width, taking on the fullback and always looking for crosses. Set up Alexis goal, the 3rd.

Alexis came off the front at times, usually when Messi dropped deep and was almost like a centermid. That happened when Busquets dropped into centerback to build up, Xavi then went deeper and Messi maintained the numerical superiority in the midfield.

This line up was a carbon copy of Bielsa's old Chile 343, with players performing VERY similar roles. The only difference being Busquets ability to drop into the back and Alexis playing like a 9 rather then a winger.

Montoya played at left back when he came on. It kinda gave me a scare as last time he played in that position he got injuried... Anyway I felt sorry for him as I really would have loved to see him start back it wsa 3-4-3 with Messi played Fabregas's role...
Pedro was ok apart from the goal and well he really needs to lift up his game if he wants a spot in euro 12.

Cheers Dan.

Dear lord the Messi goal is almost a replica of a Champions league goal that he scored a couple years ago. Anyone remember it? It was against a team that wore grey, a team that wasn't so good. I believe it was 07-08 or 08-09.

And then again, that Pedro goal is exactly like a header he scored against a La Liga team last year, flick on to the back post upper 90, I might try and find it.

Ridiculously similar, both of them.