Which title would you rather win by the end of this season?

Which title would you rather win by the end of this season?

Champions league, only because its never been won twice before.

But if it wasnt that situation, then La Liga.

Champions League... I've said it all season. Winning it twice would confirm us as the best team of all time. I don't even know why the Cup was an option... nobody gives a sh*t about it.

Hmm, very tough to decide. This league would be historic if we won it. But retaining the Champions League hasn't technically be done before so that is a massive achievement as well.

I'm going with the Champions League.

I want the CL because we are both likelier to get it and it is more prestigious. But I can honestly see this season ending with just 1 of those three titles - and the least important one of those at that.

The Franchise wrote:Champions league, only because its never been won twice before.

But if it wasnt that situation, then La Liga.

My exact feeling.

I want copa del rey because everybody wants CL

the CL... but this liga title would be so, so, so sweet. if BM win the CL and we manage to win the liga I would still be happy.

The CL.

Most likely to win the CDR. I forgot we were in the final lol

3 seasons ina row for La Liga under the ruling of Pep though not 2 consective CL trophys. CL for me

The Franchise wrote:Champions league, only because its never been won twice before.

But if it wasnt that situation, then La Liga.

this

If it was just one,then CL for me.Winning it twice in a row would be a historic achievement.

I don't even want to comment on that because I am almost sure our season effectively ends this Tuesday. The era of Pep and Xavi's Barca is coming to a closure. Hate and curse me as much as you want but I have thought this way for some time and after the last two matches, I am almost certain of it. If we manage to make it to the UCL final somehow you can quote me on this that no Barcelona fan here or anywhere else for that matter will be more surprised than yours truly. This is simply the worst state in which I have seen our team in the entire tenure of Pep Guardiola.

messixaviesta wrote:I don't even want to comment on that because I am almost sure our season effectively ends this Tuesday. The era of Pep and Xavi's Barca is coming to a closure. Hate and curse me as much as you want but I have thought this way for some time and after the last two matches, I am almost certain of it.

Explain Xaviesta.

Or open a thread about it. I'd love to hear your opinion on this.

CBarca wrote:

Explain Xaviesta.

Or open a thread about it. I'd love to hear your opinion on this.

CB, there are far too many reasons for it. Anyway let me list them down.

1. Xavi - Much as we would like to pretend otherwise the maestro's career is winding down and we can't expect him to on a consistent basis be the outstanding difference maker that he has been in the last few years.

2. Pep - He hasn't renewed yet and I think there is a less than 50% chance that he will.

3. Puyol - On his last legs and we still have no idea who can ever replace him. Some would say Mascherano but with due respect to what the Argentine has done we are talking about a altogether different level here.

4. Forward line - This needs a complete rethink. As I said in another place we may have to consider giving up the false number 9 concept. Maybe in the last two games what we really needed was a Mario Gomez type of center forward. Since Messi is taking up more and more play making responsibilities, it's too much to ask him to keep doing both forever. We have to make one or more sensible purchases here.

5. Team cycles - No team dominates forever and three years is usually the optimum period of a top team's domination especially in as competitive and cut throat an era as the present one.

All this does not mean that we can't be a top team again. However some amount of rethinking and rebuilding will be needed and getting anywhere close to the level we used to be in takes a lot of time.

If you are asking specifically about the Chelsea match, then I can only repeat what I have already said. A 1-0 away result is almost suicidal. It's very rarely been overturned right since when I started watching UCL in 2004-05. Our defense isn't good enough to keep a clean sheet for 90 minutes against a major team especially when we will need to be more gung-ho in attack. Last few matches have shown how much we struggle to score goals. So scoring 3 in the match without allowing the opposition to score even 2 sounds a far fetched possibility to be. Considering all scenarios and applying theory of elimination, it's just not going to happen.

1. Xavi - Much as we would like to pretend otherwise the maestro's career is winding down and we can't expect him to on a consistent basis be the outstanding difference maker that he has been in the last few years.

Interesting. I agree here. But what about Busquets, and Thiago? Not to mention the under the radar JDS (although he seems to have taken the DM role). We have a lot of ridiculous talent in the midfield, while we will be missing Xavi, it might be fair to say that we can at least partially be as good in that position. No one will ever be as good as Xavi has been in the midfield for Barca though.

I think questions about Busquets replacing Xavi will come up eventually. No need to this year since Xavi is still playing brilliantly- but you are right in that he is getting old and his career might just be coming to a close. It's time to sit and watch here though and see how long he can maintain the level he has been.

2. Pep - He hasn't renewed yet and I think there is a less than 50% chance that he will.

Why do you think that? And what are your opinions regarding Pep renewing? (this is of course a question to all, as all questions posed in this post will be)

3. Puyol - On his last legs and we still have no idea who can ever replace him. Some would say Mascherano but with due respect to what the Argentine has done we are talking about a altogether different level here.

This is a fair point. I can't really say anything about this, due to my not knowing enough regarding defenders in the B team. Mascherano has been great though.

4. Forward line - This needs a complete rethink. As I said in another place we may have to consider giving up the false number 9 concept. Maybe in the last two games what we really needed was a Mario Gomez type of center forward. Since Messi is taking up more and more play making responsibilities, it's too much to ask him to keep doing both forever. We have to make one or more sensible purchases here.

It seems you think we might be missing a certain Eto'o.

Now, it is true that Villa is getting up there in the years. But IMO Barca 2011 with MVP front line was a great setup and our best ever. Why is it that we can't replicate that next year, say in the form of Pedro, Messi, Sanchez?

Do you think this would not be as effective as it ever was? And what are your reasons for thinking this no longer works, as opposed to an out and out Gomez-eque striker?

5. Team cycles - No team dominates forever and three years is usually the optimum period of a top team's domination especially in as competitive and cut throat an era as the present one.

True and fair point. My immature adolescent mind wants to think this glory will last forever, but you have a fair point here.

All this does not mean that we can't be a top team again. However some amount of rethinking and rebuilding will be needed and getting anywhere close to the level we used to be in takes a lot of time.

Nice words. We do have a lot of great up and coming youngsters though. I'll be interested to see how they work in the next coming years.

I was not asking about the Chelsea match but I always expect such pessimism from you JD

I will be optimistic, and that may kill me, as I have died twice this week. But I can't help but hope. Perhaps that's the difference between 15 year old CBarca and the very experienced JD

What are you guys talking about?
Ajax won Champions League three times straight (1971, 1972, 1973)
Liverpool won it two times straight (1977, 1978)
& your arch rivals won it 5 times straight (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)

CB, great comments from you. Here are my replies.

1. True they are all good players but they are not Xavi. This in turn means that we can still be very good but it will be a struggle to reach our former level. Whether Busquets will ever be tried in Xavi's role and if he is how good he will be is difficult to say at this point. Thiago I see as an efficient, skilful and intelligent player but not a magical one unlike Xavi or Iniesta. Maybe one day he will be but right now while to his credit he doesn't look out of place at all, I don't see him handling a big game without at least one of Xavi and Iniesta by his side. Overall I feel that without Xavi the dynamics of the midfield will have to be reworked to some extent because it's one of those cases where you will never get a like for like replacement.

2. See since he has not renewed till now it's only logical to think that he is at least having contradictory thoughts. If his plans had worked fully people would beg him to renew. If they don't as seems likely people will still request him but not with quite the same intensity. Overall I am getting the feeling that Pep who seems to be a man of immense individuality and principles thinks that he has given what he could to this team and it's time for someone else to bring in a new set of ideas.

3. Agreed completely.

4. Yes Eto'o and Henry were part of our best forward line in the Pep era but Villa and Pedro were very good as well. The problem is that for someone of Villa's age coming off an injury I can't expect him to become the world's best striker once again. Pedro needs to regain form. As for Alexis, he has hardly been used in Villa's role. So it's hard to comment how well he will do but as yet it doesn't seem like he can be as good. Instead Alexis is played as a center forward which he is not and due to this and Fabregas also playing Messi is unable to play the false number 9 role of last season and instead becomes a midfielder which I don't like at all. The last bit was just an idea of reworking the forward line with a conventional center forward. I am by no means saying that I am sure the false number 9 cannot work any more.

5. We all want the good times to last in football as in life but nothing lasts forever. Anyway no point going on since it will only make me nostalgic and think of some of my favorite songs.

6. Yes I can't help being pessimistic especially this time but it's nice to see most of you all are still optimistic. What is unquestionable though is that the acid test is on Tuesday.

7. Oh yes I am old now.

Cotes wrote:What are you guys talking about?
Ajax won Champions League three times straight (1971, 1972, 1973)
Liverpool won it two times straight (1977, 1978)
& your arch rivals won it 5 times straight (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)

Sure but other than in case of Real Madrid you will notice that the approximate period of domination was three years. As for Madrid's case, not wanting to take away anything from those legends, that era's competitiveness cannot be compared to today's and if I recall correctly they weren't that dominant domestically.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2 times..not European cup, with many teams excluded.

CL is much harder, which is why it hasnt been won twice.

The Franchise wrote:CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2 times..not European cup, with many teams excluded.

CL is much harder, which is why it hasnt been won twice.

That's the actual answer to the question asked by Cotes. I had misunderstood the question and posted something different which I am not getting the option to delete now.

I can delete if you want, but its still a worthy post which points out a valid point. Even if it wasnt asked.

Its up to you.

Great comments JD, I always love hearing your opinions on anything Barcelona related.

EDIT: Hell on anything, doesn't have to be Barca related, though it always is

Well I guess its all focus on Champions League and CDR. I reckon Pep will do the same as last season adn play some of the B players in teh last few rounds (Montoya, Barta, Muniesa, JDS and some others) to give rest for others for CL final (if we get there) and CDR.

Ok I understand...good luck