Re: First Clasico of 2013-14 / Barça - Real Madrid

by The Franchise Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:19 pm

He is a great finisher, I think he just need to get one and im sure he will return to "normal".

Both his goals have been tap in's, so obviously you dont increase the sensation that you can finish more complex chances.

by Zealous Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:03 pm

We're walking into a disaster. I've yet to see one great performance from us and it's almost been three months into the season already

I'm just praying you guys fluff your lines because we are there for taking and it might get ugly for us :/

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:22 pm

Lack of Iranian mud dance prepared for the jinx tbh.

by The Franchise Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:30 pm

I dont think we will fluff our lines at all.

He have not had a great performance vs any good team in longer than I recall.

Only one, 4-0 vs Milan. But that was a freak accident in my view. A unique combination of desperation and Messi rampage after the 1st leg disaster.

Excluding this game, last season we didnt have a great performance vs any big team. I guess you can include the 1st Madrid supercup game which we won also, but IIRC it wasnt a great performance...the 2nd leg with 10 men for most of the game was a better one.

by Pedram Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:30 pm

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Lack of Iranian mud dance prepared for the jinx tbh.

First Clasico of 2013-14 / Barça - Real Madrid - Page 2 Sd1guq

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:35 pm

Last year or year before i can't remember which Zeal came into Barca section posting pictures of Asian/African countries rain dancing as a means of jinxing the Barca-Madrid result Laughing

by eelir Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:50 pm

In my opinion this is the game where i really have no clue what to expect. RM were playing like shit so far, but this is classico and they will step it up and have the quality to do damage especially with our defense. In the same sense, we were shit against better teams, but good against lower end sides. So, it can really go either way, big win, big loss or draw. IMO it is the game that will be tough to predict. With that in mind i'd be happy with a draw, although in normal circumstances against such non-functioning RM we should theoretically have a comfortable victory.

by The Franchise Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:04 pm

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Last year or year before i can't remember which Zeal came into Barca section posting pictures of Asian/African countries rain dancing as a means of jinxing the Barca-Madrid result

I remember lol

But I dont remember the outcome of the game.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:07 pm

If my memory serves correctly because there wasn't a massive bragfest afterwards it was a draw.... at least that seems the most likely outcome.

Anyway can i question some points here.... i see some poor form?

Are you not unbeaten so far? i get you have a recent history of poor performances in big games but poor form is a bit harsh no?

by BarrileteCosmico Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:08 pm

Pique apparently picked up a knock against Milan. Bartra - Puyol for the defense?

by The Franchise Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:17 pm

Yeah, poor form dont make no sense to me either.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Pique apparently picked up a knock against Milan. Bartra - Puyol for the defense?

Wouldnt mind at all.

I think Bartra has the best chance of overcoming any nervousness without Pique (obviously not Mascherano either) next to him, not giving him any communication and generally fumbling about.

by CBarca Fri Oct 25, 2013 12:40 am

I would actually love a Bartra-Pique defense. Enough Masch-Pique bumbling about in the backline. Bartra has played well this season and deserves the spot. While I'm nervous about Puyol, he's still a great leader in the back and our captain which is invaluable, and I doubt he's...worse than Pique or Masch right now. He looked in decent shape against Osasuna despite not being challenged much.

"poor form" is a reaction to a terrible draw vs Osasuna and the game against Milan.

Anyway, I'm still expecting a win. I rarely would say so and since it's against Madrid anything can happen, but Madrid are just awful right now. Would love to see a great performance vs a big team but could easily see us scraping by 2-1 or something. I'd go with

-------------Valdes-----------
-Alves---Bartra--Puyol---Adriano-
-----------Busquets-------------
------Xavi--------Iniesta--------
-Alexis------Messi--------Neymar-

Pedro has done nothing to warrant a start over Alexis. Fab or Iniesta is a toss up for me, but I prefer Iniesta. Rest is self explanatory.

by Zealous Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:18 pm

lmao Mole you remember that eco smile

by harhar11 Fri Oct 25, 2013 7:34 pm

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Last year or year before i can't remember which Zeal came into Barca section posting pictures of Asian/African countries rain dancing as a means of jinxing the Barca-Madrid result

He did what? Laughing

by free_cat Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:56 pm

According to Catalan tv, this will be the lineup. They say they have it right 99%:

VV

Alves Pique Mascherano Adriano

Xavi Busquets Iniesta

Messi Cesc Neymar

Would be very disappointed with Mascherano starting. Otherwise... well it can work specially if cesct pkays as a 10 instead of fake 9, and messi and neymar as forwards.

They also say that madrid lineup is more doubtful but they think it will be:

Lopez
Arbeloa Pepe Ramos Marcelo
Khedira Illarra Modric
Di maria Ronaldo Bale

by Ganso Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:56 pm

Barcelona trained today this formation: Valdes - Alves Pique Mascherano Adriano - Xavi Busquets Iniesta - Messi Cesc Neymar

Bad news for Barca imo

by The Franchise Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:00 pm

What is that lol

"Play the best 6 players and hope for the best"?

That narrow crap vs a team with poor fullbacks...where have I heard this story before I wonder?

Who is going to follow Marcelo? Messi? Laughing

That Madrid one wouldnt surprise me and I wouldnt mind. I think Cristiano is pretty poor everytime he plays middle and Bale vs Dani Alves im quite comfortable with. Surprised if there is no Isco though, I know he has had some bench time since his hot start but still.

by Ganso Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:08 pm

also that information is from rac1, so its reliable

by windkick Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:49 am

Messi plays so far back now, that we should just flat out consider making him a CF/2nd striker. Have your two best players inside

------------God
Alves-Puyol-Bartra-Adriano
-------Song-----Busi
Alexis------Messi------Pedro
-----------Neymar

by The Franchise Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:12 am

I see alot of Song and Busquets together and I sort of wonder why.

Is it because of supposed defensive ability? Im not sure how great it would be, those two together just turns Song into what he was with Arsenal, where he bombed forward and quickly see how slow he and he cant get back.

So while he has better defensive ability than Xavi or Iniesta, will he even be back for it to matter?

Or your asking him to sit too? And we attack with 4 players and probably more on the counter attack?

by CBarca Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:24 am

Yeah line up does reek of "here's 6 really good offensive players, let's put them out there and let them have a go at the opposition, they can figure it out". Unless Tata has some master plan here I'm not seeing. Offensively it looks like we won't have anyone working to run in behind and defensively as Dani pointed out...who's going to follow Marcelo?

Seems to me Madrid could just pack the box and park an airplane in front of the goal and counter and it will be effective here. Especially with Pique-Masch in the back.

by windkick Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:44 am

The Franchise wrote:I see alot of Song and Busquets together and I sort of wonder why.

Is it because of supposed defensive ability? Im not sure how great it would be, those two together just turns Song into what he was with Arsenal, where he bombed forward and quickly see how slow he and he cant get back.

So while he has better defensive ability than Xavi or Iniesta, will he even be back for it to matter?

Or your asking him to sit too? And we attack with 4 players and probably more on the counter attack?

Funny, I was fully expecting you to be the exact person to ask me that question. And here is my answer

...I dont know. lol. I would be comftrable with the front line as I wrote it down (Alexis, Messi behind Neymar, and Pedro), but when it comes to our options I wasn't too sure about the midfield area with who we have.

A Xavi, Busi partnership looks the most ideal, but asking Xavis old legs to defend the entire match vs the hyper athletic, fast players Real Madrid has is the reason why I thought we could use Song as a "barrier" if you will. Busquets is the one I would now ask to act more of pivot and ball distributor to the front players. This line up sort of leaves out both Iniesta and Cesc out of roles to do until late in the game as I don't see either being strongest playing that far back. One of the two would have to come in late and change the line up to this...

Alexis-----Cesc/Iniesta-----Neymar
----------------Messi

I don't know, it's just an idea. I'm just starting to think that Messi is getting very comftrable playing SUPER deep and to the right now, which leaves us with our 9, or striker, practically next to the central defender all match. If he plans on playing that far back, it's time we move Neymar in front of him thus having our two best players right in the opponents throat

by Le Samourai Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:34 am

I don't think we'll park and counter at all - haven't done that in a while - though looking at the Milan game midweek...it really wouldn't be that bad.

There were times I could see 50 metres between attack and defence, just huge gaps between the lines, has it been like that all season?

by windkick Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:25 am

Good old days, so close...yet so far away

by alexjanosik Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:36 am

If thats the lineup,then the best we can hope for is a draw.
Surely with Neymar joining and Alexis gaining confidence,we finally have the wide players to take on their poor fullbacks.
Whats the point of taking one wide player out to fit Cesc in.
Also it would be a travesty if Bartra doesnt play.Sure he is not experienced enough but at some point or the other he has to start playing the big games.Now is as good a time as any.Besides how much worse can he be than Pique and Masch.

by free_cat Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:54 am

The Franchise wrote:I see alot of Song and Busquets together and I sort of wonder why.

Is it because of supposed defensive ability? Im not sure how great it would be, those two together just turns Song into what he was with Arsenal, where he bombed forward and quickly see how slow he and he cant get back.

So while he has better defensive ability than Xavi or Iniesta, will he even be back for it to matter?

Or your asking him to sit too? And we attack with 4 players and probably more on the counter attack?

Song plays intelligently with us, never been a problem. He woukd be asked to sit back and go forward only when there's space for him.

It would be very important to have him play so we have 4 players in the team with good aerial ability. Otherwise we will very likely concede from set pieces.

Also, with my line up, we would encourage a kind of faster game. Madrid wouldn't be able to park it and it would be very difficult they caught us on the counter as we would almost always have 5-6 players defending.

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