FC Barcelona - Elche | La Liga Matchday 18 | Sun 5th January 2013

EST 10:00 | GMT 15:00 | CET 16:00

Everyone is fit but Puyol, I think.

Busquets is suspended.

Barcelona's timetable:
weekend vs Elche (H)
mid-week vs Getafe (H)
weekend vs Atlético (A)

Atlético's timetable:
weekend vs Málaga (A)
mid-week vs Valencia (A)
weekend vs Barcelona (H)

  

Wow, Camp Nou won't be busy on Sunday. Tickets available at almost every section of the camp (only greyed zones are unavailable).

LOL godamn that just horrible for Atleti lol. That said, if this was Malaga from last year or los Che from a few seasons back then Atleti would be in some deep shit. This year they should roll over both of Malaga and Che (not saying it will be easy, but they should get it done).

I don't think Messi will start either match vs Elche or Getafe, but maybe feature after half time in or maybe both of those matches. He will probably be back to starting vs Atletico

vs Elche I predict

----------Valdes
-Alves-Pique-Masch-Alba
---------Song
---Xavi-----Iniesta
-Pedro---------Neymar
--------Cesc

Just got a feeling he goes with that shit right there (referring to Masch and Cesc starting)

windkick wrote:LOL godamn that just horrible for Atleti lol. That said, if this was Malaga from last year or los Che from a few seasons back then Atleti would be in some deep shit. This year they should roll over both of Malaga and Che (not saying it will be easy, but they should get it done).

Valencia will be strong with Pizzi

His teams press like mad. So while I expect Valencia's weaknesses at pressing to be easily exploited by Atlético, they will surely tire Simeone's team. It will hopefully not be like their meeting a few weeks back where Atlético easily dominated.

Valdes
Montoya Bartra Pique Alba
Xavi Song Iniesta
Alexis Neymar Pedro

Alves has 4 yellow cards, shouldn't play this game we need him against Atletico next week.

No Messi or Alves... Valdes Back!!!


Squad vs Elche: VALDES Pinto Montoya Bartra Pique Mascherano Puyol Adriano Alba Song Xavi Iniesta Roberto Cesc Tello Alexis Neymar Pedro.

I'd like to see:

Valdes
Montoya Bartra Pique Adriano
Song
Xavi Iniesta
Alexis Neymar Pedro

We'll probably play a weaker team in the Cup game against Getafe.

a must win game for us as Athletico has the 3 point lead again. we should play our best available squad and give them rest vs Getafe
what if we play Mashcherano in DM position. He would be atleast better than Song(No??) interms of positioning and speed!

Mascerano as a lone DM would never work, plus he hasn't played there in ages. Song is a safer choice and he hasn't been that bad this season tbh.

Barcelona XI:
Valdés, Montoya, Piqué, Bartra, Alba, Xavi, Song, Iniesta, Sánchez, Fàbregas, Pedro

Bench: Puyol, Neymar, Pinto, Mascherano, Tello, Adriano, Sergi Roberto

Elche XI:
Toño, Sapunaru, Botía , Lombán , Albácar, Sánchez, Pérez, Ñíguez, Gil, Fidel, Boakye

Fabulous cross by Alba.

The pass from Fàbregas

Bartra playing like a headless chicken minutes before that

Cesc Fábregas: His assist for Pedro's goal vs Elche means he has now registered the most assists in Europe's top 5 leagues this season (10)

RealGunner wrote:Cesc Fábregas: His assist for Pedro's goal vs Elche means he has now registered the most assists in Europe's top 5 leagues this season (10)

More than Özil?   

Song is playing nlike an amateur

wtf??? iniesta needs to exercise his shooting

The ten man wall

Surely from that distance Pedro is a better finisher than Xavi?

billy_gr wrote:wtf??? iniesta needs to exercise his shooting

Was this first Barca game you watch?   

danyjr wrote:

The ten man wall

In retroperspective if you take right footed shot in that angle, you probably should have more players in right to pick up rebound.  

Game has become a training match, players now passing up chances for tap ins.

But, I am quite upset by our defensive gameplan. The first say 25 minutes was a poorly excuted pressing game. Alexis running from centerback to leftback, forcing Montoya out to pick up the leftback if Alexis cant make it and then forcing Bartra out to pick up the winger...this terrible organisation made the chance where they hit the post.

If we going to press, its going to have to be with Xavi coming out of the midfield because Cesc doesnt have the mobility to press two splitting CB's. Then Song and Iniesta straight up into the midfielders. The way it currently is, is a mess.

After that terrible mess, we stopped pressing and let them have the ball in their half and they had it quite alot. Didnt look good for us either because they found a couple of ways to move Song out of position and get in space.

RealGunner wrote:Cesc Fábregas: His assist for Pedro's goal vs Elche means he has now registered the most assists in Europe's top 5 leagues this season (10)

GOATbregas.

Finally Sanchez hat-trick.   

Alexis on fire