Valencia FC 0 v FC Barcelona 1 | November 30 | Estadio Mestalla

also to add one that, something i always disliked about tata/tito was that we were far too predictable and never rested xavi etc..
so rotation is nice and all but we went from the best two games in a row (last week) to completely changing the lineup and experimenting in a big game by putting buscuit xavi and masch in the midfield..
kinda like when we played madrid it was mathieus first game in the lb position in over a year and a half...
these random changes are gonna cost us.

On the contrary, the rotations will cost us in the long term..as everyone will eventually give up on the whole thing mentally.

The Franchise wrote:

Fußball wrote: Don't understand the doom. Wasn't a picture book performance but when was it in the Mestalla?

Its simple, we played like crap and had no control over the game.

Chances missed (or if they were scored in this case) would simply disguise the actual performance level.

There was no control over the game at all.

Watch the full highlights again. Valencia's chances only came around the 70 minute mark after we dissolved the "double pivot" and committed more bodies forward to get the goal. That big Bravo save was also a result of an individual cockup by Busquets, nothing where you can blame tactics or formations. Simply an individual error, Busquets gave the ball away cheaply. But at that point Suarez already missed a 1 on 1, got a legit goal disallowed, was wrongly called offside 1 on 1 again (when he missed anyway) and didn't square the ball to Messi infront of the empty net. Can't agree that we had "no control" over the game. If the linesman isn't a dick and Suarez is more clinical it could have just as well turned into 3-0 way before Bravo was forced to make saves. Did we have FULL control over the game? No. We didn't outplay them from start to finish but they were dead on their legs towards the end and having cramps despite being well rested while we came from a European away fixture so I'd like to think we were causing them more problems than they did us. Besides, Pep won in that stadium ONCE thanks to a disallowed goal for Valencia which should have stood. I don't remember ever having full control in the Mestalla.

"Crap" and "no control" is way over the top. Almeria game was "crap" and "no control" for sure but this was a solid game without being a very good game in a very hostile stadium.

Why would I need to watch the highlights when I watched the full game?

I know when Valencia had the chances, but even before then we wasnt playing well. The first half was easily better than the first, but I still dont think its an acceptable level of performance for a supposed great team.

Dont agree with you, sounds to me like your putting a favourable spin on it by using isolated incidents.

Didnt have any control over the game, especially the second half.

The Franchise wrote:Why would I need to watch the highlights when I watched the full game?

Because I have the feeling you have perceived the game to be worse than it was, especially because you mentioned Bravo saving us and 0-0 being a more fair result. But in reality Valencia's chances only came late once we went back to Busquets-Rakitic-Rafinha and Barca could have scored 3 or 4 goals until that point before Bravo started to get tested. Which he only did because Barca went full attack mode to get the goal which gifted more counter chances for Valencia. So I think a condensed highlight reel might put it into better perspective how much Barca were creating and Valencia weren't before all tactical schemes were thrown over board to force the issue.

Again, I don't think Barca had a super performance but "no control"? Seriously? When Bravo's first real test comes around the 70 minute mark? I think there are some more shades between "control" and "no control". Obviously I'm also factoring in Valencia at home. Where is the control here at the Mestalla under Pep when Soldado should have made it 3-1 in the first half but decided to clear the ball off the line instead for Barca? I feel the criticism is way overboard. "We did this and that wrong at this and that point" I will understand but "meh crap game, no control"? Pls.

I dont know if 0-0 would be more fair, but if it ended 0-0 Barca would have little to complain about based on the performance alone.

Yes, no control, especially in the 2nd half. The game was quite end to end for periods and while Valencia didnt have shots, they had many "nearly" moments...where a better final pass, a better final decision and they do have a chance.

I think this is simply down to what we deem acceptable and dont. I dont deem this performance acceptable.