Barcelona 2011 vs Barcelona 2015

Had an interesting discussion with alot of my footballing fans who believe this Barcelona team is a much more entertaining and overall a better team than the 2011 coached under Pep.
More goals than 2011, less goals conceded, more chances created with enough adequate possession instead of needlessly having possession and creating little blah blah blah

To all the analysts out there:
1. Differences between the two systems (structure of attack and midfield in particular and the players playing within those structures)
2. Which side is more entertaining for you to watch, better team overall and why?

Opinions anyone? Love to hear them all.
#inb4beefwithfussball&alex

the 2010/11 season is in my opinion the best we've had
5-0 domination against madrid and domination against man u in the final was crazy.

Barcelona 2015 is more like Barcelona 2009 I think.

Barcelona 2011 was almost perfect so it's hard to compare tbh.

I witnessed both but i was so relaxed with this Barcelona they just look unbeatable. 2011 one had a little bit luck and people hated them but this treble is so fully deserved even haters say it

Messi became more complete if you stop him he will make passes so no way to stop this Messi

Xavi (midfield) replaced by Neymar Suarez (attack). Now team plays attack football.no possession or side passes anymore. I would take this barca as the more entertaining team

The attack alone makes this the superior team.. They can function almost independently, which is just outrageous. And BTW, this Barcelona team totally smokes that man u team no less than 5-0 everyday of the week . Then we have a superior keeper situation and a superior defence too. But the 2011 midfield was bout 5 levels above this one tho..
Now imagine this attack and that midfield

2011>>>

Simply in terms of control/dominance and attractive football, 2011 was at the top. There were far too many times this season when we played ugly football and that detracts from the greatness factor. This season is great but I also feel that it coincided with a time during which many of Europe's top teams are struggling or in transition.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:2011>>>

Simply in terms of control/dominance and attractive football, 2011 was at the top. There were far too many times this season when we played ugly football and that detracts from the greatness factor. This season is great but I also feel that it coincided with a time during which many of Europe's top teams are struggling or in transition.

Spot on.That team played the best football I have ever seen in my life.This team doesnt come close and played dire football for a lot of the season.
Also this team doesnt dominate teams like the 10/11 teams.

The front three are the best in the history, however I'd take the 2011 side any day of the week.

Control, setting the tempo, domination, possession, the one-twos, relentless pressuring was just unreal and unmatched and it was most pleasing to the eye.

What's the actual question? Who was better or who did you enjoy more?

Because 2011 would wipe the floor with this team.

2011 was epic. MVP didnt score as many goals as MSN but they were as dangerous as MSN. Midfield isnt even a contest aswell. Still cant believe barca lost CDR that season to be denied a 2nd treble

just a little stat comparison from whoscored  

The squad Guardiola inherited was obviously superior.

Prime Alves vs. washed up Alves
Abidal vs. Alba
Puyol vs. Mascherano
Prime Xavi vs. Rakitic
Prime Iniesta vs. Iniesta who looks bored of life and only ever gets it up in a handful of games.

Variety in midfield like Keita, Yaya, young Thiago compared to Sergi Roberto and Rafinha.

Above all: MOTIVATION before the players won everything multiple times.

Even the forward line was never any less talented than the current one. Eto'o, Henry, Ibrahimovic, Villa, Messi ... Guardiola wanting to ship off Eto'o to Uzbekistan, falling out with Ibra and turning Villa into a water carrier on the left wing and ultimately downgrading from Henry-Eto'o-Messi in 2008 to Alexis-Messi-Pedro in 2011 because he likes to be a hipster doesn't mean the current forward line is much superior to what we used to have.

All in all the squads used to be much stronger in the Guardiola era but the coaching was obviously inferior. How you manage to never win away from home in the CL with those Barca teams even against Stuttgart, Lyon or injury-riddled Arsenal and always rely on referees whenever the opponent doesn't buckle down before the game has started I will never know (Övrebo, RvP red card, Pepe red card, Motta red card, 2 penalties against Milan for a bit of hassle during a corner kick etc.).

Coaching inferior.Cant make this stuff up.
The current coaching is basically hoof it to MSN upfront but yeah Guardiola is an inferior coach to Enrique.

alexjanosik wrote:Coaching inferior.Cant make this stuff up.
The current coaching is basically hoof it to MSN upfront but yeah Guardiola is an inferior coach to Enrique.

I don't know what constitutes "hoof" for you but this season's Barca has scored some of the most amazing team goals in the CL for sure.

In the group stages the Messi goal against PSG after a quick one-two with Iniesta.

The opener in Camp Nou against Ajax.

Iniesta's assist against PSG for Neymar's goal.

The 2nd Suarez goal against City after I think a 40 pass passage of play.

The Messi throughball to Suarez who lays it off to Neymar against Bayern.

The Messi chip against Boateng.

The opener against Juventus after a Messi diagonal to Neymar who lays it off to Iniesta who makes a run from deep and assists Rakitic.

Will post gifs later.

Compared to that Guardiola always relied on penalties and individual brilliance (Messi dribbling entire Madrid team) against any half decent team in the CL. So, yeah. Inferior coaching. Of all the big teams only Manchester United had a weak enough midfield (40 year old Giggs alongside Carrick in a 2 man midfield ) that Guardiola's actual gameplan worked.

Most of those goals you mentioned are individual goals scored by the brilliance of the front 3.Nothing to do with teamplay and great passing moves.
The fact that you mentioned the Messi chip against Neur says it all.
Guardiola's team dominated every single team they played.They were so dominant that every team they played parked the bus.Including the likes of Mehdrid and Arsenal.Dont think Wenger has ever parked the bus against any other team.
That was the sort of dominance of Guardiola's team. No big team parks the bus against Enrique's team because there just isnt the fear factor.
Also worth mentioning that Guardiola didnt have Suarez who is one of the GOATS and a major difference maker.
Plus Enrique also has Neymar.
Guardiola would have wiped the floor even more with Suarez.

If Guardiola had Suarez he would have put him on the wing and sold him a year later like Ibra to replace him with a player who fits his "system" better. Like Cuenca or something.

All those ugly hoofs.

MSN wouldn't even touch the ball vs 2011 team.

2009 Barca vs 2015 Barca would be entertaining as shit though

windkick wrote:MSN wouldn't even touch the ball vs 2011 team.

2011 team was a Bendtner toepoke away of getting elliminated against 10 men Arsenal. Let's not mystify a team after 4 years. There is still enough time to do that in 20 years.

Europe as a whole was probably stronger that year than it was this one. This team had lots of games when we were far from perfect either. We couldn't control Malaga,Celta etc.

Europe was stronger in what year?

Bayern were a joke pre Heynckes. Real Madrid were a joke pre Mourinho's 2nd season. Atletico were a joke pre Simeone. Dortmund were almost going into administration. PSG and City weren't where they are now. The top teams were the English top 3: United, Chelsea and Arsenal. United had no midfield and suited us perfectly, Arsenal beat us with Fabregas-Song midfield and Arshavin upfront and Chelsea were unbeatable for Pep even when Di Matteo was coaching them with 10 men.

Actually it's unbelievable how Pep didn't win back-to-back CLs in such a weak CL era with a much stronger Barca squad.

I refuse to compare..they arent even playing the same teams

I wont revise history, either positively or negatively but I will say its a extremely superficial way to compare teams by what players each had.

You would think by now people would realise its not about the names on the paper, its about the team and what the collective does.

Futbol can you not see how misleading your being? Brining in some odd moments of uncertainty into games in which that Barca team clearly were dominating.


Some one in 5 years will say this current Barca team beat

-Juve with star players Man Utd reject Tevez, most lost balls of any midfielder Pogba, injured Cheillini and senior citizens Pirlo and Buffon.

-All time record injury crisis Bayern Munich.

-PSG with no Ibra, 20 minutes injured Thiago Silva and unfit Lucas who tore us up badly in the group stages.

-CL flop Man City with unfit Aguero and still starting Demichiellis.

They can say all these things and make it seem like this team is just the luckiest of all time and faced nobodies..when in reality, its a very good team who deserved the CL.

The Franchise wrote:Futbol can you not see how misleading your being? Brining in some odd moments of uncertainty into games in which that Barca team clearly were dominating.


Some one in 5 years will say this current Barca team beat

-Juve with star players Man Utd reject Tevez, most lost balls of any midfielder Pogba, injured Cheillini and senior citizens Pirlo and Buffon.

-All time record injury crisis Bayern Munich.

-PSG with no Ibra, 20 minutes injured Thiago Silva and unfit Lucas who tore us up badly in the group stages.

-CL flop Man City with unfit Aguero and still starting Demichiellis.

They can say all these things and make it seem like this team is just the luckiest of all time and faced nobodies..when in reality, its a very good team who deserved the CL.

Yeah, but this wouldn't enrage alexjanosik that much if I said that.

Well said Franchise