Re: Match Day Thread

[Myesyats]

Wow, you're so full of yourself. It's amusing and sad at the same time.

[windkick]

Missed today's match. 1 question, was the PK at the end warranted?

[BarrileteCosmico]

Yes

[BarcaLearning]

Most important thing today was it just further confirmed that Enriques team is done. We are going to need a big change in the summer.

Its been about 10 years since our domination started, and sad to see usually thats the amount of time a team can sustain it for at most? Even Fergie at Man U suffered more or less for a few years in those Arsenal and Chelsea seasons before getting back. So I guess just getting prepared for that myself, although remaining hopeful

[BarrileteCosmico]

"Barcelona had 74% of the ball, it is true, but Samuel Umtiti to Jérémy Mathieu to Umtiti to Mathieu and back again isn’t going to worry anyone. The front three were largely absent, creating little, lacking sharpness or vision; Neymar apart, there not much sign of a rebellion. And the midfield three, changed for the 20th game in a row, were even more anonymous. They didn’t control or dominate. And here’s a stat: there isn’t a Barcelona player in the top 10 passers in the league this season and there isn’t a Barcelona midfielder in the top 25. Sergio Busquets is not in the top 80."

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/20/lionel-messi-barcelona-leganes-la-liga

[Myesyats]

Problem is not in personnel. Iniesta and Busi are fantastic, it's just Lucho's ideology. Hoofing the ball from defence to MSN is his picture and it's just miserable.

[windkick]

"Barcelona had 74% of the ball, it is true, but Samuel Umtiti to Jérémy Mathieu to Umtiti to Mathieu and back again isn’t going to worry anyone. The front three were largely absent, creating little, lacking sharpness or vision; Neymar apart, there not much sign of a rebellion. And the midfield three, changed for the 20th game in a row, were even more anonymous. They didn’t control or dominate. And here’s a stat: there isn’t a Barcelona player in the top 10 passers in the league this season and there isn’t a Barcelona midfielder in the top 25. Sergio Busquets is not in the top 80."

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/20/lionel-messi-barcelona-leganes-la-liga

That article just points how that certain players didnt get involved, but didnt at all cover the tactics and flaws of what happened (has been happening). If the front 3 can't create it's the midfields fault in large part. If the midfield can't seem to get into a tighter formation and control games, that has allot to do with Lucho. If the midfield is getting over run by the opposing team, it makes the back 4 pass to each other, instead of having outlets to pass too. All this is largely Lucho's fault, so just pointing out that the back 4 didnt pass forward and that the 3 strikers were absent is a no brainer but doesnt point out the real issues as to why we are playing bad.

[windkick]

Good lord I'm glad we got those 3 points

[Myesyats]

Apart from the first 30 minutes we were better all around

Not that bad of a game

[Donuts]

hello gents, haven't been able to watch many games due to health problems but glad i managed to watch the game today.

how do you guys feel about the 3 in the back?
i personally liked it, we have been conceding a lot of goals in the box and the formation certainly helped us strengthen that part of the field, it also helped play more from the back, two strikers couldn't pressure our three defenders.

(which seems to be enriques favorite tactic considering umtiti seems to have the most touches along with MaTS)

obviously the formation needs more work be it bad form or whatever but the midfield couldn't control a ball.. and i don't want to blame tactics on that i mean buscuit doesn't normally give away the ball so stupidly..
iniesta also with some bad give aways and more panic (how many times did he lob a pass to escape pressure.. out of character)

i believe we used that formation to compensate for messi's lack of tracking back so we pushed him in a 10 spot but i would of rathered seen him widening the pitch (like neymar) but on teh right and putting one of our many natural attacking midfielders as the 10.

atletico tried to expose our right flank, i saw someone complaining about how free felipe luis is but honestly not much we can do about it unless messi marks him all game..
simeone would push three players on that side of the wing we only had two guarding it (pique and sergi roberto sometimes we'd get 3 with rafinha but that was rare)

anyways scrappy win shame the mathieu got injured with mascherano coming back.. we cannot play 3 in the back again unless we bring someone from the B team or risk digne again

[BarrileteCosmico]

I wasn't able to catch anything but the first 20 minutes (which were not good) so I have no opinion on the game itself, but I hope you get well soon Donuts!

[windkick]

Get well soon Donuts

[BarcaLearning]

For those that watched the match what do u make of Rafinha? I watched a lot of it on and off, I mean apart from the goal, and he went to the left after Iniesta went off. Still yet to make my mind up but I dont think hes good enough to be a consistent starter for us?

Im not sure but it seemed Ateltico werent able to keep up their level for the whole match unlike the last few matches we played them plus fact that we showed much better fight today got us through, and also bit of luck since they did have numerous chances.

Savic is such a liability for them though

[Donuts]

Thanks BC and windkick

For those that watched the match what do u make of Rafinha? I watched a lot of it on and off, I mean apart from the goal, and he went to the left after Iniesta went off. Still yet to make my mind up but I dont think hes good enough to be a consistent starter for us?

i don't think he's going to make it as a starter for us but certainly hope we keep him.. he can be our keita or pedro (when we had msn)
i personally like his spirit, he like luis suarez just seem to give it their all when wearing the shirt, does dirty work, takes hits and gives some

he can backup CM and RW play some odd roles like today (played LM,RM)
so far none of our centermids look good enough to replace iniesta, i can see us trying to buy a sort of galactico  (coutinho, maybe thiago etc type of players) -- not saying them specifically but more or less a big name

and selling turan + one of gomes / d. suarez


------new starter (iniesta/rafinha/one of kept CMS)-----Rakitic(rafinha/iniesta/one of kept CMs)
----------------------------------------------buscuit(sergi roberto)

would be a decent lineup with backups... but first we need a proper rightback before any other purchases.

[CM Pep]

Ugly win, but a win nevertheless.

Ter Stegen with some really clutch saves. Not sure if anyone else was noteworthy. But the scrapping through is what counts.

[free_cat]

For those that watched the match what do u make of Rafinha? I watched a lot of it on and off, I mean apart from the goal, and he went to the left after Iniesta went off. Still yet to make my mind up but I dont think hes good enough to be a consistent starter for us?

Im not sure but it seemed Ateltico werent able to keep up their level for the whole match unlike the last few matches we played them plus fact that we showed much better fight today got us through, and also bit of luck since they did have numerous chances.

Savic is such a liability for them though

Give Rafinha the benefit of the doubt. Dude hasn't had a run of games ever, unlike Andre Clownes.

And he saved our asses this season several times already.

[windkick]

As far as I'm concerned Rafinha and Turan are the same player, which has always been my argument as to why we even got Turan. I believe Rafinha can do his role just fine, and we could of used the Turan money to get a piece we actually needed. I like Rafinha in his role just fine for us

[windkick]

Rafinha at right back everybody

[Donuts]

no not really

we are playing in attack:
----------------MATS
--mascherano---umtiti----alba
------------sergio---rakitic
--------------messi-----d.suarez
-----rafinha------suarez-----------neymar

in defense:
-----------------MATS
masch---sergio-----umtiti---alba
----------------rakitic
------rafinha-----------d.suarez
----------------MSN

[free_cat]

Busquets as CB sucks.

[alexjanosik]

Why is Denis Suarez not given a chance? He had an outstanding game against Sporting and yet rides the bench this game.
Of all the midfielders we have, he is the most like a Barca midfielder. Has the touch, the technique, the passing and the positional game. And yet rides the bench under Enrique when scrubs like Rafinha and Gomes get chance after chance.

[BarrileteCosmico]

He has been on since the 70th minute, but yeah he should definitely get the nod ahead of Gomes

Funnest Barca game I've seen in a long time. Not sure if it's LE's announcement or that we're back in the league but a weight seems to have been lifted from this team.

[Myesyats]

Possibly best game in a long time and I missed it :/

Happy with the win and hopefully we can give PSG a real run for the money.

[free_cat]

Why is Denis Suarez not given a chance? He had an outstanding game against Sporting and yet rides the bench this game.
Of all the midfielders we have, he is the most like a Barca midfielder. Has the touch, the technique, the passing and the positional game. And yet rides the bench under Enrique when scrubs like Rafinha and Gomes get chance after chance.

He should definitely be above Gomes on the pecking order, but Rafinha is better than him, at almost anything. He's saving our ass this season.

[windkick]

Yea for sure. Anytime Rafinha plays he brings a new spark of energy to not only the attack but also the defense. He's all over the place and fights. And to add to that he and Neymar have a great understanding with each other.

Rakatic and Rafinha should be ahead of Denis and Gomes. Yet somehow when we were in that 2 month funk Gomes was starting just about every single game instead of the other 3. Notice Gomes isn't starting and the team looks brand new

[BarcaLearning]

Busquets last few games after Gomes dropped has looked like his old self... jesus what a clear difference it has made. Also great to see Rakatic back and starting last few games, we've looked much better.

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