This is the average positions of both our players and barca's



As you can see we took over the midfield, it forced there attackers to the middle which hurt them.

It also clearly shows Alves marking Ronaldo. If we add Coentrao to the mix, him ronaldo and marcelo could cause headaches for him which will force pique out of position to help him out. This will open space for Benz.

It may cause our attack to be left sided but if that's of no use Ronaldo can switch flanks to confuse them.

Anyway if we can manage the same thing tomorrow against there A midfield then it will show we are more than ready for barcelona and the new season ahead
[Even if we don't I still think we're more than ready for the new season ]

babun1024 wrote:

sportsczy wrote:Morata is nowhere near ready for this kind of competition. Let the kid get some confidence in other La Liga games first if there's an opportunity... he didn't even travel with the preseason squad. Pique/Abidal will eat him alive.

Higuain today>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>x100000000000 Morata

I disagree, in final ten minutes when everyone is tired, place him in the box and play like when Adebayor was there, Benz and Higgy need support, he is the support I don't expect him to score or something extraordinary but given his size and aerial ability ( he is really good), the other guys could do some magic with his rebounds

Dude... i watched 3 games of the Euro u-19. Morata was good... but not a world beater in those games. In fact, i liked Carvajal and Sarabia's play better. He is not strong enough to go against Pique and Abidal. He will get crunched.

Btw, Busquets trained normally today. So did Pique and Xavi. We'll probably see the A squad of Barca except for Puyol. Mascherano will play CB and Abidal will go left imo. It will be tougher for us.

sportsczy wrote:

babun1024 wrote:

sportsczy wrote:Morata is nowhere near ready for this kind of competition. Let the kid get some confidence in other La Liga games first if there's an opportunity... he didn't even travel with the preseason squad. Pique/Abidal will eat him alive.

Higuain today>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>x100000000000 Morata

I disagree, in final ten minutes when everyone is tired, place him in the box and play like when Adebayor was there, Benz and Higgy need support, he is the support I don't expect him to score or something extraordinary but given his size and aerial ability ( he is really good), the other guys could do some magic with his rebounds

Dude... i watched 3 games of the Euro u-19. Morata was good... but not a world beater in those games. In fact, i liked Carvajal and Sarabia's play better. He is not strong enough to go against Pique and Abidal. He will get crunched.

Btw, Busquets trained normally today. So did Pique and Xavi. We'll probably see the A squad of Barca except for Puyol. Mascherano will play CB and Abidal will go left imo. It will be tougher for us.

You didn't get my point completely Like I said, I don't expect wonders from him. He is the option when we can't pressure anymore (exhaustion) and have to wait for counters. Him and CR7 would offer aerial threats for hoofball tactics. Who else is in your mind? We don't have anyone like CR7 or him anywhere else ( excellent in the air)

I'd rather move CR7 to the middle, bring in Di Maria and Callejon to play the wings if we're trying to take advantage of them getting tired. Both those guys are very fast.

sportsczy wrote:I'd rather move CR7 to the middle, bring in Di Maria and Callejon to play the wings if we're trying to take advantage of them getting tired. Both those guys are very fast.

CR7 is fast as well. The problem is, one guy as an aerial option isn't enough to trouble them in defence. Callejon or Di Maria are by no means aerial threats
My bus parking version has got Morata in CF, CR7 on the left and Di Maria on the right with no Ozil or Benz on the field

I'm not sure the kid can handle it, he is just coming along for the ride, and to leave the experience from the bench

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:I'm not sure the kid can handle it, he is just coming along for the ride, and to leave the experience from the bench

You never know

sportsczy wrote:Morata is nowhere near ready for this kind of competition. Let the kid get some confidence in other La Liga games first if there's an opportunity... he didn't even travel with the preseason squad. Pique/Abidal will eat him alive.

Higuain today>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>x100000000000 Morata

The squad list above is the full squad for the year minus the injured Altintop and Sahin. Mejias and Morata are offically with Castilla, but practice with 1st team and will get to dress for occasional games. There are 22 names in that list, yet only 18 get to dress. The 4 not dressing will be Mejias, Morata, Albiol and one other (likely Granero or Kaka).

Sorry folks, but Sportsczy is right. Morata is not ready yet. He will get some chances this year, but not this early and certainly not against Barca.

to put things in perspective, if we are leading 4-1 with 10 minutes to go, he can very much come in

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:to put things in perspective, if we are leading 4-1 with 10 minutes to go, he can very much come in

Nick, he won't be dressed. Of the list given you have to not dress 4 of them. Who else besides Mejias, Albiol and either Kaka or Granero would you not dress to enable this kid to be on the bench. Heck I don't think they will put Kaka in the stands so I think there is no choice but Mejias, Albiol, Granero and Morata.

@Sports - I heard their line-up will be Xavi, Cesc and Iniesta in MF. Busquets not ready to start yet. Mascherano will pair up with Pique and Abidal back at LB. Front 3 is same Villa, Messi and Sanchez.

futbol_bill wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:to put things in perspective, if we are leading 4-1 with 10 minutes to go, he can very much come in

Nick, he won't be dressed. Of the list given you have to not dress 4 of them. Who else besides Mejias, Albiol and either Kaka or Granero would you not dress to enable this kid to be on the bench. Heck I don't think they will put Kaka in the stands so I think there is no choice but Mejias, Albiol, Granero and Morata.

@Sports - I heard their line-up will be Xavi, Cesc and Iniesta in MF. Busquets not ready to start yet. Mascherano will pair up with Pique and Abidal back at LB. Front 3 is same Villa, Messi and Sanchez.

I welcome that midfield very much, extremely risky, Cesc is going to jump into a very high tempo game for the first time in while, he isnt prepared for that imo.

they can bring it, cook up whatever they want. im sure they will try extreme tiki taka from the start, but if we are prepared, we should be fine. I dont wanna see the first round CL game repeat itself, we have them, we need to go for the jugular.

where did you get that btw?

I heard it on Barcelona radio station.

For Morata to actually go with the squad is great for him, yes the chances of him getting substituted is really really small. I don't think people actually expect him to be a game changer just yet. I think his confidence will be boosted simply by being right there, getting the feeling he's slowly integrating to the first team

I wasn't being serious when I said he'll score but I would be proud if it actually happens.

Oh and about Cesc starting with Xavi and Iniesta I simply say bring it on. We'll get to see how our players get to handle those three. Its a bit of a mistake not to field someone physical in the midfield especially against us madrid. It would be hilarious though if fabregas gets an injury

BTW here is a video of how we pressured them high up the field, great great video.

sahin still injured? or just off the squad list because he hasnt played preseason?

this is starting to worry me

dont be, he is taking his time to recover properly

I'm frustrated, he is potentially as game/style changing as Ozil but he didn't even play a game until now. His position needs more time for adjustments as well

Well blame our medical team I guess, they are the ones who discharged him early rather than be cautious, kinda of reminds me of the hamstring injury Ronaldo got at the end of March. He played earlier than expected in the league which caused him to get re-injured [it may be his fault but nevertheless, the docs have the final decision].

anyone read/watched karankas pressconference, he confirmed that there would be some changes, my guess is that maybe coentrao will come on for khedira or dimaria and prolly varane for carvalho...

what do you guys think

futbol_bill wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:to put things in perspective, if we are leading 4-1 with 10 minutes to go, he can very much come in

Nick, he won't be dressed. Of the list given you have to not dress 4 of them. Who else besides Mejias, Albiol and either Kaka or Granero would you not dress to enable this kid to be on the bench. Heck I don't think they will put Kaka in the stands so I think there is no choice but Mejias, Albiol, Granero and Morata.
.

actually its only three, so my three choices would be mejias, albitrol and granero

halamadrid2 wrote:anyone read/watched karankas pressconference, he confirmed that there would be some changes, my guess is that maybe coentrao will come on for khedira or dimaria and prolly varane for carvalho...

what do you guys think

coentrao for di maria.

doubt he'll play varane. not until we have the game in hand atleast.

something tells me that he will start coentrao ahead of khedira because he doesnt want to lose dimarias ability to press their player

interesting(not) article by a douche bag

i am a douchebag

Honestly I would bench Di Maria and Khedira for this game.

play

-----Blondie------Xabi----
Benzema--Ozil--Ronaldo
------------Higuain---------

That formation would be pretty awesome, introduce Khedira, Callejon and Angel to seal the deal later in the game.

You think HIguain can do the pressuring job benzema did against barca? physically he is still short.

What are you talking about? If there is anyone on the squad with a fire under his ass it's Gonzalo.

He'd pressure like a beast. Not for 90 minutes but that's where Khedira and Angel come in.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:You think HIguain can do the pressuring job benzema did against barca? physically he is still short.

If he can do what milito did against barca then i see him on a starting role. however i dont see it happening unless hes in form and fully fit. hed be a risk playing at a high tempo game whilst still in recovery i reckon.