Champions League Draw
- Thread starter Morbyd
- Start date
you make good points but it's ironic that you claim about the strength of Premiership sides and yet Chelsea (like the all conquering Man Utd last year) came to Barca and pretty much played how Stoke would play at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.. IE Small club mentality.
Simply by playing that tactic arent they admitting they're not as good as Barcelona??
You say Barca couldnt unlock the Chelsea defence and you're right, but at the same time Barca have won plenty games this season creating less chances than yesterday.
Anyway, should be an excellent and very tense 2nd leg.
macdonsj
Moderator
Chelsea played like we (rangers) did a while back against Barca (and we were slaughtered for it)
Difference was, our team wasn't filled with world stars and cost about 10% of the Chelsea team
Phil_Dicko
Active Member
The point is that English sides can defend when they need to defend. Successful sides in Europe (look at Liverpool in recent years) keep it tight away from home. It's not necessarily 'small club mentality', its good tactics and good organisation. They're "admitting" that they are in someone else's backyard and that they can't let the tie get too far away from them before it's their turn to be at home.
Premiership defences are generally better, so the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Ure are used to playing with greater intensity and greater variety in their play to unlock teams. Whereas, Barca, as entertaining as their play is, only know one way, which is OK if you're playing Spanish teams week in week out or sides like Sporting Lisbon and FC Basel. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that Barca have not failed to score at home all season, yet the first English side they play shuts them out. And if Chelsea have anything about them, they'll show some of that intensity and attacking variety in the next game and it will be interesting to see how Barca cope. Barca won’t park the bus, because they don’t know how to. They couldn’t if they tried.
Most Prem sides build from a more solid base at the back, which is a better way of winning football matches, imho. Barca are a magnificent team playing in a league of suspect defences. Just look at the goals A. Madrid conceeded to Porto.
macdonsj
Moderator
The point is that English sides can defend when they need to defend. Successful sides in Europe (look at Liverpool in recent years) keep it tight away from home. It's not necessarily 'small club mentality', its good tactics and good organisation. They're "admitting" that they are in someone else's backyard and that they can't let the tie get too far away from them before it's their turn to be at home.
Premiership defences are generally better, so the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Ure are used to playing with greater intensity and greater variety in their play to unlock teams. Whereas, Barca, as entertaining as their play is, only know one way, which is OK if you're playing Spanish teams week in week out or sides like Sporting Lisbon and FC Basel. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that Barca have not failed to score at home all season, yet the first English side they play shuts them out. And if Chelsea have anything about them, they'll show some of that intensity and attacking variety in the next game and it will be interesting to see how Barca cope. Barca won’t park the bus, because they don’t know how to. They couldn’t if they tried.
Most Prem sides build from a more solid base at the back, which is a better way of winning football matches, imho. Barca are a magnificent team playing in a league of suspect defences. Just look at the goals A. Madrid conceeded to Porto.
decent argument but surely the dregs of La Liga compare to the likes of West Brom, Newcastle, Stoke, Hull etc?
plus Barca have also destroyed Munich and then went over there and held them to a draw
Phil_Dicko
Active Member
It's a interesting question, mate. It's only a hunch, but I think you'd find the dregs of La Liga much better technically and with the ball, but West Brom Newcastle, Stoke and Hull better without the ball in terms of covering the pitch and winning the ball back. Certainly in Stoke and Hull's case. We can only guess though. I've watched a fair bit of La Liga this season and most sides seem to be able to knock around the ball very well, but the lesser sides have soft under-bellies and very little bottle.
I didn't watch that game in full but I don't think it was a particularly defensive display from Barca. So I don't think it was quite parking the bus. It was 1-1, wasn't it?
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madwhitegiant
New Member
but sil, that is exactly why barça is recognised as one of the greatest football sides in history and why chelsea, is.......errrrrrr.......
HELP!
Chelsea returned 2000 tickets for the away leg in Barcelona. Says it all.
can't sell a european semi..........add that to the fa cup semi a few years back. total disgrace, there is no defence for this one morbs
what more do you want morbyd, tell me.......WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!!??
maybe the fans heard that they don't get a free plastic flag with each ticket bought.
Barca can be too idealistic at times, everybody knows that
...but in a sea of mediocrity, power football and tactical chess games, they (and a handful of other clubs) are still the reason that small boys around the world are inspired to take up the game and the reason people all over Earth still fall in love with what is fundamentally a very eccentric sport.
Paolo Rossi might have won the world cup for Italy in 1982 but it's the Brazilian magicians everyone remembers...
the Greek machine that won euro 2004 is remembered by nobody. The Spanish heirs to their crown delighted the world. It does matter, because hauls of trophies count for 5h1t if nobody remembers you...
of course there will always be beauties and beasts - and rightly so - but the balance is pretty negative right now. The danger at the moment is that all the great maverick players coming through are being coached and disciplined to death... Joe Cole could have been a genius - he'll never be that now
The Barca academy teaches all that is right and pure about the game and is an education for everyone. So Silvia is absolutely right - you need to have principles - they won't always pay off but if you care about the game and inspiring the fans then there is no better club to follow.
...but in a sea of mediocrity, power football and tactical chess games, they (and a handful of other clubs) are still the reason that small boys around the world are inspired to take up the game and the reason people all over Earth still fall in love with what is fundamentally a very eccentric sport.
Paolo Rossi might have won the world cup for Italy in 1982 but it's the Brazilian magicians everyone remembers...
the Greek machine that won euro 2004 is remembered by nobody. The Spanish heirs to their crown delighted the world. It does matter, because hauls of trophies count for 5h1t if nobody remembers you...
of course there will always be beauties and beasts - and rightly so - but the balance is pretty negative right now. The danger at the moment is that all the great maverick players coming through are being coached and disciplined to death... Joe Cole could have been a genius - he'll never be that now
The Barca academy teaches all that is right and pure about the game and is an education for everyone. So Silvia is absolutely right - you need to have principles - they won't always pay off but if you care about the game and inspiring the fans then there is no better club to follow.
matt collins
Active Member
Are you Platini in disguise???
matt collins
Active Member
As a footnote what was the Man U Arsenal game like? 1-0 Sounds as if it was dull as yesterdays. Although it's now all to play for next week, could be interesting...
Morbyd
Moderator
It wasn't dull. It started off with Man U running riot, then turned into a typical Arsenal match where they stroke the ball around amongst themselves 50 times, create no chances and then lose the ball to the other team. Man U had a few good counters and a lot more shots but Aluminium was in good form.
he's really shown some metal in the last season or so, before that i thought he was for the can, as he was only ever a foil for lehmann. in possession, he's very good at recycling
madwhitegiant
New Member
No you are right there Morbs, Man Ure came out all guns blazing. Should have killed the tie of last night.
Olly you are totally right about Joe Cole. Seeing him as a kid grow up it was obvious the boy had something but leaving for the lure of the pound note of Chelsea he was never going to be allowed to express himself. Also the other problem was no-one knew the ideal position for him. He was never the sharpest tool in the shed although a nice lad but boy could he do something with a ball. Him and Di Canio used to take the p1ss out of the rest in training over the Hammers. They used to have to train on their own as they wouldn't give anyone else the ball as they didn't think they were good enough or could be trusted with it!!
Another thing, Tevez is clearly going. So no point a couple of dears waving don't go Carlos and we love you Tevez is going to change that. Old Fergie and the gang are not going to pay £30m for someone who unfortunately spends most of the season on the bench. Fantastic player and his work rate is phenomenal. Hopefully we can get him on 'loan' again if Sheff U get promoted. Funkin pr1cks.
Morning all.
Morbyd
Moderator
Well done!Liam - Joe Cole was getting back to his best before he got injured earlier this season. Big Phil gave him more freedom to play. Finding his best position has always been a problem (wing, 2nd striker, behind the strikers, in the center of midfield???) but he's a danger man and he's been missed... (especially against Liverpool
)weloveliam@space
Active Member
Add to this that their own fans booed them off at half time in the second leg against us when they were two nil down
Hola
I know Chelsea played their game and bla bla bla but in Sil's books football is more than being 100% defensive, that's too boring, too calcio, too italian and I don't do italians
The bus strategy may work and probably Chelsea will be in Rome instead of us but I'm used to another kind of footy.
Barça supporters are known for being really demanding on our team, if they there's no joggo bonito the staidum is half empty (considering is the second biggest in the world) and the team is booed really easy (remember the dark Van Gal days). I pay huge amounts of money for my season seat at Camp Nou and the players and the trainers get a dirty amount of money to play football, so there's some minimums and once is to, at least, a bit of balance between defending and attacking.
I know Chelsea played their game and bla bla bla but in Sil's books football is more than being 100% defensive, that's too boring, too calcio, too italian and I don't do italians
The bus strategy may work and probably Chelsea will be in Rome instead of us but I'm used to another kind of footy.
Barça supporters are known for being really demanding on our team, if they there's no joggo bonito the staidum is half empty (considering is the second biggest in the world) and the team is booed really easy (remember the dark Van Gal days). I pay huge amounts of money for my season seat at Camp Nou and the players and the trainers get a dirty amount of money to play football, so there's some minimums and once is to, at least, a bit of balance between defending and attacking.
Add to this that their own fans booed them off at half time in the second leg against us when they were two nil down
:xi know. your team is there, still favs to go through, had an ok half, we had 2 chances and scored both that's it. so you boo your team off. no idea, not one idea about what this beautiful game is about.
bring back the shed end boys, they knew their stuff.
i don't need to give examples but i will. so, istanbul 3-0 down at half time, i know, let's boo the team off and give them the type of support they need!!
Morbyd
Moderator
Morbyd
Moderator
An example: The gang of lifelong Blues whom I usually go drinking with after matches when I'm in town said they just couldn't afford to go this time around. They'd all been to our previous matches in Barcelona. They'd all been to Juve away, and now they're all saving up for Rome. Don't forget, there is a financial crisis at the moment. So, as they're pretty representative of our regular European travelers, I'm going to assume their reasons are pretty common.