Champions League [Round 16 | 1st leg]: Bayern Leverkusen Vs Barcelona

Not a 3-1 performance but im very happy with the result, tie is all but sealed and we didnt really get into 3rd gear.

BarcaKizz wrote:Another 2 great goals from free's favourite tap-in merchant.

Bow to me. I already said that Alexis is the best non-dribling-tap-in-winger in the world (new position for Barrilete).

Happy with the result and our performance was meh but I was glad to see Messi coming to his old self in the second half especially. Leverkusen really a crappy team. I was confident we would get a good result, but 1-3 is even better than I expected. 7 goals and CLtop scorer already.

Decent second half, Pedro is still very off i find... but good solid "form comeback" in the second half ! Our defense is still perfectly sharp on their attacking duties but for the more important -defensive ones were still looking shaky.. The Bayer goal came from a cross that could have easily been stopped had Abi not been scared to cause a corner, things of this sort pretty much..

We got some intense matches coming up just next, its going to be uphill from here i have no doubt.

Agree, 2nd half was much improved.

I was so dissapointed with Pedro's first touch when Messi put him in. I really thought it was one of those moments where if he got the goal it would go along way to giving him a boost for the time being. But that touch was god-awful.

It's not like he played bad or anything. Give him a break. He barely touched the ball and he was ok except in that control, whic I agree, was atrocious.

Cesc was the most energetic player along with Alexis until Messi showed glimpses of his genius in the second half

I'll give my game assessments later, but I just want to clear up this nonsense that Sanchez isn't a proficient dribbler.

When you come into a world class team like Barca who focus more on team-possession, one-touch and triangular play to create and open spaces, its very very difficult to muster the confidence and courage to display your finer dribbling finesse especially when it is your first year.

Sanchez at the moment is quite clearly trying to adjust and blend into Pep's system as not doing so proceeding to dribble instead would give you a bench spot. Sanchez will subsequently then re-hone his dribbling skills showed at Udinese once he finds the confidence from his manager, team and fans to do so yet at the moment he is obviously too timid to do so until he wins the hearts of his peers and fans.

Only then, you will see the Sanchez who unlocked the best defensive leagues defences with his dazzling tricks and dribbles.

Give him some time.

free_cat wrote:It's not like he played bad or anything. Give him a break. He barely touched the ball and he was ok except in that control, whic I agree, was atrocious.

Actually there were a few other lower then par touches, he was not able to cross at all..

I was watching him closely as i anxiously await for Pedro to shine and get that self esteem rolling again! hes a jewel obviously and its bad to not have him at his full potential. but yeah if he was a starter we could have really judged better.

Arquitecto wrote:I'll give my game assessments later, but I just want to clear up this nonsense that Sanchez isn't a proficient dribbler.

When you come into a world class team like Barca who focus more on team-possession, one-touch and triangular play to create and open spaces, its very very difficult to muster the confidence and courage to display your finer dribbling finesse especially when it is your first year.

Sanchez at the moment is quite clearly trying to adjust and blend into Pep's system as not doing so proceeding to dribble instead would give you a bench spot. Sanchez will subsequently then re-hone his dribbling skills showed at Udinese once he finds the confidence from his manager, team and fans to do so yet at the moment he is obviously too timid to do so until he wins the hearts of his peers and fans.

Only then, you will see the Sanchez who unlocked the best defensive leagues defences with his dazzling tricks and dribbles.

Give him some time.

I hope he is as good a dribler as you say and he can show it in the future. I was hoping that Sanchez would be a dribler, I expected our own Di Maria. And what we got is about another Pedro, who benched the Pedro we already had and tore his confidence apart (aside from his injuries off course). Perhaps I bought the hype on him either (Mole's unrelenting praise, voted best player in italy, etc.)

To the date, he is definitely the worst dribler from our forwards.

Hamdyman wrote:

free_cat wrote:It's not like he played bad or anything. Give him a break. He barely touched the ball and he was ok except in that control, whic I agree, was atrocious.

Actually there were a few other lower then par touches, he was not able to cross at all..

I was watching him closely as i anxiously await for Pedro to shine and get that self esteem rolling again! hes a jewel obviously and its bad to not have him at his full potential. but yeah if he was a starter we could have really judged better.

He tried two difficult crosses that they were intercepted. All normal. It's not like he had a clear pass of death and bottled it because he isn't good dribler enough to beat a player that is already on the floor, as Sanchez did in the first half.

Guardiola: "Xavi didn't feel fine for some days, that's why we left him out. Pique? Technical decision."
=====================

Poor 1st half, gd 2nd half, GREAT result.

Messi and Alexis for MOM, Cesc was gd.. Busquets/ Iniesta [not on top] average game but since they are coming from injuries, no big deal..

Thiago was very gd in the 30 minutes he played...
----------------------

~ Some Stats:

¤ Alexis Stats 2011-2012: 11 goals, 2 assists in 25 matches [18 starts]

¤ Dani Alves Stats 2011-2012: 2 goals, 12 assists in matches 35 matches [31 Starts]

¤ Lionel Messi's last 11 CL goals were not scored at the Camp Nou #fcblive 10 away games, 1 neutral venue [via @infostradalive]

¤ Cesc Stats in 2011/2012: 32 matches [25 Starts], scored 15 goals and assisted 14.

¤ Messi Stats (2011-12): 38goals, 21assists in 39 matches (36starts| 3334 minutes ).

¤ Messi Stats in Champions League [2011-2012]: 6 matches [6 starts], scored 7 goals and assisted 4 #average lol

¤ ALL-RECORD: Messi scored his 19th goals in Champions League Knock-Out stages (2nd Raul with18)


Visca el Barca <3

¤ Cesc Stats in 2011/2012: 32 matches [25 Starts], scored 15 goals and assisted 14.


wow,cesc is performing better than i thought

free_cat wrote:It's not like he played bad or anything. Give him a break. He barely touched the ball and he was ok except in that control, whic I agree, was atrocious.

Thats all I said, the touch was horrible. I felt it was one of those moments, where if he could of put that goal in it would of done alot for his confidence.

Free, arent you at least a little worried you have not said anything positive about Alexis' two goals, neither were tap ins, both were very good finishes. But you have talked about his lack of dribbling?

Nes-T33 wrote:¤ Cesc Stats in 2011/2012: 32 matches [25 Starts], scored 15 goals and assisted 14.


wow,cesc is performing better than i thought

He actually isn´t(although he has improved) but he gets more than decent stat which will shadow his performance to those who doesnt watch our games..

The Franchise wrote:Free, arent you at least a little worried you have not said anything positive about Alexis' two goals, neither were tap ins, both were very good finishes. But you have talked about his lack of dribbling?

I'm actually happy with Alexis performance and his finishing was great which is what I ask of our forwards. They weren't tap ins, I agree, both were one of those one on ones that you can score or you can miss, so putting them away, and most importantly, creating the chances, is great. I hope he keeps them coming! Notice that I don't hate the guy or anything, I even said he should start in my lineup this morning.

However, I think that our MOM was Messi, especially because he came to his self form in the second half. Really happy that he is back.

Sanchez turning into Eto'o.

He's got the pace, strength, quick feet, work rate.

Need to tweak his shooting and we found the replacement. Great performance from my boy.

free_cat wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:Another 2 great goals from free's favourite tap-in merchant.

Bow to me. I already said that Alexis is the best non-dribling-tap-in-winger in the world (new position for Barrilete).

What does that make Cesc? Best non-passing goalscoring midfielder?

free_cat wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Free, arent you at least a little worried you have not said anything positive about Alexis' two goals, neither were tap ins, both were very good finishes. But you have talked about his lack of dribbling?

I'm actually happy with Alexis performance and his finishing was great which is what I ask of our forwards. They weren't tap ins, I agree, both were one of those one on ones that you can score or you can miss, so putting them away, and most importantly, creating the chances, is great. I hope he keeps them coming! Notice that I don't hate the guy or anything, I even said he should start in my lineup this morning.

However, I think that our MOM was Messi, especially because he came to his self form in the second half. Really happy that he is back.

Yeah, I noticed. Just saying, the comments before this were more positive than negative. But alls good.

I dont know about MOTM, Alexis didnt do much other than his goals, worked hard as alway of course. Messi wasnt good in the first half and was quite good in the second and created the 1st goal while creating and then being the reason for the 3rd goal while scoring it. Based on effect on the game, probably Messi.

Hoping he builds on his 2nd half for the next game.

Actually Sanchez is not same dribbler as he was in serie a. He is one of the best at keeping the ball, but i forgot when last time he got past 2 players in barca shirt. probably its because of age, or he eats too much burgers.
but this alexis is better i think. the guy got enough skills to play in barca's attack

¤ Barcelona Away Record 2011/12 || (CL): 4W 0D 0L, Goals: 3-15 [+12] {VS} (La Liga): 4W 5D 2L, Goals: 13-18[+5] #weird

Free i dont just praise anyone,when i praise someone as highly as i do Sanchez you have to know theres a reason.

Give him some time, he's been really good alot of the time imo, in different ways than i thought he would be but good none the less.

His progress has been haulted by the 3 month injury at the start but he will prove to be everything i said he would.

BTW Arq thanks for the post.

Having said all this i dont think you will see the dribbling skills even in 3 years time as consistently as he portrays for the national team and Udinese, simply because he had a lot more freedom for those teams because he was/is the fulcrum of those teams and allowed to roam, pass and dribble as much as he wanted.

He will still be great IMO.

Barcelona have won their last 6 CL away games (not counting Wembley final) [Club Record]

Great win.

I was half impressed by the team and half dissapointed, there were some times that I really was quite angry at the team, but in the end they pulled out what will be pretty much secure qualification. I think I'm just spoiled.

Missed Xavi a lot in the middle

Great performance by Sanchez and Messi, as well as Alves.

Anyway, all I have to say is that it was a good game and a confidence booster. Let's get back in the league

A good game from an 'average' side and you could see that both teams needed confidence coming into the game. Barcelona didn't look their best but still dominated (80%) of possession in the first half (probs a bit lower in second) and they were the team to win. Bayern dugged deep hopefully for few chances to find a gap and have a run but everytime they had the ball, they kept on losing it or going for a long cross that ended up into the arms of Valdes. Puyol was brilliant in the centre with Masch. Cesc, Alexis, Alves and Messi all had a good game. Busquests and Abidal were terrible (their passes I mainly talking about) and kept losing or giving away the ball which gave glimpses of some shine for those rare occiasons for Bayern Lev. Adriano and Inestia were shadows throughout the game and didn't contribute much and Im sure they probably didn't need to start.
We missed the passing tempo of Xavi, no doubt about it and its clear that Fabregas only shines when put in midfield with those occiasonal runs into the box. We need to find somebody like Xavi as when he leaves, we will be missing that kind of guy.
A good game and should see some new faces into the next leg.

Just to add to your discussion:

Sanchez offensive stats in La Liga:

Apps: 11(2)
Goals: 8
Assists: 2
Shots per game: 2.1 (27 shots)
Key passes per game: 1 (that's 13)
Dribbling per game: 0.6 (that's 8 dribbles total)
Dispossesed per game: 1.9 (25 times)
Turnovers per game: 2 (26 times)

Stats are from whoscored.com