Farca's Downfall

Some interesting notice on Barsa’s game plan. They make huge use of pressing to retain ball possesion with park the bus passing tactics to keep their fitness up for 90 minutes. Now, unless they’re inhuman which isn’t the case they’d tire out easily over a long course of a season.

The question, how did they sustain such a high level for long?

Real Madrid didn’t challenge them properly in the league until last year. Barsa had to show an unbelievable amount of consistency throughtout last year. Now, the form is catching up to them. If you compare Real madrid’s way of winning to theirs, the difference gets apparent. They press and play for high possession every game which is very tiresome. Paolo Maldini commented on Sachi’s Milan after they started to decline that they were inhumanely exhausted.

Real Madrid looks like a disjointed bunch against the minnows where they win with individual effort but in games which matter they press like crazy and have their distinct game plan. In other words, Mou’s team tries to win games with minimal effort possible. They only step up against the likes of Valencia, CL teams, Barsa etc.

What’s the evidence?

See all the games where Real Madrid came back from behind, they looked lethargic at first but when they really needed to win, the boys went two-three gears up which is the real potential of this team. Of course, with no chemistry and a new system, they ran too much last year and so dropped a lot of points. The efficiency wasn’t there yet.

Football purists may look at the team as one which doesn’t have a proper system but in fact they’re trying to win with minimal efforts. Collective pressing and a proper system require a lot of time to be instilled. Jose Mourinho started it last year. Even if the team might look really slugish they have 2-3 gears ready to step up in emergencies.

Manchester United are a very good example. They make use of the same principles. People say, it’s the mark of the champions to win even when playing bad. The sentence should be rearranged as it’s the mark of the champions to win with minimal effort and maximum efficiency.

Apart from age and lack of hunger Barsa can’t relax in la liga anymore, not even for one game. Real madrid don’t leave room for mistakes! Barcelona’s pressing might be very effective in a single big game but to sustain the high intensity for much longer they need breaks inbetween which they won’t get in la liga anymore.

Another aspect which kills their pressing is the fact that most la liga teams nowadays try to have a go at them. They need the pressing in almost every game to gain an advantage which tires them out even more.

There’s a rumor about Mourinho’s course which warrants him titles in his second season. In reality, the issue is something very banal. He builds a team together which collects points like a machine. The opponent is driven to their limits in the second season where his teams are usually gelled to some degree .

Barcelona’s “dream team” number two better prepare themselves for passilo if they carry on the form they do right now.

Last but not least, what do Özil, Maradona, Pele and Messi have in common?

P.S. I opened my own blog. If you're interested you could follow it from time to time

Link: http://truesoccervision.wordpress.com/

Last but not least, what do Özil, Maradona, Pele and Messi have in common?

ffs babun

Honestly i feel Barcelona's probelm is the lack of pre season. They had a woeful pre season and it has finally caught up with them. Coupled with players mentality, the injuries to their side, I still think they are the best team, but they don't have their best 11 available to them. Their lack of depth has finally caught up with them and they have been ridiculously fortunate to not have had any serious injuries to any of their players under Pep bar this season. This would have happened in any other season if the players got injured. Alsothe amount of games they have played compared to most other teams is a lot. With the lack of width teams know exactly how to defend against them, Messi is tired and goes too deep to get the ball, an noone creates space for him at all.

I don't think it's the end of the cycle though.

We are 10 points ahead thats amazing!
But no where close to a "downfall" of Barca.

We'll find out at the end of the season.
Many Madrid fans are on cloud 9 now.

I just hope we don't lose a game and bring them back to earth. Because some are going over board.

The thing with Barca this season is they've tried a few different formations this season, most of them without wingers. Sanchez hasn't really played as a winger much, Pedros been in and out and Villa's been injured.

They've barely played their best team season.

What they need to do is go back to the 4-3-3 that won the CL and they need to play inside forwards.

jibers wrote:Last but not least, what do Özil, Maradona, Pele and Messi have in common?

ffs babun

Honestly i feel Barcelona's probelm is the lack of pre season. They had a woeful pre season and it has finally caught up with them. Coupled with players mentality, the injuries to their side, I still think they are the best team, but they don't have their best 11 available to them. Their lack of depth has finally caught up with them and they have been ridiculously fortunate to not have had any serious injuries to any of their players under Pep bar this season. This would have happened in any other season if the players got injured. Alsothe amount of games they have played compared to most other teams is a lot. With the lack of width teams know exactly how to defend against them, Messi is tired and goes too deep to get the ball, an noone creates space for him at all.

I don't think it's the end of the cycle though.

I shared your wisdom with others

About the post. As a Manu supporter you should know how much your squad is stressed in the league. SAF counters the situation with a huge squad depth.
Farca don't have such a depth. You call them lucky for the past years. I say they could get away with thin bench because they had more room for breathe in the league. No matter how you put it, from the percentage point of view, most games played in a year are league games. Begining from last year, they couldn't afford to relax in a any league game anymore. What you call lucky I call a logical consequence. Their lack of depth is exposed because they have to perform more often. Injuries and form problems to their wing forwards are no hard luck either. They make most of the running and direct play in their game to offer width. Villa would be playing until 33-35y elsewhere like Klose if he didn't have to run so much. Messi runs the least from their forwards, you can check stats. After their wing forwards lost form/ got injured Messi had to run more for once , he drops deeper to collect the ball.
My point still stands, jibs. It's no coincidence that they lost their form/ are injured We did the job on our end to expose them. Imagine them in EPL
Pep bought Cex and Sanchez as counter measures but so far Cex failed

If 2nd place is a downfall what does that mean for Inter?

:dance: :dance: :dance:

Pep is trying to stop the inevitable, a steady decline.

This is where we have to kick them onto the floor, and dont let them get up.

THey will still be a menace but we can, and must push our selves into our own legendary cycle.

tiki taka saves energy

they pass the ball so long time that is the same thing as sitting on the bench

pure logic

barca player - when opponent has possession - press = lose energy
barca player - when team has possession - pass = retain energy
conclusion : infinite energy

ColoJunior wrote:We are 10 points ahead thats amazing!
But no where close to a "downfall" of Barca.

We'll find out at the end of the season.
Many Madrid fans are on cloud 9 now.

I just hope we don't lose a game and bring them back to earth. Because some are going over board.

You're a smart guy Colo. I like that. Not a lot of Madrd fans are composed and realistic like you. Kudos. No bullsh!t.

BhritanniaBhlue wrote:If 2nd place is a downfall what does that mean for Inter?

:dance: :dance: :dance:

But we're talking about the La Liga here

The leagues not over yet just remember that

please donot compare this madrid side with man utd
especially when we are so close to becoming the best in the world :dance:

deadrave wrote:tiki taka saves energy

they pass the ball so long time that is the same thing as sitting on the bench

pure logic

barca player - when opponent has possession - press = lose energy
barca player - when team has possession - pass = retain energy
conclusion : infinite energy

Your logic is very flawed then They're in constant movement to create passing lines. As soon as they pass they move into a space where they could create multiple passing possibilities. You make it look like they stand around. As for wing forwards, they press actively, make runs all the time to grant width and track back at the same time or they'll get no width/ space for through balls Guess who are injured/ out of form the most...

phenom wrote:please donot compare this madrid side with man utd
especially when we are so close to becoming the best in the world :dance:

I compared the principles and we have to prove a lot on bigger stage before brushing Manu aside like you do. We accomplished nothing yet

Vibe wrote:When you're second in La Liga you might as well be last...Doesn't matter

Specially when they make losses even when they win a champions league :lol!:
https://goallegacy.forumotion.com/t884-barca-make-losses-despite-cl-triumph

BhritanniaBhlue wrote:If 2nd place is a downfall what does that mean for Inter?

:dance: :dance: :dance:

My sincere condolences

ColoJunior wrote:We are 10 points ahead thats amazing!
But no where close to a "downfall" of Barca.

We'll find out at the end of the season.
Many Madrid fans are on cloud 9 now.

I just hope we don't lose a game and bring them back to earth. Because some are going over board.

I like your posts and your down to earth attitude a lot but you failed to see my point. I'm trying to give an outlook on bigger picture. Also, I didn't state in any part of the article that we already won the league. Where did you get that from?
From 'downfall'? Exaggeration in the article header is a stylistic tool to arouse first interest. What really matters is the stuff written in it

Crimson wrote:The leagues not over yet just remember that

Same like colo, I didn't write we won the league anywhere.

Go on, what DO those players have in common?

Stop celebrating the league is far from over. If we let our feet leave the ground, we'll see the champions league slip away.