Spartak Moscow - Barça

Date: Tuesday, 11/20/2012 18:00
Competition: Champions League
Stadium: Luzhnikí
City: Moscow
Capacity: 84.745
Television: C+ Liga de Campeones

Possible lineup:

VV
Alves Pique Mascherano Alba
Cesc Busquets Iniesta
Pedro Messi Villa

Hmmm I think Xavi should play this one... tough game away from home and he is in excellent form. I'd like to see him start. Otherwise the team more or less picks itself.

You guys have your work cut out for you. Spartak aren't really world beaters but getting points from Russia isn't an easy task. Plus Emery might have a trick or two up his sleeve.

Emery has a awful record against Barca lol.

BarcaKizz wrote:Hmmm I think Xavi should play this one... tough game away from home and he is in excellent form. I'd like to see him start. Otherwise the team more or less picks itself.

Note: The lineup posted is the one I think Tito will play, not necessarily my favourite option. I also would like Xavi to play, but I don't see Tito benching Cesc two games in a row.

Deulofeu is traveling with the team, hope he can play in the second half!

Emery has put it very difficult for us in numerous times, especially away.

Pedram wrote:Emery has a awful record against Barca lol.

Don't care about his record much but the performance... every time he had Valencia playing superbly against us and like Free said, there were some very difficult matches. I respect him immensely. Record is void, Barca normally win anyway, it could be this game that he pulls out an upset.

I read they have a lot of key players missing, so I expect a bit easier game. Honestly, I think we will do good and don't worry much. I am actually worried about the next la liga game. I just hope no more injuries in that cold place.

Emery usually doesn't play with much courage, IMO, and he is under a lot of pressure both domestically and in CL...They can't afford to sit back, absorb pressure and hope to get away with a draw let alone nick a win...But they aren't entirely equipped to play open against Barcelona either

Emenike is a cheat of a player and will likely cause plenty of problems...Artificial turf and zero degree temperatures will perhaps play roles, as well

Need to win and more importantly, need to put in a convincing match after less than impressive showings against Mallorca & Zaragoza

Xavi and Cesc will play Iniesta will be benched, MVP will be up front and for some reason I see Puyol playing this game, he looked very upset to get subbed out I see him talking to Tito asking to play the next one.

Will be a tricky game and well I'm more worried that any of our players get injured than winning the game... The conditions will test us no doubt and hopefully we will play a strong side to confirm our chances going through to the next stages...
Prefer if we rest Xavi. The game will be won off the bench imo. Tello will hopefully make an impact as he always does!

Injuries is what bothers me as well... hopefully it is going to be a smooth game regardless of the outcome. (i would prefer a defeat rather than a key player injury)

Starting team:

Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Messi, Cesc y Pedro.

The game was won by minute 60-65 or so. Why did it take so long to Tito to make his substitutions??

Agreed. Tito did a Pep not subbing anyone until minute 75. Second half was a borefest and it could have been more fun with tello and-or deulofeu.

First half was good although we were vulnerable at the back as usual. However, masche and alves, the usual culprits, were good, so I don't know the reason.

Played well. Didn't pass the ball around as much as what we usually did though we kept poseession well... Was disappionted that we lost the ball too easily in dangerous positions. Fabregas, Busquests, Xavi were all culprits and if it wasn't for the defense (who stepped up to their game today), we could have conceded alot of goals. Valdes was a spectator for most of the game but when called upon, did his job well enough. Really wanted to keep a clean sheet for once...
Alves played very well defensively and attacking wise. Good goal! Hopefully that kind of games will continue.
Pedro had a mixed game. Tried too much tbh and lost the ball far too much. Good assist to Lionel for the second goal but overall quite poor for his standards. Also good control and shot early on in the game. Really needs a goal soon. Pressure will soon enough get to him and we will see performances like last season all over again...

free_cat wrote:Agreed. Tito did a Pep not subbing anyone until minute 75. Second half was a borefest and it could have been more fun with tello and-or deulofeu.

First half was good although we were vulnerable at the back as usual. However, masche and alves, the usual culprits, were good, so I don't know the reason.

In my opinion, inconsistent pressing. It seems like every time we didnt press well they got into our final third.

Even Xavi today wasnt pressing as quickly as you would expect.

But agree about the subs, dont know what he was afraid of because the game was over. They had given up.

We desperately wanted a clean sheet to bring back confidence in our backline, I see why he didn't make subs so early on.
The subs will play against the next UEFA game to be honest anyways so no big deal.

http://video.yandex.ru/users/mnogosporta56/view/39#

If anyone missed the game, here is the full match replay. Excellent quality. Just click play

#Commentary is in Russian though#

Donuts wrote:We desperately wanted a clean sheet to bring back confidence in our backline, I see why he didn't make subs so early on.
The subs will play against the next UEFA game to be honest anyways so no big deal.

Perhaps. But I doubt bringing Deulofeu in would make that much difference to the defence.

Perhaps he thought Pedro would track back better if necessary.

A good game from us.I thought all our players played well.Most importantly we kept a clean sheet.
Pique was really good.We need him like that.Masch for once didnt make any mistakes.Alba missed a header clearance which could have been disastrous but other than that he was ok.
Was particularly impressed with Fab in the first half.Made himself available for a pass and his movement was very good.Not as good in the second half but still a positive performance.
Highlight of the match was that mesmerizing piece of skill by the Don.Simply unbelievable.
The one worrying thing for me was the last 10 min.Once Xavi was subbed out we lost control of the match and Spartak had more possession.Just goes to show how indispensable he is.We need that other player in the side who can make 100 passes every game.Which is why Thiago is so crucial.
Oh and Deulofeu waving his arms after Messi missed a pass was interesting to say the least.

alexjanosik wrote:

Oh and Deulofeu waving his arms after Messi missed a pass was interesting to say the least.

I missed that, that is intresting.

I know most people are probably thinking, oh how dare he. Again, I didnt see the play but if Messi was wrong not to pass I dont have a problem with it. As great as Messi is, every now and again he wont make the easy pass if there is a chance he can dribble.

It shows Deulofeu's attitude though, im sure some wont like it.

I saw the match yesterday as it was an overplayed but interesting tactical battle nonetheless. Emery's team tried to invert Barca's triangles on the counters by playing the midfielders closer to the Blaguarana shirts which allowed more space to the emerging forwards of Spartak. It was almost an in-between the lines play yet Busquets was almost always on the job. It was near criminal to how Spartak missed those chances as it goes as far to show what an average squad Emery has to deal with.

It also highlighted more clearly to the difference's between Pep's and Tito's Barca. Tito is playing a conventional side more reminiscent to Cruyff's 1993 Barca where the players leave the wide spaces open and continually try to stretch the opposition open by lateral passing while Alves and Alba act almost as a snare to snap the width open quickly and create a whole new flow of play. It is also why Alves was struggling to adapt to the play in the first matches of the season and now is performing back to his world-beater best.

Iniesta was absolutely immense in this game as the Russian cold did not stop him. He was all over the pitch. My personal MOTM had to be Busquets for his excellent screening of Spartaks' agile and strong midfielders as he thwarted at least 6-7 counters which could have resulted in serious danger for Barca. Positioning of his to set-up plays also was excellent.

The Franchise wrote:

alexjanosik wrote:

Oh and Deulofeu waving his arms after Messi missed a pass was interesting to say the least.

I missed that, that is intresting.

I know most people are probably thinking, oh how dare he. Again, I didnt see the play but if Messi was wrong not to pass I dont have a problem with it. As great as Messi is, every now and again he wont make the easy pass if there is a chance he can dribble.

It shows Deulofeu's attitude though, im sure some wont like it.

Watched that play. Messi played a pass to Deulofeu who was unmarked on the left and a defender cut it.
Deulofeu made a hand gesture, but I don't know if it was a recrimination, a suggestion it should have been a high pass, or an appreciation gesture for trying the pass. It was not clear like say the movements Messi made to Villa some games ago.

free_cat wrote:

The Franchise wrote:

alexjanosik wrote:

Oh and Deulofeu waving his arms after Messi missed a pass was interesting to say the least.

I missed that, that is intresting.

I know most people are probably thinking, oh how dare he. Again, I didnt see the play but if Messi was wrong not to pass I dont have a problem with it. As great as Messi is, every now and again he wont make the easy pass if there is a chance he can dribble.

It shows Deulofeu's attitude though, im sure some wont like it.

Watched that play. Messi played a pass to Deulofeu who was unmarked on the left and a defender cut it.
Deulofeu made a hand gesture, but I don't know if it was a recrimination, a suggestion it should have been a high pass, or an appreciation gesture for trying the pass. It was not clear like say the ovements Messi made to Villa some games ago.

ya, interesting. when he raised his hand i was like...who is this guy and then seeing Deulofeu i was surprised....and felt like how dare...hahaha

Messi's pass was well cut by defender and i am quite sure it was not a appreciation, at best can be a suggession ...but still weird.

i think overall everyone played well. pedro worked so hard, sad he is not getting goals.don know why pique is that high up the pitch for so long.....is that a new strategy, but surely thats not working well. i mean many times he went up and stayed there without returning right after making a pass.

there was a great play by iniesta at 32 mins. can any one can put the gif of that. it was simply a great skill. both me and commentator were laughing while seeing that.