PSG vs Barcelona

free_cat wrote:Yes, but I doubt they can park the bus effectively with pastore, moura, lavezzi, gameiro/ibra van Der wiel and Maxwell. All of them meh defensively or with low Workrate.

Yeah they can do it well, they do it every week. They're one of the teams that allows the least amount of goals in any top European league (counting UCL games). And you don't need a huge work rate to park the bus, you need a huge work rate to press and track back. If there's no pressing in the forward line and no tracking back since they're parked they can be problematic. In any case they have the best CB in the world, a great keeper, DMs that can be a pain for us and Lavezzi can poke holes into our FB's gaps. True their FBs are not great, but if we start Pedro/Alexis/Cesc it kinda evens out.

they do not have have a higher workrate up top, which does not resemble Madrid who are good vs us mainly because they force our forwards, mainly Messi to drop deep to help out..
If they do not press our midfield / defence when we hold the ball then it'll be Milan all over again, so long as Messi and co. are finishing.
I only really fear for set pieces, as I believe Roura / Tito will use the same formation 3-5-3 and we should comfortably control the game.

PSG players' reaction

Hope we start Tello, Villa, or Pedro vs Van der Wiel. He would get eaten alive

Pedro is suspended. Won't miss him really. It's gonna be Alexis, though, not Tello. I don't see him start such big games yet.

People seem to forget how Alexis missed those chances away at chelsea last season

Pedro is still way better and more reliable in big games than Alexis.

On current form Pedro isn't even in the big games. I mean, he's on the teamsheet but I don't see him playing.

I'm happy with this draw and I think it will be a very comfortable win. Yay! Avoided Madrid/Juve/Bayern which is awesome.

CBarca wrote:On current form Pedro isn't even in the big games. I mean, he's on the teamsheet but I don't see him playing.

I'm happy with this draw and I think it will be a very comfortable win. Yay! Avoided Madrid/Juve/Bayern which is awesome.

PSG were my 2nd choice behind Gala, actually on second thoughts I now prefer them over Gala. Turkish supporters/stadiums are crazy, in addition to the semi-longish trip over to Turkey.

Plus we have already broken the Ibra curse by beating Milan, now I hope we can break Ibra himself

lavezzi works much harder than CR7 and Lucas works very hard on defense (which is why he starts over menez). Pastore is the weak link defensively... he tries, but is just not good lol. Ibra doesn't defend.

I watch PsG anf madrid extensively. They're the same. on defense, Madrid has better fullbacks... but the resence of Matuidi makes PSG mich better defensively in the middle, The Forwards' work rate is the same.

PSG press like crazy when they want to. They've done it 5-6 times this year and effectively. Only use it against tough opponents.

gondov wrote:
People seem to forget how Alexis missed those chances away at chelsea last season

Pedro is still way better and more reliable in big games than Alexis.

Alexis putting himself in a position to get those chances while Pedro not having a single chance speaks in volumes about how they play. Not only Alexis gets into goalscoring opportunities, he also creates space for others to exploit by dragging defenders out of position.

Pedro is better at keeping possession? So what? Has lack of possession been your problem in the past couple of seasons? No, lack of creating goalscoring opportunities and decisiveness in the final third has been your flaw.

Also before you jump on me, I don't even think Alexis has been good enough to start for a team like Barça. But in comparison to Pedro, he's tried to create (high risk) while Pedro is happy to maintain (low risk). There's no denial, however, that both of them need plenty of confidence injected in them.

I'm glad to draw a minor team like PSG than Madrid or the two German teams. Their strongest points are indeed their transaction from defense to attack. Better attacking options than defensive options. Pedro is suspended so either Tello or Alexis to replace him on the right? Weak link will be their fullbacks so we can't afford to play Iniesta on the left and leave VDW with nothing to do all evening. Just can't. Got to attack them!

I think we'll do well and psg won't be able to park the bus effectively vs us.
Usually teams that face us for the first time find it very hard vs us.

Agree Free. Teams will indeed find it hard to park it first time around. In honesty, I don't think they have the team to park it unless of course they bring in a DM for Ibra

sportsczy wrote:Reason that Carlo has employed these tactics is that Pastore was too inconsistent to rely upon. So he adjusted to rely on defense and speed.

Very interesting thought. This could also mean that they will hunt for a new attacking midfielder this summer. Also a crazy rumor going around is that Ancelotti himself will leave and be replaced by hold your breath, Arsene Wenger. Compounded to that rumor is that they will then buy Cristiano Ronaldo.

sportsczy wrote:As far as the best players... it goes Ibra, Matuidi, Silva, Sirigu, Lavezzi, Verrati, Sakho, Lucas, Menez, Pastore, Chantome, Jallet and then Maxwell. He's better than Alex and Van Der Wiel... and probably on par with Motta. That's about it.

Another very interesting comment. Will Verrati even start or they will go for the experience of Motta? Isn't Alex sometimes preferred over Sakho? Menez has suffered due to Lucas coming in. Jallet should start. I have little idea why they bought van der Weil. Agree completely about Matuidi. He's been superb.

Donuts wrote:We need to score an away goal this time.. I do not wanna see Milan 2.0 (get it.. because it's PSG :troll:) and have to make an epic comeback.

Even 1-0 is bad. Completely agree we need an away goal.

gondov wrote:PSG players' reaction

Cool one man. In spite of everything still no team commands the awe and fear factor that we do.

lol at people thinking that we will get through PSG that easily. I am telling you what will definitely happen :
First leg : PSG 1 : 2 FCB
Second leg : FCB 2 :2 PSG

Squad for PSG match;

Valdés, Pinto, Dani Alves, Pique, Fabregas, Xavi, Villa, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Bartra, Sergio, Jordi Alba, Montoya, Abidal, Song, Tello, Oier and Deulofeu.


* Alba has been given the green light while Xavi hasn't, but will most likely feature.

* Tito will make the trip!!


My team;


-----------------villa---------messi--------alexis-------------

----------------------iniesta----------xavi--------------------

----------------------------busquets------------------------

------------alba---------masc------pique--------alves------



Here is an appetizer, enjoy ;

A 1-2 victory would be great but I would take a 2-2 or even a 1-1 in this one.

What we must take care of though is not losing the match and scoring at least one away goal.

Anyone else worried that we could go back to playing four midfielders in order to start Fabregas?

I'm really interested to see whether our Milan 2nd leg formation will be the standard way we tackle big games from now one. Hopefully that will be the case.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I'm really interested to see whether our Milan 2nd leg formation will be the standard way we tackle big games from now one. Hopefully that will be the case.

If so, we will go far.

I hope we get an away goal(s), and not get beaten.

After Tello's weekend performance, I am going with him to start.



------------------Mascherano------------------------Pique---------------------

-----------------------------------------Busquets--------------------------Alba


----------------------Xavi--------------------------------------------------------


Dani Alves-------------------------------------------Iniesta------------------


---------------------------------------Messi-------------------------------Tello

--------------------Villa---------------------------------------------------------

If we line up that way I will be very happy.

I'm okay with a 2-3 loss, but I just hope we get more then 1 away goal this time.