Club Atletico de Madrid - FC Barcelona | Spanish Supercup Leg 1

Atlético are playing compact. They have been covering a lot of ground and have stuck to a low risk game plan. Can they keep it up for the next 45 minutes though? Luckily for them, they have scored a goal and Simeone will probably order his team to preserve the remaining energy by playing deeper as we go towards the last 15-20 minutes or so.

Nothing has really changed really from last season. Teams just need  1 or 2 counters and they can easily score vs us. Just take out Messi from the game and that's it, Barca just become average. Expect the same from every big team we face this season
It seems we will never have a plan B until Messi and xavi, etc retire!!

1. Tata can't change things in so little time. Let's give him a fair chance only after which we can decide if he solved any problems or not.

2. We don't even have a central defender to put on the bench and still the board refuses to buy.

3. There is a Neymar waiting on the bench. Till we have given him sufficient time we can't say whether we have improved our forward line or not.

4. I want some games like this. Playing too many Levantes of this world will only increase the chances of being slaughtered by the Bayerns of this world in the business end of the season.

5. How about taking off Pedro/Alexis and bringing on Song? We need to learn to fight physicality.

Some fans need to stop thinking in extremes. The game vs Levante did not show we were ready to take the CL by a storm nor does this game show we are done for. Simeone is sticking to a very smart plan - but I don't think many other top teams can replicate it.

Fabregas on for Messi at HT. Weird.

Messi is not OK he was touching his thigh muscle regularly in the first half. Don't understand why he started today.

Geeeez.

Cesc > Neymar as the striker? Really, Martino?

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Some fans need to stop thinking in extremes. The game vs Levante did not show we were ready to take the CL by a storm nor does this game show we are done for. Simeone is sticking to a very smart plan - but I don't think many other top teams can replicate it.

this

I think I would have rather lost 5-0 if it meant we signed a CB in the next 10 days.

neymar 2 games 2 yellow cards

This match exposed Alba to his bits. You realise why Barça let him go in the first place. Zero composure, scared of possessing the ball, poor physique, poor defending and more. He may be a good LB for another team but he lacks the attributes to play the style of football required to play at Barcelona.

Alexis was superb, played his best match in a year. Mascherano was also the boss.

I completely agree with Martino's substitutions. I'm just glad Barcelona equalised otherwise he'd get grilled by the media the next day for taking out Messi. For me, as an Argentine, I am very disappointed with his display. I almost think he is suffering from psychological issues when things don't go his way.

Good result considering how bad we played, Maschete boss of the match really.

IMHO it is clear Alba + Alves together make up for much shakier defense than Alba/Alves + Adriano/Montoya.

That starting lineup needs to go quick, especially vs big teams. It is so predictable how they played and the likes of Chelsea, Madrid, Celtic, etc have mastered how to play us.

I really hope Neymar is the real deal, otherwise I don't see us getting past the bigger clubs. It'll just be more of the same sideways passes, desperately giving the ball to Messi, only for him to be dispossessed and the opposition launching quick counter attacks :facepalm:I've seen it time and time again vs chelsea, madrid, bayern, milan etc!!

Taking out messi relaxed opponent. i think messi is a big reason why opponents park the bus. i saw this even in psg game. when he came in psg focused on defense immediately. so maybe it was good tactics to take out messi, to make opponent relax and bring in another messi (neymar) to hunt them

I don't have time to do a detailed analysis but I'd just like to say that the prospect of going into this season with Pique as a guaranteed starter is very, very worrying for me.

Badamdar wrote:Taking out messi relaxed opponent. i think messi is a big reason why opponents park the bus. i saw this even in psg game. when he came in psg focused on defense immediately. so maybe it was good tactics to take out messi, to make opponent relax and bring in another messi (neymar) to hunt them

Official: Messi subbed off out of precaution because of thigh muscle discomfort after a knock.

I don think Tata had a choice. However I agree with you in terms of the impact he has on the opposition.

Martino: "Bartra not on the bench, no centre back there? If needed, my idea was to bring in Song and for Busquets to play as centre back."

I basically agree with the combination of Danyjr and BC's comments here. But I will add, I am increasing leaning toward the opinion we need an athletic midfielder.

In the end, I think people need a higher degree of realism.

Our centerbacks are bad. Mascherano had a VERY good game today but even in that good game he almost cost us by getting destroyed at the back post on a set peice.

And Pique was and is just horrible at defending players who make runs behind him, he just doesnt know they are there.

Then we faced a team, who's coach has come up with a incredibly good game plan to face us.

They press when they need to (goalkicks and deep throw ins) and then they sit back and dont allow the runners space in behind.

Then they break quickly and when fatigue sets in they change the players on the wings, to give them freshness on the counters.

They are a very good team on top of all this and Martino only been here a month.

Winner of the match is Simeone.

I'm very impressed with him as a manager. He's class.

eelir wrote:IMHO it is clear Alba + Alves together make up for much shakier defense than Alba/Alves + Adriano/Montoya.

Adriano is also a better footballer than Alba. The only thing that little *bleep* has on him is speed.

And just barely, Adriano is almost as fast.

The Franchise wrote:And just barely, Adriano is almost as fast.

I don't understand one thing, yes he is injury-prone, but at least play him when he is fit, because he is a very good full-back, very good both attacking and defensive wise.

Today he was suspended, but on the evidence I see he should be first choice.

Briefly:

– People waiting for the “old Pique” to come back should stop. This is it.

– Alba was shit. Worse, he was a joke. Appalling behavior, and owned the entire match. For me, a more questionable transfer than Song. Every opponent targets his side of the pitch when he’s in there.

– My MOTMs: Mascherano, Sanchez, Fabregas (even with his “I’m here. NOW what?) dithering.

– Give Messi as much time as he needs to actually heal.

– Yes. The Villa goal was well taken. And if he could do that with somebody around him, he would have cost more than 2m.

– Neymar did exactly what he was brought on to do: make a difference. Brilliant cross from Alves, too, one of the 2.3 good things he did this whole match. And no, we haven’t before had someone to score goals like that.

– The first half lack of movement was ridiculous. Like the players were uninspired. And it wasn’t just Atleti. Iniesta was off, Xavi was subsequently off.

– The Old Pedro, Recent Vintage was back. He was on the wing, unable to find space because he can’t beat anyone off the dribble. He thrives on space. Without space, he’s just a dude passing the ball back to Xavi.

– Fabregas is a random chaos generator. His movement and passing are exceptional. He just needs to shoot. Now.

– Atleti will not play a better match. We probably won’t play a poorer one. I like our chances at home, with or without Messi.

– Sanchez was in beast mode. Still isn’t a striker at heart, or those two chances, probably one gets put away. But Courtois deserves some credit, as well. He came up huge for Atleti.

Didn't think Fabregas did much coming on to be honest. Should have scored on a first time shot after a pass from Alexis, and then later he had a pass to him which was another great opportunity to score and yet instead he tried a pass which...idk what that was. He did try to break the opposition down and create chances, all credit to him.

Felt like a lot of our players were off this match as well. A lot of that is credit to Atleti, but we just didn't look that good in general.