First Clasico of 2013-14 / Barça - Real Madrid

The Franchise wrote:I see alot of Song and Busquets together and I sort of wonder why.

Is it because of supposed defensive ability? Im not sure how great it would be, those two together just turns Song into what he was with Arsenal, where he bombed forward and quickly see how slow he and he cant get back.

So while he has better defensive ability than Xavi or Iniesta, will he even be back for it to matter?

Or your asking him to sit too? And we attack with 4 players and probably more on the counter attack?

Song plays intelligently with us, never been a problem. He woukd be asked to sit back and go forward only when there's space for him.

It would be very important to have him play so we have 4 players in the team with good aerial ability. Otherwise we will very likely concede from set pieces.

Also, with my line up, we would encourage a kind of faster game. Madrid wouldn't be able to park it and it would be very difficult they caught us on the counter as we would almost always have 5-6 players defending.

free_cat wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I see alot of Song and Busquets together and I sort of wonder why.

Is it because of supposed defensive ability? Im not sure how great it would be, those two together just turns Song into what he was with Arsenal, where he bombed forward and quickly see how slow he and he cant get back.

So while he has better defensive ability than Xavi or Iniesta, will he even be back for it to matter?

Or your asking him to sit too? And we attack with 4 players and probably more on the counter attack?

Song plays intelligently with us, never been a problem. He woukd be asked to sit back and go forward only when there's space for him.

It would be very important to have him play so we have 4 players in the team with good aerial ability.  Otherwise we will very likely concede from set pieces.

Also, with my line up, we would encourage a kind of faster game. Madrid wouldn't be able to park it and it would be very difficult they caught us on the counter as we would almost always have 5-6 players defending.

Thats because Song has been given more responsibility than at Arsenal. He is fully aware of his role when he plays for us, its holding midfield. If he doesnt hold his position, the midfield would fall apart. At Arsenal it was not like this, he played with Wilshere and the idea was they "take turns" advancing while the other midfield held...but what always happens at some point in the game, both of them go at the same time accidentally and there is massive space in midfield.

If Song plays this role here, he will play just like he did at Arsenal and while thats not a bad thing...isnt the reason everyone is putting him in the side is his defensive abilities? Well, its pointless if he isnt going to be there.

Song isnt a stupid player, but simply telling him to sit next to Busquets and only go when he see's the chance wont help in my view. The problem is he cant identify when it is a good chance to go and when it isnt.

windkick wrote:
I don't know, it's just an idea. I'm just starting to think that Messi is getting very comftrable playing SUPER deep and to the right now, which leaves us with our 9, or striker, practically next to the central defender all match. If he plans on playing that far back, it's time we move Neymar in front of him thus having our two best players right in the opponents throat

I agree btw, I just think the midfield behind them doesnt work. Or at least I have confidence in it because I have already seen what happens when you let Song loose.

Also, Neymar isnt a 9, he will suffer in that role I feel.

With different players, I would like your idea. A real 9 and a more dynamic midfielder. Two things I actually said we should think about signing.

Confirmed Lineup:
Valdés, Piqué, Fàbregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Neymar, Mascherano, Sergio, Adriano & Dani Alves

---------Valdes
Alves Pique Masch Adriano
---------Busq
----xavi         Iniesta
Messi      Cesc     Neymar

Madrid Lineup:
25 Diego López
15 Carvajal
2 Varane
4 Sergio Ramos
12 Marcelo
6 Khedira
3 Pepe
19 Modric
22 Di María
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
11 Bale

windkick wrote:Good old days, so close...yet so far away

One of the greatest moments in my life so far.

Wow. So it's happened. Messi is back on the right. I think the last time he played there was the 09/10 season.

I must admit I like that Tata is doing drastic moves like this. I prefer to the Roura/Tito/Pep versions of trying to include Cesc by moving Iniesta to the left wing. I just don't like Cesc down the middle too much. Does this mean Messi stays out wide all game and Cesc comes off and Alexis plays as the 9 late? I think that would be a better look

barcaholic wrote:Madrid Lineup:
25 Diego López
15 Carvajal
2 Varane
4 Sergio Ramos
12 Marcelo
6 Khedira
3 Pepe
19 Modric
22 Di María
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
11 Bale

--------------Lopez
-Carvajal-Ramos-Varane-Marcelo
---------Pepe-----Khedira
Di Maria-----Modric-----Ronaldo
---------------Bale

? Is that what they are going to use? They are going to counter the shit out of us with that trident

it looks like Ramos is gonna be the DM. and yh they are going for the counters. I hope we somehow manage to get an early goal.

so nervous T.T

Ramos at DM? That has to be a good sign for us with Xavi / Iniesta / Busi

Finally tactics work against a big team, Real looking clueless. Great finish from Neymar and Iniesta finally starting to play well.

Iniesta is going ham. I would like to see Messi involved more. As of now it looks like Madrid are focusing so much on Messi on the right that Neymar is getting allot of space on the left.

Yellow cards:
Barca: Adriano, Busi
R. Madrid: Bale, Ramos

Iniesta looks great.

Messi very uninvolved this game, whereas Fabregas has been invisible. I'd like to see Alexis on the right, Messi in the middle, and Fabregas subbed off in the second half.

Happy with the lead but we could be playing better yet. Valdes continues to be the most amazing goalkeeper ever. One of the best, easily. Sad we're going to see Barca without Valdes next year.

I think Messi on the right is what has Real Madrid looking so bad. They arent use to having him there and now they have Neymar to worry about. Cesc is just a point to drag the defense away from whoever one of the two wingers is going to get the ball next.

It might be because I am nervous, but I don't like the way we played after the goal..

Neymar and Messi keep the both fullbacks back, which hampers Real's attacks.

You're playing Wrecking Ball at the Nou Camp!

Hoping Real wins now.

windkick wrote:I think Messi on the right is what has Real Madrid looking so bad. They arent use to having him there and now they have Neymar to worry about. Cesc is just a point to drag the defense away from whoever one of the two wingers is going to get the ball next.

I think Madrid are just trash...I'm not sure it's Messi on the right that is throwing them off so much. Even if it is doing some damage, I'm not sure it's as effective as having Messi get the ball in the center of the pitch. I feel like having Messi in the center and 2 players (Neymar and Alexis) running off the ball is more worrying for the Madrid defense, especially since they aren't doing great pressing nor are they parking the bus. Messi, aside from the run where he should have scored, hasn't made a run off the ball on the right all day (and we don't expect him to).  For the first goal, Messi had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Meanwhile Fab has been invisible. Maybe I'm not noticing the off the ball work he's done, that could be a possibility. I feel like we could create more chances if we get Alexis on the right and Messi more involved rather than what we're doing now. Because despite the goal and a chance or 2, we haven't really created that much.

Now that was a team performance.  

that 2nd half we were clearly a step behind and they had more initiative to score and organization

that Alexis chip was $$$
Also Valdes $$$

Cesc is a garbage! I have no idea what he was doing on the pitch today!

Alexis was fantastic, as was Valdes and Neymar. Even pique played well. Messi did not had a great game, but he showed a lot of intelligence in his positioning to disrupt Madrid's formation.

Alexzeus had one of the best El Classico goals of all time.

OF ALL TIME.

Messi was ok. We cant expect him to do everything for us all the time. I am somhow glad we won without him being the focal point. This will give other teams a bit more to think about.

This is second game where Cesc is not up to the standard he started this season. Is this the same as the preovious season? Is this becuase we are playing better opponents? In any way I hope it is just a patch.

Messi clearly sacrificed himself on front of the team. Can't really fault anybodys game, it was a team performance starting from the coach.

And that was the best goal of Alexis career.