La Liga: FC Barcelona - Athletic Bilbao

Every time I hear something like that I can't help but think "Imagine the field day the Catalan media would've had if Martino said that"

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Every time I hear something like that I can't help but think "Imagine the field day the Catalan media would've had if Martino said that"

Martino didn't implement the same ideas properly. Don't remember Barca being this deadly in quick attacks but still maintaining 70 % possession. Although I don't blame him. Nerman was still adapting, he didn't have Suarez and Messi was saving himself for Lucho.

Those are fair points and I accept it, but I still find the media's treatment of the new style completely hypocritical.

I think at this point everyone except the hardcore Cruyffistas (alexjanosik ) have realized that the playing style needed modification and you can't always pass your way into the net methodically through a 10 men defensive block.

Ridiculous discussion anyhow. As if people have forgotten that Barca used to play quite direct football and won a CL under Rijkaard with the likes of Edmilson and van Bommel in midfield. But that's Spanish/Catalan gossip papers for you.

I'm not sure if Ray Hudson did commentary for this game, but does someone have the highlights for it if he did?

Apparently this was Xavi's 1000th match. Legend

Think that's wrong. Maybe if they count Barca B and U21, U17 etc. games but he just turned 35, he can't be on 1000 already. Giggs did it with 40. Also there would be some official congratulation thingy from the club.

From the B team and first team he's played 806 games, first team has 745 games. If you include first team for international he has 939 games over all, first team for Barca + Spain has 878.

This is what I get for trusting twitter. Should know better.

Speaking of twitter, this is a very interesting picture:

https://twitter.com/CrespoDani/status/564173236339236866/photo/1

Busquets had a beast of a game. They just couldn't get the ball off of him, even when they fouled him. Today he looked like the prime Busquets we are used to. So composed on the ball. He even contributed to a goal. Very impressive.

Neymar pissed me off a little bit, he tried to be too fancy a couple of times and should have really scored a hattrick. I think he gets a little complacent when we're winning. He needs to be more ruthless. But it's hard to complain about him when he's scoring almost every game.

Mathieu was quite poor during some stretches of the game I thought, but also had some pieces of good defending. The defense though weren't on the same page today. We must be pretty reliant on Masch. Perhaps someone else who paid more attention to that can elaborate on the defense.

mathieu did alright in the defensive department, his only error was that header they got on target, other than that he was a rock.

his technical ability showed, he isn't great at distributing the ball without blasting it forward.. and today especially with the pressure athletic gave us it showed even more how bad he is at it.

Fußball wrote:I think at this point everyone except the hardcore Cruyffistas (alexjanosik ) have realized that the playing style needed modification and you can't always pass your way into the net methodically through a 10 men defensive block.

Ridiculous discussion anyhow. As if people have forgotten that Barca used to play quite direct football and won a CL under Rijkaard with the likes of Edmilson and van Bommel in midfield. But that's Spanish/Catalan gossip papers for you.

If anything this game proved that our playing style doesnt need modification.Easily our best game of the season.I have not seen us play our way out of the back like that in eons and that too against one of the best pressing teams in the world.
We stretched the field and broke their press quite easily.No hoofball and the ball sailing over Xavi's head.Though I suspect the style had a lot to do with Xavi playing.Completely dominated them and the flow of the game.A masterclass in midfield control and domination.I also think that for the understated,rigid midfield playmaker role that Enrique wants, Xavi is a better fit than Iniesta.But he doesnt have the legs anymore to play week in week out.
So no,we dont need to change the style.This game proved that we can win by sticking to the basics.

alexjanosik wrote:

Fußball wrote:I think at this point everyone except the hardcore Cruyffistas (alexjanosik ) have realized that the playing style needed modification and you can't always pass your way into the net methodically through a 10 men defensive block.

Ridiculous discussion anyhow. As if people have forgotten that Barca used to play quite direct football and won a CL under Rijkaard with the likes of Edmilson and van Bommel in midfield. But that's Spanish/Catalan gossip papers for you.

If anything this game proved that our playing style doesnt need modification.Easily our best game of the season.I have not seen us play our way out of the back like that in eons and that too against one of the best pressing teams in the world.
We stretched the field and broke their press quite easily.No hoofball and the ball sailing over Xavi's head.Though I suspect the style had a lot to do with Xavi playing.Completely dominated them and the flow of the game.A masterclass in midfield control and domination.I also think that for the understated,rigid midfield playmaker role that Enrique wants, Xavi is a better fit than Iniesta.But he doesnt have the legs anymore to play week in week out.
So no,we dont need to change the style.This game proved that we can win by sticking to the basics.

I agree, we played the ball from the back fantastically under pressure. Something we didn't do with Martino (Ajax and Athletic Bilbao crushed us with high pressing). However, it's when teams park it that we need to be faster and take more advantadge of the counter attacking options. And we are doing it lately.

Disagree on the Xavi thing, he was OK, but clearly the less impressive player in our team yesterday.

94% pass accuracy against the manic pressing of Bilbao.
Some sublime one touch passing to progress the play.Complete domination of the midfield.Put it simply,we dont break their press in the beautiful way we did without Xavi.Easily better than Rakitic who was just non existent and a passenger until the red card.

Winter is Coming wrote:I'm not sure if Ray Hudson did commentary for this game, but does someone have the highlights for it if he did?

alexjanosik wrote:

Fußball wrote:I think at this point everyone except the hardcore Cruyffistas (alexjanosik ) have realized that the playing style needed modification and you can't always pass your way into the net methodically through a 10 men defensive block.

Ridiculous discussion anyhow. As if people have forgotten that Barca used to play quite direct football and won a CL under Rijkaard with the likes of Edmilson and van Bommel in midfield. But that's Spanish/Catalan gossip papers for you.

If anything this game proved that our playing style doesnt need modification.Easily our best game of the season.I have not seen us play our way out of the back like that in eons and that too against one of the best pressing teams in the world.
We stretched the field and broke their press quite easily.No hoofball and the ball sailing over Xavi's head.Though I suspect the style had a lot to do with Xavi playing.Completely dominated them and the flow of the game.A masterclass in midfield control and domination.I also think that for the understated,rigid midfield playmaker role that Enrique wants, Xavi is a better fit than Iniesta.But he doesnt have the legs anymore to play week in week out.
So no,we dont need to change the style.This game proved that we can win by sticking to the basics.

So Martino still better than Scrubrique?

Right now they are on par.Martino too played well occasionally.As long as we play like this,I have no problem.
Just no reverting to Crosselona or hoofball.

Winter is Coming wrote:Alex, should we sell Messi still?

If he plays like this,I have no problem with him.I have a problem with the punk who walks around as if he owns the pitch and becomes a liability for the team.If he runs and actually puts in the effort like he has for 80% of games this season,then I have no issue.
It is a pity this Messi didnt show up at the WC.Shame that his hubris got in the way at the WC.Had this Messi showed up,Argentina would have won the WC with ease.Aint no way a midfield of Kroos and Schweinsteiger contains this Messi.Hummels,Schweini and co could barely contain a scrub Messi.This Messi would have smoked them.

Xavi's passing instinct is just too strong to shoot

Thanks for the vid BC

That's always been Xavi tho, most unselfish player and he doesn't really care about scoring was just trying to set up the trio, however if we lost or this game ended in a draw he would've gotten a ton of stick lol

Two of Messi's hoofballs were pure class , i hope he tries more of these vs pressing teams....
And sublime finish from both suarez and Neymar who could have scored at least few more. This MSN is getting real scary. Some of therir link ups are so beautiful when all three exchanged the ball with quick one touch. This should happen, keep moving at fast pace and hit the opponent on counter when chances appear.no more passing practice in opponent half. the way they are doing this no team can feel safe. all three are good with ball, have pace, technique and ability to score. all teams need extra care with them and with this TECHNIQUE.

alexjanosik wrote:94% pass accuracy against the manic pressing of Bilbao.
Some sublime one touch passing to progress the play.Complete domination of the midfield.Put it simply,we dont break their press in the beautiful way we did without Xavi.Easily better than Rakitic who was just non existent and a passenger until the red card.

Xavi did nothing.

alexjanosik wrote:

Fußball wrote:I think at this point everyone except the hardcore Cruyffistas (alexjanosik ) have realized that the playing style needed modification and you can't always pass your way into the net methodically through a 10 men defensive block.

Ridiculous discussion anyhow. As if people have forgotten that Barca used to play quite direct football and won a CL under Rijkaard with the likes of Edmilson and van Bommel in midfield. But that's Spanish/Catalan gossip papers for you.

If anything this game proved that our playing style doesnt need modification.Easily our best game of the season.I have not seen us play our way out of the back like that in eons and that too against one of the best pressing teams in the world.
We stretched the field and broke their press quite easily.No hoofball and the ball sailing over Xavi's head.Though I suspect the style had a lot to do with Xavi playing.Completely dominated them and the flow of the game.A masterclass in midfield control and domination.I also think that for the understated,rigid midfield playmaker role that Enrique wants, Xavi is a better fit than Iniesta.But he doesnt have the legs anymore to play week in week out.
So no,we dont need to change the style.This game proved that we can win by sticking to the basics.

Its so funny you say this.

Whenever we have a REALLY good game, play like everyone is happy with...nearly all of those games, its Barca looking and playing with the kind of principles and automatisms us "Cryuffists (whatever that is)" hae asked for.

And when we play REALLY bad and everyone is in a panic, we do the opposite.

And during those teams, when Barca play bad people say "Cruyff/Barca way is dead you see" and when we play well "Barca have adjusted and are playing in a new way"...when its totally opposite.


Anyway, on another topic. Did noone see the reverse of that Xavi play he didnt shoot? He made the right decision, when you see it on the other angle it was never clear to shoot but for a moment when he didnt have control over the ball yet.

The TV angle doesnt do the situation justice, because from that angle it seemed obvious he should shoot but it wasnt the case.