Re: Match Day Thread

by Lucifer Sun Sep 30, 2018 2:04 pm

I need to stop getting wasted like feck on Saturdays ffs. Missing lot more games this season smh.

by windkick Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:53 pm

https://everythingbarca.com/2018/09/30/replacements-ernesto-valverde-barcelona/

by windkick Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:39 pm

Winter is Coming wrote:1-0 down to Bilbao

windkick wrote:Boy this section has basically died. One of the biggest clubs on the planet and we can't get a solid conversation going on here.

Anyone recommend another forum that's super active I can join? That's not full of idiots

what could we possibly talk about, our incompetent board or how clueless EV is?

Lots to discuss, especially if we are playing bad. Basically your saying we should only celebrate when things go well and stay silent and hidden away when things are bad?

by BarrileteCosmico Mon Oct 01, 2018 6:59 pm

windkick wrote:https://everythingbarca.com/2018/09/30/replacements-ernesto-valverde-barcelona/

Oh God it's already come to this... List is shit btw, "here are a bunch of former players who are now managing and Gallardo", not one of them would inspire me confidence. Also I don't know how and why Laurent Blanc always makes these lists in spite of a very underwhelming playing style and managerial career.

I guess Conte is on the market?

by windkick Mon Oct 01, 2018 10:13 pm

There are clearly no real options out there that inspire a firing right now. Which is a shame, because I just don't see EV as having the guile and character to inspire our squad to a UCL win. The draw against Bilbao was because of Messi's brilliance, not because of the completely inept squad selection of EV to start the game. He put Sergi Roberto as a DM, and the previous game he had Vermalean as a LB and both times it completely back fired on him. Messi basically had to ricochet a ball off of Munirs foot to save us a point. And now are in October, a ridiculously hard month for Barca and we are going into it in terrible form (Spurs, Valencia, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Inter). But really, we aren't a Chelsea, we wouldn't favor a guy like Conte. Blanc is trash. I think the only guy that was mentioned before EV got the job was Oscar Garcia but I dont' see that happening at all. So really, who can we realistically hire that can step in right now and seriously help the team? I can't think of anyone

by BarrileteCosmico Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:19 am

Yeah honestly I would let him stay until the end of the season and then make a decision. If the team keeps playing this way then no way he makes it past summer, when more managers would be available for a move.

by Myesyats Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:28 am

I, on the other hand, see no point in keeping him until the summer.

We already know he's unable to improve the team, we have only regressed over last season and 1 months of this season. At no point in time Valverde showed that he's able to make any significant changes, we've always been mellow and bland under his command.

Look at Chelsea once they appointed Sarri. A competent coach is everything.

by Winter is Coming Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:42 pm

Spurs have half their key players injured, if we don't win I'm going to laugh.

by Winter is Coming Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:43 pm

windkick wrote:
Winter is Coming wrote:1-0 down to Bilbao

windkick wrote:Boy this section has basically died. One of the biggest clubs on the planet and we can't get a solid conversation going on here.

Anyone recommend another forum that's super active I can join? That's not full of idiots

what could we possibly talk about, our incompetent board or how clueless EV is?

Lots to discuss, especially if we are playing bad. Basically your saying we should only celebrate when things go well and stay silent and hidden away when things are bad?

No, but most people won't be in the right state of mind watching the sh!t we serve up, just look at redcafe, we aren't far from being like United Laughing

by windkick Wed Oct 03, 2018 5:35 pm

Myesyats wrote:I, on the other hand, see no point in keeping him until the summer.

We already know he's unable to improve the team, we have only regressed over last season and 1 months of this season. At no point in time Valverde showed that he's able to make any significant changes, we've always been mellow and bland under his command.

Look at Chelsea once they appointed Sarri. A competent coach is everything.

Sucks because I feel Sarri would of been perfect for Barca

by windkick Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:16 pm

Dembele benched with Coutinho slotted to the left wing and Arthur starting in midfield.

Interesting choice to use Arthur in such a big away match at Wembley. Let's hope the kid shines. Sergi is injured and Umtiti is suspended. Also seems Valverde hates Malcom for some reason as he didn't even name him for the trip, and has only played 25 mins all season.

----------TerStegen
Semedo-Pique-Lenglet-Alba
----------Busquets
---Rakitic--------Arthur
Messi--------------Coutinho
----------Suarez

Bench:
Cillisen
Vermelen
Vidal
Rafinha
D.Suarez
Munir
Dembele

by Myesyats Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:40 pm

Apparently Malcom is a player Valverde didn't want and didn't ask for, that's why he's giving him such bad treatment.

We need to get a real coach soon.

by windkick Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:51 pm

Coutinho up front as oppose to in midfield and this team looks completely different than the the team of the past 3 games.

by Kebab Wed Oct 03, 2018 10:29 pm

Arthur is like copy of Xavi. His moving running turning around. he just became 5th best player in the team for me

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:48 pm

Myesyats wrote:Apparently Malcom is a player Valverde didn't want and didn't ask for, that's why he's giving him such bad treatment.

We need to get a real coach soon.

I hate it when coaches do this, even if you didn't want a player you need to show more professionalism than that.

by BarrileteCosmico Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:50 am

Completely agreed, you use the tools at your disposal, not the tools that you wish you had.

That being said it's incredibly petty which makes me think it's prob not true.

by windkick Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:28 pm

Apparently Arturo Vidal is pissed off at the fact he isn't a guaranteed starter. Which I must ask...why did we even sign him? We have allot of midfielders as is, even if it's a random balance of age, quality etc. to even add anymore

Sergio Busquets
Ivan Rakitić
Denis Suárez
Phillipe Coutinho
Sergi Samper
Rafinha
Arthur Melo
Arturo Vidal
Carles Alena

Plus they clearly want to add Rabiot and De Jong next summer, and are considering Pogba? The hell are they doing lol. In all seriousness they probably hoped Vidal would play for 3 years, rotating while Arthur, Alena and Puig, possibly even DeJong were ready to be steady Barca starters. But instead they signed him, Dembele started off hot scoring and Coutinho got moved into midfield, thus leaving no room for Vidal to start. And now Arthur is proving he should be the third starter in midfield after yesterdays game, reinforcing even more that Vidal has no guaranteed starting spot.
The club created a mess

by alexjanosik Fri Oct 05, 2018 3:29 am

Great game of football. Surprised that we could match the level of intensity of Spurs. I didnt think we could do it. Would have expected us to get rolled over.

Tactically, we played 4-3-3 which switched to 4-4-2 but the positioning of the midfielders was interesting to me. I am not a fan of the CM's playing a 100 yards from each other. That is partly necessitated by Rakitic having to cover for Messi in a 4-3-3. This game was different. The midfielders played very close to each other and Arthur moved all across the midfield, something we havent seen since Xavi. It created some confusion and they got in each others space. We have not played with the CM's having horizontal freedom of movement in a long time and it showed. Busquets, Rakitic and Arthur got in each others space quite a few times. But it did allow for some good combination play in the middle. I am all for it once we iron out the chinks. It worked beautifully with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets.

Pique has come in for a lot of criticism recently. I think some of it is unfair. We have to realize that it is not easy to defend that right side with Messi playing there and Pique is often times left exposed. He showed yesterday that on his game, he is as good a CB as any. Calm, composed and collected.

The biggest surprise of the night was Messi. Havent seen him run this much since 2011. Was making runs, pressing, moving off the ball to create a passing lane. The best performance I have seen from him in a long long time. And showed that when he actually bothers to move( and not walk all game), he is simply unplayable. Makes you wonder why he doesnt do it in the big games for the past 5,6 years.

by Winter is Coming Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:06 pm

Playing like sh!t and behind against Valencia Laughing

by Kebab Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:51 pm

When Messi puts an effort and runs others look medicore beside him. Beckham level long passes , Pele level finishing and Maradona level dribbling combined in one player

by BarrileteCosmico Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:31 pm

Garay has been a wall today. Ffs I thought Messi had it at the 86th minute.

by windkick Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:37 pm

Genius by EV to wait until the 84th min to make a sub. Great way to build the confidence to the bench players, great time to make changes and genius strategist

I seriously want him his bland ass to go

by BarrileteCosmico Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:38 pm

tbf it's not like Dembele did much in his 8 or so minutes on the pitch

Valencia away are always a tough game, they parked well and they pressured well, sucks not getting the 3 points but you would be hard pressed to argue that Barca deserved them

by alexjanosik Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:43 pm

Once more, the over dependence on Messi comes back to cost us a point. Started off with a 4-3-3. Valencia transitioned quickly from the left to the right. Rakitic couldnt get across in time and it led to a corner from which they scored.
We cant play 4-3-3 with Messi. Credit to Valverde who quickly went to 4-4-2. But the attack is so focussed on feeding Messi. How many times did Alba miss passing to players who were in a better position, instead trying to pass to Messi. I counted 3 times when he could have passed to Suarez or Coutinho/Dembele and isntead tried to find Messi.
It is counter productive. the same ridiculous insistenece on setting up Messi has truned Suarez, one of the all time great and lethal strikers in to an assist man. He is joint top for assists with Messi over the past 4 years but has lost a lot of lethality in the process. And I dont blame him. How many times does he make a run only for idiots like Alba(who should never wear the Barca shirt) ignore him?
We are not winning Europe if the insistence on playing through Messi continues. Doesnt matter who we have. Going out in the quarters again. Quote me on it.

by Kebab Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:43 pm

Two different 45 minutes. seems they dont care about la liga

by alexjanosik Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:45 pm

windkick wrote:Genius by EV to wait until the 84th min to make a sub. Great way to build the confidence to the bench players, great time to make changes and genius strategist

I seriously want him his bland ass to go

Its easy to blame him. How do you suggest we fix the bland way of playing? We saw the same bland football under multiple coaches now. Tito, Tata, Enrique, Valverde.
Do I think Valverde is Pep?
No, but we have to realise that the problem is we cant play a fluid, functional 4-3-3 with Messi.

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