Barca v City Post Match Thread
- Thread starter Robinho's Subbuteo
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jimharri
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All the vultures were circling when I got into work this morning. A quick mention of their CL exploits this season and it's a swift "fuck off".
tolmie's hairdoo
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Fine margins compounded by appalling performances from Fernandinho and Silva.
Silva, in particular, at this supposed level, goes missing too easily when it's clear the ball won't be dominated by us.
His passing was poor, pressing and passiveness, equally so.
Same goes for Gundogan and KDB, for such technicians, we don't have a single player who can hold the ball up with their back to goal.
It's a fundamental faultline, which is exposed when you need to beat the press with a ball which needs to go a little longer.
Sterling was the shining light again at this level.
Silva, in particular, at this supposed level, goes missing too easily when it's clear the ball won't be dominated by us.
His passing was poor, pressing and passiveness, equally so.
Same goes for Gundogan and KDB, for such technicians, we don't have a single player who can hold the ball up with their back to goal.
It's a fundamental faultline, which is exposed when you need to beat the press with a ball which needs to go a little longer.
Sterling was the shining light again at this level.
Scaring Europe to Death
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The big notable difference is that Messi, Suarez and Neymar tend to shine in these type of games.
Our match winners melt into the background, never quite having a bad game, but seemingly always on the periphery when the going gets tough. Even Aguero’s struggled in recent encounters with PSG and Real Madrid.
However, we're still top of the league, so we just need to beat Southampton. The media focus will then switch to Mourinho's reception and result at Chelsea.
Our match winners melt into the background, never quite having a bad game, but seemingly always on the periphery when the going gets tough. Even Aguero’s struggled in recent encounters with PSG and Real Madrid.
However, we're still top of the league, so we just need to beat Southampton. The media focus will then switch to Mourinho's reception and result at Chelsea.
Pedrothe exile
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Absolutely-at this level its small percentages and the difference was-Fcb didn't commit the number of errors that we did and they are surgical when it comes to capitalising on errors and then finishing.Look at Messi's 3 chances/goals(unless I'm mistaken he only had 3 "chances" and he absolutely buried every one of them) -we one other hand didn't convert a single chance-just look at Stone's header-do you think any of Msn would have put that wide.
For me the last 20 minutes were theworst when it was 10 men each and Barca had already had to make 2 subs-during that period we conceded a goal & a penalty whichwas disappointing.
Still-this is a project and its going to take Pep some time-there was enough quality and effort to give me confidence-and Raheem looked totally at home on this stage-I thought he had a cracker.
Keep the faith!
C-E-L-FBlue
Active Member
Office rag came up to me and said he was still laughing this morning. I told him I was surprised he had awoken from the slumber of Monday night. I've just posted in the Guardiola thread that the myopic pundits will only comment on the scoreline rather than see the bigger picture of how we played. Yes individual mistakes and a couple of passengers make games like last night very difficult. However I would take that as a starting point for the next 3 years over our performances at this level for the previous 4 seasons.
Disappointed last night. Pretty shocking score line - when did we last lose by four??
However - we played well for periods of the game, we actually had more shots, and we stopped their midfield playing - in fact I don't think we are giving credit for that. When Barca are at their fluent best Busquets is controlling the flow and Iniesta creating the opportunities. Last night they scarcely had an impact. Why? Because Silva in the main stopped Busquets playing and Zaba and Fern gave Iniesta little space.
I've been pondering the Aguero decision. In hindsight I think asking Kev to play where he did actually restricted his ability to do what he does best which is to rove across the attack
But if we had played Serge we would have to have left someone else out and that might have meant we couldn't nullify their midfield. To be honest the only answer I have come up with is that if we could have played 12 we might have won it !!
In the end though their front 3 in particular are such wonderfully talented players that they can win games with a ruthlessness that no other team in football can. Whilesoever we don't have players of their calibre (which we haven't got and tbh are unlikely to get as they don't yet exist elsewhere) then the only way we can beat them is through great tactics (which I think we had last night) and perfect individual performances (which we clearly didn't)
However - we played well for periods of the game, we actually had more shots, and we stopped their midfield playing - in fact I don't think we are giving credit for that. When Barca are at their fluent best Busquets is controlling the flow and Iniesta creating the opportunities. Last night they scarcely had an impact. Why? Because Silva in the main stopped Busquets playing and Zaba and Fern gave Iniesta little space.
I've been pondering the Aguero decision. In hindsight I think asking Kev to play where he did actually restricted his ability to do what he does best which is to rove across the attack
But if we had played Serge we would have to have left someone else out and that might have meant we couldn't nullify their midfield. To be honest the only answer I have come up with is that if we could have played 12 we might have won it !!
In the end though their front 3 in particular are such wonderfully talented players that they can win games with a ruthlessness that no other team in football can. Whilesoever we don't have players of their calibre (which we haven't got and tbh are unlikely to get as they don't yet exist elsewhere) then the only way we can beat them is through great tactics (which I think we had last night) and perfect individual performances (which we clearly didn't)
wythenshaweblue£££
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Funnily enough even though we got beat badly I don't feel to bad This morning. Barcaelona can put 4 past anytime on a good day. We just got to move on now and smash Southampton on Sunday and all will
Be forgotten. We should still qualify for second position.
Be forgotten. We should still qualify for second position.
blue by birth
Well-Known Member
We matched Barca for the majority of the game and when it was 11 v 11 i think we were better than them but nothing like as clinical as we need to be.
Fern slipping was a disaster as the other players were moving forward expecting a pass from him which left Messi free to round the keeper and score.
After that we played a bit iffy for 10 mins then started to take the game to them and we looked better again.
Then Bravo doesnt do what he should have and inexplicably dinks a pass to Suarez and the game is over once we go down to 10 men.
Last night i was fuming with Bravo because he cost us the chance of getting at least a draw and probably said a few things i shouldnt, but in all honesty he passes the ball better than Joe but hes nothing like as good a keeper as Joe.
I reckon we have nothing to fear against these at home and if we play the way we did with a few tweaks then we wil beat them ( depending on injuries etc obviously)
Fern slipping was a disaster as the other players were moving forward expecting a pass from him which left Messi free to round the keeper and score.
After that we played a bit iffy for 10 mins then started to take the game to them and we looked better again.
Then Bravo doesnt do what he should have and inexplicably dinks a pass to Suarez and the game is over once we go down to 10 men.
Last night i was fuming with Bravo because he cost us the chance of getting at least a draw and probably said a few things i shouldnt, but in all honesty he passes the ball better than Joe but hes nothing like as good a keeper as Joe.
I reckon we have nothing to fear against these at home and if we play the way we did with a few tweaks then we wil beat them ( depending on injuries etc obviously)
Blue Mooner
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That performance was a world away from what we have seen previously against Barca - note the way we were ripped to shreds when Joe performed his heroics. It was individual mistakes that cost us and Pep simply can't legislate for that.
Hugely encouraged by what Pep has done and it was a shame that we didn't get the result that the performance deserved.
Hugely encouraged by what Pep has done and it was a shame that we didn't get the result that the performance deserved.
We lost 4-0.
Pretty hard to look past that.
Too many individual mistakes are killing us.
The way I see it too.
We've improved leaps and bounds but we still have players this season who just aren't good enough for what Pep wants.
Yep, thought Silva and Gundogan (for the most part besides his chance) were missing last night. Gundogan is getting back to full fitness though so he has an excuse.
C-E-L-FBlue
Active Member
Bit of an off topic post but what sort of footwear to our players chose?? It might be my one eyed viewing but how many of our players lost their footing compared to the Barca players!! Fernandinho being the prime example of this!
I've noticed that, not just during last nights match, this seems to happen to our players more than the opposition!
I've noticed that, not just during last nights match, this seems to happen to our players more than the opposition!