Barcelona H CL Pre match thread {merged}

[aguerooo93]

I also think Pellegrini will pick Yaya, Garcia and Fernandinho together. Ball retention will be key against Barca and having Garcia as an anchor with Fernandinho slightly ahead of him will mean we can break up their play better and mean we're less easily exposed and dominated early on. Yaya ahead of them can both counter Busquets and Xavi's distributive influence in the middle and rampage forward (I'm really hoping to see some of his trademark runs through the middle). Nasri and Silva should play as they can keep the ball higher up the pitch and tuck in to help control the middle too. The most difficult decision is whether to go with Clichy again (after he was so good against Chelsea) or pick Kolarov and hope his crosses on the overlap can devastate.

Hart - Zabaleta, Demichelis, Kompany, Kolarov - Garcia, Fernandinho, Yaya - Silva, Nasri - Negredo

Bench: Pantillimon, Clichy, Lescott, Rodwell, Navas, Jovetic, Dzeko

We should bring on Navas when Barcelona are tired and his wide runs may give us more options. Jovetic is also a good attacking option towards the end of the game.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Re: The grass looks really long

Now I might be imaging this but just watched barca training on sky sports and I noticed something!

The grass looked the longest I have ever seen it. It looked like hough end. Is this a ploy to slow barca down???

I noticed on Saturday that it looked a bit scruffy and the ball held up a bit.

 

[sky tot]

Not been this giddy about a match in a long time.
Finishing work early, down into Town for pre-match beers .
Booked into Evuna for tapas.
Got a feeling its going to be a great night

And a terrible morning after.

Any snow forecast for tomorrow thinks back to that game against Spurs at Maine Road ballet on ice.

Rain during the day, during actual match dry with little to no wind.

NAH, not getting pissed, want to be able to soak it all in and enjoy it.

 

[jaiguruKun]

Dzeko.

It seems that Aguero is out so the likelihood is that Dzeko will have most of the play time, probably with Negredo tomorrow. And I think he will be the deciding factor for success tomorrow.

Despite all the scorn he gets sometimes here, he is a player that has done great things at this club, not least his display of mental fortitude, poise and compusure to head that goal against QPR. People seem to forget that nowadays. Dzeko is a great striker.

BUT!!!!!!, there is inconsistency about him. Sometimes he looks like a world beater, scoring goals and playing fantastic football. Whereas there are days where he cannot hit the target to save his life, his touch is off and he looks mentally and emotionally detached and worn out.

This has been the case over the past few games- Dzeko has been in a ''soft- mind- mode'' and has been atrocious in front of goal. He better sort this out quickly if he wants to start matches in the near future when Aguero gets back and with Jovetic playing as well as he is. But we have to acknowledge that it can be difficult to get into stride and build momentum when you are in and out of the team and that is perhaps the case with Dzeko.

So I believe Dzeko will be key and if the strong-mind-mode-Dzeko shows up as he did at the Bernabeau or against QPR, and many other games, then we will score goals and have a successful night.

You must be the only one that thinks that Dzeko will start tomorrow, I'll be astonished if he does.

 

[Bozzie]

A friend of mine had the job of escorting the Barcelona team through the airport when they arrived this morning. Her verdict - "they all look very young and very small" That's it then, job done, piece of piss!

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Not been this giddy about a match in a long time.
Finishing work early, down into Town for pre-match beers .
Booked into Evuna for tapas.
Got a feeling its going to be a great night

And a terrible morning after.

Any snow forecast for tomorrow thinks back to that game against Spurs at Maine Road ballet on ice.

Rain during the day, during actual match dry with little to no wind.

NAH, not getting pissed, want to be able to soak it all in and enjoy it.

I'll be pissed before, during and after!

 

[blinkblue]

According to a few journo's on Twitter Fernandinho and Garcia will start together so I'd assume the team picks itself apart from two spots:

_____________________Hart

Zabaleta - Kompany - Demichellis - Clichy/Kolarov

______________Garcia - Fernandinho

____Nasri/Navas -------- Yaya ------------ Silva

____________________Negredo

Pantillimon, Lescott, Kolarov/Clichy, Richards, Navas/Nasri, Jovetic, Dzeko.

 

[3rdgenerationblue]

There is only one question which will determine whether we perform or not.

Do we think we belong?

If we believe we belong then watch us go. Any doubts and it's another Dortmund or Bayern.<br /><br />-- Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:17 pm --<br /><br />There is only one question which will determine whether we perform or not.

Do we think we belong?

If we believe we belong then watch us go. Any doubts and it's another Dortmund or Bayern.

 

[lasereyes]

Dzeko.

It seems that Aguero is out so the likelihood is that Dzeko will have most of the play time, probably with Negredo tomorrow. And I think he will be the deciding factor for success tomorrow.

Despite all the scorn he gets sometimes here, he is a player that has done great things at this club, not least his display of mental fortitude, poise and compusure to head that goal against QPR. People seem to forget that nowadays. Dzeko is a great striker.

BUT!!!!!!, there is inconsistency about him. Sometimes he looks like a world beater, scoring goals and playing fantastic football. Whereas there are days where he cannot hit the target to save his life, his touch is off and he looks mentally and emotionally detached and worn out.

This has been the case over the past few games- Dzeko has been in a ''soft- mind- mode'' and has been atrocious in front of goal. He better sort this out quickly if he wants to start matches in the near future when Aguero gets back and with Jovetic playing as well as he is. But we have to acknowledge that it can be difficult to get into stride and build momentum when you are in and out of the team and that is perhaps the case with Dzeko.

So I believe Dzeko will be key and if the strong-mind-mode-Dzeko shows up as he did at the Bernabeau or against QPR, and many other games, then we will score goals and have a successful night.

You must be the only one that thinks that Dzeko will start tomorrow, I'll be astonished if he does.

Not even clear Dzeko is fully fit for the game.

 

[Harvster]

Feeling confident. Don't think they'll be able to cope with our strength, size and physicality.