How long before teams start to try and copy Barca?

[fanle]

It would be impossible to do this in England. Arsenal are currently the closest thing in England after 20 years under one of the world's best mangers and they were getting schooled in their own backyard at times the other night.

To get to the top in English football, you need power, pace, agression, directness and a solid defence. Chelsea and Stretford follow this model, wining football, and are currently top of the PL. When these two play Barca, they are happy to surrender possesion knowing they'll hit them hard and fast when the do get the ball. Exactly how we did Barca in the Joan Gamper....

The English game does not allow you to create players with great technique as the game is simply played too fast here and is a lot more physical. When clubs look at young players, there is always a greater emphasis on thier physical attributes rather than technique.

It's also no co-incidence that the Arsenal team have, for a long time, consisted of mainly foreign players. Ones that have honed their skills in a pedastrian league with Wengers skill being able to spot the ones who are also tough enough for the PL...against the ones who are not (a la Robinho).

If a mid table club in the PL stated going 'All Barca' they would get bullied out of the PL in no time.

So this is why Chelsea and United beat Barca last year in the champs league

 

[Blue Coop]

I think a huge part of Barca's possesional dominance goes down to the full-backs. When Barca are on the ball they act as a second winger on either side meaning that when Barca are passing the ball around in the middle, they have a 7-man midfield and a striker up top.

Add that to the fact that them 8 players include Xavi, Messi, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Alves, Busquettes and usually Iniesta. You begin to see why they keep the ball for long spells, including Puyol and Pique who are okay on the ball also.

Yes it may be how they teach the football at Barca, but you can only do so if you have the players and the tactics in place to do so. You have to have players in the middle who can keep the ball (We only have Barry who can keep the ball comfortably to any degree of confidence) and you need to give your full-backs the freedom which, in this league isn't always the best idea.<br /><br />-- Thu Apr 01, 2010 5:39 pm --<br /><br />

I think a huge part of Barca's possesional dominance goes down to the full-backs. When Barca are on the ball they act as a second winger on either side meaning that when Barca are passing the ball around in the middle, they have a 7-man midfield and a striker up top.

Add that to the fact that them 8 players include Xavi, Messi, Kaita [sp], Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Alves, Busquettes and usually Iniesta. You begin to see why they keep the ball for long spells, including Puyol and Pique who are okay on the ball also.

Yes it may be how they teach the football at Barca, but you can only do so if you have the players and the tactics in place to do so. You have to have players in the middle who can keep the ball (We only have Barry who can keep the ball comfortably to any degree of confidence) and you need to give your full-backs the freedom which, in this league isn't always the best idea.

 

[Big G]

It takes years to get a team to play like that,
Guardiola got rid of some good players to get players to fit the system he wants to play, and if you actually watch and analyse instead of watching starry eyed and amazed, they play very simple football,
They have a strong structured core to their team, and fullbacks willing to add numbers to the midfield, pass and move, short 5/10 yard passes keeping the ball moving and not letting the opponents settle in defence,
When Barca are on the defence they defend from the front winning most of their balls in midfield,
Workrate is amazing, add the quality of player and you have a winner.

 

[mcfc_die_hard]

i think most teams try to emulate barca but they simply dont have the players to do so.

they are breathtaking

 

[hbruz80]

It takes years to get a team to play like that,
Guardiola got rid of some good players to get players to fit the system he wants to play, and if you actually watch and analyse instead of watching starry eyed and amazed, they play very simple football,
They have a strong structured core to their team, and fullbacks willing to add numbers to the midfield, pass and move, short 5/10 yard passes keeping the ball moving and not letting the opponents settle in defence,
When Barca are on the defence they defend from the front winning most of their balls in midfield,
Workrate is amazing, add the quality of player and you have a winner.

"Football is simple, but the hardest thing there is, is to play simple football"-Johan Cruyff

The man responsible for modern day Barcelona is Johan Cruyff who was schooled in total football under Rinus Michels.

I posted this on another thread:

It is made clear to the Barca youth that FC Barcelona is "Més que un club" (More than a club) it is an identity. The footballing message is also clear "receive, pass, offer, receive, pass, offer." It will be almost impossible to replicate this in England (completely different coaching style, i.e. ‘hoof it up to the big man up front’) but the only way I feel it can be done is to hire Johan Cruyff as Director of Football with immediate effect. Give the guy complete control over the youth academy, scouting network and the style of football we play and he will create ‘La Machester Masia.’ It will take at least 10 years for the fruits of his labour to be seen, but it will completely revolutionise City and English football. Just the thought of this has me salivating in anticipation already!