Why Barca? [Merged]

[RODDY_CTID]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

I dont think you will be seeing the starting 11 for sat, playing more than 30mins

 

[Dubai Blue]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

Cookey and Sparky usually take me into their confidence on such matters

*vomits*

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

The argument Hince uses for suggesting that the trip is daft, applies equally to Barcelona, apart from the fact that it's a home fixture for them. Would the Champions' League Winners ( who was it they whacked in the final?) take a gamble at the start of the season. As long as the tackles are not the Chile/Italy 62 vintage, I think it's a great idea.

My RAG son-in-law is repeatedly quoting Tevez as having started 40 games for Stretford last season, and chuckles that MCFC won't play 40 games in total this season, well this game just adds one to the thirty-nine, assuming first round exits in the Carling and FA Cups!

 

[Dubai Blue]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

It'll just be a fluffy exhibition match with some fantastic skills and neat passing on show. There won't be much tackling and we certainly won't be returning with half-a-dozen injuries as Hince suggests.

 

[Dubai Blue]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

The argument Hince uses for suggesting that the trip is daft, applies equally to Barcelona, apart from the fact that it's a home fixture for them. Would the Champions' League Winners ( who was it they whacked in the final?) take a gamble at the start of the season. As long as the tackles are not the Chile/Italy 62 vintage, I think it's a great idea.

My RAG son-in-law is repeatedly quoting Tevez as having started 40 games for Stretford last season, and chuckles that MCFC won't play 40 games in total this season, well this game just adds one to the thirty-nine, assuming first round exits in the Carling and FA Cups!

Your rag son-in-law can't count. We're guaranteed a minimum of 40 games this season. This makes it 41.

 

[Cambridgeblue]

Re: why barca?

Do people not realise that this is a FRIENDLY!!! therefore there would be many tackles flying in. It will be about both teams playing the beautiful game. I think it will be the 1st team playing in the 1st half with a lot of subs used thereafter.

Of course there is the risk of players getting injured but players get injured in the shower so there is always a risk but there wont be many flying tackles in this game.

It gives the players the opportunity to bond, play together again,builds players fitness and allows Man City one of the worlds most talked of clubs to be seen on a world stage playing one of the world biggest clubs.

We are building relationships with the best and that can only be a good thing for the long term future

Technically it's not a friendly as such, it is the Joan Gamper trophy - the season curtain raiser in honour of the founder of FC Barcelona. This is not a game they will want to lose.

Hughes will also be going for the win as it'll be a massive psychological boost if (by some miracle) we actually managed to beat them. Even if we lose the payback is enormous. Firstly it gives Hughes the chance (with a fair chunk of the window left) to assess the quality of his squad against, arguably, the best team in the world. If we're going to be competing against the likes of Real and Barcelona in the next few years it is important we learn at first hand what it's going to take and who in our squad can make that leap and who, perhaps, cannot.

Secondly it is an incredible team bonding excercise and will provide a little taste of what City could look forward to if we break into the top 4. I can imagine Hughes saying to the players after the game - do well this season and we could be back here again in the Champion's League. Attendance is expected to be around the 80,000 mark so the atmosphere is going to be incredible... the buzz this will give players like Weiss and Ireland will be incredible. Simply put I cannot think of a better motivational tool for our players.

Let's not forget that Wolves are playing Wigan this evening so they will have a tough midweek workout too, with arguably more chance of picking up injuries (as prem teams are generally more physical in nature than european sides) so it's not like we'll be losing ground to them.

 

[cibaman]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

Its really a glorified training session. It's unlikely to be played flat out, neither team should be flying in to tackles. It will be a further chance to try different formations and for the new players to gel. It will provide the best possible opportunity to work on our biggest failing in the first half on saturday ie failing to retain possesion, against the team that are the best in the world at that skill.

Its factually incorrect to say that Tevez was a doubt to play on saturday because of injury, his problem is a lack of match practice.

The one real drawback that I can see is that the players will miss a good night's sleep.

 

[Aussie!]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

It'll just be a fluffy exhibition match with some fantastic skills and neat passing on show. There won't be much tackling and we certainly won't be returning with half-a-dozen injuries as Hince suggests.

your pretty confident

 

[Dubai Blue]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

It'll just be a fluffy exhibition match with some fantastic skills and neat passing on show. There won't be much tackling and we certainly won't be returning with half-a-dozen injuries as Hince suggests.

your pretty confident

I am, yes. Everything Hince says applies to Barcelona as well. They also have a hell of a lot to lose if this is played at full pelt with crunching tackles flying in all over the place.

The type of players on show will mean it'll be proper exhibition stuff. Robbi and Superman will love it.

 

[burning blue soul]

Re: Barcelona trip is daft

It'll just be a fluffy exhibition match with some fantastic skills and neat passing on show. There won't be much tackling and we certainly won't be returning with half-a-dozen injuries as Hince suggests.

your pretty confident

this mass debate :D about this friendly is downright confusing me, look at where we have come from in the last few years, we are now being invited by the european champions to play in a prestigious game that means a lot to barca fans, we are at a loose end with no game to play, why the feck would you not go. the travelling doesnt mean that much at all, if we were playing pompey the travel time wont be much different. and as another poster said, what a way to bond the team, win or lose. every other side in the prem (except the rags he he he!) would rather be doing this than playing theirown game i am sure of that!