footyfan
Calma, calma
I was really mad at him for the past couple of days, but whatever, moving on...
There are a ton of issues with the team but here I'll focus on Messi:
Barcelona desperately need a striker because their attack is still very Messi-dependent. Messi's game suffers immensely if he doesn't get touches on the ball (or) if he gets infrequent touches of the ball. He doesn't possess Ronaldo or some other players' ability to be complete garbage and still deliver the goods because his game is entirely dependent on ball skills and combinations on the ball. Thus, it should be Barcelona's priority to get him the ball in good positions.
The false 9 system doesn't work anymore because 1) Messi doesn't have the required work-rate and movement anymore 2) Teams have figured out Messi's favourite ways of playing and combining, i.e I agree with Ode to Django that Messi's game has become stale. With Pep, Barca and Messi were always one step ahead of the game:
-surprise false 9s in 2-6 vs Madrid and 2-0 vs Utd in 2009
-playing behind Ibra and 4-2-4s in 2009/10
-false 9 in 2010/11
-playmaking and 3-4-3s in 2011/12
For the past 2 seasons, literally every top team knows what Messi is gonna do and it seems like neither he nor Barca want to make changes (retarded!!). Only Ancelotti was dumb enough not to use the tactics from Mou which shut Messi down completely last year.
Buy a striker, sacrifice the width (the striker can occupy this position if required), put Messi in a more attacking midfielder role and let him run games.
Sad, roundabout way of trying to solve the real issue - the best option would be to keep the formation, buy a new midfielder, Messi ups his work rate and movement, the team presses (the CF is the most important cog in any pressing system - it always starts at the top; how pathetic is it to see Xavi and Cesc jog up to the opposing team to put cursory pressure while Messi strolls around) and finds spaces faster. It is the game that suits the rest of the Barcelona players best. Xavi Iniesta Busquets Neymar Pique Masch - these are not players that are entirely comfortable with running up and down the pitch - they'd much prefer that the ball is won quickly and high up the pitch.
What in the world stopped Tata from reinstating the pressing game from the beginning of the season?
I hold Tata primarily responsible for the loss but I expected a lot lot more from Messi who might as well have been wearing red and white.
There are a ton of issues with the team but here I'll focus on Messi:
Barcelona desperately need a striker because their attack is still very Messi-dependent. Messi's game suffers immensely if he doesn't get touches on the ball (or) if he gets infrequent touches of the ball. He doesn't possess Ronaldo or some other players' ability to be complete garbage and still deliver the goods because his game is entirely dependent on ball skills and combinations on the ball. Thus, it should be Barcelona's priority to get him the ball in good positions.
The false 9 system doesn't work anymore because 1) Messi doesn't have the required work-rate and movement anymore 2) Teams have figured out Messi's favourite ways of playing and combining, i.e I agree with Ode to Django that Messi's game has become stale. With Pep, Barca and Messi were always one step ahead of the game:
-surprise false 9s in 2-6 vs Madrid and 2-0 vs Utd in 2009
-playing behind Ibra and 4-2-4s in 2009/10
-false 9 in 2010/11
-playmaking and 3-4-3s in 2011/12
For the past 2 seasons, literally every top team knows what Messi is gonna do and it seems like neither he nor Barca want to make changes (retarded!!). Only Ancelotti was dumb enough not to use the tactics from Mou which shut Messi down completely last year.
Buy a striker, sacrifice the width (the striker can occupy this position if required), put Messi in a more attacking midfielder role and let him run games.
Sad, roundabout way of trying to solve the real issue - the best option would be to keep the formation, buy a new midfielder, Messi ups his work rate and movement, the team presses (the CF is the most important cog in any pressing system - it always starts at the top; how pathetic is it to see Xavi and Cesc jog up to the opposing team to put cursory pressure while Messi strolls around) and finds spaces faster. It is the game that suits the rest of the Barcelona players best. Xavi Iniesta Busquets Neymar Pique Masch - these are not players that are entirely comfortable with running up and down the pitch - they'd much prefer that the ball is won quickly and high up the pitch.
What in the world stopped Tata from reinstating the pressing game from the beginning of the season?
I hold Tata primarily responsible for the loss but I expected a lot lot more from Messi who might as well have been wearing red and white.
