11/12 Lliga: Real Madrid - FC Barcelona 1-3

[Trillske]

Boring? The last 20 minutes was one of the most enjoyable moments of the game. Watching Barca play tiki taka against a hapless Madrid team at the Bernabeu is priceless. Can't forget Iniesta's cap over Khedira

Iniesta was awesome, but the game: meh. I get it was awesome for a supporter, all those nerves beeing calmed and you could just enjoy the moment. For me, it got really boring when real stopped playing.

As for Iniesta, when I see him play like that I allways get the feeling that he might just be the most skilled player on the planet by far, just something else holding him back from doing it on his own like Messi does. He is just wierd. I dont know if he has an IQ of >200 or what it is, but at the same instant a ball leaves the ground he has already calculated its trajectory and the exact moment, place and speed it will end up when its close to him. He can just turn his back to it and focus elsewhere and, voila, the ball lands smoothly on his feet and he doesnt even look down to check if landed all right, he just keeps his head up and does his next move. He is a math wizard, simple as that, it doesnt look human.

Similar thing that move on the sideline. Have you seen the movie limitless? It looked just like that. His head just did the math automaticaly, all the way from calculating his opponents pattern to the exact force to apply to the ball to the exact knowledge of what that will do to the ball. And as usual, I dont think he even had to look more than a split second.

 

[Catalonian Devil]

Iniesta was awesome, but the game: meh. I get it was awesome for a supporter, all those nerves beeing calmed and you could just enjoy the moment. For me, it got really boring when real stopped playing.

As for Iniesta, when I see him play like that I allways get the feeling that he might just be the most skilled player on the planet by far, just something else holding him back from doing it on his own like Messi does. He is just wierd. I dont know if he has an IQ of >200 or what it is, but at the same instant a ball leaves the ground he has already calculated its trajectory and the exact moment, place and speed it will end up when its close to him. He can just turn his back to it and focus elsewhere and, voila, the ball lands smoothly on his feet and he doesnt even look down to check if landed all right, he just keeps his head up and does his next move. He is a math wizard, simple as that, it doesnt look human.

Similar thing that move on the sideline. Have you seen the movie limitless? It looked just like that. His head just did the math automaticaly, all the way from calculating his opponents pattern to the exact force to apply to the ball to the exact knowledge of what that will do to the ball. And as usual, I dont think he even had to look more than a split second.

Okay, after that description of Iniesta you have partially redeemed yourself of some the garbage you were posting in the past couple of page...

 

[dalitis8]

Iniesta was awesome, but the game: meh. I get it was awesome for a supporter, all those nerves beeing calmed and you could just enjoy the moment. For me, it got really boring when real stopped playing.

As for Iniesta, when I see him play like that I allways get the feeling that he might just be the most skilled player on the planet by far, just something else holding him back from doing it on his own like Messi does. He is just wierd. I dont know if he has an IQ of >200 or what it is, but at the same instant a ball leaves the ground he has already calculated its trajectory and the exact moment, place and speed it will end up when its close to him. He can just turn his back to it and focus elsewhere and, voila, the ball lands smoothly on his feet and he doesnt even look down to check if landed all right, he just keeps his head up and does his next move. He is a math wizard, simple as that, it doesnt look human.

Similar thing that move on the sideline. Have you seen the movie limitless? It looked just like that. His head just did the math automaticaly, all the way from calculating his opponents pattern to the exact force to apply to the ball to the exact knowledge of what that will do to the ball. And as usual, I dont think he even had to look more than a split second.

Real Madrid have been wiping the pitches of Spain and Europe with their opponents for months on end, without mercy.

They gave their all against Barca the other day, but it is so the case, that Barca broke them. Barca tends to do that to a lot of teams. United and the Prem were all the rage back in 2008/09, until they had to face Barca.

And guess what? They were also broken, and many accused them of not trying hard enough.

Anyone who knows football, can tell that Barca tend to pass their rivals into submission.

It happened before, it will happen again.

*You are right about Iniesta though.

 

[Manuel Traquete]

This was a great victory, but I'm afraid Real Madrid are still in the pole position to win La Liga.

We are clearly not as ominous as last season, when we trashed every team in our path from October to January and continued dominating afterwards.

I kind of expected this, as I believed at the time that last season had been the peak of this awesome side. It's not a matter of talent; the players are still fantastic and we added even more talent in the form of Thiago, Cesc and Sanchez. If anything, we have a lot more depth. It's just that the heights we hit last season were unsustainable in the long term.

But I'm afraid that the drop might be too much to retain La Liga, although I hope I'm wrong. Even if we win the second Clásico, which I think we will, it will not matter unless we significantly improve against the other 18 sides. Last season, we won our first 11 away matches, this season we're struggling immensely on the road.

While the Clásico was amazing, we can't forget that Madrid remain favorites to win La Liga. We will not win unless we improve a lot. Last season, we only lost 5 points in the first 20 games, now we've lost 11 already. More crucially, we never even looked like struggling against the "little" sides last season, a stark contrast to the present. Leagues aren't won in El Clásico. We might very well win the two Clásicos, but we'll still come up short unless we can find a form closer to last season's.

 

[FCBarca]

I think you been smokin' & then postin' there, Manuel

 

[Manuel Traquete]

I think you been smokin' & then postin' there, Manuel

How so?

I don't think it is very debatable that we've been performing way below the standards we set last season (even in El Clásico) and that unless we improve a lot we will not retain the league title.

Last season we had lost 11 points after the second Clásico. This season we've lost 11 points already. If this isn't enough indication that our performance has dipped, I don't know what is.

I love that we won El Clásico, but we won't win the league unless we improve significantly and put on a similar run to last season (those 16 wins in a row).

 

[FCBarca]

Because you contradicted yourself repeatedly

 

[Manuel Traquete]

Because you contradicted yourself repeatedly

I don't think I did but if that's the case do let me know where the contradictions lie so I can clarify what I meant.

 

[barcelonista]

Chil. We had several key players injured for long periods:

Puyol
Pedro
Iniesta
Sanchez
Fabregas

The latter 2 could not even gel yet with the team.

We're also in a kind of transition year regarding our system. Clasic 4-3-3 seems outdated now. Pay attention to what Pep has to say:

What I’ve done this season is a response to the gameplans our rivals are now adopting against us.

So no wonder we've dropped so many points until now with all these injuries and experimentations. From now on, it can only get better for us. We've beaten RM 3-1 at their home when they were at their peak (and we were not). With everyone back from injury and with a bit more time to fully adapt to our new fluid system with a back 3, we'll truly start to roll after the winter break.

Last year we were in godmode from November until March. After that, we struggled big time. This year it probably won't happen. Rather peak late than early. Sooner or later we WILL peak. And it's scary to know we didn't yet.

 

[gingerless]

Trollske, stop acting cool with your 2 line responses. Seriously, we know you hate Barca even though you hate to admit. There was an element of luck in both the goals. However, RM's goal was even more lucky because of a) Valdes' mispass and b) Busquets deflection that set up Benzema perfectly. While for Barcas goal there was only a deflection involved.

To claim that Barcas goal was lucky and Reals wasn't is absurd.

+1000

trollske

 

[Trillske]

+1000

Your opinion is worth 1/1000 that of someone sane, so sure, why not.

Nickname wasnt new though. Its about as old as this one.

 

[Chainsaw]

Whatever team wins such a tight game is lucky, simple as that.

:icon_confused: Worst simplification ever???!!

 

[Trillske]

:icon_confused: Worst simplification ever???!!

No, not at all, get the context. It was all that was needed. If you want a bigger picture read the rest of the thread, not a random line. My posts alone are enough to broaden the view so as usual right now; I have to hold your hand and walk you through the thread?

You guys are going to give me gray hairs.

 

[cule19]

We really are gonna struggle defensively when Puyi's not at the back anymore.

 

[FCBarca]

I don't think I did but if that's the case do let me know where the contradictions lie so I can clarify what I meant.

Ok...You start out with 'a great victory' but quickly point out RM is in 'pole position' for La Liga...Yet that seemingly contradicts subsequent point that you expect Barca to win the 2nd Clasico (Which would put them even on points but ahead on the tiebreaker)...This while stating that the drop in Barca's performances is significant enough to lose the Liga title

And we are only at Jornada 16...We must significantly improve?...Didn't someone already post that Pep has not repeated the same starting XI this season?...Wasn't Da Sex out for most of the season so far?...Puyol?...I think you've taken a large leap over several mitigating factors for a side still finding their form...Yet are even, on points, with a rival who has been hyped as being the side in world football...Same side that you fully expect to be swept in head to head matchups...So Barça will not win unless they improve a lot?...If the facts weren't otherwise, one would conclude from your argument that Barça were far off the title race

Clasico amazing but can't forget RM are favorites for La Liga title?

The only part where perhaps your argument started to become clearer was when you pointed out that the away form, particularly against smaller sides, was left wanting...However, to go from that at Jornada 16 to losing a season title race for a club incorporating no less than 3 key squad additions is awfully fatalistic, non?

I mean, the flip side is, how much better can RM play?...And for most fans, it's clear that Barça has yet to find their stride...Yet trumped a side that can likely do no better

Sure, they could lose the Liga title...and they could having beaten RM in both Clasicos...But is that a foregone conclusion or is it even remotely shaping up like that?...I mean, to call it a stretch would be a massive understatement...It'd take major 'glass is half empty' perspective to even go that direction

Meanwhile, the 'glass is half full' perspective is that Mou cannot beat Pep's Barça...that despite not yet being in top form (When they don't need to be yet), they remain the superior side...Logic would dictate that Barça will get better and have a major psychological advantage...RM knows they are inferior

Sorry, Manuel...Just came off a bit smokin' & postin'