Barca draws Man City

[Messi_Goal]

If your judging him on that game then you must also be suggesting we drop the entire team after that performance.

And HOW LONG had he been out for up until that game? Be Fair!

No not just one game the point is why would you ever put a cb at rb if Alves is fit no cb offers what Alves does going forward. This is Barcelona we play to dominate games and out score the opponent, not think oh we are playing this or that team lets altar the way we play.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

It will be a tough game. Don't think that Barca will be any more "fine" than they were against Bilbao.

Could be a good contest, but let's take a look at tactics.

There are only two ways anyone has been able to beat Barça: 1) press like crazy all game with young fast legs, or 2) bunker down, hit on the counterattack, and win set pieces.

Bilbao pressed like a pack of crazed meth addicts and eked out a 1-0 result at home. Ajax youth edged 2-1 in a meaningless game (also missing Messi, Valdes, Alba, Alves, and Adriano).

So what's City going to do? They aren't going to press (Toure would be carried of the field on a stretcher after 15 minutes), so are they going to bunker down a la Mourinho Real Madrid and try to hit on the counter? Are they good enough to beat Barça in open play leaving space between the lines?

 

[André]

Be scared Man City.. be very scared. The Beast is back.

 

[ThwiX]

You're forgetting set-pieces. That is how they will want to win against us. With their tall and strong players.

 

[Alik]

So what's City going to do? They aren't going to press (Toure would be carried of the field on a stretcher after 15 minutes), so are they going to bunker down a la Mourinho Real Madrid and try to hit on the counter? Are they good enough to beat Barça in open play leaving space between the lines?

I expect City to play like they did against Bayern. They overcame a 2-0 deficit by pressing, without Toure.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Seriously, he said that? Wow, this is just going to make us stronger - Pellegrini better think before he speaks...

Tata said that too,w/o the " They are not the team of two years ago " of coarse

People on both sides seem to be overly confident.

Lets face it. We are not the team of 2 years ago. Against physical and counter attacking sides we do struggle. Plus we have no depth in the defense department. A defender has to be bought in January.

On the other hand. City are monsters at home but jackals away. Their defense is poor. An injury to Kompany and they might as well surrender the tie.

The contest which will decide the tie are : Aguero/Negredo vs Pique/Masch. If our defence doent implode we can win this easily

The thing that worries me is the fact that Txiki unlike Zubi is a guy who isn't hesitant to buy players the team need ,they are shopping for a CB in winter while our management already said we aren't buying anyone ,won't be surprised if they bought a replacement for Hart in winter too

 

[MrKnowitAlll]

people are douting us against city in england here. i know its english media and fans but they are saying how bad barcelona have been this season? we have lost only two games the WHOLE season.

guys are we really second favouitres against city? People saying it'll be like the Bayern match for us.
please make me feel better.

 

[ThwiX]

Wouldn't read much into it. Much of the hype comes from their recent matches against Bayern and Arsenal. Watch them lose away from home against a bottom league team again and we will be the team getting hyped.

 

[suckabov]

people are douting us against city in england here. i know its english media and fans but they are saying how bad barcelona have been this season? we have lost only two games the WHOLE season.

guys are we really second favouitres against city? People saying it'll be like the Bayern match for us.
please make me feel better.

It's good if they underrate us. Let them be all confident and daring, it will open up the space for us and only motivate our players.

 

[serghei]

guys are we really second favouitres against city? People saying it'll be like the Bayern match for us.
please make me feel better.

No, we're slight favourites. EPL is dropping in quality.

 

[ZenI]

people are douting us against city in england here. i know its english media and fans but they are saying how bad barcelona have been this season? we have lost only two games the WHOLE season.

guys are we really second favouitres against city? People saying it'll be like the Bayern match for us.
please make me feel better.

Well, obviously like you said yourself - we have only lost 2 games this season. But OK, 3 seasons ago we were magic, today we are 'only' fantastic
Jokes aside, we need our pressing back, stop playing Cesc on false 9 and Iniesta getting a grip of himself. Pique has been getting better and better for every match the last month, Alexis has never been better, Busi is Busi, Neymar is a great addition etc. So imo what it really comes down to is Tata's tactics and Iniesta's form. For 4-5 seasons Iniesta has not only been one of our best players, or one of the best midfielders, but actually one of the best players - we need his magic back! Not that he sucks, but he does look ordinary. Ohh, and plz, keep Song away from the team already - he does much more harm than good. He should be shipped asap!

 

[Chainsaw]

City
- strong and tall players
[size=+3]- have a strong defence [/size](well just kompany but he counts for 3 )
- have two strong and tall defensive mids
- fast winger named navas , try remember games vs seville then you'll understand.
- have aguero as a striker ( try remember how he performed against barca with atl madrid then you'll understand)
- they have a david silva (who keeps the ball well under pressure)

So they have a better team in terms of what makes a team successful. Good defence,mid and attack.

Barca on the other hand have a fabulous attack , probably the best in the world but on the other half its just a disaster , that's why city are more likely to win.

Well, if I was a Manchester City fan and was going to read some of the comments in here I was going to be sure City will win this tie too!

City, except Kompany has nothing over Barcelona in any position. They have strong and tall players??! So what??! Real Madrid had 'em too and who won the last Clasico??! They have David Silva?! And Barca have what? Sulley Muntari???!!

I'm not really sure if some of you guys are serious or just trolling.

 

[BarcaOG]

tough draw for both teams.

neither is a clear favourite, it really can go either way.

 

[mazp]

people are douting us against city in england here. i know its english media and fans but they are saying how bad barcelona have been this season? we have lost only two games the WHOLE season.

guys are we really second favouitres against city? People saying it'll be like the Bayern match for us.
please make me feel better.

And one of those loses was a dead rubber match as well. But yeah, it's disappointing nobody is showing us any respect. I think it's due the injuries with Messi now and the performances in the CL from last season.

 

[serghei]

Funny how on City forums they hope Messi will miss the first leg, when, in fact, he's scheduled to come back by mid january - wich is a month earlier.