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Barcilliant
Senior Member
True but I wont be surprised if we sell someone eg Batra.
Lucho's vision is a Barca with height and physicality.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
Until 1st July, Bartra can leave without Barca doing anything if he want to leave and a team activates his 12m buyout(active until 1st July).
Barcilliant
Senior Member
Of course we do. This Barca is a very complete team. I've seen us this season in every position (chasing a game, defending a lead, playing on the counter and so on). In fact, if there is one thing (other than MSN) that Lucho's Barca has over Pep's Barca, that thing is the ability to adapt to the result and switch between tactics. Now we play in spells. 20-30 mins. we dominate possession, some other minutes we give the initiative to the oponent to open him up, other minutes we keep the ball and stall the game, other times we just make it an open affair. This Barcelona manipulates teams into playing in a way that is convenient for us depending on our interest (I'd like to think it's deliberate). We also were lucky a couple of times to manage games from a leading position (which is very important). We are very very similar to Real Madrid (better at the moment of course). Some teams are more uncomfortable with the ball than without it. How do we make those teams expose themselves? By giving them more time on the ball.
This is true. I prefer this version of Barca's to Pep's. However if you talk about footballing perfection I think it will be hard for Lucho to compete with Pep's team at its peak.
Barcilliant
Senior Member
I don't think he'll do that. If he leaves he'll make sure the club gets a fee.............or maybe I am overestimating Batras love for the club??
DonAndres
Wild Man of Borneo
Of course we do. This Barca is a very complete team. I've seen us this season in every position (chasing a game, defending a lead, playing on the counter and so on). In fact, if there is one thing (other than MSN) that Lucho's Barca has over Pep's Barca, that thing is the ability to adapt to the result and switch between tactics. Now we play in spells. 20-30 mins. we dominate possession, some other minutes we give the initiative to the oponent to open him up, other minutes we keep the ball and stall the game, other times we just make it an open affair. This Barcelona manipulates teams into playing in a way that is convenient for us depending on our interest (I'd like to think it's deliberate
I'm sorry, but I don't believe that the players suddenly make some sort of subconscious agreement to cede possession and defend deep in the middle of an ongoing match. Alternatively, I also don't believe that Lucho says "let them have more of the ball" at HT or before matches. It's not 'deliberate' or 'manipulative' that we play that way in certain scenarios, it's reactive. If we lose the ball, the team immediately responds to that by pressing (PSG, City, Bayern, Juve). If we happen to win the ball back when the opponent has committed men forward, we counter (Bayern, RM, and surprisingly Atleti). If we have the lead, we slow the play down to a comfortable tempo to have as much control as we can (Atleti 2nd half, PSG, RM). If we're forced back to our own box, it's well covered both aerially and spatially. We're tactically prepared.
It's not about 'choosing' to play a certain way, it's having the capacity to do so and responding to the opponent whenever they mount pressure or sit back. Which is why we don't need a game-plan for when we 'decide' to go deeper and defend a lead, because that is never a decision. It's just the capacity of our players to be an organized and diligent defensive unit when called upon by high-pressure situations.
That's the reason why a Kondogbia type player is a no-go for me, unless you're talking strictly backup/sub purposes (which is a secondary need for us, not a priority). We want to hold the dominant position in all matches by default and, if needed, be able to 'suffer without the ball' or adjust/react. Not voluntarily give up an attack-minded advantage and give them the ball by having an almost purely defensive player in Kondogbia to prepare for a 'sitting deep' approach. Having Masch anchor our midfield showed exactly why being the 'dominant' attacking team is our best bet, because when we were incapable of dominating the midfield with him there we got exposed in the first half vs. Madrid despite Masch's superior defensive strengths. Ceding possession and not being able to control the play is dangerous for us even if we have an extra defensive player in the mix. It hurts our attack and ability to cohesively buildup play which pushes us back on defense (which will ultimately cause us to crack under pressure more often while defending). I'd BY FAR prefer a great ball-playing central midfielder who can circulate possession and make plays while being able to press/defend after we lose the ball.
serghei
Senior Member
It's also reactive, but it's also intended IMO. We deliberately take more risks with passing and dribbles because we can cope with not having possession as much. Bayern had more possession than us in Camp Nou and had 0 shots on target. That means this team is not afraid to resort to different tactics to win a football game (even if sometimes the best tactic during a game might be to protect an advantage and look to score on the break). So, while I don't think the players give the ball away on purpose, or Lucho tells them to do that, I do really believe we play with the intention of making the game more open, willing to accept that our defence will get most of the heat in this case. Pep's team had mission number 1 to not give the ball away. Today's team is more direct, especially because losing the ball is not such a big deal for us, we are more defensively sound. So yes, I think it's sort of manipulating the opponents into thinking they have a shot of beating Barca by attacking it. We also go defensive at times to protect an advantage, it's one of the tactical variations used by Lucho this season in difficult games. We went defence + counter against Atletico at 2-1 on Camp Nou in the league, Madrid at 2-1 on Camp Nou in the league, Bayern at 1-0 and even more so at 2-0 on Camp Nou in CL.
Against Pep's Barca, Suarez and Neymar will suffer the most from this Barca team. I think it would be similar to how Real Madrid handled us in the first half on Camp Nou in the clasico, only for a full game and worse. But I think it would be close, because this Barca could create 2-3 big chances to score on the break, and if those 2,3 chances to score become at least 2 goals, it could go either way. The thing is with MSN this team could win against any team from any era, including Pep's Barca.
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Lets hope its about Bernardo.
Bran the Greenseer
Well-known member
If that were true why would he constantly play Mascherano over Mathieu and Bartra? And even Alves and Alba over those two. And why wouldn't he buy a taller striker than suarez? The only player that backs up that claim is Rakitic and his strength is far from his main quality.
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