I don't understand how people can be so negative all the time, this is what football is you are not always on top, right now this is a transitional period for Barca and it is something that every club goes through, we have had our success and now we have to rebuild. It is not a disaster if we do not win anything this season as long as there is progress and the potential to reach the top again in the next few years. We might still win titles this season who knows but as long as we play exciting football then that is fine for now, but there needs to be a strategy to get the club back to the pinnacle of the sport.
Bayern were a disaster a few years ago and look at them now, Real could not get past the last 16 in the Champions League for 6 seasons and are now looking really good again football goes in cycles and the last 2 seasons have been bad for us and it will take time to get back on top. Tata seems to be a practical coach which is what we need and he has had a good start but it will take time to get the team back to what it was 2 or 3 years ago.
If/When we play Bayern and Real this season then I think we have a good chance of beating both as our first 11 in comparable in talent perhaps even ahead of both and if we get our tactics right we can beat anyone. But our squad needs improving if we want to be a continued threat as injuries will hurt us more than it will them.
Great post, that will unfortunately fall on deaf ears. There is respecting a team, and there is cowardly fear, the latter is very prominent on here with regards to Madrid, for no apparent reason too, its bewildering to be honest. Perhaps they're feared on the basis that Isco, Illaramendi and carvajal signed for them.
These three signings they made that is supposed to make them topple Barca are players that are still comfortably inferior to their Barca counterparts, lets have a look shall we?
Busquets>>>Illaramendi (will be closer with Alonso)
Iniesta>>>>Isco (will be closer with Ozil)
Dani>>carvajal (or equal, at worst)
Quality wise, they'll probably be better off with their older players in those positions as it stands, save for Arbeola perhaps. Based on the track record of the said players, they haven't improved in first XI quality by signing those players. Alonso is still the midfield kingpin for Madrid and they look lost without him. Illaramendi may shine at U21 level but its a whole different ball game being the main playmaker for Madrid, playing against Barca, Bayern and the likes, ditto the two other players.
Their supposedly amazing defence concede more than Barca every season, in a more defensive setup, under one of the best defensive and disciplined coaches of the last 20 years. I don't fear them at all, Barca's defence couldn't get any worse than it did last season, with injuries to Puyol, Pique being terrible(even by his terrible standards), and a complete lack of organisation due to Tito's absence, YET, the team conceded less goals than them, so tell me, what is there to fear against Madrid.
The funny thing is, people have short memories, the Madrid team that was bought for over 300 million back in 2009 was better on paper than this one, it was supposed to be super galactico that will destroy those Barcelona peasants, best player in the world Ronaldo will claim his rightful throne back from that midget pretender messi, with former world player of the year Kaka as his deputy, Xabi alonso in his prime at 28, world cup star Ozil about to unleash his wrath, and of course the conquerer of Barcelona (Mourinho) leading them to glory in the League and CL.
4 years later, they have won 1 major title in 4 years to Barca's 4, after spending over 300 million Euros. Have faith in your team people, this isn't blind faith either, it's having faith in a team that is at worst, the second best team in the world, there is justified criticism and there is obscene negativity. The latter is more common than the former on here.