DennyCrane
Senior Member
Yes, you´re right. It´ll be an issue in the next weeks, much more than it would have been in the days of Daum. But that has nothing to do with the intensity the Pöhler attacked the authority of Heynckes. From now on any media has to feed its customers until the games have been played. The rivalry between clubs like BVB and Bayern or Barca and Real is the ideal diet to do so.
But I do not think that it´ll influence the games. It is food for the fans. On a side note: It is funny to watch how this information overkill is transformed into something similar to knowledge by the fans. For example: One of the users here wrote that Bayern was the easiest opponent for Barca since their defenders and midfielders are slow. Speaking about a Bayern-team with the likes of Demichelis, van Bommel and van Buyten it was true. But this information is three years old. If you look at Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba, Martinez, Müller and Schweinsteiger only Schweini is a bit slow (Kroos also - but....). Looking at the Caf, Schwatzgelb or other bigger fan-forums you can watch this phenomenon often. Long discussions that have been started on the basis of so called knowledge.
I do belief in fair competition as well and I think the both FCBs will have that
So, you didn't know that Bayerns' defense and midfielders are slow ? I'm baffled.
But it's no wonder, for every tactics analysis website, 1000 obscure stats and player-by-player comparison sites pop up from nowhere for no discernible reason other than the idea to give bean counters and tea leave readers a playground; hence such ideas like Bayern defenders are slow etc. are widespread on the interwebz.
To go a bit more in-depth concerning the upcoming tie, I think Barcas' success will mostly depend on how they can evade Bayerns' pressing game. Taking Barcas' elaborate passing and movement patterns into account, this might (with an emphasis on 'might') lead to Bayern chasing the ball a lot and tire physically and mentally.
Since Barca has a pretty varied approach to open the game and build up, it won't be enough for Bayern to pressure some key players like it was when they played Juventus. I mean, in the first Juventus tie, they took Pirlo out of the game and Mandzo pressured their CBs and Juve was pretty much done for. And even if that were to be enough, one can't pressure Xavi for 90 minutes.. it just ain't possible.
Defensively, I hope the coaching staff will recognize that Barca needs to go back to the asymmetrical approach (considering the full-backs) that was used when Abidal played left back, which includes Bossquets falling back between the CBs. Playing two wing-backs who constantly work the entire vertical will be suicide against Rib n' Rob. Other than that, collective pressing needs an urgent comeback.
Psychologically, I see Barca with an advantage, not only because the return leg is in the mighty Camp Nou. But in the more recent past, when e.g. the german NT players of the Bayern squad faced the likes of Xaviniestaquets, it didn't have a happy ending for them. So they probably will have a lot of (too much ?) respect, which could be an advantage.
Your thoughts, Sir ?
Last edited:
