Champions League 2013/2014

[utility73]

If Atlético manages to qualify for the final this season would be the best season for La Liga ever. Spain already has an astonishing lead over England in the UEFA rankings.

 

[Gaudi]

It's difficult to judge tiki taka having in mind noone actually plays it anymore, but changes in our tactic needs to come...even if we played faster and with better ball movement we would get crowded by 10 players behind ball. I don't belive tiki taka per se has problem with buses, any tactic that won't to dominate game and control the ball has problem with parked bus, the hole definition of parked bus is to destroy opposition tactic.

 

[BarçAjax8]

God, I hope Atletico win the CL... They are the lesser of all evil left in the tournament

 

[darthvader7888]

Tiki Taka is dead

Edit: May be not dead. But only barca under Pep can do it. No one else can.

Fixed.

 

[ManusXavi]

It seems Tiki-taka will not die. Its basic template of 'Pass and Move' is too good to pass up as an option to use with other tactics in a game

 

[Ghostmaster]

For people who wants to buy Mandzukic for Barca so he would help us with parked buses, here are some stats against RM: played 137 minutes, attempts on goal - 1 attempts on target - 0.

 

[serghei]

2012-13: Bundesliga 11-3 La Liga
2013-14: Bundesliga 4-17 Real Madrid

LOL

Too bad Leverkusen didn't play Atletico or Barcelona.

 

[serghei]

Seriously, there is only one thing Ronaldo does better (or is doing better currently) than Messi: His drive, which converts into his high work rate, him running tirelessly whenever RM is in offense. It is highly commendable, and football fans appreciate that. Other than that, not so much.

Let's face it, people are saying Messi has been bad, worse than Ronaldo etc. mostly because he was not able to change the outcome of this gloomy and disappointing season by himself. Being the best player we have, Messi shoulders a lot of expectations and responsibilities, both realistic and not. When we are having a trophy-less season, the worst season in many years, people naturally are placing a lot of the blame on Messi. The focus has been centered on his perceived laziness, i.e. his lack of workrate, effort, movement etc., which I completely understand, actually it is a sentiment that I share. However, allow me to play devil's advocate and ask this question: If we had beaten Atletico to advance to the CL semi-finals, and if the La Liga title was still within our reach, with everything else being equal and not changed (meaning Messi is still being "lazy" but scores often like he does), and if RM had been eliminated from the CL, would people be saying that Ronaldo is a lot better than Messi these days?

Again, other than running tirelessly and a much higher workrate, I don't see how Ronaldo is doing better than Messi. They are both scoring a lot of goals. Both had poor games where they scored but nothing much other than that, and Ronaldo more often than Messi in this regard.

If some of those same scoring attempts from Messi and our team that have been blocked or saved had converted into goals, we probably would be having a different discussion right now. Sometimes it is down to luck and accidental factors. If only that shot went in. If Neymar, Pedro or Alexis had carried us through CL semi-finals, if we are still in the race, and if Messi scores some tap-ins or easy goals, would people be calling Messi better than Ronaldo?

I guess what I am trying to say is, there is really not much difference between the performance of Messi and Ronaldo lately. The fact that RM had advanced while we got eliminated, and RM is doing much better than us result-wise had a lot to do with people's assessment that Ronaldo is doing much better than Messi at the moment.

Interesting comment.

However, could someone actually make a case for Messi having a better season than Ronaldo? In my eyes, no. That's almost impossible. Ronaldo leads pretty much every important category this season, workrate, goals, distance covered, important contributions to his team's results etc. So, statistically and factually, Ronaldo > Messi this season, and everyone should have the guts to admit that.

So, this season, Ronaldo tried more, succeded more, and should be commended for it. It's not about kissing Madrid's ass, is about facing and admiting a present reality. Messi is the superior player overall, Ronaldo is the superior player at the moment.

If Neymar, Pedro or Alexis had carried us through CL semi-finals, if we are still in the race, and if Messi scores some tap-ins or easy goals, would people be calling Messi better than Ronaldo?

Ronaldo didn't score only easy goals. Take the last 4 days -- two truly amazing long range strikes. Messi on the other hand missed a clear chance at the beginning of Atletico - Barcelona and was pretty much nowhere to be seen the rest of the game. That was arguably the match of the season for us and Messi didn't deliver. Last night was the match of the season for Real and Ronaldo delivered, scoring a double. That was the difference this season. I've accepted it and I'm looking forward for next season.

And it is normal for a player to play better when his team is helping him.

 

[SEvolution]

So the bandwagoners vanished suddenly from here.

 

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Pep, you broke my heart.

 

[Ryu Hayabusa]

So the bandwagoners vanished suddenly from here.

Yes, we are all bandwagoners and we all live in your timezone and none of us have a girlfriend who needs attention,a job or studies to pursue and thus time to post here when you expect us to.

 

[SEvolution]

Yes, we are all bandwagoners and we all live in your timezone and none of us have a girlfriend who needs attention,a job or studies to pursue and thus time to post here when you expect us to.

Why so offended? Are you the one i'm referring to? Will say no.

If the result would have been positive then we wouldn't have been hearing TZ GF Job Studies stuff

Still learn to take defeats as is don't take it as a matter of life and death. Thanks!

 

[Behrox]

Yes, we are all bandwagoners and we all live in your timezone and none of us have a girlfriend who needs attention,a job or studies to pursue and thus time to post here when you expect us to.

I know the emotions are high after the heavy defeat but try to be a little more calm and composed mate

 

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Why so offended? Are you the one i'm referring to? Will say no.

If the result would have been positive then we wouldn't have been hearing TZ GF Job Studies stuff

Still learn to take defeats as is don't take it as a matter of life and death. Thanks!

Even if Bayern would not have embarrassed themselves yesterday and had overcome Real, I would not have been able to post here any sooner

 

[SEvolution]

Why Ribery slapped Carvajal that looked like really uncalled for.

Imagine if their would have been any bayern player on the receiving end from either of Ramos-Pepe-Xabi and the likes this forum would have gone bonkers literally.