Champions League: FC Barcelona - Paris Saint Germain 3-1

[Schumi]

The thing is that with the absence of Alves and our previous lack of energy and intensity in midfield, Lucho had to try something new. The omission of Alba is down to the height situation I believe.

 

[amircule]

 

[Vilarrubi]

Pedro will not play as RB guys...

The formation they give UEFA before the match isn't always the real formation. Having said that, if I was a manager I'd give them my starting 11 and put them in completely random positions, e.g. keeper as LB just to troll with the opposition. And then in the game they will play their normal positions...

Agreed.. It's a 4-3-3 with Pedro CM... At least he will track back and press in the midfield. Something we lack at times

 

[Richard.H]

If we lose/tie this then lucho is gonna take a lot of shit from media

 

[DrPepper]

Agreed.. It's a 4-3-3 with Pedro CM... At least he will track back and press in the midfield. Something we lack at times

I also don't think he will play as CM

But honestly, I fail to see a symmetrical and balanced shape with the starting eleven he named.

If we play with 3 CB, then Pedro will probably be the wing back on the right. But who will be on the left? Hopefully not Neymar, he doesn't really track back.

 

[DinhoR10]

Wtf. This lineup is weird even for lucho its either going to be amazing or we're fucked.

 

[Sumlit]

I also don't think he will play as CM

But honestly, I fail to see a symmetrical and balanced shape with the starting eleven he named.

If we play with 3 CB, then Pedro will probably be the wing back on the right. But who will be on the left? Hopefully not Neymar, he doesn't really track back.

I suspect the defensive transition will see Mascherano dropping into the CBs and Mathieu moving wide to cover the left. There's your balance.

Offensively it doesn't matter because Pedro will push the right wing, Neymar the left, Suarez middle and Messi, Iniesta, Busquets and Masche will operate in the midfield.

All speculation of course.

 

[JamDav1982]

Wonder if Lucho is trying some kind of Atletico style 4-4-2 with Pedro and Neymar out wide?

Be interesting to see how this works.

 

[kostasgtc]

We need height, hence Mathieu over Alba. Mathieu is also a bit better defensively. Alba is better going forward though. Either way you are sacrificing one thing for something else.

+1.
i feel safer with mathieu on the left + the 2 hard working midlefielders(bushi,mache).
but with 1 less creative midlefielder, messi has to do different job than he is used to.very interesting to see how that works.
also we'll see suares as cf for the first time and bartra as a rb.
festival o football tonight.
thank you lucho.
he is bold i'll give him that...

 

[Sumlit]

Wonder if Lucho is trying some kind of Atletico style 4-4-2 with Pedro and Neymar out wide?

Be interesting to see how this works.

That means Masche in the back 4 and Bartra at RB. Possibly, though a 4-4-2 might be better with actual fullbacks.

 

[DinhoR10]

Dinho

Funny how you think you have a point.

Lesson: you dont have to argue excessively when it comes to truisms.

Is our defense weaker than 2010/2011?

Alves, puyol, pique, abidal was a better line than
Alves, pique, mathieu,alba.

Why. Because Alves 2010 vs 2014 is two different players(do I need to argue?), because pique was better pairing with puyol some years(argue?), puyol was better and had more authority than mathieu(argue?), abidal balanced our line better than today with both alba and Alves. Abidal had physicality and was a good cb also. The last point is arguable, I think alba is an immense player, but Its not that important. Overall the point is clear: we had a better defense. Its a truism, therefore you dont have to argue about it.

Same goes for many of the other points.

We've conceded less goals with our current lineup than the 2010 one at the same points of the season, so again you are basing your argument on your OPINIONS rather than fact.

 

[CatalinR10]

Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnn on PSG game thread.


Verry interesting lineup, hope all goes well or death.


Messi , make it 4 out of 5

 

[Ghostmaster]

If we win with this line-up, we should continue playing with it every single match

 

[Flavia]

Md readers liking the lineup.

 

[Avatar]

Bartra as RB is something I don't want to see. I remember him playing once at that position last season and he wasn't good