Champions League Final 2009: FC Barcelona vs ManUtd: Champions of Europe!

[il pepe]

Thanks for the info puta.

Surely puyol has to play at RB?

Can't help it, but i would rather have a central defense of Pique and Puyol.
I personally think it's better to have a strong central defense and more 'weak' wingbacks, rather than try to spread your strength over the whole back line...
A strong central defensive pair, can solve minor problems with the wingbacks, but if your central defense isn't that good, that minor troubles on the wings could cause hugh problem.

Also it would allow Toure in midfielde, where he's much more of value. we would have a defensive triangle of Toure, Puyol and Pique with Syl and Caceres? on the wings....

Still Pep isn't going to play this way, but for me it would be more outbalanced than moving all the pions.

If Ronaldo is going to play central as the 'targetman', then having this triangle could keep him and Toure, would have to work hard, is able to close much of the space for Park or Rooney.

 

[PaulFCB]

I'm starting to get a bit nervous.
I will trust whatever decision Pep takes, I might want to see something like:

-----------------Valdes------------------
--------Caceres---------Pique-----------
--Puyol------------------------Sylvinho--
----------------Toure-------------------
----------Xavi--------------------------
------------------------Iniesta----------
---Messi-------------------------Henry---
----------------Eto'o---------------------

But my bet is:

-----------------Valdes-------------------
----------Toure-----------Pique-----------
--Puyol--------------------------Sylvinho-----
-----------------Keita------------------
--------Xavi--------------------------------
---------------------------Iniesta-----------
------Messi------------------------Henry----
-----------------Eto'o-----------------------

 

[maz]

Can't see pep playing marty in defence. I expect to see yayá there and a midfield of xavi/busquets/iniesta or xavi/busquets/keita and iniesta out wide if titi doesn't start.

 

[henry-messi]

I'm starting to get a bit nervous.
I will trust whatever decision Pep takes, I might want to see something like:

-----------------Valdes------------------
--------Caceres---------Pique-----------
--Puyol------------------------Sylvinho--
----------------Toure-------------------
----------Xavi--------------------------
------------------------Iniesta----------
---Messi-------------------------Henry---
----------------Eto'o---------------------

But my bet is:

-----------------Valdes-------------------
----------Toure-----------Pique-----------
--Puyol--------------------------Sylvinho-----
-----------------Keita------------------
--------Xavi--------------------------------
---------------------------Iniesta-----------
------Messi------------------------Henry----
-----------------Eto'o-----------------------

I hope for the first one. However, I think the most efficient "duo" is Piqué-Puyol, so I would prefer:
Caceres - Puyol - Piqué - Sylvinho

 

[Metaphysical]

busacca is excellent.

also busquets is obviously playing. he's not featured at all during this b-team tour and that's because he's gonna start the CL final. keita will be on the bench as I doubt pep will use him as a LB from the start.

 

[Quash]

We need to stop deluding ourselves about Yaya, it's 98% certain he will be a CB. Also I have more faith in big Seydou at DM than Biscuits.

 

[maz]

Keita hasnt played there all season has he? Why would pep start him there now.

 

[Fourteen]

I really hope he starts Caceres at ether left or right back, he has to.

 

[maz]

The big question is will ronaldo play out wide or in the middle. I think rooney is a dead cert for that left position, so its likely ronaldo will start up front. In the CL final last year they put essien on ronaldo in the second half if i remember rightly, and he somewhat nullified him. Our problem is that by playing yayá in defence it leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the park which i dont think busquets can fill. So its possible SAF will play him there. Assuming the sides go into dressing rooms level at half time then its going to be an extraordinary second half once the managers get to talk to the players about the renewal of tactics.

 

[Metaphysical]

chelsea did indeed put essien on him and he opened the scoring with a flying header while essien stood on and watched.

united bossed first half but as it wore on their dominance ebbed away and the second half was all chelsea. but tbh it had nothing to do with any tactics avram grant applied.

paul scholes broke his nose in a clash with makelele in the first half. fergie's since said he was woozy and needed painkillers or something at HT to keep going. he was sluggish as FUCK for the entire second 45 and as united's good play in the first half went through him, their good play dried up and chelsea were on-top.

it's no surprise that once he went off and giggs took his place that united had the better of extra time. if fergie wasn't so sentimental they would have won the game in normal time but he seemed determined to give the ginger ninja as much of the 90 minutes as possible.

ergo, the best way for us to nullify ronaldo will be to nullify rooney.

busquets will be important vs. united because he'll get in the face of giggs, anderson and carrick and prevent them from making passes to set attacks in motion. ideally we'd have yaya AND busquets in there but needs must and obviously pep wants yaya at the back. for me that's a mistake unless berbatov starts in which case it's brilliant.

 

[Guardian]

This is why Barca should go for Felipe Melo and sell Keita next season. Because apart from Toure there aren't any other real DMs in the team. Of course Keita isn't a bad player, but just like Hleb's case it's not what Barca really needs.

Henry and Iniesta may make it to the final, but they won't be 100 % fit and with weakened defence Barcelona are definitely the underdogs.

 

[PaulFCB]

He nullified Essien in the first half I remember...but the idea to move Essien as a full back when needed was invented by Mourinho and never looked great.
As I have seen the lineups this year in CL for Manchester United...Ronaldo might just play behind the striker.

 

[Warik]

Valdés, Pinto, Puyol, Piqué, Botía, Muniesa, Cáceres, Sylvinho, Xavi, Touré, Busquets, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Henry, Hleb, Pedro

The 20 man list...

Pep's masterstroke might be Muniesa playing at LB as he can play both LB and CB equally well...

 

[maz]

Thanks.

Still leaves us with no clues.

 

[Fourteen]

Massimo Busacca is the referee indeed then.

Short little factfile for you all;

Swiss referee, 40 years old.

He was referee for the 2-2 2007 Uefa Cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol, which Sevilla eventually won on penalties.

In the 2006 World Cup he refereed Ukraine - Spain and Argentina - Mexico.

In Euro 2008 he was referee for a Group C game between The Netherlands and Romania, a Group D game between Greece and Sweden and the semi-final between Turkey and Germany.

He has also been pre-selected to ref in the 2010 World Cup.

So obviously a man of experience, although he has been criticised for a few things, although I can see nothing hugely significant apart from a few debatable red-cards or lack there of (Heinze should have been given a red card against Mexico when he was the last defender). Anyway, let's hope he doesn't spoil this game and snatch the headlines away from the likes of Messi and Co.