CL: Ajax - FC Barcelona 0-2

[Schumi]

We did play better in the second half and controlled the game but it's easy to do that when you're playing against 10 men. I think we'd have struggled to get 3 points had Ajax not had a player sent off because up until that point it was close. Against the elite teams, Barca will struggle. That sort of performance won't get it done against the elite teams.

The red card was not shown at minute 46' you know.

And the Ajax player got red-carded because he made a mistake under our pressure. We also missed a couple of sitter before the sending off (Alba and Suarez)

But what the hell, let's keep the whining going.

Crappy game. Ajax aren't even a good side, but they had us trembling in the first half. The team showed no spirit imo: Messi was back to doing absolutely nothing defensively. There was no pressing at all against a team known to struggle against pressing sides. We were lucky to get away unscathed. With this lack of mentality, sharpness and maybe fitness we won't win a single trophy this season, just like last season.

They had us trembling for 5 to 7 minutes max, during which we actually defended well.

You are right. Think the first 45 of tonights performance against Bayern munchen, what would the result have been? 5-0?? Fair guess in my opinion. Point being: you cant have players like Alves, bartra, masch, xavi, rakitic, rafinha, pedro and actually think you can beat the best teams or play Barca football for that matter.

Let's worry about Bayern Munchen when the time comes to actually face them. Hell, they may even have to play Real Madrid before drawing us and lose something like 0-5 themselves.

 

[Barcadub]

The teams plane has a problem and won't be able to fly tonight.

They are looking for a hotel to stay in.

 

[Irish_Cules]

I thought we actually played pretty well. We had a bad spell in the first half but otherwise we looked fairly assured. It wasn't an amazing performance by any means but even when we were at our best we would struggle away from home so it was good to get the win.

 

[Schumi]

I thought we actually played pretty well. We had a bad spell in the first half but otherwise we looked fairly assured. It wasn't an amazing performance by any means but even when we were at our best we would struggle away from home so it was good to get the win.

I wonder how long and how closely some people who are bearish the whole time on here have been following Barca. Even in our heyday (2008 to 2011) we had some nightmarish games in both the league and Europe (especially away from home)

I will just limit myself to European games of yesteryear for now:

Last 16 away at Lyon in 2009. The game finished 1-1, but were very lucky it ended that way.

Last 16 away at Stuttgart in 2010. We were under extreme pressure in the first half of that game in which the German team took the lead and missed several chances. They tired in the 2nd half though and we equalized through Ibra I think. We could also have won that game with a Stuttgart defender intercepting a goal-bound Ibra shot with his hand.

Last 16 away at Arsenal in 2011. Lost the game 2-1. In the reverse fixture we completely dominated but we still fucked up in the first time that Arsenal got passed the halfway line with Nasri winning a corner and Busquets scoring an own-goal with head. Arsenal had to go down to 10 men before we turned things around, missed several sitters (esp. Villa) and we were one Berdtner toe-poke away from elimination with Badger saving our Blaugrana asses with a heroic last ditch tackle.

A few other random results from our glorious Pep days: Barcelona - Basel 1-1 (2008) Barcelona - Shaktar 2-3 (2008) Barcelona - Rubin Kazan 1-2 (2009) Rubin Kazan - Barcelona 0-0, Rubin Kazan - Barcelona 1-1 (2010) Kobenhavn - Barcelona 1-1 (2010) Celtic - Barcelona 2-1 (2011)

We also had some very narrow wins over relatively weak teams in the same period, against Shaktar (1-2) against Dynamo Kiev (1-2) both those games were won in injury time messi against Kobenhavn (2-0) against Plzen (2-0) against Spartak Moscow (3-2) etc...

 

[putogusiluz8]

Truth you speak. +1 football has just evolved and admits less and less mistakes. Before those results went relatively unnoticed, nowadays 2 losses spells doomsday as we all have seen. Football is the most physically, psychologically demanding sport in the world and its getting harder and harder each day for players. This is why Messi and Cristiano are so incredible.

 

[Sasuke85]

I only watched the highlights but I can see that we once again relied on Messi too much. This is dangerous because if for some reasons he was not in form then we would be doomed.

 

[Schumi]

Truth you speak. +1 football has just evolved and admits less and less mistakes. Before those results went relatively unnoticed, nowadays 2 losses spells doomsday as we all have seen. Football is the most physically, psychologically demanding sport in the world and its getting harder and harder each day for players. This is why Messi and Cristiano are so incredible.

Another thing is that several teams around Europe have improved significantly. The German teams were patsies at best a few years back but now are extremely dangerous. The EPL teams have declined but are still dangerous on their day with their bus-parking and all. Furthermore, our own league has improved as well. Not only the two Madrids, but basically the league as a whole is much more competent despite the lack of money. A few years back we could beat most teams just by showing up. We only really worried about El Clasico and a few away games each season, now more or less any Liga side can give you a game. This is reflected in the European rankings as well (the improvement of the Spanish Liga that is)

 

[beogatts]

at least better than man city's match, imo. Still need more games to play with Suarez playing along n MF improvement.

 

[Schumi]

at least better than man city's match, imo. Still need more games to play with Suarez playing along n MF improvement.

Or Chelsea's, or Arsenal's, or even Real Madrid's. Or PSG's for that matter.

 

[Sasuke85]

Another thing is that several teams around Europe have improved significantly. The German teams were patsies at best a few years back but now are extremely dangerous. The EPL teams have declined but are still dangerous on their day with their bus-parking and all. Furthermore, our own league has improved as well. Not only the two Madrids, but basically the league as a whole is much more competent despite the lack of money. A few years back we could beat most teams just by showing up. We only really worried about El Clasico and a few away games each season, now more or less any Liga side can give you a game. This is reflected in the European rankings as well (the improvement of the Spanish Liga that is)

Another (and simpler) way to look at this is that we are not as good as we used to be.

 

[Schumi]

Who ever said that we are as good as we were?

But some of you in here are talking so much BS it's not even funny.

 

[barcanuck]

The first half was a continuation of Real and Vigo. It was atrocious. Is it not clear enough we can use Samper in the midfield, his passing and distribution is top notch and can only grow. Meanwhile Xavi is trying to boss free kicks and corners endlessly in real life.

 

[maxmss]

Some people will always complain: if Messi scores- we are too dependent on Messi, if he doesn't- Messi is shitty player and let's sell him. For me Barca started the second half very confident. Ter Stegen's distribution was awesome, those long kicks were neat and accurate, you don't see that from Bravo. It still a big mystery to me why Marc Bartra is not starting more games. Something was different in Messi's attitude- he was running and trying to score until the last second and the whole team looks like slowly realizing that this not the 2011, you need run and run and work your ass off in order to win . Too bad they are not physically ready.Not yet!

 

[Sasuke85]

Something was different in Messi's attitude- he was running and trying to score until the last second and the whole team looks like slowly realizing that this not the 2011, you need run and run and work your ass off in order to win . Too bad they are not physically ready.Not yet!

Maybe because he was trying his best to break the record for the most goals scored in CL which is currently held by Raul.

 

[Barcilliant]

I wonder how long and how closely some people who are bearish the whole time on here have been following Barca. Even in our heyday (2008 to 2011) we had some nightmarish games in both the league and Europe (especially away from home)

I will just limit myself to European games of yesteryear for now:

Last 16 away at Lyon in 2009. The game finished 1-1, but were very lucky it ended that way.

Last 16 away at Stuttgart in 2010. We were under extreme pressure in the first half of that game in which the German team took the lead and missed several chances. They tired in the 2nd half though and we equalized through Ibra I think. We could also have won that game with a Stuttgart defender intercepting a goal-bound Ibra shot with his hand.

Last 16 away at Arsenal in 2011. Lost the game 2-1. In the reverse fixture we completely dominated but we still fucked up in the first time that Arsenal got passed the halfway line with Nasri winning a corner and Busquets scoring an own-goal with head. Arsenal had to go down to 10 men before we turned things around, missed several sitters (esp. Villa) and we were one Berdtner toe-poke away from elimination with Badger saving our Blaugrana asses with a heroic last ditch tackle.

A few other random results from our glorious Pep days: Barcelona - Basel 1-1 (2008) Barcelona - Shaktar 2-3 (2008) Barcelona - Rubin Kazan 1-2 (2009) Rubin Kazan - Barcelona 0-0, Rubin Kazan - Barcelona 1-1 (2010) Kobenhavn - Barcelona 1-1 (2010) Celtic - Barcelona 2-1 (2011)

We also had some very narrow wins over relatively weak teams in the same period, against Shaktar (1-2) against Dynamo Kiev (1-2) both those games were won in injury time messi against Kobenhavn (2-0) against Plzen (2-0) against Spartak Moscow (3-2) etc...

UHHHH HEllllloooooo. We dominated Arsenal-destroyed them. If Villa didn't miss so many sitters we would have won 5-1 at least. Arsenal didn't have a SINGLE shot on target.

The point is despite the performances not being great away from home during the Pep era we still looked like a cohesive unit. LUCK is always a major factor in football too. Witness our ties against Chelsea (2009,2012) and Inter (2010).

This is NOT a question of luck. It is a question of a coach who is out of his depth-both tactically and mentally.