CL quarters: Atletico - Barca (3-2 agg)

[raskolnikov]

Messi might run the same more or less but he definitely seemed more 'alive' in some games compared to others.
Take for example the match against Atletico where we won 1-3 last year, he bossed that game, as did all of msn.

 

[Topolino]

Your argument does not get stronger when you put the 7km in a ratio. Have you seen the movie where the cam focuses just on Zidane (his best years). 90min, most of them just a walking Zidane. Players that make a huge difference are not running like they are on Duracell batteries. They know when to run and when not. And again, running statistics change according to tactics, see Klopp's Dortmund and yesterday's AM. Barca never relied on outrunning their opponents rather on outplaying them by passes and runs into open spaces, but again, you can do that as well with a right positioning.

But the story never gets old with running. It's the easiest descriptive statistic to draw, most people are convinced within seconds and it serves conventional wisdom as well ("a team that does not run can't win etc.").

Zidane, a 21st century portrait, or smth like that. He was 33 years old in that movie. That season, RM finished 2nd in La Liga, fell out of CL and CDR in round of 16.

He doesn't need to run like he's on Duracell. But he does have to move.

 

[AnnieSureshot]

Yeah, I can't even find last seasons CL stats.

But I guess the running works quite well.. looking at Atletico yesterday... Barca ran about 103 km, Atletico ran about 115km. That's almost like having one extra man on the pitch.

You'd have to have data from at least the whole season to make a judgement on that. Barcelona usually runs less than opposition and still wins most games. I can't pinpoint exactly where the problem was with that game but I don't think it was the amount of running. Especially that their tactic against a pressing team seems to be play calm and let them tire in the first half (lowering their distance covered) and only then press them in the second when they're out of juice while Barca is still reasonably fresh. A few of the last games went in exactly this pattern.

 

[Topolino]

You'd have to have data from at least the whole season to make a judgement on that. Barcelona usually runs less than opposition and still wins most games. I can't pinpoint exactly where the problem was with that game but I don't think it was the amount of running. Especially that their tactic against a pressing team seems to be play calm and let them tire in the first half (lowering their distance covered) and only then press them in the second when they're out of juice while Barca is still reasonably fresh. A few of the last games went in exactly this pattern.

I agree. But usually after the first 45, we usually have run abour 2-3km less than the opponents. Yesterday, the difference was 8km.

 

[AnnieSureshot]

I agree. But usually after the first 45, we usually have run abour 2-3km less than the opponents. Yesterday, the difference was 8km.

I think this one's on Atleti's defence - the were blocking pretty much every avenue of attack really well. Barca had not many places to run to. I want to re-watch the second half actually, I was a bit depressed watching it yesterday

This was also first game with Barca where Atleti didn't get a truckload of yellow cards, and didn't go into some sort of an emotional meltdown as they tend to do when they're not doing well.

 

[frog-fcb]

In a way im kind of glad wer out we really have been struggling with the rate the games have been coming this season. At least now we will only have 1 game a week to the end of the season so we can recuperate properly and then next season we have no euro super cup or mid season trips to japan to worry about. In the long run its for the best and next season we can push for our 6th cl

 

[Topolino]

I think this one's on Atleti's defence - the were blocking pretty much every avenue of attack really well. Barca had not many places to run to. I want to re-watch the second half actually, I was a bit depressed watching it yesterday

This was also first game with Barca where Atleti didn't get a truckload of yellow cards, and didn't go into some sort of an emotional meltdown as they tend to do when they're not doing well.

Yeah, and if their defence was working so hard with their midfield, it means Leo should've run more to find more room.

I was quite furious at the ref I remember. Known to be a strict ref, who hands out yellow cards for shits and giggles, and yet in this match, he didn't punish Atleti at all, even after a lot of stupid tackles. That encouraged them a lot.

In a way im kind of glad wer out we really have been struggling with the rate the games have been coming this season. At least now we will only have 1 game a week to the end of the season so we can recuperate properly and then next season we have no euro super cup or mid season trips to japan to worry about. In the long run its for the best and next season we can push for our 6th cl

We have a game in 17-th, 20-th and 23-rd. After that we get a weeks rest.

 

[AnnieSureshot]

Yeah, and if their defence was working so hard with their midfield, it means Leo should've run more to find more room.

I was quite furious at the ref I remember. Known to be a strict ref, who hands out yellow cards for shits and giggles, and yet in this match, he didn't punish Atleti at all, even after a lot of stupid tackles. That encouraged them a lot.

I'd like to know what was Messi's reasoning behind his play, but almost everybody was off yesterday. Even Bizkits usually so reliable was all over the place. I think less running was a symptom of some deeper problem rather than a cause.

 

[KingLeo10]

We weren't at our best. That's clear. But you have to look at the opponents we faced FFS in the last 2 seasons of CL. City, PSG, Bayern, Juventus, Arsenal, Atletico. Together with us and Madrid, those are probably the top 8 clubs in Europe atm.

In order to win 2 back to back CLs you need serious luck with the draw.

the luck of the draw does play a big role, but less diva behavior from the star players would have been conducive towards our goal.

 

[Devils]

In a way im kind of glad wer out we really have been struggling with the rate the games have been coming this season. At least now we will only have 1 game a week to the end of the season so we can recuperate properly and then next season we have no euro super cup or mid season trips to japan to worry about. In the long run its for the best and next season we can push for our 6th cl

I can agree with this.

With the way we are playing we could have been in for a serious thrashing in the semis and I'm kind of glad we avoided it.

The collapse has been completely systematic, attack, midfield and defense all fell to rubble. The damage has been far too collateral for us to continue in this competition.

 

[KingLeo10]

I can agree with this.

With the way we are playing we could have been in for a serious thrashing in the semis and I'm kind of glad we avoided it.

The collapse has been completely systematic, attack, midfield and defense all fell to rubble. The damage has been far too collateral for us to continue in this competition.

yup, similar should have happened in 2013 against PSG.

 

[Hardy]

View attachment 6987

 

[Devils]

Yeah, the problem with our collapse is that 1/3 of our squad isn't even useful. They are just spectators on the bench at this point.

Verm
Douglas
Adriano
Sandro
Bartra
Munir (loan)

All these players need to go this summer and we desperately need to bring in some youth players.

It's actually astonishing at the lack of youth quality we have on our team.

Look at that Atletico team youth: Vietto, Carrasco, Saul, Giminez, Oliver Torres, Oblak, Koke and even Partay looks promising.

Are you kidding me? Our quality in youth and squad depth doesn't even come close to this.

If we don't do something about this in the summer, the 2016-2017 season is going to be a painful one indeed. Our squad continues to age and tire but we have no youth to turn to energize our squad for the latter parts in of the season.

 

[iniesta_8]

Our biggest problem is, we don't boss the MF anymore, like we did when Xavi and Iniesta played at their peak!

+ Dani Alves who is too old now to be winger + defender

 

[raskolnikov]

Thats why you invest in quality young players rather than late 20's/ early 30's.
In defence we need cb talent, lb talented back up for Alba.
Im questioning rb but its not needed for now.
Midfield will be stacked better with Denis and Rafinha being there for a full season. Arda hasnt proven to be worthy but we should give him a full season to be honest, so he can be a lw/rw/ amf back up.
Munir can stay as well but we will still need a quality young attacking player.

Another part of our downfall is lack of rotation of msn, so Lucho needs to pull rank, grow some balls and buy a quality striker that will make equal minutes to msn.
So all in all if we end up looking like this we should be good:

gk: Bravo/ Ter Stegen (maybe switch them aorund next year)
rb: alves/vidal/Roberto
cb: Pique/Mascherano/Matthieu/ cb talent!
lb: Alba/ lb talent!/ Matthieu(s.Roberto)
dmf: Busi/S.Roberto/Mascherano
amf: Iniesta/Rakitic/Rafinha/Denis/Arda
attack: msn/ quality young striker!/ Munir and optional for depth: Rafinha/Arda/Denis for the wings.

Thats 3 players we need to buy, with useless players going out it gives us more depth anf starts rejuvenating he team so we wont be milan 2.0 in 5 years.