CL | Round 2: Sporting CP - FC Barcelona 0-1

[KingLeo10]

in our current state, barring a messi performance, we would struggle to knock out manchester united, the team that for 4 years has been a running joke. real, PSG (LOL), even city (LOL) seem superior and juve, atletico, chelsea, bayern on the same general level as us. real couldn't have it any easier if they want to stack up that 3rd CL on the boot. people like to watch real's league performances where they are lacklustre and take that as their true level but when it comes to CL night, they have the extra gears to go to and they go into that and blow teams like dortmund out of the park. we have only 3 high performing players in the whole squad right now..messi semedo umtiti.

 

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

Our away form is very worrying. We look like a completely different team.

 

[Truthist]

As usual as soon as we come against a half decent side in the knock out stage, just like under Lucio, the away leg is going to be a nightmare for us.

 

[Luftstalag14]

That Liverpool fan was right after all, take Messi out we are nobody. It is down to FC Messi, this is the sorry state we are in. If we don't manage to improve our squad we might not even make it out of the CL group stage a few years from now.

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

It's simply the midfield.

I understand the pessimism but I would say the team overall is playing better football than under Lucho. We just look nervy and we aren't necessarily taking all the chances we create. I'm hoping Dembele will help offensively too but I'd say we much stronger at the back with Nelson at RB and Umtiti in inspired form. He was arguably MotM for me.

While Rakitic simply needs to go. Too. Many. Times. This dude turns the ball over with a sloppy final ball in an attack, trying to force a direct pass forward when it's not on. It's all on Iniesta at this point to create in middle 3rd and that cannot continue. On current form, Paulinho has looked better and surprisingly is linking up well with Messi.

We just need another MF to step up right now and help Iniesta. Not sure how y'all saw it but we looked to be in the diamond tonight despite them displaying Iniesta on the LW. I actually don't mind it; similar to what Zidane is doing with Benz out with Isco but we should try Denis and Alena in that role, not Paulinho.

I have some faith for our chances. Again despite a terrible window, at the very least we can really see who has it and who doesn't in MF. Raki, Denis and Gomes all need to show something this season or be swiftly moved on. The season is very young and who knows how things will play out down the line.

 

[eaman]

Another poor performance away from home. Messi definitely needs a rest but I don't think it's going to happen. He will play Las palmas and then a long journey to south America to play four days later and another a few days after then atletico away. I hope it somehow doesn't effect his form coz we will get nowhere with him off form. I would really like to see Paco get a runout as we need a proper attacker on the right. Our squad is just not big enough and we definitely need a few January signings

 

[JamDav1982]

Real played a similar way with Ronaldo and Bale up top away to Dortmund.

The pace, movement and work rate of those two is light years ahead of Messi and Suarez. Ronaldo not always defensively but his work rate when Real have it is unreal to try and find space.

Could maybe get away with Messi and another pacey work horse who will run in behind but even then dont think Messi suits it.

Playing a front pair of Messi and Suarez wont work.

Bale and Ronaldo led attack even with that Barca mid would have put 3/4 goals by Sporting tonight in my opinion.

 

[KingLeo10]

Real played a similar way with Ronaldo and Bale up top away to Dortmund.

The pace, movement and work rate of those two is light years ahead of Messi and Suarez. Ronaldo not always defensively but his work rate when Real have it is unreal to try and find space.

Could maybe get away with Messi and another pacey work horse who will run in behind but even then dont think Messi suits it.

Playing a front pair of Messi and Suarez wont work.

Bale and Ronaldo led attack even with that Barca mid would have put 3/4 goals by Sporting tonight in my opinion.

a front two of messi and griezmann would wreak havoc. suarez's problem is lack of pace, a currently woeful first touch, and complete lack of accurate passing ability

 

[viper76]

What a ugly win what a ugly performance.

 

[JerseyAddict]

Sad game to watch :/

 

[MagIX]

In the last 2 away matches we scored 4 goals, 3 of them have been own goals....
Good is that we are winning by playing below the aspectations. And to be honoest, luck is with us too.

I really hope that players like Suarez, Iniesta, Rakitic, Busquets...are simply out of form and they will be on top in the most important months (february-may).
Very good is our defence, improved very well and solid. Umtiti (for only 25mio!).

 

[RevoTeller]

A good league start has deluded some into believing we're still the same caliber team as before. Many don't understand just how bad our squad truly is. The punishment we will face come February-April will not be pretty and I'm not looking forward to it. The price to pay for a shambolic transfer window after having an already much declined squad.

At this point I imagine it's around a 95% chance that either RM or QSG win the CL, everyone else lumped into that other 5% with Barca not even convincingly the best of that bunch if at all.

Completely agree with you here.
This team is just smoke in the eyes, there is actually nothing concrete to extract from it.
When things will really matter, we will be trashed badly in the first serious away game that we will play in CL. Just stick to the Liga and try to maximize the unexpected lead that Real Madrid completely gifted us.

 

[dakt]

Not that long time ago, we played the best football on the planet. Now we are no longer a fear factor for almost any team. Even Girona had confidence attacking us.

 

[Messi983]

Way too much pessimism and negativity here but I guess that's just the nature of cules.

I must be the only one pleased with our performance. It wasn't a pretty game to watch for most parts that's true but I didn't expect us to crash them 3-0 or something like that. We were in control of the game for anything but 10 or 15 minutes and that's good. Sporting is a good team offensively and they didn't create much chances. I think EV got exactly what he wanted and probably more. It seems to me his plan was to play for a point while not waste too much energy. I'm ok with that approach. Sometimes you need to be smart, we won't win or lose CL in September so there is no need to play this type of games like they were CL final.

At the end we got 3 points (a bit lucky yes but I think deserved) that has us positioned very well for the rest of group stage so I can't complain. We need to win the next two games against Olympiakos and we'll have guaranteed 1st place so we could play with backups and probably some B team players in last two games.

I think Valverde's first task was to improve us defensively. He's done that in every club he's coached so far and from what I've seen he's doing that here as well. Defensive system with first team defense (and even with backups like Digne and Masche) is stable, only times opponents get a chance is when we (especially Pique; though I think he did ok yesterday but still far from the level expected of him) make individual mistakes. Those things can always happen but we should eliminate them as much as possible. But as a team, our defending has improved a lot.

Attack is still a work in progress but it's understandable with Dembele injured and Suarez out of form and having a new role. But I still believe in him and think he'll return. Probably not to his old level but he'll still improve enough to be more useful to us than he's now.

Also, there is no need to worry about who we'll face in CL in 6 months because this will be a different and much better team by then. Valverde knows what he's doing and I have total confidence in him.

 

[MagIX]

Not that long time ago, we played the best football on the planet. Now we are no longer a fear factor for almost any team. Even Girona had confidence attacking us.

I hope that the force well be with us in a near future...