Diego Simeone

[footyfan]

Disastrous decision to start Gamez on the left, has he not been watching Barca for the past 2-3 months? Messi has been playing on the right in every game. He also set his team up expecting Barca to play like 2nd half of 13/14.

To be fair, I guess it didn't help that Messi (and Neymar) was on extraterrestrial form. Wonder how the game would've played out with Filipe Luis and Diego Costa in place of Gamez and Mandzukic.

 

[Ode to Django]

Messi played unpredictable, rather than his cut in left over and over, he beat his man many times mixing it up, was the difference. He actually made an effort today

 

[Ursegor]

To be fair, I guess it didn't help that Messi (and Neymar) was on extraterrestrial form.

Makes you wonder even more how Tata came to the conclusion that playing Neymar on the right and Iniesta on the wing to accomodate Cesc game after game was a reasonable football decision.

 

[footyfan]

Makes you wonder even more how Tata came to the conclusion that playing Neymar on the right and Iniesta on the wing to accomodate Cesc game after game was a reasonable football decision.

I won't dispute your claim but regardless of the positions of the players, I think the key today was that the wingers had a chance to beat their markers because they were able to do it before Atleti re-organized their defence from end-to-end actions. Uncharacteristic aggressiveness from the team today. In Tata's time, Barca played the 75%+ meek possession game which wouldn't have worked today either. On the final day of La Liga, Tata played Neymar-Messi-Sanchez and the team looked just as clueless overall because the approach wasn't different from the previous encounters that season.

I'm curious to see how this new Barcelona will do against Man City. Will Lucho adopt today's approach or the PSG 3 man defence? Either way, I think Xavi's time on the big stage is done, or atleast I hope so, despite being a massive fan of his. This new look is definitely the way forward, and again I hope that Lucho will not be fazed and pressured into reverting if/when he encounters a couple of defeats with this system.

 

[Ursegor]

I won't dispute what you said either but it was Pedro-Messi-Alexis in Tata's last game. Neymar was injured/unfit and sat on the bench.

 

[Cule4life]

To be fair nobody expected Barca to play like they did. Simeone probably thought Atletico were favourites. And Siqueira is shit. Him instead of Gamez wouldnt have made a difference, it might have been worse. The difference was in tactics. But we easily forget Simeone is still a young manager. He will learn from this and you can expect a mega Airbus in the return fixture.

 

[Morten]

Not coach of the year? I expected Low to win it, but he really shouldnt.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

I won't dispute your claim but regardless of the positions of the players, I think the key today was that the wingers had a chance to beat their markers because they were able to do it before Atleti re-organized their defence from end-to-end actions. Uncharacteristic aggressiveness from the team today. In Tata's time, Barca played the 75%+ meek possession game which wouldn't have worked today either. On the final day of La Liga, Tata played Neymar-Messi-Sanchez and the team looked just as clueless overall because the approach wasn't different from the previous encounters that season.

I'm curious to see how this new Barcelona will do against Man City. Will Lucho adopt today's approach or the PSG 3 man defence? Either way, I think Xavi's time on the big stage is done, or atleast I hope so, despite being a massive fan of his. This new look is definitely the way forward, and again I hope that Lucho will not be fazed and pressured into reverting if/when he encounters a couple of defeats with this system.

The "new look" is not the way forward- this kind of aggression cannot be sustained every game, and only needs to be used as the situation demands (i.e. megabus, like Atletico). Will this work against Real Madrid, for instance? They are far superior counter attackers. Or against a team that presses instead of sitting back?

The key, as you partially touch upon, is to disorganize the bus defences and take advantage of it before they can regroup. Sometimes that is from faster transition play (Neymar, release the damn ball faster please!). Other times from simply being more aggressive around their box and pulling the double banks out of shape (as in the first goal), rather than pass around the outside looking for an opening, or crossing in. Rakitic was key yesterday, because he brought extra pressure inside rather than from the perimeter. That aggressive relentlessness is what is required to break the best organized deep defenses (though some lesser ones will eventually tire, and fail due to Barça's standard siege tactics).

 

[Barcaman]

Cholo gave credit to Barca after Copa.

“Barcelona are playing with more intensity."
"The arrival of Luis Suarez has strengthened their squad."
"Bravo and Ter Stegen make a difference too."
"They are in a very rich vein of form currently.”

 

[Icarium]

He wants the barca job

 

[DonAK]

Talking about Simeone then his son Giovanni Simeone is really beasting it up in the U20 Copa America. He's the cup's top scorer so far with 7 goals. Next on the list are Marcos Guilherme and Jose Francisco Cevallos with 4 goals.

 

[Bertus]

Atletico is thinking of filling a complaint to FIFA against PSG because the parisian club is negociating with Simeone without Atletico's agreement.

Sources: AS, L'Equipe.

It's reported that PSG offered him twice the salary he earns in Madrid.

 

[barca1899]

Atletico is thinking of filling a complaint to FIFA against PSG because the parisian club is negociating with Simeone without Atletico's agreement.

Sources: AS, L'Equipe.

It's reported that PSG offered him twice the salary he earns in Madrid.

Do you mind if we start negotiating with your greenkeeper?

Barcelona's players got impressed by the pitch at PSG's stadium in September and asked the club to have a similar pitch at Camp Nou. [rmc]

 

[Bertus]

Do you mind if we start negotiating with your greenkeeper?

Barcelona's players got impressed by the pitch at PSG's stadium in September and asked the club to have a similar pitch at Camp Nou. [rmc]

?

Well, RM did the same to PSG about Carlo and no one complained, especially AS who published at the time that "everyone can dicuss things blablabla". Now that PSG does it with Simeone, it's almost a crime.

 

[barca1899]

?

Well, RM did the same to PSG about Carlo and no one complained, especially AS who published at the time that "everyone can dicuss things blablabla". Now that PSG does it with Simeone, it's almost a crime.

I don't have a problem with it, Clubs just don't like if things go on behind their back. It's not allowed with players(everyone does it though), but I have no idea about coaches. I think it's more of a gentlemen's agreement in that case.