Ernesto Valverde - V1

[MessiCam]

Totally different game and Chelsea would have loved Barca to start trying to play the ball about midfield with a higher line as they were desperate and trying to press high and get the ball forward quickly.

Barca dont even have the players on the pitch to go and try to do that anyway.

Over the 90 mins Barca had more of ball and more chances and after that sitting deeper to stop counters was correct thing to do.

'The game wasnt safe enough' yet you want Barca to play in a riskier way similar to how did in first leg when game was more in Chelseas favour.

Umtiti was that good because he played more or less as a penalty box defender sitting deeper. Something he wouldnt have been in your scenario.

Barca played it the right way even if could be a lot better.

When you’re defending a lead with the ball you don’t play with a high line. If spaces open up then yeah you go forward but you do it cautiously.

And in the game at Stamford Bridge we didn’t have choice but to play that way because we were behind for some 30 minutes.

All this jumping through hoops to explain Valverde’s tactics of inviting pressure is crazy considering that over the “90 minutes” they created more chances had more shots blocked and hit the wood work twice. We just had more possession over the full 90.

 

[JamDav1982]

When you’re defending a lead with the ball you don’t play with a high line. If spaces open up then yeah you go forward but you do it cautiously.

And in the game at Stamford Bridge we didn’t have choice but to play that way because we were behind for some 30 minutes.

All this jumping through hoops to explain Valverde’s tactics of inviting pressure is crazy considering that over the “90 minutes” they created more chances had more shots blocked and hit the wood work twice. We just had more possession over the full 90.

Of course you would have to play a higher line if playing more posession through midfield that is basic stuff.

The game at Stamford Bridge Barca played the way you wanted and it was worse.

Yes it is over the 90 mins that count and this jumping through hoops to try and only break it down to the miutes that suit you is worse.

Yes you are correct Barca did have more of the ball. That has been established.

 

[serghei]

Jesus Christ, what's with the arrogance, Sergei?

He was the one who started to deviate from what's actually said, saying I'm desperate to push whatever narrative he's imagining. Just showing I can play that game too going personal and all.

 

[JamDav1982]

He was the one who started to deviate from what's actually said, saying I'm desperate to push whatever narrative he's imagining. Just showing I can play that game too going personal and all.

Your speaking in riddles and no one started to deviate from anything. You were going on about Mourinho and were all over the place really.

Then just backed out by basically saying you will be proven right without saying what you will be proven right on.

Joined the 'I am right if no treble won' gang. Well done.

 

[serghei]

Your speaking in riddles and no one started to deviate from anything. You were going on about Mourinho and were all over the place really.

Then just backed out by basically saying you will be proven right without saying what you will be proven right on.

Joined the 'I am right if no treble won' gang. Well done.

I backed out because there's no point in going on and on about it, not for any other reason but that. I didn't like what I've seen in the Chelsea game at home. And if we ever do that shit against a top team going forward, one that doesn't have Giroud as a striker, we'll concede 2 goals at Camp Nou relatively easy. There's a difference between defending great, and allowing the other team to have a lot of chances and luckily escaping through the help of the crossbar, some poor finshing on their part and some last effort tackles. That's a very very very thin line between a clean sheet and 2 goals conceded at home, and we can't control that thin line except by playing better. What I've seen is not enough to challenge for CL. Fortunately we've drawn one of the easiest teams and we get to maybe play a semifinal where we can improve our level and anything can happen.

 

[JamDav1982]

I backed out because there's no point in going on and on about it, not for any other reason but that. I didn't like what I've seen in the Chelsea game at home. And if we ever do that shit against a top team going forward, one that doesn't have Giroud as a striker, we'll concede 2 goals at Camp Nou. There's a difference between defending great, and allowing the other team to have a lot of chances.

Most of the pundits said, and I very much agree with it, that besides Messi, there wasn't any difference between the team. If anything, they looked more coherent in how they attacked but lacked the final pass or good finishing. Excuse me for not feeling mega-confident because the other team failed to convert the chances we DID concede to them.

Tell us what you know that may be proven correct so we can revisit it.

 

[Faceless]

Bilbao’s form I think tells us how crucial EV was. This game was just eh, comfortable. I would preferred Alena or Mina to come on for player development though.

 

[raskolnikov]

This coward calls up Alena and subs in his usual work horses with a 2-0 lead... sigh... classic Valverde with his mourinho behavior.

 

[Joan]

Some stupid subs today, tbf.

 

[henias]

Valverde seriously needs to man the fuck up and start trusting in young players more. Results are results, but we still need fresh players with energy and the decision to bring on Iniesta is just absolutely pointless. Even the next season we are going to have a large squad with many new talents. If he still cant handle them properly, I doubt we will peak even in the next few seasons.

 

[KingLeo10]

I'm concerned for what will become of alena, arthur, dembele (if Griezmann comes), and mina. Valverde's allergy to youth players is Mourinho level.

 

[ASordidGod]

Awful subs, truly. And why sit back and invite pressure after possibly best half of the season? Far too conservative for my tastes.

 

[Horatio]

Mark him down for not bringing on Alena.

 

[vlad]

I'm concerned for what will become of alena, arthur, dembele (if Griezmann comes), and mina. Valverde's allergy to youth players is Mourinho level.

Dont know about arthur and alena, but about dembele, he started to play him, and griezmann is not needed, if barca buys griezmann, then of course dembele will be the guy that is left out more often, but then you cant blame valverde, playing so many attacking players and you dont have balanced squad.


Edit: i agree alena should get more chances in the match like this, iniesta was not needed at 2:0

 

[vlad]

And if he prefer "workhorses", im okay with that but he should go for more quality workhorse, throw money from griezmann for kante for example, paulinho and gomes are average at best and you cant play much better then this with them in the squad