MagIX
Senior Member
? are you joking ?
plus Raki and minus Dembele
Close to want I wanted, Arthur instead of Vidal.
wisconsincule
Senior Member
My only problem is not making earlier subs. When the game starts shifting he sits in his hands. Not calling for Dembele to necessarily come on but just fresh legs. Could tell Cou and Arthur were getting tired.
Raketa10
Senior Member
He realized that he has to do it all alone with this idiot on the bench and he did it.
xXKonan
Senior Member
The first half was perhaps the best we have played in an away CL game in a long time.
While it's true the Spurs were missing some key players but what made the difference IMO was the Midfield setup. Messi had an unreal game as well but having a CM like Arthur with not only legs but being press resident and controlling the flow of the game made a huge difference on how things worked out for us.
It's early but I always said someone like Arthur is what has been missing for quite some time. You want steel in the Midfield like Vidal, but you also need a CM that can handle being pressed with the ball since we see most of it all the time. Bus Parking hurts but what hurt us the most in CL games is teams that press the fuck out of us and the Midfield collapsing due to it.
While it's true the Spurs were missing some key players but what made the difference IMO was the Midfield setup. Messi had an unreal game as well but having a CM like Arthur with not only legs but being press resident and controlling the flow of the game made a huge difference on how things worked out for us.
It's early but I always said someone like Arthur is what has been missing for quite some time. You want steel in the Midfield like Vidal, but you also need a CM that can handle being pressed with the ball since we see most of it all the time. Bus Parking hurts but what hurt us the most in CL games is teams that press the fuck out of us and the Midfield collapsing due to it.
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
May be it has something to do with Messi resting? he didn't play with NT and was on bench last game though subbed in.
Less NT game time, no CDR and some rest here and there for Liga and we might have a chance in a better CL campaign this year with an inshape Messi in QF
soul24rage
Senior Member
I think a fully fit Messi and a good midfield like today is the key for the CL this season. I would really rest Messi before any CL knockout game and play Arthur whenever we face teams who pressure us. A player like Arthur will be very helpful vs the likes of Liverpool and Man city.
BusiTheKing
Senior Member
I don't think I've ever been so positive about a performance that was still severely flawed. Huge improvements regarding intensity and workrate, but take out Messi and we could have lost tonight to a less-than-ideal Tottenham side, to say it mildly.
The spark was there, though, which has been missing for a while. And credit to Valverde for altering his game to becoming more attacking minded. The tactical contrast between this game and last year at Stamford Bridge is huge.
The spark was there, though, which has been missing for a while. And credit to Valverde for altering his game to becoming more attacking minded. The tactical contrast between this game and last year at Stamford Bridge is huge.
Barcilliant
Senior Member
He looked like a nervous wreck out there sitting on his haunches.
As stated by others his subs and reading of the game are shit. He is soooo conservative. Spurs pressing high and tiring and he doesn't go for the jugular. Someone like Dembele could have killed them on the counter.
Defensively we still looked fragile with 442. IMO Vidal has to start over Rakitic.
As stated by others his subs and reading of the game are shit. He is soooo conservative. Spurs pressing high and tiring and he doesn't go for the jugular. Someone like Dembele could have killed them on the counter.
Defensively we still looked fragile with 442. IMO Vidal has to start over Rakitic.
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
Don't let that win distract you from the fact that Valverde is still a mediocre coach.
We have quality players, and Messi is the GOAT. So its expected they can deliver some great games especially if they are motivated but it will probably go right back in la liga.
We have quality players, and Messi is the GOAT. So its expected they can deliver some great games especially if they are motivated but it will probably go right back in la liga.
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henias
New member
He did okay but his subs are still not good enough. Still need to have more of the killer instinct, and not let his nerves get to him. I hope this performance shouldnt make him believe this should be our default lineup and subs, still waiting to see better variations and adaptations to the game.
The knockout games will be tough for him.
The knockout games will be tough for him.
Cou is not a CM
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