FC Barcelona Tactics
- Thread starter IrvDizzle
- Start date
Aryagorn
Improvin' Perfection!!
It's Arsenal here we are talking about, who are actually as willing as we are to play open football... unlike the other defensive minded teams!! Also Pep traditionally looks to play Keiteee in the away leg(when played first) just so we secure the all important away goal if possible!
And if need be to use Pique as referense point in the attack for the return leg, as required last time against Inter... Well hopefully Puyol will be back by that time anyway!!
And if need be to use Pique as referense point in the attack for the return leg, as required last time against Inter... Well hopefully Puyol will be back by that time anyway!!
Birdy
Senior Member
I think Pep would not go with something weird in formation from the beggining.. If something goes wrong, maybe..
I think the best XI will be featured, and because of puyol injury, milito will play, or abidal as a CB and maxweel LB..
I personally hope for the former, cause Walcott's pace is terrifying and Maxweel cannot cope..
Keita will be a sub, if midsecond half score is something like 0-2...
I think the best XI will be featured, and because of puyol injury, milito will play, or abidal as a CB and maxweel LB..
I personally hope for the former, cause Walcott's pace is terrifying and Maxweel cannot cope..
Keita will be a sub, if midsecond half score is something like 0-2...
Birdy
Senior Member
Observing that my prediction did come true, i would like to add a little bit about arsenal game:
The whole thing was Arsenal improvement in terms of pressing without the ball. comparing with last years clush..
Last year they let us have the ball, and at the same time by playing attacking football and denying to sit back and wait, they suffered and came close to be exposed and humiliated.
On the contrary, now they pressed as a whole, closing down space just from the first level,our defence line, and they got rewarded by creating clear chances in front of valdez..
Barca IMO was the same, both times, apart from the fact that maybe i think they had less determination & energy this time..
More fair result a draw, like 2-2 (both teams had about the same number of clear chances for goal). Last year though, a more fair result would be 1-4..
I cannot wait to see the next leg.. Hope we'll win of course, but Arsenal is great! Why there are not any other teams like Arsenal or villareal? Damn antifootball catastrophic monsters everywhere..
PS: Keita sub can be judged as an error afterwards.. But with 0-1 up, Pep probably wanted to shut the game in his own way.. I cannnot blame him, cuse you cannot press high, run, and attack at the same intensity fr 90 minutes..
Nevertheless, the thing was that this time Arsenal were hazardous when pressing in our final third, and with Keita this cannot be prevented so much.. Keita is (not) a player of special games, and his history has proven so.. Double pivot Sergio-Mascherano was the recommended option to shut it. But we all know that Masch has played so rarely in 'big games that maybe this was over too risky..
The whole thing was Arsenal improvement in terms of pressing without the ball. comparing with last years clush..
Last year they let us have the ball, and at the same time by playing attacking football and denying to sit back and wait, they suffered and came close to be exposed and humiliated.
On the contrary, now they pressed as a whole, closing down space just from the first level,our defence line, and they got rewarded by creating clear chances in front of valdez..
Barca IMO was the same, both times, apart from the fact that maybe i think they had less determination & energy this time..
More fair result a draw, like 2-2 (both teams had about the same number of clear chances for goal). Last year though, a more fair result would be 1-4..
I cannot wait to see the next leg.. Hope we'll win of course, but Arsenal is great! Why there are not any other teams like Arsenal or villareal? Damn antifootball catastrophic monsters everywhere..
PS: Keita sub can be judged as an error afterwards.. But with 0-1 up, Pep probably wanted to shut the game in his own way.. I cannnot blame him, cuse you cannot press high, run, and attack at the same intensity fr 90 minutes..
Nevertheless, the thing was that this time Arsenal were hazardous when pressing in our final third, and with Keita this cannot be prevented so much.. Keita is (not) a player of special games, and his history has proven so.. Double pivot Sergio-Mascherano was the recommended option to shut it. But we all know that Masch has played so rarely in 'big games that maybe this was over too risky..
Birdy
Senior Member
This system has been used several times, and it is proved devastating when the opposition plays with 2 upfront and not 3, and this is because we can have a spare man at the back and at the same time allow our wing backs (alvez and maxwell or adriano) to advance very high on the pitch..
We won atletico easily (a lot more easily than the 1-2 tells) playing like that.. The difference was that here there was also mascherano in the DM, whereas in Calderon there was only Xavi. iniesta..
Actually this one i think is the most conservative for Barca, but i like it for specific games and in order to have an alternative plan..
We won atletico easily (a lot more easily than the 1-2 tells) playing like that.. The difference was that here there was also mascherano in the DM, whereas in Calderon there was only Xavi. iniesta..
Actually this one i think is the most conservative for Barca, but i like it for specific games and in order to have an alternative plan..
IrvDizzle
Charlie Sheen's Protégé
far be it for me to presume that I can know more about the team to predict a lineup for the match on Tuesday compared to, say, Pep for example ... but I'll try anyway 
Now Pep has certainly showed the tendency to play a DM at CB when the occasion calls for it. The question that I wonder, is that if Sergio Busquets plays at CB, will his absence from the midfield be so much of a detriment that it would make more sense to play Sergio at DM and play Milito at CB. Or, has Masch shown enough over the past few matches to warrant a spot in the midfield whereby he would be able to cover for Busquets should Sergio decide to push up and support Xaviesta. Let's not forget, as good as Masch is as a DM, the ability to switch from defense to offense is predicated on the ability of a defending player to recognize the correct pass to play out of defensive cover to start a counter-attack. For all of his abilities, Masch is not as good as Sergio when it comes to that respect. Sergio is also a much better passer such that any pass that would end with a potential shot on target is more likely to be started by Sergio rather than Masch. This is not a knock on Masch as it is more of a compliment to Sergio's talents. If it were me, I would play Masch as a CB w/ Eric and play Sergio as DM such that:
-------------- PornStar
------- Masch ------- Abidal
-- Alves ----------------- Maxwell
--------------- Sergio
----- Xavi -------------- Iniesta
--------------- Messi
-- Pedro ----------------- Villa
Now Pep has certainly showed the tendency to play a DM at CB when the occasion calls for it. The question that I wonder, is that if Sergio Busquets plays at CB, will his absence from the midfield be so much of a detriment that it would make more sense to play Sergio at DM and play Milito at CB. Or, has Masch shown enough over the past few matches to warrant a spot in the midfield whereby he would be able to cover for Busquets should Sergio decide to push up and support Xaviesta. Let's not forget, as good as Masch is as a DM, the ability to switch from defense to offense is predicated on the ability of a defending player to recognize the correct pass to play out of defensive cover to start a counter-attack. For all of his abilities, Masch is not as good as Sergio when it comes to that respect. Sergio is also a much better passer such that any pass that would end with a potential shot on target is more likely to be started by Sergio rather than Masch. This is not a knock on Masch as it is more of a compliment to Sergio's talents. If it were me, I would play Masch as a CB w/ Eric and play Sergio as DM such that:
-------------- PornStar
------- Masch ------- Abidal
-- Alves ----------------- Maxwell
--------------- Sergio
----- Xavi -------------- Iniesta
--------------- Messi
-- Pedro ----------------- Villa
gingerless
Active member
i love it
Birdy
Senior Member
- As the game is coming closer i have a strong feeling that Sergio- mascherano should play together and that if this happens we will definetely go through..
I actually think Sergio as a CB and MAsch as DM but the key feature for them is to alternate positions..
On the build up Sergio should step out of the defence smoothly during the passing game and form the brilliant trio with Xaviniesta, But when the ball is being played on the final third and Sergio is not participating so much, he should retreat back to CB and Masch should cover as a DM. If the ball is lost arsenal would have a tougher time to play the counter cauz Masch is excellent on that role..
- The other thing that troubles me is where is Arshavin going to play. If to the left of arsenal, we would have a great, really great miss match against dany, but if to the right i am kinda confused about the most effective way to eliminate nasri and let alvez loose at the same time..
I actually think Sergio as a CB and MAsch as DM but the key feature for them is to alternate positions..
On the build up Sergio should step out of the defence smoothly during the passing game and form the brilliant trio with Xaviniesta, But when the ball is being played on the final third and Sergio is not participating so much, he should retreat back to CB and Masch should cover as a DM. If the ball is lost arsenal would have a tougher time to play the counter cauz Masch is excellent on that role..
- The other thing that troubles me is where is Arshavin going to play. If to the left of arsenal, we would have a great, really great miss match against dany, but if to the right i am kinda confused about the most effective way to eliminate nasri and let alvez loose at the same time..
Adriano was a classic winger and I loved his contribution up until that mistake. So mixed feeling once again following his display in Valencia where he had a poor game but still provided an assist for Messi.
Good option to have anyway and I see Pep using him more often in the coming matches.
Good option to have anyway and I see Pep using him more often in the coming matches.
Birdy
Senior Member
Agree when playing with a back of four..
But what would be really interesting is this:
-------------------Valdes
----Mascherano - Pique - Puyol
-Alvez----------Sergio----------Maxwel
----------------Xavi - Iniesta-------------
----------Messi--------------Pedro
It would provide full space for alvez and maxwell to run into and at the same time not run the risk to be caught at the back from a fast counter..
Also pedro is more leathal than villa in open space from a through ball and with the absence of carvalho this can work..
Maybe this is a good way to play the ball down the flanks and avoid all the kicking in the center, but Mourinho Fc would kick anyway and there is no real antidote for this..
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