Funny how Barcelona 2014/15 wasn't the best Barcelona ever, but had the best UCL run

[serghei]

It was a tough period psychologically for most fans I'd imagine, including me. But looking back with the results in hand it's a series of games I'm glad it happened.

Plus it's somewhat of an important milestone in the Barca v Madrid rivalry. It showed how much further ahead Barca were with Madrid trying EVERYTHING to derail us, with Mourinho leading the shitshow both on and off the pitch.

Madrid made it ugly in that series, and we made it ugly as well with the theatrics. I think the reason is the 5-0 did a lot of damage in Mourinho, it was one of the most devastating humiliations, most of the 2nd half was like a training rondo that never ended for them. He knew we were far superior and started to play dirty. After that match he always parked the bus against Pep's Barcelona while in Madrid, with a lot of kicking and hitting.

 

[El Gato]

2 years before they made the CL semis, smart-ass...

Yeah, 2 years before. After suffering to Roma and getting through on penalties in R16.
2011 Lolsenal were shite, haven't won a trophy since the Invincibles, plateaued at the level of a laughing stock in Europe, banter top4 team with Frimpongs, Almunias, Chamakhs and Bendtners with Van Persie and Fabregas dying to GTFO of there, who were only top4 because Spurs and Liverpool were too shit to cut the mustard consistently. Even Arsenal fans treat this as banter era where they had 3 different keepers sharing minutes and consistently elevating the likes of Gibbs or some other garbage player to their 1st team. Wilshere was their 2nd best CM!

No idea why you'd even go there TBH. Maybe I actually do. After all, the lengths you're willing go to to elevate the idea of Pep era Barcelona...

 

[Neymessi]

2014-15 Barcelona is somewhat similar with 2016-17 Madrid. It's a tossup between them.

What? no. All the 3 cls madrid had after 15, they were nowhere near us. 15 barca was head and shoulders better than any Madrid after 15.

 

[serghei]

What? no. All the 3 cls madrid had after 15, they were nowhere near us. 15 barca was head and shoulders better than any Madrid after 15.

I'd have us a favorites, but it's close. We weren't as dominant in midfield imo in 2014-15. Even on Camp Nou, we barely won 2-1 that season against Madrid.

Yeah, 2 years before. After suffering to Roma and getting through on penalties in R16.
2011 Lolsenal were shite, haven't won a trophy since the Invincibles, plateaued at the level of a laughing stock in Europe, banter top4 team with Frimpongs, Almunias, Chamakhs and Bendtners with Van Persie and Fabregas dying to GTFO of there, who were only top4 because Spurs and Liverpool were too shit to cut the mustard consistently. Even Arsenal fans treat this as banter era where they had 3 different keepers sharing minutes and consistently elevating the likes of Gibbs or some other garbage player to their 1st team. Wilshere was their 2nd best CM!

No idea why you'd even go there TBH. Maybe I actually do. After all, the lengths you're willing go to to elevate the idea of Pep era Barcelona...

Rationalize how much you want. Top teams make CL semis, not crap ones. If not for a great United side in 2009 they would've played the final. In 2010 we knocked them out, and in 2011 the same. In 2013 they beat Heynckes Bayern 2-0 in Germany, only went out on away goals. In 4 times in 5 years they went out to great teams, like United, Barca 2 times, Bayern.

 

[Neymessi]

I'd have us a favorites, but it's close. We weren't as dominant in midfield imo in 2014-15. Even on Camp Nou, we barely won 2-1 that season against Madrid.

That's just one game. We were pretty better than RM in 15, and RM may have gone on to win 3 Cls consecutively and people may call me biased but the RM after 15 was just above average and nowhere near anything special.

 

[El Gato]

Rationalize how much you want. Top teams make CL semis, not crap ones. If not for a great United side in 2009 they would've played the final. In 2010 we knocked them out, and in 2011 the same.

Ah yes "It took the best Barcelona side in history to knock out the mighty Lolsenal"



I'm out of here. The sergheiscience in full force.

 

[serghei]

That's just one game. We were pretty better than RM in 15, and RM may have gone on to win 3 Cls consecutively and people may call me biased but the RM after 15 was just above average and nowhere near anything special.

They were very lucky in 2016 and 2018, and those versions aren't anywhere near our 2014-15 team, but their 2016-17 side was peak Zidane Madrid. 2011 and 2009 sides beat that team, but 2014-15 has it tougher imo.

 

[serghei]

Ah yes "It took the best Barcelona side in history to knock out the mighty Lolsenal"



I'm out of here. The sergheiscience in full force.

Don't know why you went in in the first place.

 

[Alik]

I agree with Wolfe. Can't call PSG and Man City meh, and Arsenal a top team. They were a joke in 2011.

 

[serghei]

I agree with Wolfe. Can't call PSG and Man City meh, and Arsenal a top team. They were a joke in 2011.

I would say there were about the same level. Not meh, you're right. Disagree Arsenal were a joke in 2011. Totally.

 

[Andresito]

Yeah I wouldn't call 2011 Arsenal a top team either. Basically the same level or maybe even below today's Inter or Spurs for example, a few good players here and there but underwhelming overall.

 

[Vilarrubi]

@Wolfe which was the best Barca for you? Which did you fear the most?

13/14 Madrid for me used to shit me up even though we won 2/3 Clasicos. Di Maria, Penaldo etc.

 

[El Gato]

@Wolfe which was the best Barca for you? Which did you fear the most?

13/14 Madrid for me used to shit me up even though we won 2/3 Clasicos. Di Maria, Penaldo etc.

Fear? Fear of what though? In leadup to games fear exhibits itself differently. Pep era Barcelona was the most formidable of all, but because they were so good Real made a point to get on their level and many times they made it feel like we could, especially after the 2011 Copa final. Mourinho's shithousery at least made it believable that we could compete for a score. You can debate whether that tactic was employed out of fear for not being able to outplay them or not. But we didn't 'fear' them as much as we were pissed with losing to them all the time, because fuckers were this good at what they did. Fear started to set in later on really when Real fell off in Clasico meetings circa 2015 or 2016, because we knew we were developing a weird mental block, especially at home. We feared we couldn't get ANYTHING from head to head meetings no matter how good the form leading up to them was. Right now for example we don't fear going to Camp Nou at all, because we get a result there on a yearly basis. Bernabeu was a different matter until this year.

We mostly fear individuals like Messi, Suarez, Rakitić. Fuckers turn up almost all the time and never get injured. You always fear the players that are in some way reliable. Not cunts like Benzema for example with whom you can only hope you get a burst of skill. Barca had quite a few of them over the years in the past decade.

And TBH I feared the 2004-2006 Barcelona most as a fan. That was I think the biggest talent gap of all time, with the greats upfront for Barcelona put up against Alvaro Mejias, Salgados, early Ramos and Walter Samuel in defense and some tool like Pablo Garcia or Gravesen as our DM. It felt like a rout was a given every time since we just couldn't not shit our pants every time we conceded possession. 2010-2020 iterations were always infinitely more balanced in comparison, because our defenders weren't wank and totally out of their depth. Arbeloa for example was as competent as our best 2004-06 defender Ivan Helguera. And he was the 2nd worst out of the entire set in 2010-2014 which included Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Varane, Marcelo, Coentrao and for a time Garay or oldbag patchwork Carvalho and Essien who played RB. Levels.

In fact it's probably part of the reason why Ronaldinho and co. got bored of football this fast. Real were a top-heavy version of banter Liverpool back then and posed sodall challenge long term. No accident we won the titles when we bought an actual CB in Cannavaro and DMs in Mo Diarra + Emerson (as shite as he was) in 2006. That was the one thing Calderon did right in his presidency.

 

[serghei]

Yeah I wouldn't call 2011 Arsenal a top team either. Basically the same level or maybe even below today's Inter or Spurs for example, a few good players here and there but underwhelming overall.

Well above. Arsenal at that time were consistently making semis, quarters, or last 16 (they had the bad luck of having multiple nightmare draws). Inter haven't even made it out of the groups in a lot of time.

Spurs when they made the CL final is right about.

 

[El Gato]

Well above. Arsenal at that time were consistently making semis, quarters, or last 16 (they had the bad luck of having multiple nightmare draws). Inter haven't even made it out of the groups in a lot of time.

Spurs when they made the CL final is right about.

So were Shakhtar, Bordeaux, Lyon and geriatric AC Milan in the period of the driest Serie A in history. Stop it bro, please, I can't breathe over here