La Liga | Round 16: Osasuna - FC Barcelona 2-2

[Porque]

Yeah, this was the worst thing I thought. Umtiti started wasting time in the first half already, and then again when they were in the lead.
A lot of throw ins took 15 seconds just to get to the ball, and no one came to show himself for a fast one, then just a chance hoof throw that immediately turned to a

I'd much prefer it to lose 0-3 to Osasuna if only these signs were different (no mindless hoofs, no time-wasting etc). I do not know anymore if I should be positive towards the future, I thought Xavi would be a guarantee for these things but it seems he is not, but instead a bit of a pussy who was very afraid to lose the 2-1 lead, and so lost the 2-1 lead.

There was a moment in the second half where we were quickening the intensity and attacking with quick passes, then it comes to Pique and he gestures "calma" and reduces the tempo and stalls.

Pretty much sums where we are in the team where we can try to push something but the veteran (and mainly Pique in this as Busquets has an idea of how to pass for the offensive game) influence pulls everything back to square one.

It must be easy to see for professionals outside the system that what the club needs is a clean break, but it just isn't going to happen.

 

[jairzinho]

There was a moment in the second half where we were quickening the intensity and attacking with quick passes, then it comes to Pique and he gestures "calma" and reduces the tempo and stalls.

The seniors always try to slow the game down to a tempo that they are comfortable with. They struggle when the pace of the game is too much for them to handle.

 

[Bobo32]

There was a moment in the second half where we were quickening the intensity and attacking with quick passes, then it comes to Pique and he gestures "calma" and reduces the tempo and stalls.

Pretty much sums where we are in the team where we can try to push something but the veteran (and mainly Pique in this as Busquets has an idea of how to pass for the offensive game) influence pulls everything back to square one.

It must be easy to see for professionals outside the system that what the club needs is a clean break, but it just isn't going to happen.

Didn't spot that moment, but thought Pique was not very much needed today, he is really very lazy a lot of the times. I don't dislike "calma" in itself, I think it is always the next best thing to keep the ball in the team, but I am very much against the "calma" that is just finding another player of the team and then putting your hands in your pockets... Barcelona are really getting into a lot of pressing traps, and the ball is directed at the opponents will, it is very depressing to see.
Was the moment after they started playing 4-3-3 or before? I thought the setup looked a bit better in 4-3-3, even though the individual quality was lower and Mingueza was played very much out of position.

I think Busquets is brilliant and very much needed, he is one of the few who has the will and ability to play through lines and beat the press.

 

[Porque]

Didn't spot that moment, but thought Pique was not very much needed today, he is really very lazy a lot of the times. I don't dislike "calma" in itself, I think it is always the next best thing to keep the ball in the team, but I am very much against the "calma" that is just finding another player of the team and then putting your hands in your pockets... Barcelona are really getting into a lot of pressing traps, and the ball is directed at the opponents will, it is very depressing to see.
Was the moment after they started playing 4-3-3 or before? I thought the setup looked a bit better in 4-3-3, even though the individual quality was lower and Mingueza was played very much out of position.

I think Busquets is brilliant and very much needed, he is one of the few who has the will and ability to play through lines and beat the press.

It was after we went to 433. I felt that at that moment we had the momentum and opportunity to score the third, and then we slowed down and let Osasuna back into the game.

Some things I liked, alot I didn't. I don't want to dig too deep into Xavi but he's giving alot of early questions. Of course he is arriving at the wrong moment of the season to change anything towards the physical makeup of the team. Like Setien.

 

[ajnotkeith]

It was after we went to 433. I felt that at that moment we had the momentum and opportunity to score the third, and then we slowed down and let Osasuna back into the game.

Some things I liked, alot I didn't. I don't want to dig too deep into Xavi but he's giving alot of early questions. Of course he is arriving at the wrong moment of the season to change anything towards the physical makeup of the team. Like Setien.

-Araujo RB
-Umtiti CB
-Persistence with Mingueza at LB
-Quasi 5 at the back (until subs)
-LDJ CF instead of Dembele
-Nico RM (got the goal but pretty anonymous)

Already without going deeper into tactical choices e.g pressing you can see Xavi is not playing his best 11 and best formation, instead trying to put square pegs into round holes and starting Umtiti when he hasn't played a minute all season, starting Ldj who has barely played and is just terrible, Araujo RB etc

There's no room to tinker like that and fuck around dropping points, Koeman already tried some of these experiments and they didn't work so just play your best players in their best position, as a first rule, though there were plenty of other problems with our tactics.

 

[Bobo32]

Koeman never tried a true back three tbf. He always used Alba and Dest in similar positions as usual, with an added centre back inside.
Today, it was more often Gavi who followed down the flank rather than Abde or Dembele. I don't see how it could be called a quasi 5.

I do not like this system that much so far, it is something new for the players as well though so a bit of time should be given... Xavi was shown very angry one time, gesturing to the midfielders that they should play like two blocks of two as I understood it. Busquets often took his usual position, and the other three drifted around a bit, but too seldom centrally I thought. There was a large space in the #10 position unoccupied and it was never filled at the right moment, neither were the spaces inside where Busquets could reach his midfielders, they were marked or on the outside, almost never free and perfectly positioned on the inside.

[MENTION=22241]Porque[/MENTION] yeah I think they started to think too much, instead of playing. As Xavi said though, there are habits that are gone and it will be a process to get back - I thought he would be able to bring more balls to the players already but nah.

 

[Zidane82]

We were just unlucky.
I thought we played some fabulous stuff tonight .

Special mentions for Gavi , Nico and Abde

We are so lucky to have those three youngsters.. just need Pedri back and Fati will be a bonus

 

[Horatio]

Confession to make: First Barca game I missed in maybe 5 years. Was due to circumstances. Heard Abde did well which I am glad to hear.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Will need veteran players for the winter transfer window otherwise top 4 is unlikely

To be honest, I think we lost it already. We don't have any scorer to win games.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Confession to make: First Barca game I missed in maybe 5 years. Was due to circumstances. Heard Abde did well which I am glad to hear.

It's easier way to deal with this downhill. Ignore it a bit.

 

[sickstar]

On the contrary i am glad seeing these young guns.
Abde straight making goal on his first is excellent. Also nico making his goal.

Let's not just see the result ,but admit it we have to pass these hard days first, but after one or two more seasons we couls get the fruit.

Just need the replacement for umtiti and pique.. then bob. And see pedri, fati back. And i think we're done. Just let xavi do the work.

 

[Gaudi]

Barca is making everyone happy, hope Dinamo gets Barca in EL. Dinamo would eat them alive.

 

[Gari]

If you calm down a little, then we must admit the enormous bad luck of Barcelona. The exact ricochet into the corner from the defender in the last minutes is unpredictable. It was the same under Kuman. Xavi needs magic.

 

[mc_lovin]

If you calm down a little, then we must admit the enormous bad luck of Barcelona. The exact ricochet into the corner from the defender in the last minutes is unpredictable. It was the same under Kuman. Xavi needs magic.

Yeah, the game itself was okay.

 

[slvtn]

I am very happy about a draw against world class teams like Osasuna.