Lliga: (El Clasico) FC Barcelona - Real Madrid 2-1

[StarLord]

Very good second half, First was not that good though I feel mental block was a big factor.
All the good things are known so to focus on bad ones:
we still lack proper balance. Our attacking trio is amaizing, therefore our game in general changed, we are now focused more on delivering quicker to them than to control the midfield. I don't mind that. But our balance in mid and defence is still not the best.
RM played without DM on paper, Bayern uses Lahm whenever they can yet they don't get as exposed as we.
Busi is for me, and many, our best holding mid, but he was never pit bull...it's not that he declined, it's just that his shortcomings in covering are more visible when Xavi declined. with Xavi declining tiki-taka and total control was lost, and we shouldn't try to mimic that unless we can clone Xavi. I actualy think Rakitic brought some of that balance, and I belive we are better today than same day last year. Sometimes you don't need the best players on paper but those who fit the system better.
Now, in mid I think we could benefit from a player like Koke or Pogba (easier said than done of course) but even changing to 3-4-3 with one of those guys would work in some games.
Our main problem is defence balance...two midget full backs are just over exposed by stronger teams. We had that balance with Abidal when we basically played 3 men defence, or changing it during the game from 2 to 4 men defence. I would use Alba over Alves (i like his tenacity but those brain farts are killing me) and buy strong RB/DC type of player.
Of course in the future Iniesta will have to be replaced but we don't need to rush it, he is 31 not 40.

Bayern don't get exposed as we?

Well, I remember them getting really exposed against Arsenal, Man City, United, and of course Real Madrid. They have also had some ugly defeats recently in the Bundesliga from Wolfsburg and Borussia M.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that certain weaknesses do not exist in our team, they most definitely do, but this inferiority complex vis a vis Bayern from many on this forum is unfounded. They may very well be superior to us in some departments, but we are superior in others.

The fact of the matter is that we have won all our recent big games (with goal-scoring opportunities to spare) while Bayern have not. And that is a fact!

 

[FC B]

The team lacks another top midfielder for sure. That's the only serious minus as far as the squad is concerned.

Yep but with this stupid tranfer ban Barca can't adress this big problem.

 

[kollegah]

go to youtube and put in "EDD mateu lahoz" some hilarious stuff

 

[Iarwain]

Mateu Lahoz performance: 10/10.

 

[PhilS]

I agree with almost everything you noted there.

I would also add one thing. Lots of people have been writing Real Madrid off in recent weeks due to some really poor performances, but have forgotten what an ass-kicking this team did both us and Bayern only in the recent past. When on song (which they will be for the final and crucial part of the season) I think they are even more formidable than the somewhat overrated Bayern. They are much pacier, dynamic and lethal than Bayern in my mind. Maybe Bayern has the upper hand in other domains of the game, but I think that the weaponry available to Real Madrid is the most dangerous for us, and in Cup competitions in general.

We have also played Atletico, Man City and PSG in recent months, several times over. Atletico were our bane last season and are a very solid team, Man City have been 1 or 2 in EPL for the past 4 years, and PSG are possibly the best team out there, outside of Spain and Bavaria.

Well, none of the above teams can put us on the back foot like Real Madrid did last night (and the Bernabeu game) for such long periods of time and with such intensity. I consider us and them as the favorites for the CL. The only reason Bayern can be seen as more or less equal favorites to the Clasico pair, is that they have gotten a free pass to the semis.

Maybe this RM team is not the "best" Barca opponent of recent years, because they allow too many goals. Casillas alternates utter brilliance with allowing goals that should be stopped. I don't really understand what it is that causes a defense to come together to function suberbly as a unit, but Barca has it this year, and RM does not.

This year's RM, when they are going good, can score more and quicker than any team I can remember. Their bad period should be over now that Modric and Ramos are back, but to get all the way back to how scary they were in the first half, they need James.

I don't want to see RM when Barca gets to CL semis and final. I'd also prefer to not have to face Bayern.

 

[linetty]

Mateu Lahoz performance: 10/10.

Not quite. Big plus for the yellow to Cristina for diving but he missed some blatant Real's players' assaults.

 

[Antimadridista1]

I watched the game again and our first half wasn't that bad. At least not the first 30minutes. Madrid only managed to have one real occasion in these 30 minutes.
We had a few problems tactically ; when we defend in 4 5 1, our second line of 5 players press too high at times and it leaves a huge space between the defense and midfield. I noticed that everytime we made this mistake, Madrid had their best occasions.

We had much more clear occasions though. The win was well-deserved and in general I was happy with our defenders - apart from Dani.

 

[Mido]

I watched the game again and our first half wasn't that bad. At least not the first 30minutes. Madrid only managed to have one real occasion in these 30 minutes.
We had a few problems tactically ; when we defend in 4 5 1, our second line of 5 players press too high at times and it leaves a huge space between the defense and midfield. I noticed that everytime we made this mistake, Madrid had their best occasions.

We had much more clear occasions though. The win was well-deserved and in general I was happy with our defenders - apart from Dani.

I watched it three times and I agree with what you say. Real Madrid clearly had the upper hand in the last 10-15 minutes of the 1st half and thats it.

More focused Neymar and Messi could have destroyed Real Madrid.

 

[beautifulgame]

Not quite. Big plus for the yellow to Cristina for diving but he missed some blatant Real's players' assaults.

^^

 

[Gaudi]

Bayern don't get exposed as we?

Well, I remember them getting really exposed against Arsenal, Man City, United, and of course Real Madrid. They have also had some ugly defeats recently in the Bundesliga from Wolfsburg and Borussia M.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that certain weaknesses do not exist in our team, they most definitely do, but this inferiority complex vis a vis Bayern from many on this forum is unfounded. They may very well be superior to us in some departments, but we are superior in others.

The fact of the matter is that we have won all our recent big games (with goal-scoring opportunities to spare) while Bayern have not. And that is a fact!

I don't belive we are inferior to anyone, honestly I would say 3 top teams are: Barca, Real and Bayern...I'm just saying that with some changes I belive we can be the best.

 

[Bucky]

Anyone got the link for a download please?

*from PBL

 

[Icarium]

Why don't you guys download matches form torrents. Simple and fast. If you want direct link you can find it on rojadirecta forum.

 

[StarLord]

I don't belive we are inferior to anyone, honestly I would say 3 top teams are: Barca, Real and Bayern...I'm just saying that with some changes I belive we can be the best.

Transfer ban means that we cannot bring in the world-class midfielder we so desperately need (Koke, Verratti, Pogba) nor find a replacement for Alves, nor find a good forward player to sit on our bench.

It really sucks.

 

[Bucky]

We can buy them, just can't register them.

 

[te amo barca]

Two Iranian journalists who had covered the clasico in Barcelona on Sunday are among the dead in Tuesday's flight crash in France #rip [nyt]