Lliga: FC Barcelona - Celta de Vigo 0-1

[Schumi]

what a meltdown in here. But it was expected, two losses in a row is hard to take. Yeah, a loss against Real was deserved, but today it was not. Certainly, Barca lacked control, but again, with Rafinha-Bus-Rakitic it was a bit expected. Two of them are new to the team and have not really played as controllers before. Not gonna say that we were playing particularly good, but as the balance of power has shifted from midfield to attack,(and thus Barca is actually bit more entertaining) but relies a lot of on finishing the moves. It did not happen today, mostly because of luck, mostly because of last ditch efforts from Celta players and mostly because of overplaying in the box (especially Suarez). Celta got many times between the lines but actually threatened before their a bit lucky goal a little (one set piece comes to mind).

I think it is time to get used to that we will suffer a lack of control if xavi and iniesta are not playing. Something has to give if those great footballers are not available. Rakitic is actually counterattacking midfielder, at least more than a controller and it seems to me Enrique is realizing it as well. Against certain opponents the control will not be there and we need different game plan. But the work is still in progress and it is evident that we are looking smth, but have not yet found it.
I am personally satisfied that there is a variety how we play, and we are creating chances because our attacking weapons, but much more worrisome are those moments of hesitation, both in attack and in defence and these are costly. It really shows that players are not automatically sure how to play. Transition in progress and hiccups everywhere. Really a new picture.
Such a great start to the season confused some people, and let us forget that it is really a transformation year. Still, the core is strong and we are competitive enough.

Thank you!

Someone with some sense around here. Some people are going full retard due to the thoroughly undeserved loss of tonight. Defeat against Real Madrid was more than deserved though and we all agree on that.

In fact I agree with Lucho in that we would gladly take it if we can be creating so many chances in each and every game.

Another thing is the people expect Rafinha-Rakitic-Biscuits to play even remotely as good as Xavi-Iniesta in their prime. Forget it people, we won't be seeing midfielders like those two any time soon. Not in Barca, and neither for any other team on the planet. They were an absolute world-historic one-off.

Another thing. Lucho may be bad or good, or average, I wouldn't know. But the thing is that he is looking for answers with our somewhat limited squad and it will take time for sure. Does anyone in here have the formula of how we can play from now on, except the front three? And even with them three, we are still not sure who fits better and where.

Moreover, La Liga teams have improved vastly since 2008 or 2010. This is reflected both in the league table as well as European results. And as for our bitter rivals. Well, we have to swallow that they are the best team on the planet right now (just like we were a few years back) They are set in every position and are firing on all cylinders. We must acknowledge that we are desperately playing catch-up this season. The only consolation is that there is nothing equivalent to Madrid anywhere else in Europe.

So Ajax on Wednesday, that is something to look forward too right

No.

We are absolutely shaking in our boots.

 

[Heisenberg is cooking]

http://www.futbolprimera.es/2014/11/01/barcelona-retira-pancarta-directiva

proferssor google

Ajax, nah, more of the same. Probably fewer chances.

 

[Flavia]

Another thing. Lucho may be bad or good average, or average, I wouldn't know. But the thing is that he is looking for answers with our somewhat limited squad and it will take time for sure. Does anyone in here have the formula of how we can play from now on, except the front three? And even with them three, we are still not sure who fits better and where.

Well, d8, for starters, Lucho could stop rotating so much. He changes the cb pairing every game. The players need to develop chemistry, but won't that way. But that's not the biggest issue.
There is no clear game plan. Barça today was a chaotic mess. They created chances, but the midfield was a huge mess, which reflected in the rest of the team. It's a big mess right now, and it's getting worse. Since the psg game, Barça's play is deteriorating. This is a big problem.

 

[DonAK]

Well, d8, for starters, Lucho could stop rotating so much. He changes the cb pairing every game. The players need to develop chemistry, but won't that way. But that's not the biggest issue.
There is no clear game plan. Barça today was a chaotic mess. They created chances, but the midfield was a huge mess, which reflected in the rest of the team. It's a big mess right now, and it's getting worse. Since the psg game, Barça's play is deteriorating. This is a big problem.

The worrying thing is that Lucho is not worried about the midfield not being a part of the build-up as long as they are covering the FBs and other's asses.

 

[raedkuwait]

i saw this match live with my familly 2 boys and my wife, all the way from kuwait
to watch the games, oh man we r so disapointed this team is really in trouble
we looked so shit specially midfield and defence.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Forum Fiend v1.2.11.

 

[Schumi]

Well, d8, for starters, Lucho could stop rotating so much. He changes the cb pairing every game. The players need to develop chemistry, but won't that way. But that's not the biggest issue.
There is no clear game plan. Barça today was a chaotic mess. They created chances, but the midfield was a huge mess, which reflected in the rest of the team. It's a big mess right now, and it's getting worse. Since the psg game, Barça's play is deteriorating. This is a big problem.

Well, we will need some time until we find what our best XI is. It's not that easy. Furthermore, rotation is required through the season. As for the CB issue, that is where we lack good options. I would go for Pique Mathieu, personally.

With Iniesta and Xavi out of the window, we are gonna have a more chaotic Barcelona and nothing can fix that. We will in fact be more similar to all the other big clubs in Europe from now on. Our tyrannical passing game from yesteryear in now a thing of the past and we will never see it again. Sad, but true. We can only pray that Iniesta rediscovers some form so that our midfield starts being more creative and exert more control, but whether Iniesta has a couple more good seasons in him is anyone's guess and beyond the power of any manager on the planet.

As for tonight's game, I was very happy with the chances we created but the finishing was bad. I was also pleased with the energy we displayed. But yes, our midfield is now problematic and it will not be easy to fix unless Iniesta comes back strongly. As for hitting the woodwork all the time and the Celta keeper having a blinder, those things are beyond our control.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

I think we lost the game only due to our finishing. The attackers are to blame and especially Leo who missed the clearest chances.
Our defense and GK should be allowed to do mistakes from time to time and at the point Vigo scored we should have been up by at least 3 goals.

I am not saying everything else is perfect because I am also disappointed by some of Lucho's decisions but today it was not about midfield control, player selection or the formation. We created tons of clear cut chances but were not able to convert. We had some bad luck and their keeper Alvarez had a superb game but some of the opportunities simply had to result into goals. Shots that are impossible to save.

Unfortunately games like these are must wins and we will miss the 3 points at the end of the season.

 

[Trafalgar]

I think we lost the game only due to our finishing. The attackers are to blame and especially Leo who missed the clearest chances.
Our defense and GK should be allowed to do mistakes from time to time and at the point Vigo scored we should have been up by at least 3 goals.

I am not saying everything else is perfect because I am also disappointed by some of Lucho's decisions but today it was not about midfield control, player selection or the formation. We created tons of clear cut chances but were not able to convert. We had some bad luck and their keeper Alvarez had a superb game but some of the opportunities simply had to result into goals. Shots that are impossible to save.

Unfortunately games like these are must wins and we will miss the 3 points at the end of the season.

That s what I call irony ...

 

[CuleLife4Life]

Honestly if Lucho was a better tactician, we would have still won. I'm sick of people trying to blame players for not finishing. Even if we did finish some shots, would you really be happy with how we play? Beating Celta playing this way won't equal into wins against big teams we will eventually have to play. Better to fix the situation now.

We got exposed against RM, who ironically were worse than us with their finishing last week but because they have a clear way of playing, they still won easily.

 

[DrPepper]

Well, Atletico also didn't win at home against Celta. Even though they have a world class manager and a clear identity.

Today we lost because we wasted many chances and hit the woodwork 4 times, but of course I don't deny our tactical shortcomings. What worries me the most is that we only seem to look dangerous in counter attacking situations. Our counterpressing itself isn't even that bad. Transitions in general are decent but organised attacking and defending is bad.

 

[amircule]

This is what happens when you hire a manager whose biggest achievement is finishing 10th with Celta . Luis Enrique has absolutely no plan. Maybe he's gonna repeat what he did to Roma , to us, he is a fucking joke

 

[putogusiluz8]

I thought we played well our finishing just let us down.

 

[Andrew M]

i saw this match live with my familly 2 boys and my wife, all the way from kuwait
to watch the games, oh man we r so disapointed this team is really in trouble
we looked so shit specially midfield and defence.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Forum Fiend v1.2.11.

Be proud to support the team in bad moments. I was at the 0-3 trashing against Bayern in 2013

 

[Schumi]

I thought we played well our finishing just let us down.

Yup. That is my take on it as well.

I have re-watched the highlights and we had at least 10 clear-cut goalscoring opportunities that we either wasted (3 poor headers, one for each of our strikers) or Sergio saved brilliantly (one for each of our strikers) and four that hit the woodwork (2 for Neymar and 2 for Messi)

7 of those chances came before the Larrivey goal and Celta had absolutely nothing before that (Alves definitely at fault for it) After their goal, they only had one chance which was harder than it first appeared for Nolito since the ball came straight at him at pace and height and from a short distance.

Bad luck is just bad luck. The problem (outside the very obvious 3 lost points) is that the pressure on the team increases massively after this defeat both in the league (already down to 3rd, and potentially 5th if Sevilla and Valencia win today) and in the CL with a tough away fixture at Ajax who will be playing their last card for qualification to the last 16.

 

[ScoobySquats]

Can't wait til FM 15 comes out so I can have my own, virtual success with barca, in the absence of any real life equivalent.

I like you