Lliga | Round 22: FC Barcelona - Levante 2-1

[Andrew M]

Shocking defensively in the 2nd half.

 

[JohnN]

Can we just leave Valverde out of this and judge the match on its own? What was so good about it? Amateurish performance at best I would say. Missing chance after chance and leaving spaces which luckily were not exploited by Levante.

No we can't, because you keep insisting we are playing the same as before, even though our first half was eye candy for any true Barca fan. We were worse in the second because we got complacent.
Amateurish performance is what you would love Barca to have.

 

[jairzinho]

It’s too bad we couldn’t get Bruno Fernandes. We’re so slow and lethargic in midfield. Zero intensity in the second half is what kept Levante in the game. That Busi/Raki combo is a nightmare combination.

 

[FCBarca]

It’s too bad we couldn’t get Bruno Fernandes. We’re so slow and lethargic in midfield. Zero intensity in the second half is what kept Levante in the game. That Busi/Raki combo is a nightmare combination.

Definitely missing a protagonist in midfield to, at least, be a danger to score. Presently, no midfielder for Barcelona apart from Vidal provides that and defenses recognize that

Alena could've been interesting now under Setien but that ship has sailed

 

[JerseyAddict]

Definitely missing a protagonist in midfield to, at least, be a danger to score. Presently, no midfielder for Barcelona apart from Vidal provides that and defenses recognize that

Alena could've been interesting now under Setien but that ship has sailed

It is noticeable how opponents let our mids come with the bll so close. They know there will be nodangerous shot. They all just wait for the low cross from a side or to "swarm" on Messi f he receives the ball.

 

[FCBarca]

It is noticeable how opponents let our mids come with the bll so close. They know there will be nodangerous shot. They all just wait for the low cross from a side or to "swarm" on Messi f he receives the ball.

In the past the problem under Valverde was that they were frail in the attacking third much less getting it into that final third coupled with the inability to comfortably play it out of the defense. So we looked like a team playing in quick sand, ponderous and lacking any cutting edge, pace or rhythm. Teams just waited to attack once we lost the ball

Now, we push forward with more players and get better scoring chances but expose ourselves due to poor fitness & transition defense - things that are going to be difficult to correct fully in just 3 weeks.