Luis Enrique
- Thread starter Barcaman
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aaron101
Active member
They can't press like what they did on the first half of the season simply because of fatigue. They are clearly not playing at 100% simply to conserve energy. That's the reason why we don't have injuries. Lucho knows when to use that energy and when to play 100%. Once everyone gets rest and we play against a top team in Champions League, we will see the ruthless pressing again.
Blaugrana Bull
HiiiPoWeR
That has nothing to do with fatigue. It is because our pressing under Lucho is never "ruthless". Our pressing and counter pressing peak, if you want to call it like that, was under Pep. He is also the reason Bayern is the best in that department right now.
aaron101
Active member
Of course it does. When you press, you exert energy. Do you really think they can press every game the whole season? We've been playing every 3 days for months now. Maybe I used a wrong term when I said ruthless. The right word should be "intense pressing". Fatigue + Not playing 100% (conserving energy) is the reason behind it.
TornAndFrayed
Banned
No it's not. Tactics is the reason behind it.
We actually don't have to deal with "our pressing sucks because we're fatigued" situation.
We actually don't have to deal with "our pressing sucks because we're fatigued" situation.
Blaugrana Bull
HiiiPoWeR
Do not mix up tactics with fitness issues. Fatigue does influence how the players move of course but it has nothing to do with our pressing approach.
aaron101
Active member
Well, I gotta agree with the tactics. I think it's a combination of what I said and that. We don't have to press that much against weaker teams simply because we don't really need to. This is where Lucho is really good. He's good at getting the results and keeping our players fit with his rotation and subs. I''m also impressed on how quick he can adapt and solve things on the 2nd half to win the games. I really hope he stays longer than Pep.
footyfan
Calma, calma
The pressing against Pep's Bayern last season in the semis was the best I've seen from Barca. And that was against a team that is fantastic in possession. Pep's Barca never had to deal with another adept possession team.
In general, pressing is not just tactics, it's also game management and fatigue related. But you're right, the pressing under Lucho is never as consistently "ruthless" as it was under Pep. And that's because Lucho's team does not mind letting the other team have the ball. Against Pep's Bayern, they pressed so much because it was the most important game of the season and bypassing their brilliant midfield was the key to allowing MSN to flourish.
Edit: Coincidentally, I saw a clip recently of one pressing sequence against Bayern:
https://streamable.com/m6d8
Last edited:
Vlom
Previously known as Mehssi
Exactly, there was less chance of Bayern losing the ball than against other teams, hence the brutal pressing, in other occasions, we let the opponent go up the pitch to try and provoke (deadly) counters.
Lucho isn't obsessed with possession like Pep was/is.
FCBarca
Mike the Knife
This is true but it's also true that Bayern is stronger this season than last owing both to the emergence of Costa but the reinforcements of Ribery & Robben. I would prefer meeting them in a Final than another tie, not sure I could handle the stress of facing them over 2 legs again
F
Flavia
Guest
Out
Douglas is "the king" of not being selected in the squad
Rotations are important but some players are left out of the squad more often than others
Esther Blasco | 3.3.2016 | 12:22h.
Rotations form part of the routine necessary to create a squad that can reach the end of the season in good physical form. Luis Enrique occasionally uses them with his 11 starters. However there are some players that are left out of the squad more often than others.
Along with goalkeeper Jordi Masip, who has only come into the squad four times, thanks to injury to Claudio Bravo, defender Douglas and striker Sandro have been left out more often than others in La Liga - not for suspension or injury reasons.
The clearest clase is Douglas, who has not been picked 13 times by the coach. The other 10 times he was left out was because of injury. He has only been picked four times. The club tried to find an exit for him in January but culd not reach an agreeement with any other club.
Sandro too, has not been able to win the coach's trust. The Canarian has spent eight games left out entirely. The club opened the doors to Tottenham to sign him, but the Premier League side did not like Barcelona's buy-back fee clause and the deal broke.
Barta, special case
Marc Bartra deserves a special mention. He's been left out five times, most recently for the game against Rayo Vallecano.
A problem for him is being left out of the most important squads, like the games against Real and Atletico Madrid. Until now the player has not given up, knowing Luis Enrique did not want him to leave in January. However, he's conscious of being the team's fifth option at centre-back, behind Pique, Mascherano, Vermaelen and Mathieu.
1. Douglas 13
2. Sandro 8
3. Adriano 5
4. Bartra 5
5. Vermaelen 3
6. Piqué 2
7. Mascherano 1
8. Mathieu 1
9. Alba 1
10. S. Roberto 1
11. Munir 1
Douglas is "the king" of not being selected in the squad
Rotations are important but some players are left out of the squad more often than others
Esther Blasco | 3.3.2016 | 12:22h.
Rotations form part of the routine necessary to create a squad that can reach the end of the season in good physical form. Luis Enrique occasionally uses them with his 11 starters. However there are some players that are left out of the squad more often than others.
Along with goalkeeper Jordi Masip, who has only come into the squad four times, thanks to injury to Claudio Bravo, defender Douglas and striker Sandro have been left out more often than others in La Liga - not for suspension or injury reasons.
The clearest clase is Douglas, who has not been picked 13 times by the coach. The other 10 times he was left out was because of injury. He has only been picked four times. The club tried to find an exit for him in January but culd not reach an agreeement with any other club.
Sandro too, has not been able to win the coach's trust. The Canarian has spent eight games left out entirely. The club opened the doors to Tottenham to sign him, but the Premier League side did not like Barcelona's buy-back fee clause and the deal broke.
Barta, special case
Marc Bartra deserves a special mention. He's been left out five times, most recently for the game against Rayo Vallecano.
A problem for him is being left out of the most important squads, like the games against Real and Atletico Madrid. Until now the player has not given up, knowing Luis Enrique did not want him to leave in January. However, he's conscious of being the team's fifth option at centre-back, behind Pique, Mascherano, Vermaelen and Mathieu.
1. Douglas 13
2. Sandro 8
3. Adriano 5
4. Bartra 5
5. Vermaelen 3
6. Piqué 2
7. Mascherano 1
8. Mathieu 1
9. Alba 1
10. S. Roberto 1
11. Munir 1
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