Luis Enrique

[serghei]

The thing is, Chelsea is definitely our Achilles heel and with Matic not cup tied this year they can have a very well functioning bus-tactic. Matic-Ramires double pivot, Cesc in the middle flanked by Schurrle/Hazard, and Costa in his incredible form up top. Not to mention the back line. They play to our weaknesses with the physicality and counters. Chelsea and Barca are the two most on form elite teams in Europe right now, it'll take the entire first half of the season to gauge who is playing at the higher level.

They might play a 4-2-3-1 on paper, but if I think about how Chelsea played us in the past, that 4-2-3-1 on paper will probably look like a 4-5-1 on practice. So, I can see Costa being izolated in a game against us. The thing is Hazard and Schurrle are not the kind of players to do intense defensive work. In 2012, when they played us, they used Ramires as the wide AM and Obi Mikel in the center, along with Meireles and Lampard (also great in defence). Right now, they play with a lot of attacking players, like Schurrle, Fabregas and Hazard, players that are very weak on defence, compared with Meireles/Lampard/Obi Mikel/Ramires/Mata. Sure, they will be tough, but they seem to be less defensive based than in the past. Hell, in recent period they have been outscoring teams, a la Barcelona, instead of defending a tinny lead until the end. Their dinamic as a team seems to be changing, and that is in our favour. Maybe they will come back to the bus tactic once they meet a team they can't dominate, but even if they do that, their squad right now isn't as suited for a bus-tactic as it was in the past. They look great in offence, but not that impressive in defence. They received like 5 goals against Everton and Swansea.

 

[darthvader7888]

The thing is, Chelsea is definitely our Achilles heel and with Matic not cup tied this year they can have a very well functioning bus-tactic. Matic-Ramires double pivot, Cesc in the middle flanked by Schurrle/Hazard, and Costa in his incredible form up top. Not to mention the back line. They play to our weaknesses with the physicality and counters. Chelsea and Barca are the two most on form elite teams in Europe right now, it'll take the entire first half of the season to gauge who is playing at the higher level.

And Mou's bus will be a lot tougher than Di Matteo's. We won't create 41614636 chances this time (though we will have Suarez and Neymar to finish the chances we do get this time around). I really hope someone else takes care of Chelsea for us.

They might play a 4-2-3-1 on paper, but if I think about how Chelsea played us in the past, that 4-2-3-1 on paper will probably look like a 4-5-1 on practice. So, I can see Costa being izolated in a game against us. The thing is Hazard and Schurrle are not the kind of players to do intense defensive work. In 2012, when they played us, they used Ramires as the wide AM and Obi Mikel in the center, along with Meireles and Lampard (also great in defence). Right now, they play with a lot of attacking players, like Schurrle, Fabregas and Hazard, players that are very weak on defence, compared with Meireles/Lampard/Obi Mikel/Ramires/Mata. Sure, they will be tough, but they seem to be less defensive based than in the past. Hell, in recent period they have been outscoring teams, a la Barcelona, instead of defending a tinny lead until the end. Their dinamic as a team seems to be changing, and that is in our favour. Maybe they will come back to the bus tactic once they meet a team they can't dominate, but even if they do that, their squad right now isn't as suited for a bus-tactic as it was in the past. They look great in offence, but not that impressive in defence. They received like 5 goals against Everton and Swansea.

I'm sure they'll revert to 9-0-1 against stronger teams. It's Mourinho after all. Against us, I wouldn't be surprised to see him replace guys like Fabregas, Hazard and Schurrle with DMs like what he did against Atletico last season

 

[pacp_96]

Agreed. Chelsea would be tough to beat. Still think we could come out on top but it would be tight. They've improved in pretty much every area they needed to this summer. Hopefully someone else beats them before us.

 

[Sid90]

Luis Enrique: "People should get used to rotations. I want to use the whole group, it's my style. You can judge me at the end of the season"

BOSS.

 

[Barcaman]

I do hope he continues with it. La Masia boys brought Barca the best of times.
And when the rest of the kids see Munir, Sandro or Samper playing it only gets them more motivated to make it.
Whistles against Apoel are small price to pay.

 

[barcanuck]

Lucho picks his spots well so far. Apoel at the camp nou is the perfect opportunity to try 9 changes. Could of back fired but it didn't and Samper was amazing.

 

[Richard.H]

Absolutely love his rotations. They are true barca style, unlike tata rotations which were just rotations on the older players

 

[serghei]

Rotations are good as long as you win the game. It doesn't matter how you win it, as long as you do. But if you make rotations and don't win the game, then that's a problem.

 

[Ghostmaster]

Lucho picks his spots well so far. Apoel at the camp nou is the perfect opportunity to try 9 changes. Could of back fired but it didn't and Samper was amazing.

I don't really like it, 9 changes are too extreme especially in CL where aren't so many matches to fix your mistakes and it almost backfired if not for Ter Stegen.

 

[DonAK]

We're playing 3 matches in 8 days now. I think the rotations were fine.

 

[Alik]

Come end of the season, our players will hopefully not be as exhausted as in the past.

 

[amircule]

https://vine.co/v/OW6A5h0U2Qv

 

[serghei]

I don't really like it, 9 changes are too extreme especially in CL where aren't so many matches to fix your mistakes and it almost backfired if not for Ter Stegen.

I didn't like it either.

 

[xavi_the_Boss]

We have 3 matches in 7 days now.It was fine to give some a rest and Samper his debut.

 

[Icarium]

We have 4 matches in coming 10 days and the last of the four is PSG away. This is the best match to give starters rest. These are crucial 10 days to put some considerable gap in La Liga and cementing our 1st place in UCL group. I would not have been surprised if messi was benched too. With no Suarez it makes it impossible to bench messi with lack of depth upfront.

Edit: Make it 5 in 13 days. Lot of matches . Winning all of them would be slightly difficult. I will be very happy with 4 wins and 1 draw.