The backline a problem?

[Ursegor]

I didn't rewatch the game but my first impression is that our backline got killed with simple long balls. If I remember correctly Pepe randomly hoofed the ball up and got himself an assist.

We had Adriano, Alba and Mascherano out there. The tallest of them is Mascherano: 174 cm. Real Madrid's attackers on the other hand: Ronaldo: 186 cm. Higuain: 184 cm. Özil: 183 cm, Di Maria: 180 cm. Pique is the only one taller than them but he can only cover 1 out of those 4 and Busquets sucks in the air ... Every random long ball Alonso, Ramos and Pepe pulled ended at a Real Madrid attacker's feet. They completely avoided the midfield battle and targeted our backline. Which is small and weak. We are missing not only the height of Puyol and Abidal but also the steel they used to provide at the back. Alba looks great for Spain because he has cover. Alonso, Ramos, Arbeloa, Pique. At Barcelona he only has Pique. This is a huge problem in my opinion, unless Song quickly turns into a world class centreback.

Your opinions?

 

[Deco 20]

It seemed like we lacked speed, I mean we can't leave Pique alone with Ronaldo and let them run for the ball, there's only one possible outcome

 

[mittchan82]

Our defense lacks speed (Dani is not a defender, per say) and that's why we are so vulnerable to the counter-attacking teams. Our D is high as Cheech and Chong after their bong hitting marathon and we don't have the speed to cover the long ball counters (like the first goal tonight).
I know everyone will be talking about how we need a fast CB, but Puyol and Pique are not that fast and the team came up with an strategy to cover thank chink in our armor.
Let's see how Tito can come back from this defeat and better the defense. It's still too early to judge our beloved boys.
Also, VV made a huge blunder in the first leg and it led to us handing over the trophy today. But let's not get on the bandwagon of bashing VV, since I'm sure he feels like total loser without anyone else telling him we lost because of him.
It's only a Super Cup and the season just started. Let's keep our faith in our boys.

 

[Flavia]

Masch is a monster, but sometimes it gets evident he is not a cb. Song was great today and all, but I think a world class cb should had be bought instead of him.

 

[HerpDerp]

I was really pissed when they started to pass like mad with their defenders inviting us to press. When we did it, Pepe hoofed the ball over our defence with WAY too much ease.

That was the perfect demonstration why we sucked so bad.

 

[hellsangel1]

Mascherano does not lack speed as could be witnessed when he made the last ditch tackle to deny Higuain,in fact speed is Mascherano's biggest asset. It's his positioning that is the problem at times with him and he gets away with it due to his pace which he uses to make recovery tackles. But you're not a world class defender if you rely on last ditch tackles to save your ass. This is what seperates the great from the rest and why the likes of Puyol, Nesta and Maldini could still play at a high level in their 30's due to their superior positioning skills..........

 

[FiReFTW]

I have been saying this for 1 year, we really needed a good CB this summer, this will haunt us im afraid.

 

[PhilS]

Last Wednesday was just an early season exception. That's how I have to think, since that type of defense wins no trophies, and might not even get to the CL. We've seen those guys play great, we'll see that again today.

 

[Meitux]

missing the 1.78 height of puyol? he is a kind of cannavaro who are both short but very powerfull in the air and mascherano will never be one kind like them,about the thing of speed i dont know any really tall player like pique who is 1,92 to be fast with so big body maybe thiago silva is fast and sergio ramos who are both 1,83 really smaller than pique.Anyway we cant continue with this defense anymore we need to buy a world class defender cause ok mascherano is good but he sometimes make vital mistakes in big games,puyol is starting to aging and getting injured pretty often so buying a good tall center back is more important and they didnt even think about it this summer and this will be proved costly

 

[Barcaman]

Vs. Celtic Alba really couldn't compete for that ball. The other goal our line was high but that's not really an excuse.

 

[xaviniesta]

alba was like the only one in defence who could cope with celtic attackers. if you want to say bad words about the corner situation be my guess, although i think it was more of titos mistake to put jordi there isolated against a bigger player. but other that that he was a beast like he always is, recovered many ball, good anticipation, good energy. thats all a defender needs actually.


song and masch on the other hand were raelly poor. dani and marc OK.

 

[raskolnikov]

We need height and speed in a central defender.
With alves/pique/puyol/alba and busi in front of them im much more confident in the defense but its still a liability cause of the injuries, they need to buy a cb not negelect defence and only focus on Neymar.

 

[89Norcal]

We need height and speed in a central defender.
With alves/pique/puyol/alba and busi in front of them im much more confident in the defense but its still a liability cause of the injuries, they need to buy a cb not negelect defence and only focus on Neymar.

It was a focus on forwards in general and our midfield, I dont think we made a serious effort to obtain Neymar as of yet. Instead it was Alexis and Fabregas that took priority.

 

[Meitux]

the title of the topic is hilarious,the backline is our biggest problem since last year propably and it will continue if we dont sign a world class cb,you know i just dont give a shit about money spend on it but just buy someone now

 

[Arachnid]

i think it was more of titos mistake to put jordi there isolated against a bigger player.

Not like we had many options there, Celtic's got plenty of tall guys, we had, what? Bartra and Song? It's not just Alba being outmuscled, everyone else was.