We Cules have heard it all. We heard people scoffed Barca's passing game as boring and ineffective, especially whenever Barca failed to beat a defensive team. We heard defensive tactics being hailed as the 'masterful tactic'. The coaches who deployed the tactic were hailed as tactical genius, and Pep, who have always tried to play the game as it should be played, was said to be outwitted by the 'insightful' nature of defensive tactic. Meanwhile, whenever Cules tried to glorify Barca's great style, we were called 'arrogant', 'bad losers', and 'don't have the slightest of clue about football'.

But now we have full backing from honorary President of Real Madrid himself. Can you imagine? A legend of Real Madrid is in awe with our team. Let us leave to rot, the negative football with its 'creative, great in its own way' slogan, and hail the great attacking football!

I think I'm going to put the article in the first page for next season. It's too precious to just let it lost in an LYN thread

Well, i think we had our fair share of chances and it might have went either way, but i shall not take credit away from madrid because they played well too, being organized at the back and casillas was big for them too.

They always 3 men trying to close down and challenge the player with the ball at every chance so to break our passing rhythm just like inter did to us last year and i have to say, it works. Look at our 1st half performance. In the 2nd half they let off the pressuring a little bit and also we tried to move the ball around more quickly then we started creating chances, which drew save after save from iker, and also the inches offside pedro goal.

And everytime they snatch the ball they try to launch a quick counterattack. Had they took their chances we might not even be playing extra time.

I really think there are 2 players who needs to man up and live up to their names, namely dani and villa. For the past 2 games, villa has not taken his chances well enough to threaten casillas, although he did win us a penalty in the last game. On the other hand, dani, well, defensively he made a few important tackles for us today but on the offensive side i think marcelo and di maria sort of had the upper hand. I think maybe we can employ pedro to divert some attention off dani, then maybe spaces will open up on the right flank.

Then again, this is just my opinion. We still have a good chance in the UCL semis, where it really matters. Hopefully we score first and i would like to see the reverse in roles where they attack and we counter.

Last but not least, i hope puyol can be back for us for the remainder two matches. Our makeshift defence was not too bad but against madrid i would very much prefer the presence and stability of our capitan.