credits to casillas for the saves

unlucky barca, keep attackin but cant put the ball into the net. and great saves by casillas. hopefully can win back in ucl!

I think RM had the first half, while we imposed ourselves better in the 2nd half. In the end, our players were tired in the extra time, and Real had plenty of reserved stamina to keep on counter attacking. Honestly though, Real's goal could have been prevented. Our defenders went to sleep.

Glad though, that Pep resisted the temptation to risk Puyol. And am proud of Pinto too. He did well, and at times kinda amusing too. His pawnage on Ade was the best

I just wonder how Pep reacts after this. Its obvious Mou's gonna employ the exactly same tactic. We have to overload their penalty area, no other option. Messi need to be back inside opponent's penalty box. Why do we waste him by playing deep, only to be chased by Pepe and Khedira?

This post has been edited by matyrze: Apr 21 2011, 06:19 AM

Rushing to home after finished my work, managed to watch both extra time. Unfortunately, we lost. I hope we'll get them back in UCL this Wednesday.

There's still 2 more epic Clasicos so all the best.

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.

Anyway, its alright guys. Lets hope we have the final laugh. Visca el barca.

This is what I'm waiting for!!!

BTW, I don't think they'll attack and we'll counter based on our tiki-taka style.
Really hope our captain could make it for last 2 Clasicos.

I think Dani only had problems during this last 2 Clasicos. And his problem may be the outcome of limitation of our tactic. Villa's role is more questionable. Villa shouldn't take the left wing position anymore. It is easy to see, he is right-footed, so most of the time Villa will look to cut inside. Surely anybody can anticipate this. With the 2 layers of defense line, he could be snuffed out quickly, or forced to use his weaker foot.

But for me the most important thing is Pep need to change his mentality a bit. Realize that loosing a bit of possession is desirable to put more sense of adventure into our game. Mou always put men in front of goal, so automatically we have to have men in front of their goal in order to score, which would also mean lesser men in midfield. Yes we are more vulnerable to counterattacks, but we may also have increased chance to score. He just needs to deal with the risk. Instead of instructing Messi to help out midfield, instruct Messi, Villa and Pedro to stay near the pen box. Instruct Xavi and Iniesta to alternate between them to joint the strikers, and instruct Adriano to adopt Alves' trademark run behind defenders to bring more surprise element.

This suggestion is just for countering Mou's tactic. I'm not gonna say that this tactic will work, I'm not the coach after all, but what I try to point out is, we have to have men in front of their goal in order to score, and a lot of them.

Mou's tactic is extraordinarily concentrated on breaking our game, its scandalous. Nowhere I see such defensive line in other matches unless the game involves Mou and Pep's Barca. I say if we are forced to deal with it, we shall take the necessary risk. Throw men forward Pep!

as for me, barca has a very limited gameplay.. which, passing, and attack through the middle.. so, madrid just put 3defensive midfielder in front of their back 4.. so, barca gameplay is to break from the middle is easily being break by madrid...

all pep need is to let messi play from wings & cut inside using his dribling skills.. once messi/bojan create a messy from wings, xavi n iniesta can provide their support through the middle & villa can standby in penalty box to do the finishing... just my 2 cents

hmm. not really.
they didn't play too defensive if you compare with last saturday.
they came out with all guns blazing in the 1st half.
we really had trouble dealing with them.

only in the 2nd half we took control of the match.
and they were pushed back really deep.

---

Added on April 21, 2011, 4:43 pmDIVE maria was a make shift LB just like Etoo last season. Thats how lethal Alves is. He makes teams change their formation and tactics.
I just dont understand why Pedro was moved to the left instead of running circles around Marcelo and Dive Maria with Alves.

I prefer Villa playing on the left actually as our midfielders dont make use of his diagonal runs when he is in the middle.


This post has been edited by barca96: Apr 21 2011, 04:43 PM

I think they also sat deep during the first half. It just that we didn't attack them effectively. We keep losing the ball in midfield, so their defensive gameplay was not obvious. But when we turned it up, the catennacio was for all to see.

Xaviesta may never make use of Villa's diagonal runs. How could they thread their through balls between the 2 layers of defense line? Moreover, if Villa cut inside from the left, he would only meet dead end. As of last night, when cutting inside, Ramos, Arbeloa, Khedira and Xabi might all surround him. The best he could do then was to pass the ball back, or try his luck with his weak left foot. Isn't that a waste of opportunity?

But Villa in the middle can be the fox in the pen box. I think he should do more runs like the one he made against Albiol at Bernabeu. Messi and Iniesta play together in tight spaces just at the edge on the area, Pedro can be the 2nd poacher, pouncing on loose balls.

I just can't envisioned any other tactic to beat the ridiculous wall. As I said, the wall is pretty unusual, and that's an understatement.

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Added on April 21, 2011, 6:02 pmAnd obviously, we should do more of this. More, more, more.



This post has been edited by matyrze: Apr 21 2011, 06:02 PM

i oso have no idea how to beat tiki taka without using extreme approach ...
good game this morning

by the way..i really dislike busquet and masherano
and some of real players acting

really ugly game.. especially on the 1st half

arbeloa can get a red on that...

This post has been edited by tzxsean: Apr 21 2011, 06:22 PM

busquet is well known for his academy award acting. eventhough i love barca but i also really didnt like player like busquet. hoho.

but sumtimes he can be great cb too

This post has been edited by solidsnake_84: Apr 21 2011, 07:35 PM

Why were you contradicting yourself?



Ugh, please cut the dive crap. Diving doesn't happen only in El Clasico. Nor divers are only Barca/Real players. Football is littered with divers. This discussion is pointless like discussing every of Ref's decisions......

...errrrr, yeah I think so too Assuming that you refer to the same incident I have in mind of course

[quote=matyrze,Apr 21 2011, 10:38 AM]
I think Dani only had problems during this last 2 Clasicos. And his problem may be the outcome of limitation of our tactic. Villa's role is more questionable. Villa shouldn't take the left wing position anymore. It is easy to see, he is right-footed, so most of the time Villa will look to cut inside. Surely anybody can anticipate this. With the 2 layers of defense line, he could be snuffed out quickly, or forced to use his weaker foot.

I'M AGREE WITH matyrze, villa should play as top striker, like ibrahimovic score in el clasicos last season, supply by dani, hope villa can score and play like national team, xavi, iniesta, fabregas can pass ball well to villa... c'mon pep, give him back the actual pos, u can see the villa eyes, he really2 hunger to score..more..and...more.... messi as free role, to avoid any man marking and through ball between defender.........

was the stadium full? =P

It sure looked full to me.

We want Nou Mestalla!!
We want Nou Mestalla!!

Well, I think Villa is the most suitable person to break RMA's offside-trap just like he did when he scored 2 back in November.

Move on guys..let's hope Pep is going to do something to encounter their tactics...All the best Barca!

no money la bang.. need to sell more players~~
so Mestalla stadium full for the 1st time?