[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=33787.msg878491#msg878491 date=1243619139]
[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=33787.msg878465#msg878465 date=1243616580]
[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=33787.msg877944#msg877944 date=1243544130]
[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=33787.msg877899#msg877899 date=1243539287]
Highly irrelevent and hypothetical but Gerry Francis has just claimed they wouldn't finish top of the Prem. Which is fair enough, but then he went on to explain his view. "...even Stoke away would cause them problems." cue the presenter to say "Even Arsene Wenger said he couldn't live with Stoke". Francis then added "They'd probably finish in and around the top 3 or 4". Give it a rest. They'd wipe the floor with Stoke, displace Arsenal with ease and would be extremely close to the top of the prem if not the winners.
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I'm really not sure they would wipe the floor with Stoke. Sides who defend in numbers and are physically aggressive tend to unhinge Barcelona (cf United last season, Chelsea this season, Liverpool the season before last). Granted, Stoke aren't as good at defending as those teams, but the idea that Barca would 'walk' the PL just because they beat United in that final is bollocks, frankly. They'd challenge - I don't think you can say more than that.
EDIT: just seen that your last line doesn't say they'd win it. But in that case you're not really disagreeing with Gerry Francis, are you?
[/quote]
Ha yeah I suppose I'm not disagreeing with him too much. My point was really that he was demeaning Barca's achievements and some of the best players I've seen in my life time. The only way it seems to stop this Barca side is to adopt an all out defensive approach like Chelsea did. Chelsea have some of the greatest defenders and midfielders in the world, and any side would find it difficult if they put 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes. I don't think Barca would have any problem breaking down Stoke. I'd fancy them for 1st or 2nd in our league. They're streets ahead of Arsenal and I'd imagine better at breaking down teams than us and Chelsea.
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Yeah, but in spite of that they might actually struggle defensively with Delap's throws. Sometimes the simplest tactics can upset the most sophisticated teams.
I also think their current team might struggle physically if English referees were in charge.
[/quote]
I suppose so, but there are also a lot of physical teams in the Spanish league. I think they'd cope quite well with it. They're tougher than Arsenal and are better technically.
Interestingly on the SkySports site there's a discussion between Cundy and Graham Hunter on this very same topic.
[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=33787.msg878465#msg878465 date=1243616580]
[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=33787.msg877944#msg877944 date=1243544130]
[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=33787.msg877899#msg877899 date=1243539287]
Highly irrelevent and hypothetical but Gerry Francis has just claimed they wouldn't finish top of the Prem. Which is fair enough, but then he went on to explain his view. "...even Stoke away would cause them problems." cue the presenter to say "Even Arsene Wenger said he couldn't live with Stoke". Francis then added "They'd probably finish in and around the top 3 or 4". Give it a rest. They'd wipe the floor with Stoke, displace Arsenal with ease and would be extremely close to the top of the prem if not the winners.
[/quote]
I'm really not sure they would wipe the floor with Stoke. Sides who defend in numbers and are physically aggressive tend to unhinge Barcelona (cf United last season, Chelsea this season, Liverpool the season before last). Granted, Stoke aren't as good at defending as those teams, but the idea that Barca would 'walk' the PL just because they beat United in that final is bollocks, frankly. They'd challenge - I don't think you can say more than that.
EDIT: just seen that your last line doesn't say they'd win it. But in that case you're not really disagreeing with Gerry Francis, are you?
[/quote]
Ha yeah I suppose I'm not disagreeing with him too much. My point was really that he was demeaning Barca's achievements and some of the best players I've seen in my life time. The only way it seems to stop this Barca side is to adopt an all out defensive approach like Chelsea did. Chelsea have some of the greatest defenders and midfielders in the world, and any side would find it difficult if they put 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes. I don't think Barca would have any problem breaking down Stoke. I'd fancy them for 1st or 2nd in our league. They're streets ahead of Arsenal and I'd imagine better at breaking down teams than us and Chelsea.
[/quote]
Yeah, but in spite of that they might actually struggle defensively with Delap's throws. Sometimes the simplest tactics can upset the most sophisticated teams.
I also think their current team might struggle physically if English referees were in charge.
[/quote]
I suppose so, but there are also a lot of physical teams in the Spanish league. I think they'd cope quite well with it. They're tougher than Arsenal and are better technically.
Interestingly on the SkySports site there's a discussion between Cundy and Graham Hunter on this very same topic.
