Two losses in a row, only 3 points ahead of AM and now out of CL, what's gone wrong?
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Barcelona
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- lack of creativity from the midfield - Iniesta doesn't create much, Busquets is the DM and Rakitic is carrying that load and tiring. They've got nothing really from Turan.
- Team's plan B = Messi ... That's a mistake - Suarez/Neymar showed how good Barca can be when they led the team without Messi
What really surprised me yesterday was the team looked so bereft of ideas ... Just like against Madrid, they came off very flat ... As if they were struggling to get motivated ... I wouldn't be surprised if Enrique walks (or is fired if they blow La Liga)
Iniesta looked leggy last night. His touch, movement, speed and execution all looked 20-30% off his peak, which makes him a much more ordinary (relative to world class) proposition.
As much as they've been reliant on the front three for goals, Barca have relied on Iniesta as the orchestrator of the midfield. They just weren't moving the ball quickly enough forward to get behind a mega defensive Atletico side with an under par Iniesta and an industrious but limited Rakitic alongside him. As Wiz mentioned, Turan suddenly looks very ordinary too.
As much as they've been reliant on the front three for goals, Barca have relied on Iniesta as the orchestrator of the midfield. They just weren't moving the ball quickly enough forward to get behind a mega defensive Atletico side with an under par Iniesta and an industrious but limited Rakitic alongside him. As Wiz mentioned, Turan suddenly looks very ordinary too.
Me too. You'd hope that the appeal of being integral to Klopp's project keeps him here.
We wont sell him this summer. Dont think he'll want to leave the first year Klopp is in charge regardless.
We'll probably get quality players in this summer and be a force to reckon with next season.
Barca have been heavily linked with Pogba. If they get him, that's the Iniesta replacement. If not, Coutinho should definitely be on their radar (unfortunately)
If we manage to win the Europa League and bag a Champions League place it'll make a huge difference.
Earlier on in the season they broke the unbeaten run record and a lot of people were asking is the best Barca team there has ever been, and how it was such a close thing between them and Peps team, they have a little wobble and then there's drama in the press. I think they're suffering a little because of squad depth, the front 3 playing too many games, and a change of style, but I presume they'll address that in the summer. They 1 or 2 players to be absolutely amazing again, not a rebuild.
B
bkwitche2
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Yep, Neymar is already courting him.
I was hoping the picture and their form meant Coutinho was trying to brief Neymar here...
Straight swap for Phil
Bit of knee-jerking going on here. An excellent Atletico team caught Barca at a very good time as they look tired and jaded.
Iniesta is still a great player but he's never going to be as effective as he was in the past because this team is built around the front three as opposed to the midfield as it used to be.
I thought Turan was a really strange buy in the summer particularly for the crazy sum of money they paid and it's looking more strange as the season progresses.
They need to stop throwing money away on defenders they're never going to play, get a replacement for Pedro in and an upgrade in midfield if one is available.
Iniesta is still a great player but he's never going to be as effective as he was in the past because this team is built around the front three as opposed to the midfield as it used to be.
I thought Turan was a really strange buy in the summer particularly for the crazy sum of money they paid and it's looking more strange as the season progresses.
They need to stop throwing money away on defenders they're never going to play, get a replacement for Pedro in and an upgrade in midfield if one is available.
Lost again tonight, 2-1 to Valencia.
Messi ended his long drought - 500 goals in La Liga.
They're now even on points (& games) with Atleti, with Real one point back.
Gonna be a cracking few last games.
Messi ended his long drought - 500 goals in La Liga.
They're now even on points (& games) with Atleti, with Real one point back.
Gonna be a cracking few last games.
Messi is not the player he used to be. He may be back to his best, but he may also never be there again.
This has an impact on their team which is built around him. Neymar and Suarez carried the team while Messi was absent, but now he's the focal again, but he's not delivering the goods.
Their defence has always been shit, but the frontline and midfield used to cover for them, and regain possession almost immediately after losing it. Today this was clearly not the case.
Valencia did not seem to fear them anymore. And the same thing happened with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad all beating Barcelona within two weeks.
If this is not a crisis then I don't know what is. It's a big test for Messi, Enrique and the rest of them.
This has an impact on their team which is built around him. Neymar and Suarez carried the team while Messi was absent, but now he's the focal again, but he's not delivering the goods.
Their defence has always been shit, but the frontline and midfield used to cover for them, and regain possession almost immediately after losing it. Today this was clearly not the case.
Valencia did not seem to fear them anymore. And the same thing happened with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad all beating Barcelona within two weeks.
If this is not a crisis then I don't know what is. It's a big test for Messi, Enrique and the rest of them.
After losing to UD Palmas on his debut, Pako has now beaten Sevilla and Barcelona in his last 2 games as Valencia boss. Nice bounce there. Coincidentally, the Valencia-Villarreal game is sandwiched by the EL semi finals. Pako be doing us some favours exhausting them hopefully.
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Come back Luis. Stop doing this to yourself.
Come back and win titles together.
Come back and win titles together.
Teams such as Barca and Real generally have the pick of the cream. Before just glibly saying 'Barca/Real will be in for him this Summer' we also need to look at their other options - and there are plenty.
Almost no rotation the last two seasons.
When it comes down to Suarez I believe that Barcelona want to cash in on him. If we want him then we will get him IMO. I'm sure that money won't stop a possible deal. If they wanted him to stay then they would have offered him a new deal by now.
They have offered Neymar and Suarez new deals and they earn a lot of sponsorship money thanks to them something they don't do on Suarez.
When it comes down to Suarez I believe that Barcelona want to cash in on him. If we want him then we will get him IMO. I'm sure that money won't stop a possible deal. If they wanted him to stay then they would have offered him a new deal by now.
They have offered Neymar and Suarez new deals and they earn a lot of sponsorship money thanks to them something they don't do on Suarez.
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