La Liga 2010/11

[Shaggy]

I thought that and then I saw Spain at the World Cup. Most of their games were so tedious.

See I didn't really think so. They struggled for a cutting edge and the passing wasn't as purposeful as usual, but I still preferred watching them to anyone else, as exciting as the Germans were. I could watch Xavi and Iniesta in particular all day.

And agree with PTP too....we've seen plenty of teams get in Barca's faces and press like crazy. Doesn't matter though, Barca just pass it around them regardless. In fact standing off them might well be a better tactic - if you press them hard they just play it around you and you're more exposed.

[The_weatherman]

barca are wonderful too watch - i am now a barcelona fan....liverpool under hodgson can do one

seriously though, i see a few people are saying that teams let barca do this...i totally disagree, sociedad weren't 'that bad' - it's just that this barca team in this form are just unplayable - there is nothing any team out there can do to stop this....they proved that against Real Madrid....

it doesn't matter who you are, how you set yourself up, or what tactics you try - right now, in this form, barca would destroy every single team in the world

I really hope they can last the season and take the double, that would go along way to cement their status as one of the greatest sides ever IMO. Unbelievable talented group, wonder what Mascher is thinking though?

[Fredo]

In fact standing off them might well be a better tactic - if you press them hard they just play it around you and you're more exposed.

We could still hire Hodgson as a consultant when we play them.

[Fredo]

Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen calls Cristiano Ronaldo soccer's biggest diver »

By Jaime Uribarri

Think it’s just opponents, rival fans and jealous haters who can’t stand Cristiano Ronaldo? Let’s add referees to that list.

Outgoing FIFA judge Claus Bo Larsen, who hung up his whistle after Wednesday’s AC Milan-Ajax Champions League game, called the Portugal and Real Madrid star “the most irritating player” in an interview with Ekstra Bladet, of his native Denmark.

Far from avoiding controversy, Larsen didn’t stop there and accused Ronaldo of being a shameless diver.

"He is always out to get a cheap free-kick, especially at home," Larsen said, confirming what everyone who’s ever seen CR7 play already knew.

In case anybody thought that match officials were oblivious to these antics, Larsen made it clear that Ronaldo is widely recognized as a cheater among his referee colleagues. .

"We tended to talk in the referee's room about how he would go down easily. We know not to be biased - but we have to be prepared.”

Classified as a FIFA Top Class Referee, Larsen was widely recognized as one of game’s fairest judges, one who showed cards only when absolutely necessary.

In his 14 years in the game, he never saw a more obvious flopper than Cristiano Ronaldo.

"When he would lie down after failing to win a free-kick, he would smile at me because he knew I didn't fall for his stunts," Larsen said.

Is this assessment fair, exaggerated, out of line? Check out some of Cristiano’s most memorable dives below.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/the...#ixzz1803GTx2g

[Fredo]

Old video but.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=Ixxt3nVORVs#!

[dww]

See I didn't really think so. They struggled for a cutting edge and the passing wasn't as purposeful as usual, but I still preferred watching them to anyone else, as exciting as the Germans were. I could watch Xavi and Iniesta in particular all day.

And agree with PTP too....we've seen plenty of teams get in Barca's faces and press like crazy. Doesn't matter though, Barca just pass it around them regardless. In fact standing off them might well be a better tactic - if you press them hard they just play it around you and you're more exposed.

Barcelona are a lot more entertaining than Spain in my view. I'll admit I haven't watched all the Barca games though.

Not sure that I have watched them in detail enough to know whether pressing or standing off is the best approach. I'd imagine that you would want to have a mixture though as constant pressing would shatter you. I think that perhaps the most important thing is where you get your team to play when in possession. The CL final against Inter was a master class in identifying areas that you are willing to cede possession and concentrating on defending others and looking to break and hold in certain areas too.

The passing of the Spanish team at the WC often felt totally attritional to me.

[Rich]

Spain don't have Messi. No-one on the planet at the moment can so easily beat a player.

[The_weatherman]

Spain don't have Messi. No-one on the planet at the moment can so easily beat a player.

Barca also have Alves at right back who is an important player for them.

[PTP]

I thought that and then I saw Spain at the World Cup. Most of their games were so tedious.

i agree with this - spain almost overly passed teams too death - barca, though it's like a boxer has got his opponent on the ropes and just pummells then with quick sharp bursts and combos, before calmly backing off, dancing round him for a few minutes and then bang bang bang, they go again

Barca just seem a bit more dynamic than spain - but of course they have lionel messi and also dani alves, whose contribution to their attacking shouldn't be overlooked

[PTP]

I really hope they can last the season and take the double, that would go along way to cement their status as one of the greatest sides ever IMO. Unbelievable talented group, wonder what Mascher is thinking though?

i do too - i would love to see it....i've watched them now every week be it in europe or la liga and for the last two months or so, it's just been incredible

I'd love them to go on and continue like this all season....but it's so difficult and u have to think that somewhere along the line they will get caught out (not found out ) by someone or something.

[PTP]

Barca also have Alves at right back who is an important player for them.

i agree with this - spain almost overly passed teams too death - barca, though it's like a boxer has got his opponent on the ropes and just pummells then with quick sharp bursts and combos, before calmly backing off, dancing round him for a few minutes and then bang bang bang, they go again

Barca just seem a bit more dynamic than spain - but of course they have lionel messi and also dani alves, whose contribution to their attacking shouldn't be overlooked

great minds

what is it now...something like 72 goals in 25 games so far this season

[Shaggy]

i agree with this - spain almost overly passed teams too death - barca, though it's like a boxer has got his opponent on the ropes and just pummells then with quick sharp bursts and combos, before calmly backing off, dancing round him for a few minutes and then bang bang bang, they go again

Barca just seem a bit more dynamic than spain - but of course they have lionel messi and also dani alves, whose contribution to their attacking shouldn't be overlooked

That's exactly it. Barca are basically Spain plus the small matter of Messi.

[PTP]

i hate to go on about them....but it's the one thing keeping me interested in football at the moment..

i just sit there laughing when i watch them - last night, was identical to all their recent performances.

God knows how many times say, xavi has the ball going forward, about 40 yards from goal - and villa, messi, iniesta, pedro and alves, all make different runs and you can see that xavi is thinking to himself...."hmm if i slide it through to messi he'll score, if i reverse pass it to villa he'll be through one on one, a little dink will play pedro through, a cheeky nutmeg will send iniesta away.....**** it....thats all far too easy and we are 2-0 up and have only made 17 passes this move, i'll keep hold of it for a couple of seconds, roll it back to busquets so he can have a touch, let all those players reset their positions, get the ball back off busquets, and see what else we can do...."

the amazing thing is....all that in his head happens in an instant...whats more amazing is - all the players listed, you can swap around, so it's messi with the ball, or iniesta etc etc

Messi's 2nd goal was an other example of this....he could have scored anytime he wanted, in an way he wanted, - he could have cut in and bent in the far corner first time, he could have beaten the first man and drilled it bottom corner, or instead, go past the whole back four running across the area, and casually slotting back across the keeper into the far corner

it's magical - it's unstoppable - it's just not football - this is what it's like when we play 5-a-side and one of the lads picks the team so one side is the 5 good players and the other is 5 **** players, and the good players just take the piss until after half hour everyones bored so we mix the teams up -

[The_weatherman]

this is what it's like when we play 5-a-side and one of the lads picks the team so one side is the 5 good players and the other is 5 **** players, and the good players just take the piss until after half hour everyones bored so we mix the teams up -

Ah, I hate that!

[Imy]

Ah, I hate that!

especially when you're picked last for the **** team