The Barcelona v Real Madrid thread

[Shaggy]

we all have some inherent bias but it doesnt stop you looking at a situation from all sides.

those two seem unable to do that.

also if i said one downside of barcas play is that its over elaborate and no plan b am i biased against barca?

the downside to JM plan when RM got humped earlier in the season? is that biased agains RM? if it is then rudo and perkins are biased against madrid

so how is saying that the tactics JM employed in last nights game also has its downsides?

Exactly.

Barca have their faults - three or four habitual divers, a holier-than-thou attitude and an occasional tendency to infuriatingly overplay (I will never forget that infuriating semi against the Mancs a few years ago when they passed them to death without scoring before a Scholes screamer dragged United through somehow).

But then we can all see that and all bar two of us can see it objectively.

[Rudo]

Hope Barca have the sense to wrap Lionel up in cotton wool before the final.

Imagine he missed it, jesus.

[danperkins]

I dont disagree with much of that. I'm not sure if the game was going to end 0-0 like you're so sure, with Messi on the park capable of what he is, you can never be sure he isnt just going to produce a piece of genius and score.

I agree that it's very difficult to play any other way against Barca, sure Arsenal beat them but they got away with a peno not given and a legit barca goal wrongly ruled out, which would have sent the teams into HT with Barca 2-0 up and well in control.

Re the red card, i again agree with you about the play acting, but it was Pepe who decided to go in with his studs showing and over the top of the ball - Alves didnt make him do that. What Pepe did was dangerous play, contact made or not, and that's a red card. And he plays in La Liga where refs tend to stamp down on that kind of tackle, so it's not like he doesnt know how the land lies.

Regarding the tactics, i'm sure the objective for Madrid was 0-0 and they were on course for that (they sure as hell werent cruising though), so maybe they may have got their 0-0. They'd have still gone to the Nou Camp and had their arses handed to them on a plate, because even if they'd got away with it the other night in the Bernebeu, you dont stifle and hold off Barcelona for 3 hours of football. At some point, they're gonna score, especially if your tactic is to stand off them, let them have the ball and invite them onto you.

Fair post and i agree with most of that, apart from the red card. IMO it was a yellow but of course it's always up for debate. The reaction got him sent off IMO plus the swarm of Barca players constantly surrounding the ref.

And although i wouldn't say Madrid are great defensively, they have improved dramitically as a unit since the 5-0 drubbing. When cristiano ronaldo is working hard to get back and defend you know somethings up. And maybe your right, maybe Barca would have beat them in the Nou Camp, but if Madrid took it there at 0-0. surely it's fair to say that Madrid with the players they have could have nicked an away goal or two?

I am of the opinion that if you go out to play for play against barca, you will get dicked. They are too good and will pick you apart, IMO Mourinho knew what he was doing and what way to approach the game, it may have been disgusting to watch but before the sending off Barca didn't get a sniff, all changed with the 10 men and the genius that is Messi.

Anyways we'll never know what might have been, hopefully Madrid go for broke and we get a goal fest either, will they do that? Probably not

[danperkins]

Hope Barca have the sense to wrap Lionel up in cotton wool before the final.

Imagine he missed it, jesus.

Would be devastated

[Shaggy]

One thing no-one can disagree with, in what's been a ****, dull football season, Barca-Real is ****ing huge and gets people talking. Football theatre at its best, even when it is reduced to a Mourinho-inspired nark-fest.

[Rowan]

just what this thread needs a rafa v maureen debate

interestingly i think a debate could be informative, probably best avoided though

I had no idea why there was a huge Rafa post there. But then I saw Arn's name and it all became clear

I've even less of an idea how anyone can even think to try and justify the tactics Madrid adopted yesterday. It's all a bit 'we know we spent an hour kicking them but we really, really wanted to attack them for the last five minutes, honest guv'.

And I don't care if it was stifling tactics. They made a spectators sport, and one steeped in history at that, the crudest most un entertaining hours tv of the week. Madrid should have their tv money taken of them and Morinho should be fined for trying to ruin my Wednesday night.

And while I'm on it. Marky, your post comparing and contrasting yours and Dan's opinions was the gayest thing I've ever read. Comically poster love in!

[Arn]

Barcelona had big defensive problems. Many players missing. That means that you can hurt them if you got players like Benzema, Higuain, Kaka, Özil and Ronaldo. If you attack them.

Add that Iniesta was missing and you can press the midfield and take Xavi out of the game. Another weakness Mourinho didn't use to his advantage.

Instead he made Barcelona stronger using a very negative tactic and his team weaker because many of the players are attack minded players, not defensive minded.

All you can do is laugh at Mourinho and his tactics. He got more or less everything wrong.

[CJ]

I had no idea why there was a huge Rafa post there. But then I saw Arn's name and it all became clear

I've even less of an idea how anyone can even think to try and justify the tactics Madrid adopted yesterday. It's all a bit 'we know we spent an hour kicking them but we really, really wanted to attack them for the last five minutes, honest guv'.

And I don't care if it was stifling tactics. They made a spectators sport, and one steeped in history at that, the crudest most un entertaining hours tv of the week. Madrid should have their tv money taken of them and Morinho should be fined for trying to ruin my Wednesday night.

And while I'm on it. Marky, your post comparing and contrasting yours and Dan's opinions was the gayest thing I've ever read. Comically poster love in!

very audley harrison when he was fighting standing there against haye.

no one believed him when he said it either

[Rudo]

What i don't get with the whole red card fiasco - why Jose wink and sarcastically say to the linno well done, when it was the Ref that sent Pepe off?

[danperkins]

Compared with Mourinho Rafa is a super attacking manager. He would never bench Benzema, Higuain and Kaka at the same time against Barcelona and try and nick the game. Not even against a full strength Barcelona.

The FACT is that Rafa is excellent getting the best out attacking players and Mourinho isn't. Mourinho is excellent getting the defensive tactics right but his teams have never played entertaining football.

Look at the way we played the 2008-09 season. That is the kind of football Mourinho will never dream of his team playing week in week out. Look at the way Rafa wanted to change Inter. To play more attacking instead the boring negative effective football Mourinho played. Look at how much better Eto'o played with Rafa as manager. He got the best out of him something Mourinho failed big time.

When it comes down to tactics Mourinho isn't even close to be as good as Rafa. You can also yet again read that some of his players are getting tired of his negative tactics.

If you don't play attacking football at home against all the teams in the world then you are finished at Real. Bye, bye Jose.

Real is a club that want to play attacking football in every game. They want to be THE team out there. THE team that entertain. They don't want to look like a team that scrape home 1-0 wins. Either you do it the Real way or you get sacked. Mourinho will most probably soon find that out.

Bye, bye Mourinho. The Real fans won't miss you a bit. If you read the comments today from their fans then their are embarrassed and ashamed by the way Mourinho made the team play. The difference between Real Madrid and Barcelona have probably never been bigger.

Barcelona are better than Real at everything on the pitch. Best defence and attack. Best midfield. Best entertainers. Best pass and move football.

Real have excellent players that would be able to match Barcelona if they had an attacked minded manager.

I wonder how long time it will take before Villas Boas joins them?

What have i done

[Rich]

What i don't get with the whole red card fiasco - why Jose wink and sarcastically say to the linno well done, when it was the Ref that sent Pepe off?

Are you sure that's all you don't get?!

[Rudo]

Are you sure that's all you don't get?!

[danperkins]

Anyways think it's best to knock this on the head haven't been dran into **** like this for long time, two fantastic teams in an embarrassing game, apart from Messi the genius, night folks.

[Rudo]

Shaggy, who's your top 5 Barca players of all time?

[CJ]

What i don't get with the whole red card fiasco - why Jose wink and sarcastically say to the linno well done, when it was the Ref that sent Pepe off?

i dont have time to list everything "you dont get"

but wasnt it the 4th official?