Barca...........

[Rudo]

The reason to why they have so much possession is down to their defence. When they lose the ball they chase you down like hungry ants and take the ball back very quickly.

Would Masch make it as a central defender in any other team? Probably not but he is an excellent central defender in their defensive system.

Their defensive system isn't much about tackling. It is down to excellent movement off the ball and Kuyt type hard work by the whole team.

Yeah i know what you're saying and i'm not doubting Barca's worth ethic to go with their obvious ability but at the same time when you've players like Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi to name but 4...players that can keep the ball for fun, it doesn't half take the pressure off the defence.

Their ball retention also tires out the opposition - chasing shadows all game so when a rare opportunity to attack em comes about, they're that shattered they can't always take advantage as much as they would in other games.

[Craig_H]

Pressing is a big part of defending.

That is the key bit that made us the number one in Europe a few years ago.

We also pressed teams all over the pitch. The difference being that they have excellent creative players in every position.

We had a lot of hard workers that could do the pressing bit but lacked creativity. We had much possession but not the creative players to make the possession effective.

Barcelona have the world class creative players to make the possession effective.

I agree with every word there mate. But when you said "it's their defence", the automatic assumption is that you were meaning their back four. It's their defending And specifically, their pressing, which is sublime.

And yes, we did similar (although, not to the same level, i'd say) under Rafa.

[CJ]

maybe its a nuance that arn not having english as his first language isnt aware of when we talk of defending and defence.

also while barca dont have to defend it means they need to really concentrate which can be just as difficult just in a different way

[Arn]

Imagine if we would have had a player like Suarez on the left attacking position in a 4-2-3-1 a few years ago.

----------------Xabi--------Masch----------
-------Kuyt---------Gerrard------Suarez-------
---------------------Torres-------------------

Scary isn't it? One player away from being a top class attacking team.

We didn't had a Suarez after Garcia left so we lacked creativity the last third. We still had a lot of possession but lacked the players Barcelona now have to make it effective.

[Craig_H]

Not sure Kuyt's quite at the level of Gerrard, Suarez, Alonso, Torres etc at their peak but yes, it does look formidable.

[Rudo]

Kuyt would be the Pedro of that team, unfashionable but productive

[Arn]

What also makes Barcelona great is they can also now play the ugly game.

Look at how they played against Real Madrid. They played the ugly bit even better than they did.

Barcelona usually don't play that way but they showed in the games against Real that they can play act, moan at the ref and so on.

They usually as I said don't do that but decided to show that they can play that way if they want to.

English teams could bully them a few years ago. They can't do that now. Barcelona will bully you back.

Sure they have Busquets and Alves that play acts a lot but the rest of the team don't do that.

They are the complete team now.

Why did they sign Masch? What would have happened if Real would have signed him? They couldn't take that risk. Masch is one of the very few players out there that could take a player like Xavi out of the game, or Messi.

No surprise that he played against United. he took Rooney out of the game. He created one chance in the whole game.

That is what Masch could do against top class players and he did that very often for us.

Masch was another piece in the puzzle. A player that made them even more complete.

[Maxiedge]

To beat them you'll need 2 very good defensive midfielders, a splash of big man upfront and a drizzle of specialist set piece taker.

Maybe we'll have all four next season

[Pablo]

Kuyt would be the Pedro of that team, unfashionable but productive

LOL @ Pedro being "unfashionable"

[Rudo]

LOL @ Pedro being "unfashionable"

but you know what i mean pablo. he's probably not the most skillful or silky of players but he can fairly knock the goals in and is always in the right place at the right time.
them kinda players are wort their weight in gold.

[CJ]

What also makes Barcelona great is they can also now play the ugly game.

Look at how they played against Real Madrid. They played the ugly bit even better than they did.

Barcelona usually don't play that way but they showed in the games against Real that they can play act, moan at the ref and so on.

They usually as I said don't do that but decided to show that they can play that way if they want to.

English teams could bully them a few years ago. They can't do that now. Barcelona will bully you back.

Sure they have Busquets and Alves that play acts a lot but the rest of the team don't do that.

They are the complete team now.

Why did they sign Masch? What would have happened if Real would have signed him? They couldn't take that risk. Masch is one of the very few players out there that could take a player like Xavi out of the game, or Messi.

No surprise that he played against United. he took Rooney out of the game. He created one chance in the whole game.

That is what Masch could do against top class players and he did that very often for us.

Masch was another piece in the puzzle. A player that made them even more complete.

not sure they play ugly as such but they can do the rolling about bit etc. they cant give it the fouling and physical stuff back but i get your point

[Arn]

LOL @ Pedro being "unfashionable"

but you know what i mean pablo. he's probably not the most skillful or silky of players but he can fairly knock the goals in and is always in the right place at the right time.
them kinda players are wort their weight in gold.

Pedro is two footed. He is as good with his left or right foot. That is what makes him so excellent. Defenders can't make him use his bad foot because he don't have one.

[Arn]

They are signing Rossi for £40m if you believe The Mirror.

Sign a player for £40m and place him on the bench. Bojan out and Rossi in.

[Rudo]

Pedro is two footed. He is as good with his left or right foot. That is what makes him so excellent. Defenders can't make him use his bad foot because he don't have one.

Of course yes, Pedro's a talented player, wouldn't be playing in Barca's first team otherwise. Unfashionable was probably the wrong word to describe him

Just mean that compared to the likes of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta....he doesn't catch the eye as much, but that's not taking anything away from Pedro.
You can't put a price on a player that is always there to put the ball in the net. He's a class player in his own right.

Wonder how Barca will set up with Rossi in their side next season, he's an out and out striker isn't he?

[Fivex]

Do you do this on purpose?

Porpoise.. The joke's PORPOISE