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    Barca look to Eto'o



    As a former Liverpool player and lifelong fan of the Anfield club, Michael Robinson will be rooting for the Reds when they take on Barcelona on Tuesday.

    Yet in his role as the top football presenter on Spanish television, Robinson is well aware of the threat posed by the Catalans.

    Although Barcelona trail 2-1 after the first leg at the Nou Camp, he says only a fool would count them out.

    "Let's make no mistake, Barcelona have got the football to beat anyone by two clear goals, anywhere in the world," Robinson told BBC Sport.

    "They play pure fantasy football and I wouldn't put any particular result beyond them.

    "But Rafael Benitez's Liverpool aren't any old team, especially not tactically. That's what makes this match so fascinating."

    Robinson, who played in the 1983 FA Cup final for Brighton before moving to Liverpool, believes the return of Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o could make the difference for Barca.

    Eto'o missed the first leg because he was still recovering from a right knee injury sustained against Werder Bremen in September but has played in Barca's last three games.

    "He gives far more alternatives to the midfield players when they have the ball than Javier Saviola or Eidur Gudjohnsen (who have played in the absence of Eto'o).

    "Often we will praise Andres Iniesta, Deco or Xavi for a great pass but what we might not notice is the way Eto'o lost his marker and moved to open up the possibility of the pass.

    "He is also fantastic at defending from the front, closing down and making it difficult for the opposition to get the ball out from the back.

    "Eto'o makes an enormous difference to the general play of Barcelona, even forgetting his goals."

    The 25-year-old can also be an outspoken and controversial figure, as shown in the run-up to the first leg.

    After Barca coach Frank Rijkaard claimed that Eto'o had refused to come on as a late substitute against Racing Santander, the Cameroonian said: "Whoever says that I refused to play is a bad person."

    He also hit out at team-mate Ronaldinho, who was reported to have rebuked Eto'o for not thinking about the team.

    "If a colleague believes that I have to think about the team, he is the one that has to think about the team. I always think first about the team and then about the money. That's what has hurt me more," stated Eto'o.


    Robinson says "stories about a divorce in the dressing room seem to belong to the past now", despite Saturday's top-of-the-table defeat by Seville, which saw them replace Barca in top spot.

    He also believes the return of Eto'o and continued improvement of Lionel Messi will help Ronaldinho.

    The Brazilian star has been criticised by sections of the media and some fans after failing to reach the heights of last season.

    "When somebody played so brilliantly last season and is only playing well now, they will get criticised," commented Robinson.

    "But if you look at the number of goals he's scored, it's a very important total. And for most of the season he has been without Eto'o and Messi, so teams have been able to focus their attention on Ronaldinho."

    Despite all of this, Robinson thinks "Liverpool would have to do particularly poorly to lose by two clear goals".

    The 48-year-old presenter, who won 23 caps for the Republic of Ireland, has followed Liverpool manager Benitez's career closely.

    "He's a very educated man who sees football tactically brilliantly," said Robinson.

    "Sometimes, for my own taste, he gets over methodical with the tactics. Sometimes it seems to me he's sat in the dug-out with a remote control.

    "But the times I do enjoy watching Liverpool play are when it seems the batteries are going low on the remote and the players do what they want.

    "When the script is forgotten and the improvisation starts, that's when I enjoy watching them. If you want entertainment from Rafa, you might be left wanting.

    "But if you want to win and be extremely competitive, he's your man. He's won a European Cup and I don't think any other manager could have done that with the same players.

    "And the result in the first leg was sheer mastery."

    SINCE THE FIRST LEG...

    Barcelona:
    v Seville, LOST 2-1
    v Zaragoza, WON 2-1
    v Bilbao, WON 3-0

    Liverpool:
    v Man Utd, LOST 1-0
    v Sheff Utd, WON 4-0
    Thanks very much for being ‘This Mornings’ Farmer’

    #2
    TBH, I'm terrified of Eto'o. Hope Carra keeps him quiet!
    Torres Fan Club Member #2, Lucas Leiva Fan Club Member #1

    going limp; HARRRRRRRRRRRR

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by ShaggyAlonso View Post
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...pe/6409003.stm


      He is also fantastic at defending from the front, closing down and making it difficult for the opposition to get the ball out from the back.

      "Eto'o makes an enormous difference to the general play of Barcelona, even forgetting his goals.
      Reminds me of Rush
      "The definition of insanity is not running into the same wall again and again; it's expecting a different result every time you do it."

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by cobain View Post
        TBH, I'm terrified of Eto'o. Hope Carra keeps him quiet!
        carragher will eat him for breakfast 2mz i have no doubt about that. his name will be added to the long illustrious list of strikers that carragher has snuffed out in the CL.
        I'm normally not a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me Superman.

        Comment


          #5
          eto'o will be far from the player we've come to admire, theres just no way he'll be 100%

          that said he scares the **** out of me, on his day he is devastating and he thrives on the big occasions

          Comment


            #6
            To be honest I fear Eto'o tomorrow night also.

            He's slowly getting back to fitness after a long lay-off but tomorrow night would be the ideal time for him to announce his return to the first team. He has great pace, movement, and the most crucial of the lot, finishing ability, and if we give him half a yard's space then he'll destroy us - no matter how fit he is.

            Carra will have to be at his very, very best tomorrow night to keep him quiet, and any attacking move, especially on the break, will have to be closely monitored. They have a number of players that can punish us given only half a chance in Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Deco, Guily and Saviola so we must be at our defensive best if we want to progress to the QF.

            I'm already getting nervous - imagine me trying to hold my pint in the pub tomorrow night half an hour before kick-off!

            Comment


              #7
              lets hope he is still not match fit.
              "In fact I’m going to make a promise which will be welcomed by many. If there’s no finance secured by the opening day of the season, I’m going to hang up my keyboard and close KOPTALK down." - Duncan Oldham, Expert Conman. March 29th 2006

              Comment


                #8
                i can imagine how difficult it would be to hold that pint, especially if you already have drank 5 gallons of beer beforehand

                Originally posted by Taffy View Post
                I'm already getting nervous - imagine me trying to hold my pint in the pub tomorrow night half an hour before kick-off!
                Last edited by FowlerLeftFoot; 05-03-07, 06:04 PM.
                "In fact I’m going to make a promise which will be welcomed by many. If there’s no finance secured by the opening day of the season, I’m going to hang up my keyboard and close KOPTALK down." - Duncan Oldham, Expert Conman. March 29th 2006

                Comment


                  #9
                  Ill be seriously ****ting it tomorrow this is far from over!

                  Barca are too good with great player that can damage us in a split second
                  When you feel like you're done, you are not alone........

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Taffy View Post
                    I'm already getting nervous - imagine me trying to hold my pint in the pub tomorrow night half an hour before kick-off!
                    RTK says you should be inside Anfield half an hour before KO
                    Torres Fan Club Member #2, Lucas Leiva Fan Club Member #1

                    going limp; HARRRRRRRRRRRR

                    Comment


                      #11
                      He is NOT match fit. I watched the whole match against Sevilla. Et'o missed a sitter in the dying minutes when Barca needed a goal. He had the ball at his feet insider the box but snatched at it, tripped and the chance was gone.
                      CARRA will eat him for dinner tomoz night.
                      18-5-7-8-3

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by REDSCOUSER View Post
                        CARRA will eat him for dinner tomoz night.
                        Hope he brings some gravy with him
                        Torres Fan Club Member #2, Lucas Leiva Fan Club Member #1

                        going limp; HARRRRRRRRRRRR

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by cobain View Post
                          Hope he brings some gravy with him
                          lobscouse IS even better
                          18-5-7-8-3

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by REDSCOUSER View Post
                            lobscouse IS even better
                            Torres Fan Club Member #2, Lucas Leiva Fan Club Member #1

                            going limp; HARRRRRRRRRRRR

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I hope Carra watches the first match on dvd to avoid getting skinned by the shotdummies by the Barca players. You just can't dive into tackles like in the PL.
                              These technical players are more likely to trick you.
                              Savvy got him a couple of times last match, and it was real dangerous.
                              --== Because the gang and the government is no different ==--

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