The European Competitions Thread

[Stingray 9,441]

Regardless, watch the replay and you'll see Kompany was sitting way too deep behind his other defenders. He eventually kept Messi, who was coming back from offside position, onside.

I know, he still played like a boss though. So putting that pic up and then the reaction 'post it in the Luiz thread' is kinda off imo.

Anyway, carefree

[Jase 43,479]

We had those situations before, but we were a team that was used to that. So our stamina will be much better than a team that did that for the first time in their life.

Infact our tactics is purely counter attacking so it was something we are used to.

I know that the 10men situation helped to get them tired but barca style will always get any opponent tired in the 2nd half, as long as u have to chase the ball. That's why they score a lot of goals in the 2nd half, check their stats. The constant possession makes opponents mentally tired bcos of so much concentration needed to defend.

And another thing is that their style makes opponents get carded a lot. I saw a stat that in europe, barca hve gotten their opponents red carded 26 times which is the highest out of any team. These things: physical and mental tiredness, cards always happen. Curse you guardiola, the only way to beat this system is to press perfectly like bayern, keep the ball more than barca, or stay in the 18box like RDM.

Any other way is mostly hoping on pure luck.

Until City went down to 10 men, I don't even think they exerted lots of energy to begin with. They only started pressing Barcelona once they got about 25-30 yards of their goal. About their style always make their opponents get carded a lot especially the red ones, let's not even make as if all the red cards were warranted and not helped by the referee or players.

Pellegrini went too defensive, Kolarov on the wing? they play their best when they have two strikers, they beat Bayern with two not one. It may suit them going to the camp nou needing a win, it'll force them to attack. Aguero and Negredo need to play together, if they have any hope winning.

Not sure playing Kolarov on the wings equated to Pellegrini being defensive. He was used on the LW to track Alves while provide the width when going forward especially his final ball in the attacking third is usually pretty good though with Barca's FBs didn't bomb forward a lot, it meant he didn't get much space to wreak havoc. As for playing 2 STs, that is true what you said but they also got outplayed and lost when Pellegrini used 2 STs against us and Bayern.

[Jase 43,479]

I know, he still played like a boss though. So putting that pic up and then the reaction 'post it in the Luiz thread' is kinda off imo.

Anyway, carefree

A serious Tom? Me. Don't. Like.

[Jase 43,479]

:lol:

[Special Juan 28,141]

Jose was right, it wasn't the Barca we know, they should of had 4.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

Lol shall I hold my breath for that?

... No wait I may die. He can't score against West Brom forget Barca

People are being to flippant about Galatasaray, it's going to be Very hard, they have Didier we have Etoo so unfair

yet he scored the winner against Liverpool and a hat trick against Man United!

[Jase 43,479]

Pellegrini has finally cracked...

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1720568/pellegrini-vents-fury-swedish-ref-defeat?cc=4716

“The referee did not have any control of the game," Pellegrini said. "He decided for Barcelona from the beginning to the end. I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in such an important match and a referee who made a mistake against Barcelona in the group stages.”

...

From the beginning I felt the referee was not impartial to both teams. The referee decided the game. Before the penalty, it was a foul on Navas when he was three metres from the play so he could see it. And it was not a penalty, it was outside the box."

...

“A big game with two important teams, that kind of game needs a referee with more experience. This referee whistled the Barcelona-Milan game in the group and he made an important error against Barcelona. Today he remedied it.”

He elaborated on his belief that it should not have been a spot kick when Demichelis brought Messi down: “The contact was outside the box. You cannot continue the foul: the first foul was outside the box. Barcelona did not have chances before the goal. It was a pity because that important action decided the game.”

[Beirut_Blues 306]

spot on pellegrini

[The Skipper 20,609]

Pellers is an idiot for those comments. Yeah it wasn't a penalty but to say that Barcelona won because the referee was on their side is bogus. Barca created enough to score at least 3.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Simply put, beating Barca is our thing, not you soulless Citeh. Keep spending and keep trying lol.

[Special Juan 28,141]

City's chances were half chances at best. Barcelona had them chasing shadows all night, Yaya Toure was blowing out of his arse after half an hour.

Watching Barcelona last night was a joy. The first touch is perfect nigh on everytime, which then only requires the receiver to feed off onto someone else. The ball is under control all of the time and precision of pass is mind blowing.

[Fulham Broadway 17,313]

Pellemuppet "The referee decided the game. He was on Barcelona's side from the beginning until the end."

I expect UEFA will throw the book at him , won't they...oh hang on its not Jose

[Special Juan 28,141]

It will be 4 or 5-0 second leg.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I couldn't understand how pple thought mancity will beat barca.

Only bayern style pressing, parking the bus or holding possession better than them can beat barca. Mancity don't use any of those styles and can't beat barca at keeping possession.

Barca had a penalty for handball by clichy turned down in the first half.

Barca had a legit goal by pique disallowed.

Pellegrini should shut up, the pressure after so much mind games from Jose has gotten to him.

[Shane 2,275]

Bayern is simply the best team I can ever think of, they have no weakness. They have world class players at every position , and a bench so strong I'm pretty sure a Bayern B team could make it semis of the UCL. It's fun to watch the decimate the Spanish giants, but I hate how they have a monopoly on all german talent. I really like Dortmund for whatever reason.

Jesus christ, win one Champions League and they're the best ever? City went to the Allianz this season and beat them 3-2. Don't think they're that good really. Teams can really nail them on the counter.

World class players in every position? Isn't Guardoila playing Rafina, Jerome Boateng and Dante? They're not world class players.

[Fulham Broadway 17,313]

Funnily enough they didnt play 'One Step beyond' (that they nicked from us) last night.......

[chelseathebest 150]

David Silva was a fucking beast. Just brilliant.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Taking their ball and going home.

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=297762

And their 'outside the box penalty' was nowhere near as bad as the one Ellery gave in the 94 cup final, so sshhh.

[Jase 43,479]

I couldn't understand how pple thought mancity will beat barca.

Only bayern style pressing, parking the bus or holding possession better than them can beat barca. Mancity don't use any of those styles and can't beat barca at keeping possession.

If this was the Barcelona 3-4 years ago, would have agreed 100% but since it's not, then not so much. Barcelona are still a good side but not as good as the one years ago and far less intense. Even an average side in Milan and Ajax managed to get a positive result against Barcelona (the former - draw - and latter - a win) earlier in the competition. They are not all THAT great like you're trying to make them out to be really. Everything only happened for them yesterday after the sending off and yet in the first half, for all their chances, they created nothing and only seem to bother to keep the ball without doing anything for the sake of it.

[bushman 2,043]

Barca was not better last night, until Demichellis got caught. No matter how Barca plays these days, they are still good enough to beat 10 men team, any team.