I don't think I have ever seen a player such as Suarez who can be brilliant and terrible in the same match. It's either / or with him, he doesn't do mediocrity .
Here is a gem ... "Barca is a special case in the league. I don't want to sound racist, but Barca is the club of Catalans that feel oppressed by whole Spain, and believe everyone is against them. And I think that inside the club, that's what they believe, and make players believe. I think it plays a role. Barca is always riled up against any other spanish clubs, and want to win, because it's like making a point."
I personally am accepting this 5-1 as payback for that disrespectful non-pasillo last May. "Madrid, cabron..."
Nah. It's about CL for them now (like every November). Now we just must take business of Atleti & co. And whoever we get in Cl. La Liga is done for them.
So true. Two weeks in-a-row where VAR took points from LPB that they would normally get. A bit unfortunate for Lopetegone too. He changed the game at halftime and Madrid were dominating Barca, but Suarez changed all that
Yep. The irony is that his tactical change was spot on with the personnel he had a hand and he turned the game on its head. And had it not been for some bad finishing the game would have been 2 x 2. Nacho was also terrible at RB. Wonder if he wasn't 100%. But they are also so damn lazy tracking back on plays. Casemiro couldn't be bothered to follow Coutinho on the first goal which he could have easily done as an example.
All in all a great result but we had a horrible 10 min stretch from about the 48th to the 58th minute where we could have conceded like 3 goals. I know it's nitpicking but if we do that in the CL, we will often be punished. Sloppy play by the back line is the biggest weakness of this team. PIque has looked a bit sharper though and when Umtiti gets back, the problem should solve itself hopefully.
I don't think it's sloppy play in the back 4, we lost the midfield as Madrid shifted tactics. We were overran. Barca has never been a team that when pushed back looks comfortable defending deep.
Take your pick: Youletin Toomanygoals Lowtechpiggie LautiGolazo Löwpicknosie LowIQguy Nopetegui FloGetConte edit: yes, I came up with these, in 2 minutes. Big Soccer™, where you come for quality original content.
Well the midfield got overrun partly because our back players couldn't hold the ball against the press until some spacing is established. They also seem to have some kind of aversion towards clearances. So often watching these matches I see myself yelling "Clear the god damn ball!!!".
It was at 2:15 am for me. I couldn't sleep before nor after and I started work at 8am. Still worth it.
I keep forgetting you're on the other side of the world. BTW ... thanks for all you do with the thread openers. They are always fantastic !
Damn Julen looks like a Harry Potter character there, cannot recall which one. Sort of Severus Snape with a hair cut albeit a really bad haircut. How do you make millions a year and have that haircut Julen has, makes Snape look very stylish in comparison? That said I still think there's a character from the movie adaptations who looks more like Julen...