We drew away against Athletic Bilbao, and suddenly the world is ending. Some people act like kids, thinking everything should go their way always, or else it's catastrophical. We lead Liga. Of course we fumble sometimes, it's a tough competition. Valverde is ****, Pep is fantastic, but of course after City's Newcastle loss he should've been fired so the Chelsea trashing never would've happened. Sometimes it would be interesting to know how much people in football forums have actually been involved with real life clubs, even amateurs, because some wild-ass opinions of how things should be run are just so out there. Like how managerial decisions should be made, and how matches are analyzed. End rant lol.
Three draws in a row looking mighty vulnerable, some of it is going for Copa, some on Dembele's injury and Messi's slight injury. Luckily Messi looked good, and Dembele was fast when he got on, and there's a weeks rest now that we need it. But a lot is hanging on the Copa match, if we lose that, I'll not forget to remind few people why it wasn't all end to lose on Copa.
Dembele has grown in importance, agreed. Good player. As for Copa, we have either two matches or one match left. It's not going to decide our Liga or CL runs. It's normal we have those in spring, and we can always have lighter, more recovery-emphasizing training programme to counter demanding match calendar.
What? Did you see how poor the play was? Also its 3 straight draws, two of them at home. 2 of the draws resulted in 4p dropped giving hope and fuel to LPB. But worse is the inept quality of tactical changes and options. How many clear cut chances did Barca muster up yesterday? If it wasn't for MATS saves it would not have been a draw. If Barca can't handle 14th placed Bilbao better than they did then god save them in CL. EV needs to stop relying on Messi.
I am not saying we're playing perfectly. I am saying draws happen, losses happen, and that's just how it goes. Play is poor sometimes, regardless of a coach or whatever game plan a team has, or whatever kinda squad is available. Liverpool drew two matches West Ham, Leicester. City lost to Newcastle. It happens, it doesn't mean the team is horrible. And RM is always tough, Bilbao away too.
And you'll be reminded that ditching the Copa does not guarantee success in the Liga or Champions League.
I don't think anybody said that, I certainly didn't. But it would've given better chance for other competitions, that's just logical, which you just don't seem to get.
I don't know. I mean yes, the argument of less matches helping in other competitions can be made. But it can also be said that teams have demanding seasons regardless of a couple more or less cup matches, and the confidence and good feeling of advancing in cups counters the demand of playing those matches. FWIW, I'd take going far in cups everytime. Especially so when it's against RM.
Because the evidence doesn't support that. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/j2...-february-2019-r.2096043/page-5#post-37510627
Nah, but I am all for improving chances though. And theoretically the more rest is better. I just look at this squad ... last few years at least ... and I just don't see enough to make it through all 3 competitions without burning out. It's all just perception and speculation though. But now winning the CDR would have a special taste since it's going over Madrid. But I'd take a loss to them in CDR for a win in La Liga at the Bernabeu if there was a choice.
Yeah, but I think psychologically it also weights on you. We had to go all out to revert the Sevilla tie. Ended up being a wash, but also could have been closer. Now it's Madrid. Plus, many of the key pieces of the team are up there in age.
True, but then again psychologically advancing in cups can give you a "feeling boost". True, and the general programme for players (not just matches, but training, diet, sleep, etc) should consider players' ages. You can't play one or two matches less in a season and think that's gonna make the players non-tired or fresh, the physical/mental state is a result of larger entity.
That's not anykind of evidence, we did that too, but then had awful seasons after because we were tired. We are tired every season at certain point, because we go deep in Copa, could take a breather from it and concetrate on CL. Don't know how that's so hard to understand for some, but what I've learned in Internet, that's people hardly ever change their views. As said I wouldn't mind going for Liga CL double, because we are the only team with two trebles.
Let me tell you that 1-2 more matches at this stage against better opponents with tired players is a risk, why? Cause players that are tired risk injury much easier. It's another reason why CDR is useless and dangerous. Look at Messi, imagine he didn't have to play Sevilla or LPB. He'd be fresher for ATH.
I agree. But that doesn't make me worried about the lack of (in form) options in attack . We can't rely on Messi for most offensive output. If so, we are going to be disappointed in the CL again. Ronaldo did most of the scoring for Madrid, but when he didn't, Benzema, Bale, Isco and even some others delivered at some key moments even if they were garbage or inconsistent most of the season. That's really mostly what we need. Suarez has really been a non factor in CL for past 2 seasons. That's why I say that it's important Dembele comes back well and hopefully Coutinho finds some form at some key moments.
I'm not saying there is evidence that a long run in CdR helps you in Europe, I'm saying there is no evidence that a long run in CdR hurts you in Europe. You say the latter is "logical" but that logic is based on a pile of assumptions. e.g. You assume that there are no positive benefits from succeeding in CdR. i.e that beating LPB in the Copa wouldn't give us any kind of moral boost and good energy in the locker room to propel us for the business-end of the season. Its like not its so obvious that CdR in January is detrimental to a CL run in April-May that we can just assume so without any evidence.
But that's just it: There is no choice. You simply have to cross the bridges as they come. If it could be guaranteed that the Liga and/or the Champions would be won if Barca had an early exit from the Copa then by all means I would sign up. Until then I'll gladly accept the Copa salvaging trophyless campaigns like it did in 2012 and 2015.
If you can't see how our players were slow and passive the past games, because of playing too much, then there's no help for you. Certainly a pointless conversation.
The lack of dominating success in Europe by Bundesliga clubs, especially Bayern and Dortmund, suggests that though it may seem logical it hasn't been very practical in comparison. Pep must have thought he'd win the Champions League while at Bayern given how fewer domestic matches Bayern play compared with Barca and Madrid. And what happened there?
It usually is when people are hellbent looking for excuses when the Champions League isn't conquered.
After having a night to sleep on it, I'm not as pissed at EV. I mean we had a depleted squad. No Alba, no Arthur. injured Suarez, out of form Coutinho, unfit Dembele playing 10 minutes, and unfit Messi. It's not a surprise we struggled when you look at it that way. Take any other team and take off/cripple five starters arguably their best ones and they will struggle mightily. Neither Messi nor Suarez should play till Lyon now. Dembele and Coutinho should play Valladolid the full 90 minutes to get some rhythm.
It's true tiredness invites injuries, but to repeat, players' level of tiredness isn't decided by matches alone. Diet matters, what they focus on in training sessions (intensive games or focus on recovery), practical issues such as days off, whether the players are disciplined enough to eat healty at home when nobody is watching or whether they stay up until 3 playing FIFA and having two beers, whether they stay at a hotel after away game or to get quickly back home etc etc, and whether the culture inside the team is uplifting or depressing, rotations, whether football fits to their personal life well or not so well, million things. Not the same thing exactly, but it's not like the pure amount of hours you work in a regular job is the sole decider of how tired you are. CdR isn't useless to Barca, or to many fans, even if you don't personally care.