News: Nah, I think I'll stay on - The Other Teams Thread [R]

Nice!

I’m coming back to my second home. @ManUtd https://t.co/MTOsM4afvO

— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) March 15, 2019

 

I don't think we need Herrera to mark Messi TBH. I think between him and Shaw, messi can be handled. We'll probably go with a double pivot with Herrera on the left side. I hope Fred is next to him....

 

We need Shaw to be on his game with Messi and a midfielder to watch the passing lanes towards him. I'm not afraid near as much of an aging Suarez. I think, with the form Smalling is showing, that he and Lindelof can do a job on him.

Rumor is that Barca thought we were one of the weakest opponents they could draw. I say bring them on.

 

Barca are not a physical team: they are a very technical one with an emphasis on possession. It's almost a given for me that Fred and Herrera who are very mobile and technically proficient themselves should be starting alongside Pogba.
Matic or even McTominay are not quick enough in any aspect to deal effectively with what Barca will throw at us. Busquets, Rakitic and Arthur will not be looking to impose their will physically on us: they'll be looking to pass the ball to death and guys like Matic or McTominay could be chasing shadows all game long.
If Fred continues to come along the way he has recently, we really have to hope that Ole and Co will go with him, in Matic's stead. Those 2 (Matic or McTominay) can be used later to see the game out, should we find ourselves in a good position by then.

 

Suarez prey's on naive defenders like Smalling.

Imagine how many fouls well give away when the European refs tag Smalling for wrapping his arms around Suarez.

 

Unrefined. Not naive. But unrefined.

Hes knows what he does.

 

Absolutely. Double-team Messi at all times and let Coutinho have as much of the space and the ball as he wants.

 

We really have no better alternatives at the moment next to Lindelöf than Smalling. So we just need to hope for the best when we face them. Suarez and Messi are as serious a test for any defense there is anyhow and I'd shudder about the thought of Jones, Rojo or even Bailly (as he's been lately anyhow) in our backline against Barca.
If Bailly could somehow get it together and revert to the player of his first season at the club, I'd actually relish at the thought of him and Suarez going at it. Smalling is who he is, but hopefully he can do enough of a job alongside Lindelöf to slow them down. He's not that bad a defender imo anyay.
But in the end, against this Barca offense, defending will really be a group effort, beyond the back 4, with Herrera and hopefully Fred especially having to pitch in their share as well.

 

I agree that this is the perfect time to unleash the Pogba, Herrera, Fred midfield. Better control and loads of ability to run and cover

 

Jardim's return to Monaco has been a successful one so far: that's 4 wins and 3 draws now. They're out of the relegation zone, sitting 16th, 9pts clear of the relegation zone (albeit with a game in hand after today's win).
Maybe he needed to leave for a bit, but things are looking better for them now.

 

Bad draw for Barca. We will win this tie.

 

This is dumb.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47586593

 

Triumphant return, like Zizu?

 

Zidane first match and Isco, Marcelo, Neves and Bale starts. Courtois back to bench.

 

Well he wanted to play regular football and didnt want to sit on the bench or play 3/5 mins of meaningless football when your team is cruising and game is already won. Welldone Lad !! You choosed wisely.

 

I like this. Push him right into our arms Pep.

 

Terrible defending + the fox in the box scores twice in 6 min to win the game. Gotta kinda feel bad for them.

 

ZZ returns to Madrid and all of a sudden Isco comes to life. The buy low window on him is shut.

 

Solari can ******** off for benching him and Navas.

 

Same for Marcelo although Bale scores but lets see how many games he start.

 

Shhhhhhh No one will jinx certain Cup game ...shhhhhhh silence for next 50 mins..