Activate Another Lever and Still Lose to a Madrid Remontada - The Small Teams Thread

Yeah you never take out your best player because you might need him to save you when shit gets ugly

 

I think Xavi is just under incredible pressure and not handling some aspects of the job very well. That said, I still think he's a good coach but it probably would have been better for him to take a Xabi route and take a job where the stakes weren't this high.

But to your point about the approach, I think either can work, but my personal preference when playing was to have coaches who trust the process rather than act like a lunatic.

 

Gündogan is a strong leader - one that, if we're being honest, is a bit counter-cultural to the current environment at FC Barcelona.

He points to his teammates' maturity, situational IQ, mistakes - NOT the referee.

Compare that to the norm of Xavi, Laporta, etc. (Barca guys). https://t.co/J3cDccCRrC

— Michael (@LaLigaMichael) April 16, 2024

 

So what?

Would Barca get "double-advanced" if they won by more goals? There's more to a #9's game than just scoring, though I agree it's his primary role in a team. [More on that down below.]

In the 1st leg, he beat Marquihos like a drum, both in the air, and in holdup play. Barca HAVE been playing more direct recently than they have historically.

But here's the other thing about a target #9 nowadays:

They all are deployed as a "free man" in defending set pieces. Your top ~2 or 3 man markers mark the other side's top 2 or 3 targets, and your tall #9 plays free to help head away dangerous service. Every single team in football does this.

Neither Yamal nor Raphinha can do that; only Lewandowski can.

Agreed on this. He also has the highest 2-way workrate of the 3 forwards on the pitch at that time.

They did: Raphinha scored 3 goals over both legs of the tie. He was beating their RB like a drum.

Disagreed. He was the only forward of the 3 that adds anything at all defending set pieces, and in holdup play. And even IF his holdup play wasn't as good as it was in Paris, he's the only one of the 3 forwards that has that attribute.

More importantly, he's the only forward of the 3 that can defend set pieces adequately.

Disagreed. Yamal is dynamite going forward, but when you're up 2 goals at home, that isn't the #1 concern. Keeping the ball out of your own net is. Therefore, keeping your highest work rate and your best holdup and set piece defender of your 3 forwards is/was the only choice.

And any other manager in football would do the same; For you guys, Benzema would often stay on when Ramos would get his 3 or 4 reds/season.

 

And yet, he did defend at least 2 or 3 set piece chances, just off the top of my head. Yamal would have been beaten like a drum in the air on the 2 corner's Lewandowksi cleared, and the [at least] 1 free kick he cleared.

Barca could have ended up ceding MORE goals, without this part of their lineup, for better or worse.

You're already 2 goals up. Again, do Barca get "extra credit" for trying to go 3 goals up?

In any case, Barca still had their chances to score, even without Araujo and Yamal.


I get that you guys don't like Barca, but there isn't a single manager [Carlo included] that would not have taken off Yamal, if given the same predicament, with the same scoreline. At this point in his career, Yamal's game is almost entirely about what he can do with the ball, and little-to-nothing about his tactical awareness, nor his ability to defend as a team.

 

I think Haaland will leave City in a year or two. Pep ball doesn't suit him against good teams. He needs to play under coaches who allow individuality like Inzaghi under Carlo. Obviously we won't be interested with Endrick and probably Mbappe coming.

 

I never want to hear how Doku is a good player ever again. He’s absolute shit.

 

Thought he did better than Grealish though Carva was tired by the time he came on. Final ball is poor. Rudiger poor clearance from his cross in KDB goal. Also hilarious how City had like 20 corners and didn't really do much.

Doku raw dribbling was good, but thankfully, final ball was poor always.

 

He’s decent against shit wing backs.

Carvajal and Fede had him under control when he came on. He dribbles with his head down and runs into a wall. When he’s able to get through, his final ball is trash like you say.

The amount of fear being put out from this guy. Jesus.

 

Sooooo what about if no EPL team makes it through? Lol …….sorry, couldn’t resist

 

What? That guy terrorized us. I wish he was on our bench and we could have threw him out their to terrorize them

 

I overheard of a guy talking on the phone to his friend about him booking a flight to the CL Final in London because he thought Arsenal was going to win.

 

An Arsenal fan lol

these guys

 

Doku was an agent of chaos and that's exactly what he did when he came on. I don't think some of his decision-making was the greatest, but the goal came from an attack that originated from him. Some of that no doubt was benefitting from fresh legs vs. dead tired Carvajal, but he did what he was supposed to tonight. Strange time to make this post when he's had enough of an up-and-down season.

 

Doku is a flat track bully. Runs hot and cold - I think he’s related to Dembele as they both have a large vacancy between the ears.

 

My prediction is Haaland ends up at Barca in 2025 when Lewa leaves.They will be desperate if we sign Mbappe and will probably sell off renovated Camp Nou commercial rights or srh to fund Haaland signing. Bayern has Kane for few more years and Haaland probably wants to try a new league anyways going by what his dad has said.

 

Dude went 0/4. Should work for ESPN FC or with Carragher.

🗣️ João Felix, last week: "What teams will go through in the #UCL? Man City, Arsenal, Atletico and Barca." pic.twitter.com/q70DeCKrJd

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) April 18, 2024

 

Or he comes here?

 

Was it because of Davis? I did not watch the game.

 

Davies didn’t play due to suspension I believe.