[SPA] La I beat you 8-0 Liga 2012/2013 (166 Viewers)
- Thread starter Azzurri7
- Start date
I only tend to see Barca in big games.
Can't be done with watching them thrash standard La Liga sides on a weekly basis.
Barca, as far as I'm concerned have two main issues:
As you said, they aren't pressing the way they used to and that is allowing teams to attack them more and expose their poor defence; and
They don't have enough big movements off the ball to stretch opponents, so it's much easier to keep the game really compact and deny them space. Non of the 'forwards' consistently run in behind and I can't remember the last time I saw Xavi hit a diagonal for Alves running in behind a defence the way Pirlo regularly does for Lichtsteiner. Barca used to do it all the time.
Can't be done with watching them thrash standard La Liga sides on a weekly basis.
Barca, as far as I'm concerned have two main issues:
As you said, they aren't pressing the way they used to and that is allowing teams to attack them more and expose their poor defence; and
They don't have enough big movements off the ball to stretch opponents, so it's much easier to keep the game really compact and deny them space. Non of the 'forwards' consistently run in behind and I can't remember the last time I saw Xavi hit a diagonal for Alves running in behind a defence the way Pirlo regularly does for Lichtsteiner. Barca used to do it all the time.
The movement bit was a big issue last season, I thought.
The pressing was still decent last year, but not as ferocious as it was a few years ago.
A big issue is that Barca just haven't changed much in several years now. Over that amount of time good sides are going to figure out how to play against you.
Milan and Real Madrid, the two sides to show Barca up most clearly, are also the two big clubs with the most experience of playing against them in the last couple of years, so have had the chance to really develop a gameplan of how to operate in those games.
The pressing was still decent last year, but not as ferocious as it was a few years ago.
A big issue is that Barca just haven't changed much in several years now. Over that amount of time good sides are going to figure out how to play against you.
Milan and Real Madrid, the two sides to show Barca up most clearly, are also the two big clubs with the most experience of playing against them in the last couple of years, so have had the chance to really develop a gameplan of how to operate in those games.
Their game was never based on off the ball movement behind opposition defense. But their movement in midfield, and their pass-move football was much better last season than it was this season, they almost always created chances, even against teams they lost against. They created chances against Chelsea, and forced them to make last ditch tackles, they created chances against Real in the game they lost, and forced Casillas into several saves. This season, all they do is pass it around in midfield, and at an extremely slow pace, they can't create chances against Real anymore, and they created nothing against Milan. I think theirs a huge difference.
Also, the games they lost last season were against a Real team that was near perfect in the Liga, and against Chelsea who went on to win the CL. This season they are losing time and time again to a Real team that is much weaker than last season, and to a Milan team that will most likely be eliminated in the QF if they play against any semi decent team. They would have never lost such games, definitely not in the matter they did this season, had Pep been coach imo.
Also, the games they lost last season were against a Real team that was near perfect in the Liga, and against Chelsea who went on to win the CL. This season they are losing time and time again to a Real team that is much weaker than last season, and to a Milan team that will most likely be eliminated in the QF if they play against any semi decent team. They would have never lost such games, definitely not in the matter they did this season, had Pep been coach imo.