- Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.
Bill Shankly, In Sunday Times (UK) Oct. 4 1981
My Mini league marathome start against Sporting, the result of this game has a great impact on the games that follow till X-mass.
So lets get ready for the serious business, this is the final countdown!
For a start, thanks for Omar, the chat application is the best thing happened to the blog since Pep decided to dedicate his time to create it.
Why starting like that? Because that’s where every time I log, I find very interesting discussions going on, and it increase my awareness about some issues we can tackle while discussing and analyzing the team.
One of the issues Discussed there was: Do we need to rest players against Sporting for Sevilla Game? – yes the same old story, rotation, I never thought anyone is thinking of the option of rotation but as you see, Omar magic is doing wonders.
The guy seeking rotation has a point, Sevilla game will definitely be one of the most complicated ones, but to make it short I mentioned before Getafe game, I see no room for rotations till the end of December, any exceptions?
Yes, incase we won against sporting, the game against Shakhtar is a vacation.
If we won against sporting, we guarantee the top of the group, and then this is how the games will go till the end of December:
Sporting, Sevilla…one week rest…Valencia…one week rest (including Shakhtar game – vacation)….Real Madrid. When I read this script, Sporting game turn to be even more important than it originally seemed to be.
The worst scenario will be playing the key players against sporting and losing, so we have to play them again against Shakhtar in the middle of the week that start against Valencia and end against Real Madrid.
So how will it be less risky? I think something in the middle, as I guess and hope Guardiola is doing already, keeping Puyol and Yaya in Spain, and playing the best eleven he has aside of the two key members. I don’t wish more surprises.
Sporting:
Played nine league games won five games (2 at home, 3 away), Draw once away and got defeated three times (2 home, 1 away), Ranked 4th on the league table (league stats). In the Champions’ league they gathered nine points and a second place behind Barcelona who earned ten (Champions league info).
Sporting performance had been swinging up and down in the league so far, their starting up will most probably be:
Rui Patrício(GK) Grimi(LB) – Polga(CB) – Caneira(CB) – Abel(RB) - João Moutinho(LM) – Romagnoli(DM/CM) - Miguel Veloso(DM) – Izmailov(RM) – Postiga(FC) – Liedson(ST)
The key player in their defence is Polga, Veloso is the solid beast in the defensive midfield and Moutinho is the inspirational captain, while Izmailov will be there main threat in counter attacks, I repeat their main threat in counter attacks.
Postiga is a player I always wonder how his football career declined that way, he form with liedson a dangerous due even though in some games Sporting coach prefer to use Derlei as a second striker.
Their main strength is there fast counter attacks and free kicks, ok I repeat here again, free kicks.
Their weakness and I know I said this partially in Getafe game, but also for sporting crosses put them in trouble, beside a gap between full backs and Central backs that is not covered well by the midfielders, graphically it’s the two triangles on the corners of the penalty box.
How will they approach this game?
If they have to go with statistical signals, then they most probably will start the game closing their field to make sure Barcelona score no early goals, because numbers say that when Barcelona score early they crush their opponent, while if the score sheet had no changes at the first fifteen minutes then Barcelona start to struggle, so they may decide to close and generate counter attacks.
But there are more daring coaches who move the battle to your field, and no surprise if Sporting started 4-5-1 structure and applied a high pressure strategy, Watching Getafe game may inspire…
(More Sporting highlights)
Barcelona:
Puyol and Yaya are out and nothing certain about Messi yet. The defense seem to be confirmed the moment Puyol was dropped out of the list, Caceres-Marquez-Pique and Alves. Sylvinho? I dare to say no way! First because he played a game three days ago and it will be too much for his age, secondly because we will play against the Academy of wings, one of the best teams when it come to the players they produce on the flanks, and most importantly, Sylvinho will be the player to guard Izmailov? You got to be kidding me!
I would love to see the team bounce back to the basics of the beginning of the season, when moving forward a three central backs and a pure defensive midfielder up front form a security cover for the team to move forward, and give Alves the pleasure to fly on the right like a bird!
In the midfield Busquets is there for the defensive midfielder role, while Xavi run the show, and? If Messi played, then gudi will be Xavi assistant, if not then we may see three midfielders in front of Busquets consists of Hleb on the right, Xavi in the middle and Kieta on the left with Henry and eto’o up front, and please strikers, go for the posts when the ball is crossed and leave the penalty spot and the surrounding for those who come from behind!
And yes I know, I didn't mention Pedro, its my careful approach not to hang loads of responsibilities on youth just because they sparked for a moment, lets get him involved little by little, will it be a surprise if pep selected him? Its a surprise if our coach made no surprises.
If Sporting started a defensive game then we need to shower the box by crosses and keita and Alves need to warm their boots with some wide shots. Forget about holding possession and dancing over the ball, direct game is a must to start this match perfectly; free kicks may finish the job, so I don’t mind some Messi over dribbling on the edge of the box.
If they started an offensive game then the opposite is true, one touch game exhaust the opponent, Xavi magic and Messi skills will be the decider then.
How to attack a team that master counter attacks?
With three players in the back, and a defensive midfielder in front, the team can feel secure going forward, but still some touches could be made to cement the defense and specially if Sporting installed one striker upfront, how the three Central defenders behave then?
There are two methods that I like:
1) When the team goes forward and the opponent striker is isolated, one of the central backs (say Marquez) move forward to create a two defensive midfielders wall with Busquets. This technique is used if the opponent count on long balls and an attacking midfielder or a dropped second striker to generate counter attacks, this way you kill the ball in the midfield or at least slow down the attack.
2) If the opponent depend on the flanks to generate the counter attacks, then the Central back on the ball side switch to act as a fake backward assisted by the transition of the closest midfielder while the other two central backs handle the roles of marking the striker and creating depth, I think we most likely need to use this one.
The Bojan factor:
After Getafe game, Bojan seemed to have a drop in moral, and for that I think pep will give the boy a chance in the game against sporting, he may not start and that’s better because if he started and performed bad that will cause him more damage. But I think he will be one of the substitutions in the game, so Good luck!
I just hope the fans can have more patience on this guy. In Getafe game he was bad? Excuse me! Who was really good? I don’t want the Giovani last season story to start happening with Bojan! Last season and in all the mess, fans picked Gio to whistle for, and that wasn’t only unfair but irresponsible.
An 18 years old boy get his chance in the game to earn experience, and improve his character. Its by no mean his job to rescue the team or create wonders, if he did so then Thank him, if not, so what? If we will not stick to this formula then we will be digging a grave for his talent. I read lot of critics on the net about the boy performance, most of it was not reasonable anyway. I am welling to be patient enough if with in two years from now I will get a twenty years old package of wonders that serve me for the next twelve years.
If Atletico Madrid thought so, and decided to promote Raul to the first team and give him the chance to grow up in a more challenging first team environment, may be the history of the team and football in Spain would have been deferent, so I will defend our new Raul!
I wonder what kind of surprises Guardiola will have in his pockets for this game…. hm… Pinto as a striker?
Enjoy the game!
Ramzi Tanani
Posts
13 comments:
The Donetsk game will never be a vacation, Ramzi. We can't afford to lose that one (or even drop points) before the Madrid game cause the press will jump on that and we could lose "momentum".
Madrid also have to play for the top spot against Zenit, so this shouldn't be exaggerated as a decisive factor.
The Paint is one of the master pieces of Salvador Dalí. (Spanish, 1904-1989).
it has its own indications, but its my favorite and it show time, so that was enough to generate a final countdown theme:)
Now after Real Madrid finished the CL job, it means they will rest some of their players against Zenit for the classico, will that make a deference on the way we approach sporting game?
Cant wait Guardiola answer...
Fcbee I read your comment after i posted, if we won against sporting, guess what, i dont care what the press say, because based on the press we need to release some of our players for free after each game if they performed bad.
If you play a second string, you will not lose momentum if you lose, but if you played a first team with no motivation and who are only thinking to survive and save batteries for RM game, then you will lose the game and the momentum in my opinion.
Playing some yound players with those who are not getting enough opportunities (caceres, Bojan, pedro, ...) will have its own excitement.
I hope Real Madrid play their already exhausted players against Zenit before they come to Barcelona.
See what you did fcbee? You raised a very important issue: the press.
Imagine what the press will say if Messi played against Shakhtar though we won against sporting, and got injured ;)
"MOST-not all" of the press(with all respect)are either Those who consider you bad till you prove being good each and every moment in ur life, or those who consider you good as long as they find nothing at all to throw on ur face no matter how they try(two faces for one coin), they need excitement to sell and criticizing is more catchy than praising, so the last thing Guardiola and co will consider is building their decisions on Press satisfaction.
You're overestimating the physical part, Ramzi. It's only december and it's only one game. At home. Against Madrid. So guess everyone will be ready to fight for that one.
And you're underestimating the media pressure in Spain and Catalonia...
And there's no way Guardiola will put a real "second string", cause we don't really have that with all the rotations. So if we drop points against Donetsk it will influence the mood of at least half a team that will play the madrid game and add to the pressure for that game.
Also, if you play a real secod team, with vicotar sanchez, Sylvinho, Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Pedro, youalso have the risk that this team loses and that a player like Bojan hasn't good team-mates around him and again has a bad game, which will could have another bad effect on him.
Yes I understand your point, but when I say rotation I mean resting Alves (whom we have no back up for), if u rest eto'o and play henry I cant see that as a big risk considering game situation (if we won against Sporting), so though I see lot of points in what u mentioned, I cant see us playing Alves, Xavi, Messi and eto'o in a game like that:)
But its important to say, I dont mean playing guardiola children, at the end of the day its barcelona shirt and history, so I am only talking about benching the players we will all turn our clothes off with sorrow if they got injured in a useless game like that.
Regarding physical thing, I am aware its still early in the season but, we are talking about three physical demanding games in one week, and the physical level in April do not only depend on how often you rotate then, but how much energy the guys saved all the way till the last part of the season starting from the very first day. every injury deduct your physical status, so If you have a big game then u cant really get over concerned, but I wouldn't risk getting injuries in a game that has nothing to do with the season, the press can attack on Thursday, but then they will praise the gods of the game after the classico if they won, better than the opposite.
But again, those are two schools in football (rotation and stability) each has its advantages, so we will see what will be Guardiola choice there, all that after sporting game;)
This is another opinion, i think you will be interested to read :)
http://www.allaboutfcbarcelona.com/2008/11/sporting-lisbon-vs-fc-barcelona-preview.html?showComment=1227690000000#c1247392421354452746
Bojan is something we should worry about. Last season was crazy, he was only 17 and at some point almost a regular. It just shows you can burn someone by playing him too quick. I think this especially is true for strikers who have more pressure.
Personally, I don't really see him as the next big thing. What does he got, I don't really see it. He's not the tall-strong-heading guy, he's not a great dribbler. He's more a Raul-type of player but it's very difficult to integrate that kind of player in a 4-3-3, in my opinion. Let's hope he find his marks and his spot.
My bad...
Real Madrid 9 points, Juventus 11
If real win against Zenit, and juventus lose against BATE, Madrid move to the top of the group. So there may be some unfinished business in that group, Fcbee, Pardon me:)
refter, thats exactly why I demand not to burn Pedro with lot of responsibilities already.
Regarding Bojan, he started too early and need to improve some of his attributes to become more influential, and even if he didn't show it yet, but I think he actually can play as a wide striker in the 4-3-3, henry position. but then it will not be possible to use him and Messi together because they both cut inside from the left and right, but he certainly can add something.
The main reason he struggled against Getafe (aside of the whole game situation)is that he played on the right flank, and for a right footed guy who cut inside he struggle there, the same as Messi will not be as influential if he play on the left as he is on the right or the middle - with quality deferences between the two guys.
Now I am off pc for a while, catch you later before the game I hope:)
If we win against Sporting there is absolutely no reason to play first team against shakhtar!
The press will maul us? bojan had a bad game?
Its all mental, and Guardiola is responsible of telling the players that the game has no true meaning, but only to experience a CL Game.
If he does a good job, they will ignore the press, and wont be down-moralled by a loss or a draw!
About the whole run of games now, i honestly don't know what to think.
So many crucial games, so many formation options, i do not want to guess nor estimate, but only hope Guardiola will rise to his first serious challenge as Barca's manager!
The squad needs some kind of rotation, but not one that will confuse the team.
I think the team should defiantly think of scoring soon, but should not get stressed and neglect our defenses in order to do so.
its gonna be a hell of a month....
what is the chat application ramzi referring to? where is it?..i am sorry but i cant find it
well, the backline will be the big question tonight, I always called for the backline you put here Ramzi, but I dont know why I feel that Pep is convinced that Caceres cant play the LB role, I wont be surprized if he played Sylvinho or even Kieta on that spot :)). on the other hand, is it wise to play Caceres on that position for the first time in this particular match? it carries a risk the either way you look at it, but at least Caceres wont be worse than Sylvinho "no offence, I really respect Sylvinho for his age and for what he have did for the team in the golden days and it's not his fault if he is 34y old" .
on the messi issue, I prefer to push him in and try to make things done early, I dont mean that he will make it done for us!! but he will help us a lot, and may be Pep can rest him on the second half.
and Ramzi, I agree with you 100% on the importance of having enough defensive cover, I think last season suffurings started from the back line, not only because we allowed a lot of goals, but also our midfield and attack was so reluctant to push forward a lot because they knew once the ball is lost we are done, and thats what happened in a way a gainst Getafe,
so what happened this season? Poyol and Marquez are still there, but
first: the presense of a fit and healthy Tore' that gave the team a priceless sence of security. it's just unbelievabe how he dominate the player who carries the ball like a giant, plus the long droping shoots from both sides have no way to escape his head.
second: today our defencing starts from as far as Messi and Henry, so once the ball is lost every one will rush to get it back, and this would give the defence the time and space to reorganize. even if we couldn't bring the ball back, there is no way that the defender can give an accurate pass.
Good Luck for the heros tonight.
There's a live match chat, Anony. It'll be up here later today.
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