Topic: FC Barcelona

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

He's not as fast as he was at his peak. Still has some pace, sure, allied to his awareness on the dribble, touch, it can cover the loss, but that hill has been crested.

[Suareznumber7]

He's not as fast as he was at his peak. Still has some pace, sure, allied to his awareness on the dribble, touch, it can cover the loss, but that hill has been crested.

He's never been a player that has relied on physical attributes though.  His intelligence and ability with the ball will not decline as his physical ability does.  Obviously, there will come a point where he's not able to play at the highest level but I think he's got some time until that happens. 

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

He can play as the playmaker picking through passes, a la David Silva till he's 40. That's not the issue. Every gamebreaker, top dribbler, including Messi relies on that bit of acceleration over the first few yards, no matter how good your touch is. That's going for Messi.

Anyway come to City,  only way to put it to the test haha.

[Xxavi]

Good grief, do you actually believe some of the ridiculous things you post or are you just on a massive constant trolling mission....?

Go on lets bite, who are the 'more than a handful' of teams who would walk the Premier League?

Maybe not "handful" teams but Bayern, Atletico M, Barca, Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus (and at times Borussia D) all would have walked to the Premiership titles of the past 3-4 years. I am surprised people don't accept this as a fact. The league race has been between some seriously mediocre teams in England in recent past. This year may be different, it remains to be seen. But I don't see how you deny that.

Also, regarding the increasing strength of the league, I thought there were only 2 deluded posters on here. Very surprised to see that people really believe bottom and midtable English teams are improving every year. Statistics (point distribution, points to get to top 4, points to win the league) don't support this, your eyes don't support this idea. Watch bottom English teams and ask yourself are they actually playing good football?

[redk84]

That's the thing.....

The competition is what makes this a tough league. Never mind if you don't see the most technical and aesthetically pleasing sides of the game here, what you do see are teams that will bring you down to their level. Effectively.

That is what makes it a tough league

[Xabi Gerrard]

These is no statistical evidence to show that this is the case.

Actually mate, there is statistical evidence to show this is the case. From the FT:

Since 2012, Barcelona have spent 25.4 per cent of time in domestic league matches leading by two or more goals. This is followed by Bayern on 25.2 per cent, Real Madrid on 25 per cent, PSG on 20.3 per cent and Juventus on 18.9 per cent. The most dominant English team by this standard is Manchester City on 16 per cent.
The statistics suggest these sides are all able to play at a lower intensity in domestic matches for longer periods, because their home leagues are less competitive — they take a comfortable lead and can therefore conserve more energy. As a result, when domestic and European fixtures come thick and fast, they can focus their efforts more on tougher European matches.

I don't really know how anyone could argue with that.

Just to clarify - it's not the only reason why Barca, Madrid and Munich do better than the top English clubs, but it's a huge advantage they have on top of having better players, no 2nd domestic cup competition and a winter break.

[tubby]

Teams like Atletico and Dortmund wouldn't have 'walked' the PL league title, they would need to adapt to an extra cup competition, and no winter break.  Both teams were/are high intensity and that's much more easy to sustain if you're not playing as many matches and get a nice break midway through the season.

Basically Barca have had a nightmare recently, Real are showing them up, Liverpool wouldn't get them get Coutinho, Messi is not signing a contract and is getting involved in stuff way above his station... and Xxavi is lashing out because of it.

[Xxavi]

That's the thing.....

The competition is what makes this a tough league. Never mind if you don't see the most technical and aesthetically pleasing sides of the game here, what you do see are teams that will bring you down to their level. Effectively.

That is what makes it a tough league

Err... so hold on, you think that Premiership teams were not doing that to ManU that had Rio Ferdinand, Vidic, Ronaldo, prime Rooney, Tevez, Giggs and Scholes because of the lack of TV money. Now that they have TV money, they have improved a lot and brought the otherwise great ManU side down to their level?

You think that it is not that Arsenal went crap since the days of Vieira and Henry, it's Southampton and West Ham improved so much so that now they can bring Arsenal down to their level? You think that Chelsea haven't massively regressed from the days of Terry, Essien, Drogba and Lampard, it's Swansea and Crystal Palace who can now bring them down a level?

Hilarious. The tough league is the reason why Moyes' and Van Gaal's ManU struggled then, OK.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Basically Barca have had a nightmare recently, Real are showing them up, Liverpool wouldn't get them get Coutinho, Messi is not signing a contract and is getting involved in stuff way above his station... and Xxavi is lashing out because of it.

To be fair to Xxavi, he's always been massively deluded with a psychotic need for everyone to think that not only are Barca the best but they also have no advantages whatsoever compared to other clubs. The Coutinho debacle hasn't affected him in that regard.

[El Lobo]

Maybe not "handful" teams but Bayern, Atletico M, Barca, Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus (and at times Borussia D) all would have walked to the Premiership titles of the past 3-4 years. I am surprised people don't accept this as a fact. The league race has been between some seriously mediocre teams in England in recent past. This year may be different, it remains to be seen. But I don't see how you deny that.

Also, regarding the increasing strength of the league, I thought there were only 2 deluded posters on here. Very surprised to see that people really believe bottom and midtable English teams are improving every year. Statistics (point distribution, points to get to top 4, points to win the league) don't support this, your eyes don't support this idea. Watch bottom English teams and ask yourself are they actually playing good football?

This guy.

The Coutinho thing has actually hurt a lot more than we expected it to hasn't it?

[Xabi Gerrard]

This guy.

The Coutinho thing has actually hurt a lot more than we expected it to hasn't it?

I was always under the impression that he was always this weird? Has he got even worse since the Coutinho thing?

[El Lobo]

I was always under the impression that he was always this weird? Has he got even worse since the Coutinho thing?

He cooled down a bit because we didn't really come into contact with them, but yeah now we didn't allow ourselves to be fucked over Coutinho he's right back on it.

[plura]

I was always under the impression that he was always this weird? Has he got even worse since the Coutinho thing?

No he has always been like this. Unbearable at times with his closed in views and condescending posts.

[redk84]

Err... so hold on, you think that Premiership teams were not doing that to ManU that had Rio Ferdinand, Vidic, Ronaldo, prime Rooney, Tevez, Giggs and Scholes because of the lack of TV money. Now that they have TV money, they have improved a lot and brought the otherwise great ManU side down to their level?

You think that it is not that Arsenal went crap since the days of Vieira and Henry, it's Southampton and West Ham improved so much so that now they can bring Arsenal down to their level? You think that Chelsea haven't massively regressed from the days of Terry, Essien, Drogba and Lampard, it's Swansea and Crystal Palace who can now bring them down a level?

Hilarious. The tough league is the reason why Moyes' and Van Gaal's ManU struggled then, OK.

woahhhh...
was a general point on why I think this league is tough. There are so many nuances in each and every season. The overall standard is poor now compared to before I agree with you but I just don't think its mad to say this is a tough league to win.

Sure you can cherry pick teams and say they would walk this league in the past 4 seasons......but there's no way in hell Leicester should have won it when they did for example even against these English teams.

Anyways ill back the hell outta this...seems abit personal to you 

[El Lobo]

I think with Xxavi it basically boils down to 'you cant prove Barcelona wouldn't win every game in every season ever in England, and you cant prove they wouldn't beat the All Blacks 100-0, and you cant prove they wouldn't beat the great Australia teams at cricket, and you cant prove Lionel Messi isn't the best singer ever, and you cant prove that Busquets wouldn't win a Best Actor Oscar if he was an actor, and you cant prove that Iniesta doesn't hold the world record for bathing in a tub of beans'

[Brian Blessed]

It's just his roundabout to say we are shit. Yeah, Coutinho hurt.

[Elzar]

I think with Xxavi it basically boils down to 'you cant prove Barcelona wouldn't win every game in every season ever in England, and you cant prove they wouldn't beat the All Blacks 100-0, and you cant prove they wouldn't beat the great Australia teams at cricket, and you cant prove Lionel Messi isn't the best singer ever, and you cant prove that Busquets wouldn't win a Best Actor Oscar if he was an actor, and you cant prove that Iniesta doesn't hold the world record for bathing in a tub of beans'

You can prove the last one

http://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/world-record-holders/248/barry-kirk-(captain-beany).aspx

Captain Beany would be a great name for Iniesta though.

[CraigDS]

Captain Beany would be a great name for Iniesta though.

Have you ever seen Captain Beany and Initesta in the same room together at the same time?

[El Lobo]

Have you ever seen Captain Beany and Initesta in the same room together at the same time?

Have you ever seen Initesta and Iniesta in the same room together at the same time....?

[Xxavi]

If I don't post on here, some posters wonder where I am at, and that I don't show up when Barca aren't doing well etc.
If I post, it must be because of Coutinho saga I can only laugh.

Barca have had better players than Coutinho that couldn't be transferred to the club. Barca had better players than Coutinho who transferred but failed at Barca. I wrote here during the transfer window that I would replace Neymar with Dembele and be happy. I am really not that fussed about Coutinho at all. You guys are welcome to think Coutinho saga is what causes me to post in this thread.

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

[CraigDS]

Have you ever seen Initesta and Iniesta in the same room together at the same time....?

Yes

[CraigDS]

If I don't post on here, some posters wonder where I am at, and that I don't show up when Barca aren't doing well etc.
If I post, it must be because of Coutinho saga I can only laugh.

Barca have had better players than Coutinho that couldn't be transferred to the club. Barca had better players than Coutinho who transferred but failed at Barca. I wrote here during the transfer window that I would replace Neymar with Dembele and be happy. I am really not that fussed about Coutinho at all. You guys are welcome to think Coutinho saga is what causes me to post in this thread.

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

If I don't post on here, some posters wonder where I am at, and that I don't show up when Barca aren't doing well etc.
If I post, it must be because of Coutinho saga I can only laugh.

Barca have had better players than Coutinho that couldn't be transferred to the club. Barca had better players than Coutinho who transferred but failed at Barca. I wrote here during the transfer window that I would replace Neymar with Dembele and be happy. I am really not that fussed about Coutinho at all. You guys are welcome to think Coutinho saga is what causes me to post in this thread.

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

Coutinho isn't Neymar's replacement, but Iniesta's. Anyway i agree with you. Coutinho isn't all that 

[Xxavi]

Coutinho isn't Neymar's replacement, but Iniesta's. Anyway i agree with you. Coutinho isn't all that 

Isco was Iniesta's replacement. Ceballos could have been. These are the transfers that pissed me off.

Coutinho? I'd have been pissed off if Barca paid more than 80m for him. Even after the Neymar transfer that inflated the market, I'd be pissed off if we paid more than 80m for him. I just don't rate Coutinho THAT high. There you go, hope this helps clarify that I am not a huge Coutinho fan

[Achilles Heel]

Maybe not "handful" teams but Bayern, Atletico M, Barca, Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus (and at times Borussia D) all would have walked to the Premiership titles of the past 3-4 years. I am surprised people don't accept this as a fact. The league race has been between some seriously mediocre teams in England in recent past. This year may be different, it remains to be seen. But I don't see how you deny that.

Also, regarding the increasing strength of the league, I thought there were only 2 deluded posters on here. Very surprised to see that people really believe bottom and midtable English teams are improving every year. Statistics (point distribution, points to get to top 4, points to win the league) don't support this, your eyes don't support this idea. Watch bottom English teams and ask yourself are they actually playing good football?

So in the last 2 seasons City have been no where near the PL title BUT their record against Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG in live CL matches has been W2 D2 L2. Last year they also W1 L1 against the French Champions who happened to finish higher than PSG. Year before last they topped a group with Juventus in it.

Claiming ALL those teams would walk the PL is a nonsense.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Isco was Iniesta's replacement. Ceballos could have been. These are the transfers that pissed me off.

Coutinho? I'd have been pissed off if Barca paid more than 80m for him. Even after the Neymar transfer that inflated the market, I'd be pissed off if we paid more than 80m for him. I just don't rate Coutinho THAT high. There you go, hope this helps clarify that I am not a huge Coutinho fan

And we would've been pissed off had you payed less that £200m for him so everybody is happy.

As for your list of sides that would walk the Prem,well it is bollocks and even if it were true

[Skeeve]

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

It is hardly hurt for people to consider that your precious club have once again acted like a bunch of arseholes while trying to push through transfers and comment accordingly. Also, people are not being arrogant about the PL, merely looking beyond the overly simplistic PL is shit, Spain is awesome line you prefer to peddle when you decide to grace this board with your tedious trolling posting.

[thelinnen]

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Isco was Iniesta's replacement. Ceballos could have been. These are the transfers that pissed me off.

Coutinho? I'd have been pissed off if Barca paid more than 80m for him. Even after the Neymar transfer that inflated the market, I'd be pissed off if we paid more than 80m for him. I just don't rate Coutinho THAT high. There you go, hope this helps clarify that I am not a huge Coutinho fan

Good, because we wouldn't sell him even for 200mil. It's just a little bit dumb from Barcelona to embarrass themselves like that. Should have shown some dignity and respect. Probably in the future they'll know with who they are dealing with.

[CrasherKid79]

Isco was Iniesta's replacement. Ceballos could have been. These are the transfers that pissed me off

I'm sure Isco is devastated being at the best club in Europe polishing his Champions League medals

[mgs88]

If I don't post on here, some posters wonder where I am at, and that I don't show up when Barca aren't doing well etc.
If I post, it must be because of Coutinho saga I can only laugh.

Barca have had better players than Coutinho that couldn't be transferred to the club. Barca had better players than Coutinho who transferred but failed at Barca. I wrote here during the transfer window that I would replace Neymar with Dembele and be happy. I am really not that fussed about Coutinho at all. You guys are welcome to think Coutinho saga is what causes me to post in this thread.

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

Always amuses me when you of all people call other posters arrogant.

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[The 1989 Brit Awards]

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[glewis93]

If I don't post on here, some posters wonder where I am at, and that I don't show up when Barca aren't doing well etc.
If I post, it must be because of Coutinho saga I can only laugh.

Barca have had better players than Coutinho that couldn't be transferred to the club. Barca had better players than Coutinho who transferred but failed at Barca. I wrote here during the transfer window that I would replace Neymar with Dembele and be happy. I am really not that fussed about Coutinho at all. You guys are welcome to think Coutinho saga is what causes me to post in this thread.

From where I stand, some of you are massively arrogant when it comes to English clubs and Premiership (yet, ironically blame Barca for this). Reading through this thread, especially the last 10-15 pages, actually it is you who seem to be hurt by the Coutinho saga. Look at the amount of petty Barca comments. Oh well, I guess I will leave the thread for a while. Don't complain that I disappeared though

Well, we all agree on two words of that post.

[Persephone]

Can we all just go back to talking about how Barca are run by whiny, lying, entitled pricks? Don't feed Xxavi should be posted at the top of this thread.

[Red Beret]

I would just like to add, fuck Barca. 

[LFC when it suits]

Good grief, do you actually believe some of the ridiculous things you post or are you just on a massive constant trolling mission....?

Go on lets bite, who are the 'more than a handful' of teams who would walk the Premier League?

As mentioned, Bayern, PSG, Atletico, Real, Barca and Bayern.  That's 6 teams.

[conman]

Maybe not "handful" teams but Bayern, Atletico M, Barca, Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus (and at times Borussia D) all would have walked to the Premiership titles of the past 3-4 years. I am surprised people don't accept this as a fact. The league race has been between some seriously mediocre teams in England in recent past. This year may be different, it remains to be seen. But I don't see how you deny that.

Also, regarding the increasing strength of the league, I thought there were only 2 deluded posters on here. Very surprised to see that people really believe bottom and midtable English teams are improving every year. Statistics (point distribution, points to get to top 4, points to win the league) don't support this, your eyes don't support this idea. Watch bottom English teams and ask yourself are they actually playing good football?

You're right, but they would need to bolster their squads if they were to do so, particularly if they wish to perform in Europe.
Would you agree?

[RayPhilAlan]

He can play as the playmaker picking through passes, a la David Silva till he's 40. That's not the issue. Every gamebreaker, top dribbler, including Messi relies on that bit of acceleration over the first few yards, no matter how good your touch is. That's going for Messi.

Anyway come to City,  only way to put it to the test haha.

Think I'd rather Messi puts it to the test by coming to us. Don't understand this desire for him to go to City.

[Samie]

Yeah Messi lad, can you do it on a cold Wednesday night at Anfield?

[Suareznumber7]

Also, regarding the increasing strength of the league, I thought there were only 2 deluded posters on here. Very surprised to see that people really believe bottom and midtable English teams are improving every year. Statistics (point distribution, points to get to top 4, points to win the league) don't support this, your eyes don't support this idea. Watch bottom English teams and ask yourself are they actually playing good football?

The bottom and mid table teams in the Premier look better the past few years because the teams at the top have regressed.