Topic: FC Barcelona

[Crimson_Tank]

Messi Xavi and Iniesta in full flow, mesmerizing, I could watch barcelona all day and not get bored.

Indeed they are, and one could indeed spend day watching them play and not get the slightest bit bored.

[rushyman]

Indeed they are, and one could indeed spend day watching them play and not get the slightest bit bored.

Very true. I was going to the mrs last night, when she was complaining of my watching the football again. 'Look! cant you see what theyre doing. Surely even the untrained eye can see!?'

She stopped and looked which put me out a bit as I was expecting 'oh fuck off' or something

'Well theyre better than Bruges' (her home town team)

That they are love, that they are

[LiverpoolForever]

Always thought after watching Milan beat a very good Barca team 4-0 in the 94' European Cup Final that was as good as football gets , never thought i would see a team better than that Milan side , and under Saatchi as well.

But this Barca team under Pep is even better than that side , its the best football team in my lifetime and i cant see it ever being better than this.

[.Mike]

Always thought after watching Milan beat a very good Barca team 4-0 in the 94' European Cup Final that was as good as football gets , never thought i would see a team better than that Milan side , and under Saatchi as well.

But this Barca team under Pep is even better than that side , its the best football team in my lifetime and i cant see it ever being better than this.

Think the only rival for them is brazil 1970 imo

[LiverpoolForever]

Think the only rival for them is brazil 1970 imo

Before my time , in my lifetime that Milan side was the best ive seen before Pep's Barca.

[.Mike]

Before my time , in my lifetime that Milan side was the best ive seen before Pep's Barca.

Before my time aswell, but watched every game they played online and on ESPN Classic.

My old fella seen them live, even seen the 1966 brazil team at woodison. Says this Barca team is something else to anything he has any seen.

[redtel]

Always thought after watching Milan beat a very good Barca team 4-0 in the 94' European Cup Final that was as good as football gets , never thought i would see a team better than that Milan side , and under Saatchi as well.

But this Barca team under Pep is even better than that side , its the best football team in my lifetime and i cant see it ever being better than this.

Think the only rival for them is brazil 1970 imo

Before my time , in my lifetime that Milan side was the best ive seen before Pep's Barca.

Agreed.  I make time to watch this side play and can they play.

Watch whenever you can as I don't think we will see the like of them again for many years.

I think they rate up there with the great Ajax 70's team, Brazil 70 and Milan under Saatchi, and probably just edge them due to having the genius of Messi. Only Maradona and Pele can hold a candle to him and I've seen both play in the flesh. As Messi is still just 24 he is yet to peak although he could burn out early as he has been playing top level since he was 17. Pep says he begs to play and is hardly ever rested.

Some of Barca's brilliant play last night showed they are coming back to their best. If you get fed up with some of the things going on in modern footy then watching 90 minutes of Barca will give you a lift.

[Skagen]

Best team i've ever seen by far, and Messi is the best player i've ever seen as well. Just brilliant!!!

[Camarero25]

They had 9 players in that team last night who came through their system as well. 9. And another one in Xavi came off the bench to score.

[Crimson_Tank]

'Well theyre better than Bruges'

  epic response from her

[rossipersempre]

Shame a team so good wont win the league this season. CL winners though i reckon.

I reckon they're due a bit of a come down myself. Madrid have all but won La Liga now barring any collapse. And I fancy Milan for the CL this year, just as I had a feeling about Inter in 2010. With Guardiola stalling on a new contract (expires end of this season), it's not all champagne and rainbows for Barcelona right now.

[rossipersempre]

Always thought after watching Milan beat a very good Barca team 4-0 in the 94' European Cup Final that was as good as football gets , never thought i would see a team better than that Milan side , and under Saatchi as well.

Charles or Maurice?

[rossipersempre]

Think the only rival for them is brazil 1970 imo

Brazil '82? Although not successful, the quality of football was jaw-dropping. Well, to me as a kid anyway.

[beardsley4ever]

Yeah maybe the best team ever, but on this day five years ago we beat them.  In the Nou Camp.  One of the best away trips of my life.  Fuk it, one of the days of my life, and I say that as a happily married man with three healthy kids.

[LiverpoolForever]

Charles or Maurice?

Arrigo?

[Antics]

Yeah maybe the best team ever, but on this day five years ago we beat them.  In the Nou Camp.  One of the best away trips of my life.  Fuk it, one of the days of my life, and I say that as a happily married man with three healthy kids.

Was. Not. The. Same. Team.

Brilliant victory though, must have been a spectacular night to be there.

[Stevie93]

Was. Not. The. Same. Team.

Brilliant victory though, must have been a spectacular night to be there.

Must have been amazing to witness it. But you're right, this team is totally different now.

[R]

"Valdés is bad! But with all the players he has in front of him even he looks good."

I missed you, Maradrog... dona. You and Pelé keep me entertained.

[Spanish Fan]

I would add to those Eusebio's Benfica: european champions in 1960/61 and 1961/62 and finalists in1962/63, 1964/65 and 1967/68. They also won the portuguese league during that time in 1959/60, 1960/61, 1962/63, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1968/69. So they actually lose the portuguese league in 61/62, when they won their 2nd champions (curiously against Barcelona). Bella Gutman was the coach.

A fantastic side and unfairly not much talked about, a mistake that I have made myself too.

[Spanish Fan]

"Valdes is bad! But with all the players he has in front of him even he looks good."

I missed you, Maradrog... dona.

I don't know what Valdes needs to do in order to convince the skeptics. These days he makes very few mistakes but still has the stigma attached of his early years. The guy is confident with the ball at his feet, very important in Barca system, and his also a very good shop stopper and has become Spain second choice goalkeeper. But is not enough to convince many people.

[Mashy-rawr!nooo]

I don't know what Valdes needs to do in order to convince the skeptics. These days he makes very few mistakes but still has the stigma attached of his early years. The guy is confident with the ball at his feet, very important in Barca system, and his also a very good shop stopper and has become Spain second choice goalkeeper. But is not enough to convince many people.

It seems to convince his team mates and Pep. thats all that counts.

[rossipersempre]

Arrigo?

Sacchi not Saatchi

[BRdispatch05]

I've been seeing a few articles regarding mistakes by refs and how Barcelona would be in front of Real Madrid if they had got them correct, accompanied by a video and list of all these incidents.

  I prefer Barcelona over them any day, but I am sorry that is just plain bullshit and looking for excuses.

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/4016/main/2012/02/18/2913365/the-real-liga-table-with-correct-refereeing-decisions

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/does-this-video-prove-real-madrid-only-lead-la-liga-by-10-points-due-to-referee-mistakes/#more-147943

[rossipersempre]

I don't know what Valdes needs to do in order to convince the skeptics. These days he makes very few mistakes but still has the stigma attached of his early years. The guy is confident with the ball at his feet, very important in Barca system, and his also a very good shop stopper and has become Spain second choice goalkeeper. But is not enough to convince many people.

Err, since when?

[Ski]

Simply a joy to watch! Priveledged to see them play most weekends on the box.

[Spanish Fan]

I've been seeing a few articles regarding mistakes by refs and how Barcelona would be in front of Real Madrid if they had got them correct, accompanied by a video and list of all these incidents.

  I prefer Barcelona over them any day, but I am sorry that is just plain bullshit and looking for excuses.

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/4016/main/2012/02/18/2913365/the-real-liga-table-with-correct-refereeing-decisions

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/does-this-video-prove-real-madrid-only-lead-la-liga-by-10-points-due-to-referee-mistakes/#more-147943

Don't know about Real Madrid cause I seldom watch their games, but Barca have been very unlucky with referee's decisions. Penalties not given, goals scored wrongly disallowed and the opposite.

And it is not only this season,. In the last three seasons Barcelona  had 10 penalties awarded and Real Madrid 29.  In Europe, over the same period Barcelona were awarded 6 penalties and Real Madrid 3, with Barcelona playing only 5 more games.

Coincidence or something else? Mourinho last season launched a campaing that the referees were against his team and in favour of Barcelona. He complained about referees, games schedules, the Spanish FA, everything. Does it ring any bell? The difference being that Spanish media are very much pro Real Madrid and when Mourinho speaks you will hear or read what he said in every corner of Spain thw whole day. And Madrid press were behind him with their infamous Villarato campaign, that Barcelona had a preferential treatment from the referees beacuse Barcelona were in good terms with the Spanish FA president.

So good in fact that Barcelona got more penalties against than in favour last season. It must be because they are a very defensive team.

[beardsley4ever]

Must have been amazing to witness it. But you're right, this team is totally different now.

Just unbelievable to be there, but what's with all the "team is totally different now" stuff?  If we're saying that their greatness lies partly in the three European Cups in the last 6 years, and 5 leagues out of 7, then that covers 2007, yeah?  Sure the make-up may have changed a bit, but they still had Valdes, Puyol, Xavi, Messi (albeit a much younger one, not yet in his prime), and Iniesta.  They also had Ronaldinho at his peak, Deco was still a good footballer, etc.  That side we played was a terrific side, and we beat them in their own house - we didn't nick it, or anything.  They dominated the first 20 minutes, but after that it was pretty even, and when Riise swung his standing leg at it from 18 yards into the roof of the net - fuk me, what a moment.  The kind of moment that only football produces.

[gordonchas]

Don't know about Real Madrid cause I seldom watch their games, but Barca have been very unlucky with referee's decisions. Penalties not given, goals scored wrongly disallowed and the opposite.

And it is not only this season,. In the last three seasons Barcelona  had 10 penalties awarded and Real Madrid 29.  In Europe, over the same period Barcelona were awarded 6 penalties and Real Madrid 3, with Barcelona playing only 5 more games.

Coincidence or something else? Mourinho last season launched a campaing that the referees were against his team and in favour of Barcelona. He complained about referees, games schedules, the Spanish FA, everything. Does it ring any bell? The difference being that Spanish media are very much pro Real Madrid and when Mourinho speaks you will hear or read what he said in every corner of Spain thw whole day. And Madrid press were behind him with their infamous Villarato campaign, that Barcelona had a preferential treatment from the referees beacuse Barcelona were in good terms with the Spanish FA president.

So good in fact that Barcelona got more penalties against than in favour last season. It must be because they are a very defensive team.

Oh dear. This is also the 'Barca way'. When in doubt, resort to playing the 'victim' card. That has been the default position for perceived failures since 1916 when the team walked off the pitch in a protest against 'biased refereering' by a ref they themselves had asked to take charge of the game.

It must be hard playing against 12 every week for the last 100 years.

[Spanish Fan]

Oh dear. This is also the 'Barca way'. When in doubt, resort to playing the 'victim' card. That has been the default position for perceived failures since 1916 when the team walked off the pitch in a protest against 'biased refereering' by a ref they themselves had asked to take charge of the game.

It must be hard playing against 12 every week for the last 100 years.

29 penaltis vs 10 in la liga

In Europe 6 vs 3 the other way.

Have you thought just for a moment on this?

Have you watched all Barcelona games this season? Or is it your sterotyped answer to this issue? 

[rossipersempre]

You didn't answer my question by the way...

Since when has Valdes been Spain's second-choice keeper (as you claim)?

[gordonchas]

29 penaltis vs 10 in la liga

In Europe 6 vs 3 the other way.

Have you thought just for a moment on this?

Have you watched all Barcelona games this season? Or is it your sterotyped answer to this issue? 

Yes, mostly.  They have been unlucky in that several key moments that could also have gone in their favour have gone against them. You imply that this is bias, which I'm afraid is the stereotypical answer of cules throughout the years.

Why choose three years for your stats?  Mourinho wasn't even in charge for the first of those, Pellegrini was. Maybe it's because it's the last three years that make your case, because if we go back beyond the last three seasons we'll find that Barca were awarded more penalties than Madrid in every single one of the previous five seasons. Can you make anything out of that?

[Stevie93]

Just unbelievable to be there, but what's with all the "team is totally different now" stuff?  If we're saying that their greatness lies partly in the three European Cups in the last 6 years, and 5 leagues out of 7, then that covers 2007, yeah?  Sure the make-up may have changed a bit, but they still had Valdes, Puyol, Xavi, Messi (albeit a much younger one, not yet in his prime), and Iniesta.  They also had Ronaldinho at his peak, Deco was still a good footballer, etc.  That side we played was a terrific side, and we beat them in their own house - we didn't nick it, or anything.  They dominated the first 20 minutes, but after that it was pretty even, and when Riise swung his standing leg at it from 18 yards into the roof of the net - fuk me, what a moment.  The kind of moment that only football produces.

The players were there, but the Barca we know today only got going once Pep Guardiola took charge. Back then the parts were there, but they hadn't yet been put together.

Don't bet me wrong, I'm not trying to dismiss the achievement of winning at the Nou Camp, I still remember that match very vividly. They were incredible then, but they're out of this world now.

[Spanish Fan]

Yes, mostly.  They have been unlucky in that several key moments that could also have gone in their favour have gone against them. You imply that this is bias, which I'm afraid is the stereotypical answer of cules throughout the years.

Why choose three years for your stats?  Mourinho wasn't even in charge for the first of those, Pellegrini was. Maybe it's because it's the last three years that make your case, because if we go back beyond the last three seasons we'll find that Barca were awarded more penalties than Madrid in every single one of the previous five seasons. Can you make anything out of that?

Where did you get that? Please, link. And if so,  by how many penalties? Real Madrid have a plus difference of 19 in just 2 and a half seasons. That makes almost 8 penaltis per season more for the last three years. I dont think you will find one season, not three, in the whole history of la liga where Barcelona were awarded 8 penalties more than Real Madrid.

[gordonchas]

Where did you get that? Please, link. And if so,  by how many penalties? Real Madrid have a plus difference of 19 in just 2 and a half seasons. That makes almost 8 penaltis per season more for the last three years. I dont think you will find one season, not three, in the whole history of la liga where Barcelona were awarded 8 penalties more than Real Madrid.

Use ceroacero.es with this link as your start point just to look at penalties

http://www.ceroacero.es/edicao_stats.php?id_edicao=2328&v=jt1&o=PEN&sc=0&pais=0&pos=0&id_equipa=40

[Spanish Fan]

Use ceroacero.es with this link as your start point just to look at penalties

http://www.ceroacero.es/edicao_stats.php?id_edicao=2328&v=jt1&o=PEN&sc=0&pais=0&pos=0&id_equipa=40

Thanks for the link.

You are right, before this penalty galore in favour of Real Madrid, Barcelona had more penalties awarded during the previous five seasons. Sounds impressive, isn't it?

Now let's see how many goals Barca scored during that period, 105+76+78+80+73= 412 goals whereas RM scored 83+84+66+70+71= 374 goals.

RM were awarded 25 penalties and Barcelona 31, a whopping 6 more penalties in a five year period.

Barcelona scored 7.5 % of their goals via penalty kicks, whereas RM scored 6.7% of theirs. Not even a 1% diference.

Now let's see in the last three seasons.

RM have scored 102 + 102 + 79 = 283 goals of which 28 of them came via penalty kick.
That is 9.5 % of their goals.

Barcelona have scored 98+95+68= 261 goals of which 10 were scored from the spot.

3.8%.
A significant difference.



 

[LiverpoolForever]

Sacchi not Saatchi

Apologies , didnt know the RAWK spelling police were on patrol.

[gordonchas]

RM have scored 102 + 102 + 79 = 283 goals of which 28 of them came via penalty kick.
That is 9.5 % of their goals.

Barcelona have scored 98+95+68= 261 goals of which 10 were scored from the spot.

3.8%.
A significant difference.

So what is it you're trying to say?   That there is some sort of conspiracy amongst all Spanish top-flight referees in favour of Real Madrid, which has suddenly developed in the last couple of years? Is that it, because otherwise what's the point of the analysis?

[LadsPen]

Ah, the good old Barca good Real bad debate.

Real win more penalties recently because their use of wide fast players means movement into the box is greater than the more precise build up play of barca.

[Fruity]

They're the greatest team of all time and Messi is the greatest player of all time.

I agree they are the best team I have ever seen I still think Maradona was a better player than messi (so far).

[scatman]

Ah, the good old Barca good Real bad debate.

Real win more penalties recently because their use of wide fast players means movement into the box is greater than the more precise build up play of barca.

I watch both a lot, infact i watch probably over 100 games involving Real and Barca every season. Barca tend not to be given penalties even for blatant fouls. Real tend to be given quite a few dubious penalties.
Though some of those dubious penalties given to Real have been when they have been 2 or 3 up already. However the Barcelona side not get decisions have actually been in games where they have been losing or drawing unfortunately for them.