This seasons Barcelona

MrJoeSoap

Absolutely awesome yet again tonight. Spain and the World better be ready for these guys.

Just beat Levante 4-1 away, fair enough Levante bring nothing to the table but if Barcelona needed eight goals tonight they could have got them. No Ronaldinho, no Eto'o, Messi and Puyol both played less than an hour, and they just passed the ball around the pitch effortlessly and created chance after chance.

Henry got his first goal for the club, his confidence was clearly sky-high after that, and he put Levante to the sword for his first Barcelona hat-trick. Himself and Messi already seem to have a great understanding for each others games, and Andreas Iniesta has completed the front three like an accomplished attacker in the past couple of games, not the midfielder from the past couple of seasons. Xavi was steady if not spectacular, Toure looks like a great anchor in the midfield a la Vieira or Makelele, and hopefully his injury won't be too serious. Abidal and Milito didn't put a foot wrong, nor did any of the defenders we've known from the past few seasons, and tonights penalty did seem a little generous to say the least.

The only question is where will Eto'o and Ronaldinho fit in when they get back? They certainly shouldn't expect to walk back into the side, given the way Zaragoza and Levante have been carved apart. Weak opposition it has to be said, but very few defences could have handled Barcelona on the form they showed tonight. I certainly don't think Madrid could have.

I really think that given the immense talent they have in depth that this could be their year. Again.

PHB

Maybe, not sure Toure is as good as Vieira or Makelele. Not sure how they are gona deal with Eto or Ronaldinho being back. You might say that they shouldn't but they will be back, then you have the team slightly off balance maybe? That said, they've looked scary, but given that these teams weren't exactly top class, while I'm worried, I still tip Real Madrid for the title.

LegacyUser

Barca are an awesome outfit. A real and true football club. None of this Chelsea bull****.

An Citeog

PHB wrote:

Maybe, not sure Toure is as good as Vieira or Makelele. Not sure how they are gona deal with Eto or Ronaldinho being back. You might say that they shouldn't but they will be back, then you have the team slightly off balance maybe? That said, they've looked scary, but given that these teams weren't exactly top class, while I'm worried, I still tip Real Madrid for the title.

Toure has been absolutely outstanding this season and seems to get better with every game. Barça just seem to have that cutting edge back again and it's absolutely brilliant to watch. The first half against Zaragoza was an absolute masterclass in attacking football.

The Ronaldinho situation is quite strange. I wouldn't be surprised to see him gone (to Chelsea?) in January and if not, I'm sure he'll make a move in the Summer. With everyone fit and Ronaldinho still out of favour/gone my Barça team would look like:

..............Valdes....................
Zambrotta...Puyol...Milito/Marquez...Abidal...
..................Xavi....................
..........Toure......Iñiesta.........
.....Messi..................Henry
..................Eto'o..............

You wouldn't believe the relief from Barça fans when Henry finally got off the mark in the league tonight. He seemed to be drifting out drifting out to the left aswell, just like he did with Arsenal

Can't wait for next weekend's game now, I'll definitely be there. I just hope that Barça can turn on the style! Btw, Real Madrid won't win the league this year. As much as I love Schuster, Barça just seem to have that little bit extra this year and I don't think Madrid will have enough for them.

MrJoeSoap

I'd swap Toure with Xavi, and I'd find it mighty hard to drop Deco with the form he's in, but then again I could say the same about Iniesta. It's definitely a good problem to have though, having too many great players.

Eirebear

I hate reading stories such as this............ were gonna get so humped in a few weeks time:o

MrJoeSoap

Rangers fan yeah? I can certainly see Barcelona topping the group comfortably but second place is certainly there for the taking. Once you don't decide to go all out attack at the Nou Camp you should limit Barca to five or six goals.

I joke.

Eirebear

yup Gers fan.....tbh i can see Barca taking maximum points from the group, what ive seen of them this season has been awesome, they look like a team who is seriously hurting after last year and want to put that right.

Attacking at the Nou Camp? Ha! we dont even attack at home in europe!

1 upfront loyal!:D

An Citeog

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I'd swap Toure with Xavi, and I'd find it mighty hard to drop Deco with the form he's in, but then again I could say the same about Iniesta. It's definitely a good problem to have though, having too many great players.

I don't think Deco's really been on fire, although he has been making a couple of unbelievable passes per game. I could say the same about Xavi aswell but it's hard to drop the Catalan players. Sure that's the only reason Oleguer even gets a game! That said, it's definitely a good problem to have.

el rabitos

i think rangers have a good chance tbh, and i'm a barca fan. walter smith is smart enough to know how dangerous barca are with the ball, the only way to beat them, and they are beatable, is to constantly hound them and close them down for 90 minutes, they get frustrated and run out of patience pretty fast when they cant impose their game on teams.

liverpool put on a masterclass in the nou camp last season on how to beat them. they applied the pressure for 90 minutes and took their chances. they are fulnerable at the back, rangers will get their chances, i wouldnt write them off. the key is not to concede early or rangers will have to attack, then they'll open then floodgates on themselves.

kinaldo

I saw the game last night and Barcelona were frighteningly good. That's the sort of form they were consistently showing when they won the league and European Cup two seasons ago.

Unfortunately for them, any below par performances from the standard they've set in their last two games will see them massacred in the press (the Spanish press that is). They were dubbed at the start of the season as 'the new dream team' with their 'cuatro magnificos', so this is nothing less than expected. Anything less than unprecedented success will be a failure.

The pressure there is so immense that Bobby Robson's team in 96/97 (that contained Ronaldo and Figo) were criticised for not winning enough games 6-0. One time when they did win 6-0 he was slated because they didn't score more!

I think it's an incredible achievement to win the league and European Cup double which is what Eto'o and Ronaldinho have already achieved. Madrid weren't very good / stable that year though. This season I think the league and European cup will be shared between the two, and my tip is Barca for the league and Madrid to win their tenth European Cup.

Which will probably be failure for both...

Eirebear

el rabitos wrote:

i think rangers have a good chance tbh, and i'm a barca fan. walter smith is smart enough to know how dangerous barca are with the ball, the only way to beat them, and they are beatable, is to constantly hound them and close them down for 90 minutes, they get frustrated and run out of patience pretty fast when they cant impose their game on teams.

liverpool put on a masterclass in the nou camp last season on how to beat them. they applied the pressure for 90 minutes and took their chances. they are fulnerable at the back, rangers will get their chances, i wouldnt write them off. the key is not to concede early or rangers will have to attack, then they'll open then floodgates on themselves.

While i see what your saying, and to a point i agree...especially in the first game at Ibrox, i do...honestly...really fear the worst