FC Barcelona Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Talib Fiasco

Probably not the proper place for it but it's probably the most fitting thread, but Rivaldo has announced his retirement at 41...such a legend...was always a hero of mine growing up. He was unstoppable on his day and was such a joy to watch all throughout his career.

And who can forget this performance, probably the best hat-trick of all time given the context and quality of goals.

Ulysses Gaze

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Probably not the proper place for it but it's probably the most fitting thread, but Rivaldo has announced his retirement at 41...such a legend...was always a hero of mine growing up. He was unstoppable on his day and was such a joy to watch all throughout his career.

And who can forget this performance, probably the best hat-trick of all time given the context and quality of goals.

The third goal is one of the greatest I have seen.

Only a special player could score that.

Harvey Low Fat Milk

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

The third goal is one of the greatest I have seen.

Only a special player could score that.

He's the player that got me interested in Barcelona as a team and he was also immense in the World Cup in 2002.

gimmick

Seems Martino is leaving at the end of the season. Presser happening right now.

Edit: board are denying it. Esport are the ones behind the claim.

Turtwig

gimmick wrote: »

Seems Martino is leaving at the end of the season. Presser happening right now.

Jesus! Seriously?
He wasn't doing a half bad job.

Agueroooo

gimmick wrote: »

Seems Martino is leaving at the end of the season. Presser happening right now.

Just read that.

any idea who might take over?

gimmick

Just edited above. The board are denying. It's just one tv station reporting it.

MisterAnarchy

Jernal wrote: »

Jesus! Seriously?
He wasn't doing a half bad job.

Bizarre really,4 points off the top of the league ,in the Cup final and in the quarter finals of the Champions league.

Meanwhile in Manchester ,a manager completely out of his depth is breaking all sorts of unwanted records and is safe in a job.:mad:

Ulysses Gaze

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Bizarre really,4 points off the top of the league ,in the Cup final and in the quarter finals of the Champions league.

Meanwhile in Manchester ,a manager completely out of his depth is breaking all sorts of unwanted records and is safe in a job.:mad:

That's football for you!

Turtwig

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Bizarre really,4 points off the top of the league ,in the Cup final and in the quarter finals of the Champions league.

Meanwhile in Manchester ,a manager completely out of his depth is breaking all sorts of unwanted records and is safe in a job.:mad:

Crucially they've looked more defensively solid than I've seen them in a few years. He made Barcelona steely again and they're considering sacking him. I sincerely hope it's more a case of him not liking the attitude he's been treated with all season by the media and the possibly the zealot players.

miralize

United could do so much worse than Martino.

I'd rather he not leave, he needs at least 2 seasons to make his mark. He'll always be compared to Pep, but he's done fantastic with what he has, in terms of defensive players & getting new ideas across. The media makes him out to be unhappy, and if he is, thats his right to.

But if he isnt unhappy, give him an actual window to buy a player he thinks we need. Thats his real test : can he spot quality Barcelona need.

Ulysses Gaze

miralize wrote: »

United could do so much worse than Martino.

I'd rather he not leave, he needs at least 2 seasons to make his mark. He'll always be compared to Pep, but he's done fantastic with what he has, in terms of defensive players & getting new ideas across. The media makes him out to be unhappy, and if he is, thats his right to.

But if he isnt unhappy, give him an actual window to buy a player he thinks we need. Thats his real test : can he spot quality Barcelona need.

I guess all this will depend on the results of Barca Presidential elections.

Any word on this? Any chance of Laporta running again and winning?

JPA

Jernal wrote: »

Jesus! Seriously?
He wasn't doing a half bad job.

Almost common knowledge I would have thought.

Andersonisgod

1-0 to Barcelona Juvenil A, against Arsenal. Munir's pressing pays dividends.

ronjo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

1-0 to Barcelona Juvenil A, against Arsenal. Munir's pressing pays dividends.

How poor are Barca at playing from the back though? Lost posession at leastb5 times in first 20 minutes.

greendom

Andersonisgod wrote: »

1-0 to Barcelona Juvenil A, against Arsenal. Munir's pressing pays dividends.

no mention of the Arsenal missed penalty or how well they had been playing?

Andersonisgod

ronjo wrote: »

How poor are Barca at playing from the back though? Lost posession at leastb5 times in first 20 minutes.

It's been sloppy at times but I can't criticise them, they believe in playing a certain way and they stick to it. Though at times it has been risky and has occasionally led to trouble, when they have beaten the Arsenal press though they are in at the back four.

Andersonisgod

greendom wrote: »

no mention of the Arsenal missed penalty or how well they had been playing?

Ye they had done well but now Barcelona are going through the gears and the quality of Adama is being felt.

Turtwig

greendom wrote: »

no mention of the Arsenal missed penalty or how well they had been playing?

Were you expecting impartiality from AIG?

Andersonisgod

Jernal wrote: »

Were you expecting impartiality from AIG?

Ah very harsh Jernal, I've given them their due.

greendom

Jernal wrote: »

Were you expecting impartiality from AIG?

no - my reply was an attempt to redress the balance a little

Andersonisgod

As the half went on, Adama came into the game more and more and that made a big difference to the performance, he really is something else. Munir not been in the game enough though despite his goal.

ronjo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

As the half went on, Adama came into the game more and more and that made a big difference to the performance, he really is something else. Munir not been in the game enough though despite his goal.

Barca had a good 10 minutes. Rest all Arsenal and should be a few goals up.

Andersonisgod

ronjo wrote: »

Barca had a good 10 minutes. Rest all Arsenal and should be a few goals up.

But they were the best 10 minutes either team has had, very crisp, quick and forceful in their play and chances followed. Also hugely unlucky not to have been given a penalty.

Vinz Mesrine

AIG I notice you've been very quiet during the last few league games. Hope everything is ok.

ronjo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

But they were the best 10 minutes either team has had, very crisp, quick and forceful in their play and chances followed. Also hugely unlucky not to have been given a penalty.

Agree on penalty but only one shot on target.

Andersonisgod

Vinz Mesrine wrote: »

AIG I notice you've been very quiet during the last few league games. Hope everything is ok.

Actually the games have just clashed with social gatherings, so I've had to record the matches and watch them at crazy times during the night. However, all going to plan, I will be watching the Clasico live.

Andersonisgod

Kaptoum on for the second half in place of Huertas, correct decision.

dfx-

This is not a thread to discuss Aig, gentlemen, do not do so.

Andersonisgod

It only takes a few minutes for Kaptoum to make his mark, such is the quality of the young midfield maestro, his pass cuts the Arsenal defence open and from there you knew Adama would finish. 2-1

Turtwig

Is anybody else thinking of BSG when they hear that scorers name?

Andersonisgod

I'm practically salivating watching Kaptoum post, the difference between this and the first half couldn't be more pronounced.

ronjo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I'm practically salivating watching Kaptoum post, the difference between this and the first half couldn't be more pronounced.

He is good but made a complete mess of the shot.

ronjo

Game over

Andersonisgod

ronjo wrote: »

He is good but made a complete mess of the shot.

Far more than good, he could be great.

ronjo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Far more than good, he could be great.

Why didn't he start?

What a truly awful penalty

Andersonisgod

ronjo wrote: »

Why didn't he start?

What a truly awful penalty

That's a very good question, odd team selection. Even the substitution was odd, I thought Huertas had a better half than Ortega.

Andersonisgod

Along with Adama Traore, the golden boy of Barcelona's Juvenil A side, Kaptoum strikes, never has a player so deserved to score the winning goal.

Traore! 4-2 this young, immensely talented Barcelona side march on to the semi finals to meet Schalke.

greendom

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Along with Adama Traore, the golden boy of Barcelona's Juvenil A side, Kaptoum strikes, never has a player so deserved to score the winning goal.

Traore! 4-2 this young, immensely talented Barcelona side march on to the semi finals to meet Schalke.

Thought a draw would have been a fair result

Andersonisgod

greendom wrote: »

Thought a draw would have been a fair result

Arsenal did well, it was an excellent game but, for me, the better team won. After a difficult opening 25 minutes, Barcelona stirred and upped the game, the quality of Kaptoum and Adama Traore eclipsed anything Arsenal had to offer.

eternal

Can anyone recommend a decent site to watch the match online tonight?

gimmick

Delighted with that win and performance.

Pique was a beast. Busquets calm control was vital. Xavi and Iniesta did their thing again. I cannot think of many better big game players than those two. Messi was magic also.

Neymar I still do not rate at all. Pedro should have started ahead of him.

And tonight showed the need again for a new centre half. As decent as Mascherano is that us all he is - decent. Not great.

Andersonisgod

gimmick wrote: »

Delighted with that win and performance.

Pique was a beast. Busquets calm control was vital. Xavi and Iniesta did their thing again. I cannot think of many better big game players than those two. Messi was magic also.

Neymar I still do not rate at all. Pedro should have started ahead of him.

And tonight showed the need again for a new centre half. As decent as Mascherano is that us all he is - decent. Not great.

Spot on, though I still have faith in Neymar even if tonight he was a long way from his best. It was a massive performance and vital result in terms of the league but also for the longevity of this group, you could see what it meant to the squad at the final whistle.

dfx-

Even if Barcelona don't win anything this season (neither competition is looking safe at the minute), I'll still be happy with statement wins like that one. Not so much the Valladolid defeat, where such wins looked implausible - as bad as the first few months of Rijkaard.

Turtwig

dfx- wrote: »

Even if Barcelona don't win anything this season (neither competition is looking safe at the minute), I'll still be happy with statement wins like that one. Not so much the Valladolid defeat, where such wins looked implausible - as bad as the first few months of Rijkaard.

You mad bro?
They're not hot favourites any more but they're not Manchester United either. (I can't believe I just did that.) They're still a quality side that has beaten Real Madrid,Man City and drew with Atletico Madrid in 2014. They could still win the treble, though I agree that's unlikely, they're in position to do so.

Tata's record is actually, I believe, identical to Pep's first season. Or was the Sky playing a standard blunder and me buying it?

miralize

I think we need a new RB. Alves has been immense, but his ability to defend has been waning a bit? But first : GK, CB, then a replacement RB though.

Moneymaker

I thought Barca were lucky enough to win, Real had a lot of chances to score more. Draw was a fair result imo. Opens things up though, probably last day decider with Atleti.

gimmick

I wonder come the last day of the season, if Barca or Atletico are out of it, and the other needs to win, would the other lie down?

For example, a win guarantees Atletico the league, but Barca cannot finish better than 2nd. Would Barca bother going for the 50/50s and give a shít or vice versa.

Madrids H2H is against them with both Barca and Atletico as well, so they have to get more points to win!

Moneymaker

gimmick wrote: »

I wonder come the last day of the season, if Barca or Atletico are out of it, and the other needs to win, would the other lie down?

For example, a win guarantees Atletico the league, but Barca cannot finish better than 2nd. Would Barca bother going for the 50/50s and give a shít or vice versa.

Madrids H2H is against them with both Barca and Atletico as well, so they have to get more points to win!

I would imagine if one team is out of it and the other wins the league at Real's expense, something like that would definitely happen.

Turtwig

I'd be even more cynical neither Barca/Atletico like Real. So I'd say both might be inclined to let Barca/Atletico win the league over Real. But here's hoping both sides care first and foremost about winning that fixture.