2016-17 UEFA Champions League

GavRedKing

Emery has transformed PSG to nearly rans in Europe to genuine contenders it seems but barca tonight have been abysmal and it could easily be 6 or 7 to PSG.

SlickRic

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Where is the midfield?

It's there. It's just they're doing nothing as a unit.

Harry Palmr

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I don't know but then I've not put a lot of thought into it. Off the top of my head it'd be Sampaoli or Tuchel but a good board has contingency plans, it has ideas of how a club (and first team) should be shaped.

Tuchel has been bamboozled by low block opposition in the BL, teams have worked out how to stop BVB and his side seems to be uncertain how to deal with it, okay that won't matter a lot of the time at Barca but it suggests he isn't the uber coach in waiting

GreNoLi

In the end a Qatari owner wins.

Andersonisgod

I feel legitimately awful for Messi. He's trying to run past players, he's trying to make things happen, he's trying to bail out this hilariously disjointed team like he has all season but, at this level, 1 man can't overcome such odds. He deserves better, a lot of his teammates do too.

~Rebel~

agh, better decision making from Draxler there and it's 5.
Barca truly rubbish, just getting cut open.

Not a mention of how ****e Messi has been tonight
Trying my arse, he's been outplayed and so easily dispossessed

Flint Fredstone

Get another one just to be sure.

Andersonisgod

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Tuchel has been bamboozled by low block opposition in the BL, teams have worked out how to stop BVB and his side seems to be uncertain how to deal with it, okay that won't matter a lot of the time at Barca but it suggests he isn't the uber coach in waiting

His teams at least have structure, they have an understanding of how he wants to defend (even if it doesn't always work). The low block is a problem but at Barcelona he would have better players.

Without becoming melodramatic he and Sampaoli are the choices of my head. Xavi Hernandez is the choice of my heart.

user2011

If I had my betting roots, I'd be in the money tonight. But a last one swallow doesnt make a summer lol.

GreNoLi

Messi has been ****e tonight.

MisterAnarchy

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I feel legitimately awful for Messi. He's trying to run past players, he's trying to make things happen, he's trying to bail out this hilariously disjointed team like he has all season but, at this level, 1 man can't overcome such odds. He deserves better, a lot of his teammates do too.

Messi has been as bad as anyone tonight.

Mr.Nice Guy

Ronaldo at home right now working out where he wants to put his next Ballon d'Or award.

chopperbyrne

The whole team has been awful. There isn't a single Barca player who deserves praise for this match.

Andersonisgod

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Messi has been as bad as anyone tonight.

Yes he has but the reliance on Messi tonight, and all season, to be deep lying playmaker, number 10 and goalscorer is ludicrous and yet that's, apparently, what constitutes as being a tactical setup. It's an impossible position.

MisterAnarchy

Dunphy is preparing his eulogy for tomorrow night

Amirani

Rabiot my man of the match. Fantastic replacement for Motta tonight, been everywhere and given Barca nothing.

Lots of worthy PSG contenders though to be fair.

GavRedKing

Thats a shocking miss. If hes braver he scores.

Mr.Nice Guy

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Dunphy is preparing his eulogy for tomorrow night

Didn't he have a eulogy for Messi planned in the last round which was thwarted by a strong Messi performance? He might dust that off.

Lukker-

He's been as bad as anyone imo. Lost the ball a fair few times with no attempt to win it back.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Kimpembe has been pure class.Looks like he'll be a great player in the future.

Andersonisgod

Lukker- wrote: »

He's been as bad as anyone imo. Lost the ball a fair few times with no attempt to win it back.

I'm not saying he hasn't but look at what he's asked to do and the structure he must do it in and ask yourself if that's actually possible at this level? It's a joke.

GreNoLi

Psg have a ridiculous amount of depth.

corny

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Yes he has but the reliance on Messi tonight, and all season, to be deep lying playmaker, number 10 and goalscorer is ludicrous and yet that's, apparently, what constitutes as being a tactical setup. It's an impossible position.

His ability on the ball is not what they really needed tonight. They needed him to try, to fight and to generally give the impression he cares about the result. He hasn't done any of that.

Turtwig

Only neymar really looked at it for barca. Messi has been cack by his standards.

Mr.Nice Guy

Rabiot...

https://twitter.com/RahatRMCF/status/831616261377368064

GreNoLi

Hate seeing that carry on.

LuckyGent88

Neymar the only Barca player that has been anyway decent tonight.

PSG the much hungrier team tonight. Have pressed high and with great urgency and barca haven't had time to settle at all. Barca just at sixes and sevens at the back tonight and have been completely overran in midfield.

Andersonisgod

corny wrote: »

His ability on the ball is not what they really needed tonight. They needed him to try, to fight and to generally give the impression he cares about the result. He hasn't done any of that.

No point arguing this because I don't know what your perception of fight is where it relates to football. He's constantly gotten on the ball, he's tried to dribble at people because he has no other options, he's never shirked his responsibilities and, like all season, he's tried to save this team from itself. PSG have just been too good to let that happen. Anyone actually blaming Messi rather than Enrique for one of the most disjointed and irrational CL knockout round performances ever is clearly having a laugh.

MisterAnarchy

Be interesting to see how far or how little Messi covered tonight. Less than 7km I'd say

Andersonisgod

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Be interesting to see how far or how little Messi covered tonight. Less than 7km I'd say

I'd say he covered that distance too when he demolished Bayern Munich a couple of years ago....

corny

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Be interesting to see how far or how little Messi covered tonight. Less than 7km I'd say

5km when Barca had possession. 100 metres when PSG had it.

Mr.Nice Guy

What an epic win that was. Absolutely huge result for Emery.

Turtwig

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Be interesting to see how far or how little Messi covered tonight. Less than 7km I'd say

I'd say 6 or just slightly above it.

SlickRic

If you think Messi's role is to run around after the ball and 'look' interested, you've obviously never seen the lad play.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I'd say he covered that distance too when he demolished Bayern Munich a couple of years ago....

What has that got to do with tonights match?

He was poor although not as bad as Suarez was tonight.

GreNoLi

The team of barca's next manager lose 1-0.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Rezident wrote: »

The Champions league would be great if it wasn't for all the diving, I find it hard to take it seriously anymore.

Yeah, It's awful.I mean you never see any diving in any of the domestic competitions in Europe.

Skylinehead

SlickRic wrote: »

If you think Messi's role is to run around after the ball and 'look' interested, you've obviously never seen the lad play.

Aye he was awful tonight, but people looking for him to "run around a bit" are a bit silly here.

Armchair Andy

GreNoLi wrote:

The team of barca's next manager lose 1-0.

Dortmund should've had it wrapped first half by all accounts.

Jelle1880

Feel like we'll see this used for a long time.

LuckyGent88

GreNoLi wrote: »

The team of barca's next manager lose 1-0.

Id say he could be out of a job soon enough too. Lost to bottom of the table at the weekend and have constantly thrown away leads all season. Miles off Bayern who haven't been their usual force this year.

sReq | uTeK

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Yes he has but the reliance on Messi tonight, and all season, to be deep lying playmaker, number 10 and goalscorer is ludicrous and yet that's, apparently, what constitutes as being a tactical setup. It's an impossible position.

What crack are you smoking again...

Andersonisgod

Time for revolution. Time for change from top to bottom. At Barcelona, the standard can't ever slip to that. I don't just mean in terms of results but I mean in terms of actually enjoying watching this team play because, I fear that without Messi and in its current incarnation, this Barcelona side is not good to watch.

In 1974 the club were brave, they bought Johan Cruyff.

In 1988 the club were brave, they appointed Cruyff as manager and adopted his philosophies throughout the club.

In 2008, faced with a declining team of household names, the club were brave, they appointed Guardiola and they trusted in themselves, their players, their coach.

In 2017, is this club brave enough to do what's needed? To bring the smile back to this club?

I won't talk anymore about this tonight but I'll leave you with this quoute from Johan Cruyff which, after tonight, is more poignant than ever.

Following winning the Champions League at Wembley in 1992:

"And now, you didn’t only win it, but the way you won it. Don’t talk about You: ‘No. no. You won the game. No. No. We enjoy watching. Enjoying a game for Barcelona is much more important than only winning.”

Enjoying a game for Barcelona is much more important than only winning.....

sReq | uTeK

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I'd say he covered that distance too when he demolished Bayern Munich a couple of years ago....

AH yea I'm sure Pele was a great player in his prime too. But don't let nonsense that doesn't have anything to do with the argument at hand cloud your judgement.

Also are you forgetting the 7-0 aggregate score BAYERN v Barcelona?

Francie Barrett

Barcelona team just looked broken. You'd expect them to control possession and to press they opposition. They did neither. The current manager will not be able to turn this around, he needs to be sacked.

MisterAnarchy

Mascherano was a big loss tonight, umtiti was a liability.

Rakitic should have started in midfield, his energy in midfield would have aided Iniesta and Busquets,neither of whom looked fit.
Gomes is a dud, can't understand Enrique picking him.

BorneTobyWilde

Barcelona need Rodgers asap .

Flint Fredstone

Enrique is out of his depth... actually no wait, Enrique is a genius... hmmmm no, we need a revolution.

Flip flopping around, all over the town.

iroced

Paris est magique !

Wow! Just wow! What a performance by PSG tonight :eek:! Reminds me my teens and their glorious era in the 90ies!

They outplayed Barça in every single part of the game. Young Kimpembé replacing Thiago Silva at the last min and masterising both Messi & Neymar was not something you'd have expected.

Hopefully Verratti injury is not too bad. It'd be quite a blow for PSG.