2013 UEFA Champions League

[sadora]

ahh...was sad to miss the game today...just watching it now! Great to see that Barca played at their standard.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Bagor

...... therefore Barca have been pretty poor?

Because they're running away with it?

I'm talking about an entire year. So since March 12, 2012

They lost a weak league last year and lost to a bad Chelsea team so that's poor.
This year they lost their coach. They're running away with the weak league but they lost to CELTIC and they lost 2-0 to Milan in an important game (if you argue that the Celtic game was unimportant).

That's when I made the statement that they've been figured out. European Teams were defending them easily. They weren't beating Leverkusen 10-2 anymore.

Then they lost twice to Madrid after I said that.

Then they won big today playing in a way and at a speed I haven't seen them play in in a calendar year. I admit if they play this well and at this speed in the next three rounds of the champions league, they'll win it easily.

They HAD been figured out.
La Liga is extremely slow other than Barca-Madrid games.
They needed to change something.

They did that today and they looked really good doing it.

/Although Milan will be kicking themselves for hitting the post.

[Bagor]

I'm done with this conversation.

The girly logic.......

Lose one CL game away from home, go 23-2-2 in the league with a gd of +55 and they're playing poor. Not to mention because they can't win games by 8 goals any more, they therefore have been figured out.

I don't even know why I bother. I'm out. but before I've got to quote this gem.

Then they won big today playing in a way and at a speed I haven't seen them play in in a calendar year.

Why on earth would they go back to playing the way they were a calendar year ago if that way had been figured out and it caused them to lose a "weak league"?

[GirlySports]

you started it now you'll end it, nice drive-by buddy.

[Pagal4321]

Uhhh hey Bagor, you know people can criticize your team without you jumping all over them right? I mean opinions are allowed around here.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

Uhhh hey Bagor, you know people can criticize your team without you jumping all over them right? I mean opinions are allowed around here.

They are?? Since when?

[Pagal4321]

Originally Posted by Locke

They are?? Since when?

You are the exception to that rule you scouser.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

You are the exception to that rule you scouser.

Damn!

Oh, and Go Bayern!!

[Locke]

Going to be an interesting match in Germany.

Bayern are without:
- Ribery - Injured
- Robben - Injured
- Schweinsteiger - Suspended
- Boateng - Suspended

Arsenal are without:
- Wilshere - Injured
- Sceszny - Rested

So Bayern lack pretty much their entire starting midfield who will likely be replaced by Luiz Gustavo and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Arsenal have a chance. Slim chance, but better than they had before.

[Luder]

Originally Posted by Locke

Going to be an interesting match in Germany.

Bayern are without:
- Ribery - Injured
- Robben - Injured
- Schweinsteiger - Suspended
- Boateng - Suspended

Arsenal are without:
- Wilshere - Injured
- Sceszny - Rested

So Bayern lack pretty much their entire starting midfield who will likely be replaced by Luiz Gustavo and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Arsenal have a chance. Slim chance, but better than they had before.

Yikes, that's kinda scary.

Go Bayern!

[d_phaneuf]

Gustavo was a starter last year and Shaqiri is one of the brightest prospects in Europe

it's not like they are throwing Diaby and Gervinho out there

Robben is fit and playing though

Lahm, Dante, Van Buyten, Alaba,
Martinez, Gustavo,
Muller, Kroos, Robben,
Mandzukic

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Luder

Yikes, that's kinda scary.

Go Bayern!

3 away goals is still a pretty hefty advantage to overturn, and Arsenal are no Barca.

Just heard more from Arsenal's side, they are also missing:

- Lukas Podolski - Injured
- Nacho Monreal - Cup Tied

Although I have heard that Fabianski and Arshavin have made the trip to Munich, so thats a huge boost to Arsenal.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Gustavo was a starter last year and Shaqiri is one of the brightest prospects in Europe

it's not like they are throwing Diaby and Gervinho out there

Robben is fit and playing though

Lahm, Dante, Van Buyten, Alaba,
Martinez, Gustavo,
Muller, Kroos, Robben,
Mandzukic

I wish they would play Gomez more. Or have both of them up top.

Arsenal:

Flapianski
Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs
Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey
Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla

Arsenal set up to attack. Not that they have much choice, but if they take the game to Bayern then that may not end well for them.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

That's still a strong Bayern side, Arsenal will have their work cut out for them

Go Bayern!

[Locke]

Also, just for the record; I have no love for Arsenal, but 'Nacho Monreal' is simply one of the coolest names of all time.

Simply outstanding.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

you started it now you'll end it, nice drive-by buddy.

Oh I'll carry on if you want.

My point is this.... and to recap. You made a ridiculous statement a few weeks back based on one game that you're now being called on. i.e. teams have figured Barcelona out.

You then try to defend this crazy statement by saying that Barca have been bad in the last "calendar" year, yet when pointed out that they have pretty much wiped the floor with everyone counter-argue with .... well .... la liga is crap and they're not winning by 8 goals any more.

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

Uhhh hey Bagor, you know people can criticize your team without you jumping all over them right? I mean opinions are allowed around here.

Uhhh hey Pagal, you know Barcelona isn't my team and I could care less about them.

If someone criticizes/opinionates in a nonsensical way then be prepared to back it up .... right? And have something more of value than they've been pretty poor the last year

By her logic and applying the same standards United and Bayern have been pretty poor the last year also despite running away with their respective leagues.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Oh I'll carry on if you want.

My point is this.... and to recap. You made a ridiculous statement a few weeks back based on one game that you're now being called on. i.e. teams have figured Barcelona out.

You then try to defend this crazy statement by saying that Barca have been bad in the last "calendar" year, yet when pointed out that they have pretty much wiped the floor with everyone counter-argue with .... well .... la liga is crap and they're not winning by 8 goals any more.

Uhhh hey Pagal, you know Barcelona isn't my team and I could care less about them.

If someone criticizes/opinionates in a nonsensical way then be prepared to back it up .... right? And have something more of value than they've been pretty poor the last year

By her logic and applying the same standards United and Bayern have been pretty poor the last year also despite running away with their respective leagues.

Teams technically have figured Barca out, doesn't mean they still don't have the talent to blow teams out on occasion and aren't a top 5 team in the world. What Girly had said was relative to when Barca were at their peak with Guardiola a couple years ago.

Formula against Barcalona has been relatively the same since Inter shocked them a couple years back. Defend the final third, clog the mid with physical stoppers, don't chase the ball, and when you get possession counter attack with speed and precision.

Two Issues though: 1)It is hard to play that disciplined style for 90 minutes, even harder over 180 during a two leg tie. 2) Barca still has the game breakers to beat you with absolute pieces of magic that you just can't defend. cough: Messi : cough

Fact is in their last 4 big games (2 against Madrid, 2 against AC) they lost 3 and won 1, that just didn't happen a couple years ago and to say that Barca are as good now as in say the peak of their Guardiola years would be foolish.

They are still at least a top 5 team in the world, but not clearly head and shoulders the best team in the world that they were a couple years ago.

Remember when Inter beat them it was an absolute shocker, after running over Arsenal everybody had handed Barca the trophy, now I would not really be surprised to see them eliminated by one of the remaining teams (Madrid, Bayern, Juve,, maybe even PSG or Dortmund).

[d_phaneuf]

took Gary Neville 30 seconds to say he spotted space in the Arsenal back 4

[d_phaneuf]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

1-0 to the Arsenal

[d_phaneuf]

horrible play by Dante, ball goes right through his legs to Giroud