Zlatan Ibrahimovic

[FCBarca]

About last nights game: First half was really nice, second half Barca slacked off and they also stopped feeding balls to Zlatan, with most of the balls going to Messi and then nowhere or out to Alves. Maxwell was not as good this time as he was the last time. Lots of corners permitted by him that you normally expect Barca defenders to be able to avoid by smart passing. He also needs to be a bit more offensive buy I guess that is up to Pep to decide since I guess Maxwell is just doing what he is told to when it comes to postitioning. Same goes for Zlatan, but people don't seem to realise that. In the first half the position worked really nice (Zlatan hanging around jsut behind Atleticos defensive line and available for second wave passes that goes first to another playing running to come in behind the line as well). Second half it wasn't any real pressure which meant that Zlatan wasn't as involved. Still a nice lob to Messi before Messis magic when setting up Keita. You could also tell that Zlatan is slowly getting back to normal form in terms of running. He moves a lot more this match.

Good run down on Zlatan, I'd echo that...I think part of the problem in the 2nd half was the same that happens when the club gets up on the opposition, they get lazy and do not press forward or defend tightly...The other is that the back 4 really lacked much bite...Not only gave away corners cheaply but also were losing the ball more than I can recall in some time...A very sloppy match, IMHO...Strange to assess that after a 5-2 win but it was sloppy.

Credit to Atletic, however, as they came to play and earned their goals

 

[K.I.]

Well considering you scored 5 offcourse you will say that.

 

[FCBarca]

Well considering you scored 5 offcourse you will say that.

Everytime you step onto a pitch, one side may end up being better than the other...If you come to play, the cream will rise to the top as they say...Despite being on the losing end of 5-2, Atletic had plenty of legitimate chances to not only draw level but also go home with 3 pts...They simply didn't make the most of those chances, unlike Barca.

From a sporting perspective, IMHO, it was a balanced match in large portions.

Madrid did not play with fear and decided to come to play rather than park the bus...Against any side, irregardless of Barca, sometimes you win & sometimes you lose...And that, IMHO, is what sport is.

 

[K.I.]

THat is your defenition, aside of how we played we still could have got the 3 points against you since we also had about 5 chances.

 

[FCBarca]

THat is your defenition, aside of how we played we still could have got the 3 points against you since we also had about 5 chances.

I guess it boils down to perspective...On the one hand, some claim Inter had 5 chances and we're equal or better than Barca...On the other hand, some, like myself, would claim that I wouldn't have counted but perhaps 1 opportunity from Inter in that match as a legit shot on goal...Moreover, even claim that Barca was far and away in control & had the lion's share of legit chances on goal

My guess is that most fans/experts etc. would fall into the latter category

 

[skeet]

barcelona were in total control against chelsea during both CL legs last season but i don't think the majority of fans/experts think barcelona were the better team even though they had like 70% possession and chelsea had 5 shots on goal over both legs

 

[Luka]

Either you're playing football or you're playing scared is my take

The funny thing is, that if there would be a team with even better controll of the ball than you, your exact Barca team would do the same thing as top teams are doing against you. Deffend, because you wouldn't be able to controll the ball as much, and sooner or later, you would have to give away the initiative to the opposition. I wonder what would you say then.

I'm sure you would like everybody to copy Atletico style. Fortunetly, not everybody is as dumb.

Funny thing is that:
- while Xavi was happy at the way Atletico played, and nobody will bash them for not playing deffensive football
- at the same time everybody will feel sorry for Atletico seeing that result

Xavi was unhappy about us, and yet we got a point. See any corelation here ? :>

 

[FCBarca]

The funny thing is, that if there would be a team with even better controll of the ball than you, your exact Barca team would do the same thing as top teams are doing against you. Deffend, because you wouldn't be able to controll the ball as much, and sooner or later, you would have to give away the initiative to the opposition. I wonder what would you say then.

That's your opinion but one I would wholeheartedly disagree with...Barca wants to win but believe the best way to win is to play the Cruyff way, the Barca way...I've been watching Barca for nearly a decade and I can't recall a time they played 10 behind the ball...Rijkaard may have come close on an occasion but Pep would never play that way....At the end of the day, getting beaten by a better side is how the results should be, non?

I'm sure you would like everybody to copy Atletico style. Fortunetly, not everybody is as dumb.

Not dumb but not football either...Football is the beautiful game not for reasons like parking the bus...I would like any side Barca faces to come to play...I'd think the same way if I was playing with my mates and we faced a side who decided to park the bus as well...Either come to play or don't come at all....You might as well just line up your whole side in the net and stand there for 90 minutes.

Funny thing is that:
- while Xavi was happy at the way Atletico played, and nobody will bash them for not playing deffensive football
- at the same time everybody will feel sorry for Atletico seeing that result

Xavi was unhappy about us, and yet we got a point. See any corelation here ? :>

There were no moral victories was the sentiment from the Atletico players after the match but they had their chances, truth be told...Chances that easily could've seen them get a draw or even 3pts...They were quite good winning the ball back and beating the offside trap...A side that decides to come to play, even in defeat, IMHO because they at least came in thinking they 'could' win whereas the bus parkers go in believeing they will lose if they play football...Where's the honor or sporstmanship in that?

 

[Jimmy Page]

You should take it as a compliment how teams like Chelsea and Inter play against you, because if they/we would try to attack Barcelona those teams would lose. Football is a beautiful game, but the game is about who scores the most wins, not about who plays the best.

 

[FCBarca]

You should take it as a compliment how teams like Chelsea and Inter play against you, because if they/we would try to attack Barcelona those teams would lose. Football is a beautiful game, but the game is about who scores the most wins, not about who plays the best wins.

Unintentionally, this seems to have gone off on a tangent so I won't belabor this pt. as it's off topic...I'll finish with this.

I certainly don't take it as a compliment to Barca...I honestly just see fear when I see that...Fear to play and the hope that maybe one might be able to nick a goal on a chance counter.

Watching Barca have to play that tika taka passing outside the area where there are 11 men sitting in there is hardly a compliment or enjoyable for anyone involved...I can't imagine the defenders are enjoying it, I know the Barca players aren't enjoying it and as a fan I can't think of anything more boring to watch than that.

Racing, Barca's Liga opponent today is typically an open attacking side...A side that is dwarfed by Barca's talent & budget...Yet, last season, they played both encounters to win...They did not sit back and defend 9 or 10 behind the ball...They drew at Camp Nou and lost by a goal at the Sardinero...And all I recall was how spirited their efforts were...I have respect for that...Win, lose or draw, as a fan, I want to see the beautiful game being played.

Some of you Inter fans were blasting Bari and their tactics but seemed to have no problem employing it themselves...It's just my contention that playing that way signals you are inferior and you won't 'play' but hope for an error, mistake or lucky bounce to put one in a position on a counter to nick a goal.

At the end of the day, it boils down to this: Would you rather watch your club team sit back and defend with 10 behind the ball or watch them play some football, win/lose/draw?

 

[vitomins]

At the end of the day, it boils down to this: Would you rather watch your club team sit back and defend with 10 behind the ball or watch them play some football, win/lose/draw?

Whichever one leads to a win...

 

[JohnTheBaptist]

Wow, man he is raping R.Sant at the moment.
He is just too good against this kind of teams, and as we all know... too weak against big clubs.

 

[Rimpel]

did you see his backheel to pique's goal? 5 defenders totally lost at the same time, looked hilarious but seriously, defence in la liga is shiiit.

 

[JohnTheBaptist]

Yes i did.
He is in the mood, how come he cant play like that against better teams? Its a psychological problem i guess, he need a proper motivation. All coocky like i'm the best i dont need to prove anything.

 

[Alex de Large]

Oh man, he will finish scoring 35 goals this season if keep it up.

 

[Rimpel]

Yes i did.
He is in the mood, how come he cant play like that against better teams? Its a psychological problem i guess, he need a proper motivation. All coocky like i'm the best i dont need to prove anything.

like I said in another thread, let half a season go before we pass judgement on that.

 

[Bes]

That assist to Pique was class. :star:

 

[FCBarca]

did you see his backheel to pique's goal? 5 defenders totally lost at the same time, looked hilarious but seriously, defence in la liga is shiiit.

Sure, if you compare 4 defenders to 9 or 10 then yeah, they look poor by comparison :rollani:

 

[Alessandro]

Ibra is doing well... good on him.

 

[caelestis]

Zlatan injured. I hope it's nothing serious because this match was his best so far in Barca! Sweden also needs him in their must-win-game vs Denmark in two weeks.