Liverpool FC Forum

[metalhead]

The Ajax side of the early 70s, The Inter team of the late 80s, the Manchester United side of the late 90s all properly stirred the blood; all of them were a wonderful mixture of high skill, tactical flexibility and tremendous physicality distributed throughout the side. None of them quite consciously, as a deliberate and pre-planned tactic, cheated on a regular basis - especially in big games - in order to win.

err... is he a manc? he completely forgot about the Liverpool side in the 70s and 80s

[metalhead]

Sorry BB, I don't like Johnny Nicol's writing too much, he comes out very very bitter and very anti-barca.

[dawson99]

Rubbish, The Barca team of now is awesome, see what they did to Arsenal... the whole cheating thing is done all over the world, but for a squad of 11, Barca are right up there.

Sounds like someone just writing some sh!t to get noticed more

[The Good Yank]

Nail.  On.  Head.

I can't disagree with any of that article at all.

[dawson99]

Sounds like hes talking about half the players in any top division nowadays. Id probably rather watch WWE than football, at least theres some fit birds in it and the acting is better

[Greavesie]

Rubbish, The Barca team of now is awesome, see what they did to Arsenal... the whole cheating thing is done all over the world, but for a squad of 11, Barca are right up there.

Sounds like someone just writing some sh!t to get noticed more

I agree with this.

The article says it ain't fun to watch a superior side slaughter a poor one, says its not good sport and it doesnt make them great. There's poor teams in every league, whats his point? If they won 1:0 against every side and made it look like a struggle they'd be a greater side? 

Barca are the posession football playing side in the world, easily. If winning six trophies in one season isn't enough then what is?

[burjennio]

That article is a load of tosh Bob for one reason. WHY IS IT BARCAS FAULT IF THE SECOND BIGGEST TEAM IN THE WORLD PLAY AGAINST THEM WITH TEN MEN BEHIND THE BALL?? Have a go at them, see how boring they are then!! And for every piece of theatrics Buesquets and Alves come off with I present messrs Di Maria, Pepe and Ronaldo who are every bit as bad.

And yeah the Inter Milan team of the late 80s will be remembered for years to come. Players like Van Basten, Baresi, Maldini, Gullit... wait, what? That was AC Milan? And this guy is an actual journalist? I find that mind blowing

[Bad Bob]

Hi fellas!

I thought that might generate a response.  For the record, I don't think this guy's a proper footy journalist.  He's more the comic relief over at Footy365.  Further, for the record, he's been rather complimentary of Liverpool of late and especially of Dalglish's management so he's not got an axe to grind against us.

What I agree with him about is the tedium of people creaming over Barcelona when they can be every bit as dull as he describes.  And it's not just down to how Madrid set up last night.  Yeah, Jose set them up to stiffle a la Inter's performance last year (and I'll say for the record that I have no love for Real or Mourinho either) but Barca were more than okay with just knocking the ball around the back four and slowing everything down to walking pace.  As for the diving, I don'r disagree with the idea that Di Maria, Ronaldo and the like do it too (I think I said as much in an earlier post).  Again, though, it's the Barca hype that makes it more frustrating to me.  If they're such purists, such world-beaters etc. etc. they shouldn't need the theatrics to win big matches and yet they rely on the dark arts all too often in these sorts of contests.  Say what you will about Johnny Nic...I think he nails it when he calls them out for stuff that shouldn't be such calling card for the supposed greatest side in world club football.

[burjennio]

I hate the dramatics, and it does slightly taint their image but when people say that when they knock it about for 5mins its boring I think they are just haters, Id watch Barca over any English game not featuring Liverpool as I love the technical stuff over the high paced "hoof it" style that 90% of Premier league games end up. I really dont think people appreciate enough all of the factors that contribute to way in which they play, behind the 1 touch passing and mazy dribbling there is a workrate and intensity that every one of their players brings to the field that really hasnt been matched before. They are the ultimate evolution of total football.

[Greavesie]

Valdes, Dani Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Villa, Messi, Pedro. Subs: Olazabal, Jeffren, Keita, Afellay, Abidal, Fontas, Thiago.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Carvalho, Albiol, Marcelo, Diarra, Alonso, Ronaldo, Kaka, Di Maria, Higuain. Subs: Dudek, Benzema, Granero, Garay, Ozil, Adebayor, Nacho.

Speculation that Maureen's watching from the hotel

btw does that line up mean Masch is playing right back?

or will they put Busquets there and put Masch in his natural position?

[4ORDY]

Anyone got a good stream for the Barca v Real Game ? Thanks.

[tubby]

http://www.epl433.com/channel-2.php

[Zidane]

Hi fellas!

I thought that might generate a response.  For the record, I don't think this guy's a proper footy journalist.  He's more the comic relief over at Footy365.  Further, for the record, he's been rather complimentary of Liverpool of late and especially of Dalglish's management so he's not got an axe to grind against us.

What I agree with him about is the tedium of people creaming over Barcelona when they can be every bit as dull as he describes.  And it's not just down to how Madrid set up last night.  Yeah, Jose set them up to stiffle a la Inter's performance last year (and I'll say for the record that I have no love for Real or Mourinho either) but Barca were more than okay with just knocking the ball around the back four and slowing everything down to walking pace.  As for the diving, I don'r disagree with the idea that Di Maria, Ronaldo and the like do it too (I think I said as much in an earlier post).  Again, though, it's the Barca hype that makes it more frustrating to me.  If they're such purists, such world-beaters etc. etc. they shouldn't need the theatrics to win big matches and yet they rely on the dark arts all too often in these sorts of contests.  Say what you will about Johnny Nic...I think he nails it when he calls them out for stuff that shouldn't be such calling card for the supposed greatest side in world club football.

100% Agree, personally I was sickened at how much they dove and exaggerated fouls in order to get cards, not only that but they constantly want cards shown then after the match is over they try to be self righteous saying that the right team won we came to play football etc etc.  Diving, play acting and constant haggling of the ref over calls is not football.  Like Bob said they''re a great side, they don't need to do any of that but they do it ALL the time.

[Kash_Mountain]

Damn. Looks like all streams are down at the moment. I've treid countless, and none are working.

[The Good Yank]

Casillas is showing why he is Spain's #1.  Unbelievable saves in the first half.  0-0 at halftime.  Real simply don't have the pace to deal with Barcelona.