Re-Posting: Barcelona, Udinese agree on fee for Alexis Sanchez

This was first reported a little over a month ago, but Barcelona has finally secured the services of Sanchez (the Chilean version of C. Ronaldo) for 26 million Euros + 11.5 million Euros if incentives kick-inn.



For more info check this site: Alexis Sanchez signs for Barcelona, Finally!



For more info about Alexis Sanchez, check this Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_Sanchez

Transfer News: Jeffren and Jonathan dos Santos

It's been a slow transfer season FCB but here recent headlines:



Jeffren and Jon dos Sanots are set to leave FCB for greener pastures with bids tabled by Bolton Wanders (Euro 6 million for Jeffren) and Real Zaragoza (Euro 1 million for Jon), respectively.  This time however, FCB's lawyers have taken a page from Madrid's and inserted buy back clauses that allows FCB the opportunity the right to repurchase the youngsters services for a reasonable amount.



I personally would have preferred pushing them up the ladder and have them play with some of the senior players in the Copa del Rey to sharpen their skills within the organization.  But the buy back clause is goof enough for me.  Too bad, we didn't do the same with Nolito or Soriano (the Segunda Pichichi)...



On a separate matter, International Spanish Left-Back (ahm, ahm) Capdevilla is set to leave Villarreal on a free transfer.  With the problems we're having in Defense, I would think that this would be an excellent FREE opportunity?



Sometimes I wonder at the goings-on @ FCB...



Anyway, now that Argentina is out, at least our three Argentinian Ms (Messi, Mascherano, and Milito) are not injured, yet!  I was impressed by Caceres composure in heading the ball for the 1st goal assist and his penalty kick that eliminated Argentina



For more info click this page --> Bolton have bid for Jeffren accepted by Barcelona | tribalfootball.com

See also --> Real Zaragoza offer accepted for Jonathan dos Santos

For more info --> Capdevilla to leave for free

Thiago renews his contract

Wonderful news everyone,



Thiago has put the rumors of his impending transfer to rest by renewing his contract till 2015 raising his buyout clause from Euro 30 million to 90 million.  All the best!



For more info --> Thiago renews his contract until 2015 | FCBarcelona.cat

Roma secure Barcelona's Bojan Krkic for €10m

Bojan has secured a move to AS Roma under Luis Enrique's stewardship with a buyback clause.  All the best Bojan.



For more info click: Roma secure Barcelona's Bojan Krkic for €10m - report - Goal.com

Final thoughts for the season

I love the fact that people blame Barcelona for giving the Big Mouth (aka, Mourinho) a taste of his own anti-football medicine, not realizing that Madrid's Special Mistake (aka, Mourinho) was the one that tarnished the image of Spanish football overall and of Madrid in particular when he chose to counter Barcelona's style with aggressive tactics especially in light of the 5-0 humbling.  When Madrid snatched a draw and subsequently lifted the Copa del Rey, commentators were VERY quick to applaud his special ability to neutralize Barcelona's style of play.  It seems logical that coming to the CL, Pep knew that the only way to win was to get down and dirty with a mad genius obsessed with defeating Barcelona.  To prove my point, just look at the magnificent style of play in the final; no yellow cards for the first 2/3s of the match even though Valencia should have received a yellow.  Both teams played beautifully and both deserved to be in the final, the better team simply won, even SAF acknowledged Barcelona's performance.



One more thing, the team's spirit was displayed when Abidal who is not the second, third, or even fourth captain, was handed the captain's armband so that he may lift the CL cup in recognition of his ordeal with his liver cancer and his commitment to the club - Actions speak louder than words and on that day everybody knew what "mes que un club" meant.  What's your team's motto?  Now do you know why I and the rest of the world love Barcelona?  Think about.  Thank you.

We are the champions!

Congratulations to FCB, the best in Europe, once again in the new Wembley as they were in the old!!!

Good bye Mourinho

Good bye...

Abidal returns from liver surgery and CL formation

Hey hey! Foxsoccer reports that Abidal is back...



Based on this info: Pep will probably go for the following formation:



F:    Messi, Villa, Pedro

M:   Iniesta, Xavi,  Busquets

D:    Puyol, Pique, Mascherano, Alves



Reserves: Abidal, Afellay, Keita, and a Team B GK.



----------------



The Big Mouth's team is missing his key defensive components (Pepe and Ramos) and will have to rely on a more attack-minded formation as follows:



F:      Hinguin

W:    Di Maria & C. Ronaldo

M:     Alonso & Ozil/Kaka

DM:  Diarra

D:     Marcelo, Carhalvo, Albiola, Arbeloa



Reserves:  Benzema, Adebayor



This formation should be countered by our previous Clasico formation with Busquests and Keita, which this armchair manager would like to look like either 4-4-2 (Iniesta as a midfielder) or 4-3-3 (with Iniesta out on left to toy with the thin Madrid defense)



F:    Iniesta, Messi, Villa/Pedro/Afellay

M:   Xavi, Keita, Busquets

D:    Puyol, Pique, Mascherano, Alves



With Afellay and Pedro coming with 15-30 minutes left and Abidal in the 90th minute.



Visca Barcelona and enjoy the game!!!



See this link --> Barcelona's Abidal returns from liver surgery

Nothing but silence at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

Had a great day? Me too.



Long story short, Real Madrid with its deeper bench played too defensively and were punished for it.  The tactics were wrong and the best team one.  Barcelona had the momentum with several forays at Iker’s goal long before Pepe’s red card.  Also, unlike in the previous games, C.R., Ramos, Ozil, and Di Maria failed to deliver.



Remember, Madrid were the favorites coming into the game…



As for the goals, the first was a world class team effort that saw a pin-point pass from Afellay find its intended mark at Messi's foot, while the second sublime goal was piece of pure individual genius spanning 30 meters and 5 Madrid defenders.



Visca Barcelona!

Messi's brace in Madrid

The latest video from the "All about FC Barcelona" blog highlights everything (see link below).

The first goal came from a wonderful Afellay assist that was orchestrated by Xavi. The second goal was pure Messi magic from the middle of the pitch through 5 Madrid defenders.

For more: See this link --> Messi Goals from Barca Victory at Bernebeu | All About FC Barcelona

Madrid players who are 1 yellow card away from suspension

Here's the list of players that are 1 card away from being suspended



1.  Cristiano Ronaldo

2.  Sergio Ramos

3.  Raul Albiol

4.  Angel Di Maria



Also, Carvalho is suspended and Khidiera is injured.  Barcelona can and must win this game to maintain momentum.



Visca Barcelona!

CL Line-up

Hello all,



Unless Pep decides to pull a Mourinho-style fast one about Iniesta's availability, the line-up will probably look like this:



F:  Pedro, Villa, and Messi

M: Afellay, Xavi, Busquets

D:  Puyol, Pique, Mascherano, Alves



Reserves:  Keita, Milito, Fontas, Thiago, and Afellay (if Iniesta actually plays).



Pep could also play a 4-4-2 formation to counter a defense-orientated midfield (see below) with this line-up:



F:   Villa and Pedro

M:  Afellay, Messi, Xavi, Busquets

D:   Puyol, Pique, Mascherano, Alves



Big Mouth's line-up should look be what I dub (unless someone else has already beaten me to it) the "Christmas tree" formation: 4-2-1-2-1.  Without Carvalho and Khideira, the line-up is:



F:                         Adebayor

W:           Di Maria                Ozil

AM:                       Alonso

DM:         Pepe                     Diarra

D:        Marcelo Albiol  Ramos Arbeloa







It will be a difficult game, visca Barcelona!

An open letter to Messrs. Rosell, Guardiola, & Zubizaretta

Dear gentlemen, 

It is now apparent from our current attrition rates that FCB should focus on reinforcing our defensive line and supplementing our low-center-of-gravity forwards with a more physical presence.  We also need to temporary halt our obsessive pursuit of Cesc. 

As such, I would like to make the following suggestions if FCB is to continue to play on 5 fronts (La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, and both international qualifications and friendlies): 

First, our defense is our Achilles’ heel;  the irreplaceable Puyol is 33 years old and without a viable substitute.  We need to find an heir-apparent and also find a stop-gap with Champions League and/or EPL experience.  This defender should be a pure defender and prone to supporting the attack like our other defenders.  In a previous post, I had praised Christian Cheivo as a versatile defender who can play as LB, CB, and midfield.  At 33, he might be open to a free-transfer from Inter.  Furthermore, we should release Milito and Maxwell or play them as experience members of Team B in the Copa del Rey, as DFM and LB respectively, to guide the younger players.  

Second, our FCB is missing in the big physical forward department;  Larsson and Henry both brought leadership and were instrumental in pushing their way through tall and physical EPL/Champions League level defenders (i.e., a tactic currently being employed by FCB’s ex-interpreter at Real Madrid).  Both Larsson and Henry knew that their careers were waning but knew that they can still add value to the team as “team players” in different roles.  No one can ever forget how Larsson created two beautiful passes to his colleagues to help FCB win the Champions League title in 2006.  Ibrahimovic did not deliver because, like Cristiano Ronaldo, is immature, egoistic and not a team player.  Maybe he can return when he matures and is humbled.  Speaking of mature, what about bringing back Eto’o from exile?  Furthermore, adding a 5th forward will bring more depth to the overworked Messi, Villa, Pedro line on the above mentioned 5 fronts.  Lastly,  FCB does not equal Bojan!  FCB needs to either loan Bojan out to another team to gain experience and ultimately return or release him for his benefit – if we do, we will need to find a suitable replacement from Barcelona B.  We can’t throw money on expensive forwards who don't have a chance to play alongside a healthy Messi, Villa, & Pedro.

Third, the infatuation with Cesc must cease or at least be postponed a few years until it becomes economically feasible to approach Arsenal for their captain’s services or even on a free transfer when Xavi retires in a few years;  this way we can give Thiago a chance to mature with more play time as well as spend less money on hidden gems like Afellay and Ozil.  In addition, any large payments made to Arsenal would signal FCB’s condonation of Arsenal’s free-acquisition of Cesc when he was still a minor and thus welcoming of further Arsenal-like tactics by other clubs.            

In summary, FCB needs to be better prepared for a Barcelona-obsessed Mourinho.  He basically brought the German midfield (the 2nd best in the world after Spain) and incorporated an EPL level defense, knowing full well that the only way to defend against FCB is to play hard and physical (which he have seen when Mourinho was with Chelsea, Inter, and now Madrd).  Rumor is he now wants John Terry...

Thank you and Visca Barcelona!

Osasuna/CL

Hey folks,



In preparation for the CL game, both Xavi and Ineista need to be rested, so here is my formation:



F:   Afellay, Villa, Jefren

M:  Thiago, Dos Santos, Keita

D:  Maxwell, Pique, Fontas, Alves



Reserves: Messi, Pedro, Milito, Puyol, Mascherano



You know that the Big Mouth will rest his players for the CL.



Good luck!

Copa del Rey review

Hey all!



1.  This game was all about Iker Casillas; El Capitan had a fantastic game and saved Madrid on several occasions.  Madrid also had stand-out performances by Di Maria and Ozil but it was really about Iker's brave performance and why he is the best GK in the world. Period!



2.  This was a good and relatively fair game between the two teams and the refereeing was better.  The first half belonged to Madrid, whereas the second belonged to Barcelona when FCB finally broke down a stingy Madrid back four and tested the very reliable Iker.  With the extra time, it came down to who would score first... (frankly the then concurrent game between other bitter rivals Arsenal and Tottenham was more entertaining).



3.  I would have brought in two fresh legs in the extra-time first half when both teams were tired. But's that's just the Armchair Manager in me expressing my thoughts.



4.  Personally, as you may have read on my earlier posts regarding the Copa, I would have opted to play Team B and save the players for the CL matches, giving the Big Mouth a false victory because I really don't see the Copa as anything but a testing ground for younger players.  Unfortunately, FCB is now without Adriano which leaves us with a patchy back four.



5. There are no volcanic activity forecasts to help the Big Mouth, so I expect the game in Madrid to see the same attacking/counter attacking style of the Copa clasico with everything to play.  Should Madrid win, the Big Mouth will revert back to his anti-football tactics.



Personally, I'm OK with the loss of the Copa del Rey to Madrid.  The truth is the boys became complacent and this loss is a cold slap in the face to wake them up.  They now go back to the lion's den with a desire to redeem themselves.

Visca Barcelona!

What Can $90 million buy? Getafe CF

Hey folks,



Royal Emirates, owned by Sheikh Butti bin Suhail al-Maktoum from Dubai, is set to announce the 90 million Euro acquisition of Getafe CF, a mid-level Madrid-based team.  Getafe CF is also currently known as Real Burger King for their Burger King logo and will be re-branded to Getafe Team Dubai.



La Liga has recently witnessed an influx of foreign investors with a Qatari Sheikh acquiring Malaga, just last May for 36 million Euros.  Indian entrepreneur Ahsan Ali Syed acquired Racing Santander in January 2011 for $3 million.



Congrats Getafe, the next Manchester City...



Click here for more info: FT.com / Europe - Dubai sheikh set to buy Getafe

Madrid spent $300 million for nothing

I can't believe that Madrid spent $300 million to play defensively the way they did.  The crowds were jeering.  But that is the way the Big Mouth plays, especially because lacks any professional football experience.  Don't get me wrong he is a great tactician and manipulator, but he is anti-football...

Madrid of old vs. Big Mouth's Madrid

What has become of Madrid?



What a shame the new Madrid has become.  The Madrid of old had style, they had greats like Zidane, True Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos who represented a classier Madrid that demanded respect - this younger "punk" version has loud mouths like Anti-Ronaldo, Ramos, and Pepe who lack style or grace.  Frankly, I cannot but help show my discontent and bias against a team that uses dirty tactics against quality players in effort to send them off on stretchers.



An interesting thing happened when I watched a late-night program about the Mafia paralleling what's going on now with Madrid:  The program stated that the old mafia used "controlled" violence - it was good for "business" whereas new blood had no respect for the old ways and always walked in like a bunch of thugs with guns blaring - this was bad for "business".  This younger Madrid generation has no respect for the beautiful game that is embodied in Spanish football.  Hence, while some bloggers refer to Madrid as the Evil Empire, I refer to them as the "White Castle Gang" (because they don't deserve to be called Mafioso) and will continue to do so until they change their Modus Operandi.



It's a matter of respect!!!

What sayest thou?

A quick review of the Clasico - we were very (un)lucky!!!

Hidi-ho,

This is an exciting time for me as a new blogger as I am sure it is for you the reader as all get to see 4 Clasicos in 18 days;  The two coaches professed a desire to come out attacking, but the truth is one team played while the other team was content to watch.  FCB was striving to win while Madrid was striving for a draw.  The Big Mouth's true intent materialized when he experimented with a 3-man midfield formation composed of Pepe against Bilbao.  He knew that the only way to stop (not necessarily defeat) Barcelona was to set-up two lines of defenders, which I must admit worked to dampen the threat to Iker, who was having a marvelous day himself.  

Here are my thoughts:

Pepe:

Pepe did exactly what the Big Mouth wanted and was almost about to pull another "Getafe Gaffe" when he was manipulated by Messi - I could imagine him wanting to poke Messi with his two outstretched fingers and he probably would have had the referee not been there.  Pepe also did well to lunge his weight against the speedy Argentinian as did everybody else (very sportsman like when you are lacking skills)

Madrid playing with 10-men:

Truth be told a 10 Madrid is always more dangerous than a full squad.  It's like the slap that wakes up the crazy wounded lion within them.  Remember when we played 10-man Madrid when the original Ronaldo scored a goal against FCB many years ago...

Big Mouth's playing with 10 men:

I have noticed a pattern of Big-Mouth teams being forced to play with 10 men and this has happened with Chelsea, Inter, and now Madrid.  Could it be because the Big Mouth is a defensive orientated coach, as was evidenced in last night's game.  Compare Madrid 24% possession rate vs. FCB's 76%.  Did anyone notice that all Madrid players were playing in their half and would only use counter-attacks.  In fact, the only dangers came from set-pieces (recall fake Ronaldo's hitting the goal post) or from Corner Kicks (recall when the went to Ramos on the far side, only to have him head to Pepe, who's attempt was intercepted by Adriano).

The Game Itself:

The funny guys at Foxsports and ESPN all claim that it was a victory for Madrid.  I don't know what they were talking about???  Madrid were came in beaten psychologically before the game began.  The Big Mouth knew that he could not defeat FCB and knew he could not afford to lose, so rightly inserted Pepe in the mid-field to play a nullifying physical game.  The game only started to become interesting when Ozil came in.  The un-justified penalty awarded to Madrid came as a result of Ozil's work.  Speaking of penalties, bravo Marcelo!  Your Sith Lord has shown you "Sun Tzu's Art of War".

The Players:

1. It was good to have Captain Puyol back, even for a short time.


2. Adriano is now an integral component on the left side, both in attack and in defense (he stopped Pepe's certain goal at the line).


3. Villa performed his duties as was required.  Villa posed a constant credible threat and was the reason why we got the first penalty and was the same player behind the second penalty that was not rewarded.  People should recall, that Villa is not a high-goal scoring machine (his career average is 21 goals, which is where he is right now) but is a havoc-causing machine and appreciated by a team that has been on the receiving end of that havoc for many years when Villa was with Valencia.


4. Alves performed admirably, especially considering that he had to deal with both Marcelo and Di Maria and took out the ball (please look at the replays, he diverts the ball before touching Marcelo).


5. The defense performed well forcing Madrid to take corner kicks and/or set-pieces.


6. Pedro is still not up to full gear yet.


7. Albiol's red card was deserved, he had his hand firmly on Villa's neck!!!


8. Benzema was ineffective, reminiscent of his playing late last year (he'll be shown the door)


9. Adebayor was the biggest threat (he'll take Benzema's place) and improved with Ozil.


10. Iker showed why he is respected by everyone, including Valdez and this author.  He read the game!

Game summary:

We were (un)lucky in may ways; we got a penalty given, but were equally denied a correct penalty.  The referee gifted Madrid a free penalty kick.  We also lost our Captain, while they lost a player.  Like I said, we were very (un)lucky!

I would like to put things in perspective, Cruyff said this game was not as important for us as it was for a psychologically beaten Madrid and it showed.  This was but a prelude, a cold-served appetizer.  There was no pressure on FCB to perform and Madrid was content to let FCB have the ball (akin to Inter, last year).  The hot-dish appetizer will be the Copa del Rey, whereas the main course and desert will be the CL.  I say that we serve the Big-Mouth his hot-dish appetizer but serve it cold.  Let him experiment with another formation (or not) but this time against Team B.  Let Afellay, Jeffren, Dos Santos, Thiago, and Fontas get their first kills (Afellay came very close).  Let the Big Mouth field his best players thinking that we will field our best in this game of chess.

Speaking of the Copa, we should not treat it like La Liga or the CL but should treat it as a testing ground for young talent.  We cannot continue to wear down our players on three fronts especially when Madrid improves next year into a more formidable machine.  MADRID HAS A YOUNG SQUAD THAT WILL IMPROVE OVER TIME AND A BIG-MOUTH COACH WHO IS OBSESSED WITH BARCELONA!!!  (Did you see him cry for a red card? What a cry-baby). We have the best team in the world but are aging (think Puyol and Xavi) and stretched to our limits (think Villa, Pedro, and Messi)

All right, this post is getting too long.  I'm outta here, but before I go I want to leave you with this link for a great review of the game by these Blogging Masters --> A half-speed Barca draws in El Clasico

Enjoy!

1-1 at White Castle

A gifted PK for Madrid in the 82 minute coupled with the blatant but unrewarded penalty on Villa meant that Madrid saved their face in front of their own crowd.



On the Copa del Rey...

0-0 at the White Castle

So far, it is zero all...



Madrid is playing a defensive game and trying to use corner kicks to score in the face of an un-influential Benzema (he will be replaced with Adebayor sooner or later).



Abiola was just red-carded for a blatant foul on Villa and Pepe replaces him in the back-four (good thing that the Big Mouth trained his players to play with only 10 players).



Adriano saved a brilliant a two-headed corner kick designed to trap Barcelona to look the other way.



Actually Mesut Ozil has just replaced Benzema.  We just lost Puyol...



More later

4 more Clasicos, any one?

Hidy-ho,



Well...



Let's start with the expected Saturday line-up:

F:   Messi, Villa, Pedro (a.k.a., MVP, as fellow www.BarcelonaFootballBlog.com colleagues would say)

M:  Xavi, Iniesta, Keita

D:  Adriano, Pique, Busquets, Alves



Madrid should field a "familiar" team to hide a potentially different CL line-up:

F:    Benzema

W:  De Maria, Cristiano

M:  Xabi, Ozil, Khidera

D:   Marcelo, Carvalho, Pepe, Ramos



Reserves: Kaka for Ozil or Xabi, and Higuain or Adebayor for Benzema, and Diarra for Khidera.



Both coaches have declared their intentions to send in their best players and the Big Mouth has all his strikers on the ready (the Frenchman, the Togolese, the Portuguese, & the Argentinian).  I expect a tough game, in which the Big Mouth's battle tactic is to weaken FCB as part of his overall CL/Copa del Rey War Strategy.  Imagine, FCB without an injured Messi or a Xavi, or Pique for the next 3 weeks.  It will be easy for Ramos and Pepe to squash the smaller FCB player.  Moron-hu plays defensive football and will give the nod to his players to be "extra" physical.  I hope the referee will be able to keep Madrid under control, especially in front of their crowd.



Personally, I would be happy to concede a draw against a maturer Madrid team and focus our strength on the CL, for if the Big Mouth can't make it to the CL, he'll make sure that FCB will pay the price.  I can imagine him plotting his "scorched earth" plan; FCB will be so weak by the time they get to the final (if they do), even the opponents B team will give FCB a hard time.



On the other hand, a simple 1 goal victory at White Castle's (not the burger joint) would strike a severe mental blow to the Madridistas, who are desperately seeking revenge for the past 5 losses and especially for the last 5-0 humiliation, in order to believe in themselves again.



Copa del Rey:

I think that team B got the Copa and deserve to play the Copa even if they do get mauled:



F:     Afellay, Jeffren, and an MVP component (I feel sorry for Bojan, he's just so unlucky)

M:    Thiago, Dos Santos, and Keita

D:     Maxwell, Milito, Fontas, and Alves

KG:  Pinto



I say let's give this bone to the dogs, even though I think that this dog is smart enough to not take the bait and is OBSESSED in the T-Bone steak, the Champions League, after having tasted it twice before.



Champions League:

The loss of Moron-hu's rock in defense Carvalho is a severe blow, especially with hot-heads Pepe and Ramos.  This aspect should lessen the severity of our own losses in defense (Puyol and Abidal) rendering Madrid prone to our attacks.  Recall that Madrid's players are not used to playing on three fronts at the same time.  We have to win in the first leg when Madrid is without Carvalho!!!



Expected FCB CL Line-up:

F:    Messi, Villa, Pedro

M:   Iniesta, Xavi, Mascehrano

D:    Adriano, Pique, Busquets, and Alves



I have to admit, I did not think that the Big Mouth could bring the players this far.



Overall, we only need to win 2 of the 4 four games but not the Cope del Rey.



All the best!

Comments about Shakhtar

Hey folks,



I was pleased with the Shakhtar game because our fringe players got a chance to shine:



1.  Afellay had a superb game.  He tested the goal keeper with 2 powerful shots, one long distance and another in close range.  He played well and was at the ready.  This will build confidence as he prepares for his first classico.



2.  Mascherano has finally proved his worth.  Not only does he dominate the mid-field, he also does will to fall back and support our back line.



3.  Adriano was attacking and defending at the same time!  He did well to run up the pitch and also did well to freeze out Shakhtar Eduardo.



I was also please to see the real Shakhtar come out and play.  Pyatov had a great game!  The back line did well against a better team that was constantly pressing.  Jadon had a Ronaldinho style free kick into the upper corner stopped by a superb Valdes, who also did will to stop Mkhitariyan at point blank range.  Mkhitariyan also played well and showed his talent with a pinpoint cross to an attacking colleague.



I was not pleased to see Milito play the way he did.  To be honest, he is not the same player who did well to neutralize Ronaldinho many years ago.  Maybe the injury has had its toll, but there is also a psychological component there and it shows.  Before he is cut loose, I hope the management gives him a chance at the Defensive Midfield position, where he will find comfort knowing that there is another line of defense behind him (which is probably what he really needs to excel).  I think he does not fancy being the last line of defense, especially when Pique, Alves, and Adriano leave him back there all alone.

Shakhtar line-up

Hidi ho!



The possible line-up, taking into consideration the following game against Madrid and any injuries, is as follows:



F:       Afellay, Villa, Pedro

M:      Xavi, Thiago, Mascherano

D:       Maxwell, Pique, Milito, Alves



Reserves: Messi, Keita, Adriano, Jeffren, Dos Santos



Shakhtar's missing key defensive players due to injury/suspension so I would like to see Messi rested for the Madrid game. I also see this as an opportunity to field Jeffren or Dos Santos.



Enjoy the game!

Cristian Chivu, anyone?

Hello all,



As all of your know FCB is a forward pressing, possession keeping, goal-scoring machine that has taken the pressure of a make-shift defense that has been crippled by the loss of its fearless leader Puyol and Abidal.



With that in mind, I would like to suggest that FCB buy Cristian Chivu fromm Inter Milan.  His 5-year contract expires in 2012 and Milan is sure to sell him for something before losing him to a free transfer.  CC is 30 years old and is versatile as a LB, CB, and even DMF.  Thus he can act as a Jack of all trades in three positions.  He is Eastern European and temperamental, having received 2 red cards in two games within a span of 3 days.



Anyway, its just a thought that I wanted to share in light of our present circumstances.



See this link --> Cristian Chivu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Chivu left Roma and signed a 5-year contract with Internazionale on 27 July 2007. The transfer fee was €16 million"

Almeria's Line-up?

Hi,



With a view to resting his players for a crazy month ahead, here is the expected FCB line-up:



F:   Afellay, Villa, Bojan

M:  Thaigo, Iniesta, Busquets

D:   Maxwell, Pique, Milito, Alves



Reserves:  Pedro, Xavi, Keita, Messi, & Mascherano

Game ends 5-1: Man of the match: Iniesta

Iniesta scored the opening goal, and set-up Alves for the second, and was part of the build up with Alves to set-up Xavi's goal.  Unfortunately, Iniesta will not play the 2nd leg match due to his yellow card.



I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did...

Xavi with number 5 @ the 86th minute. Alves with the assist

Expected changes in the game by Pep

I would think that Villa will be replaced by Pedro and Ineista by Thiago or Afellay

Keita strikes from 16 yards out

Within a minute of Shakhtar's goal, Keita delievers a beautiful goal in the 60th minute.  Messi with the assist.



By the way, only a minute earlier did new daddy Iniesta pick up a yellow card that means he will not play in the 2nd leg against Shakhtar.

Pique makes it 3-0 in the 53rd minute

Xavi's corner reaches Pique who gives it a nice right footed kick to the bottom left corner of the goal.



Quick question: Where is Shakira?

Barcelona 2-0 @ end of 1st half

Hey folks, new daddy Iniesta has had a hand in both 1st half goals.

Goal 1 was due to a defensive mistake (in effect an assist) by Dinka, Shakhtar's Croatian captain.  Shakhtar was playing 9 men behind the ball when Messi played a through ball to Villa only to have Darijo Srna deflect to the waiting Iniesta who stuck it in the tight space between the GK and goal post.  Barcelona 1-0 in the 2nd minute.

With Shakhtar still playing 9 men behind the ball, new daddy Iniesta flicked a nice long volley to the middle of the box where a diagonally speeding Alves beat the offside trap with blistering pace and out flanked the on-looking Pyatov.  One of the most intelligent goals that I have seen in a long time! Pure brilliance. Barca up 2-0

CL: Madrid 4 - Tottenham 0

Awww shucks!



While I am looking forward to defeating Moron-hu and company in the Champions League (i.e., they go through Tottenham), I sure didn't want Madrid to steam roll through the competition like that!



Without their lone striker, Tottenham was toothless in their match against Madrid (4 shots vs. Madrid's 36).  What was Pete thinking when he made those two meaningless challenges deep within Madrid's own half?  He single handedly crushed Bale, Van der Vaart, and Lennon's hopes of European glory.  What an idiot!  Once a professional receives his/her first yellow card, he/she must take it down a notch so not to pick up the second card and marching orders.  Pete should have learned from van Persie's mistake.



It will take a miracle for Tottenham to score 4 unanswered goals without Madrid brining the heat.  Truth be told, Madrid is most dangerous with its back to the wall and the inevitable break out.



Mr. Crouch has no one else to blame and I sure would not want to be him...



Now that they have virtually vanquished Tottenham, Madrid may be more complacent with FCB next week.

Barcelona's Shakhtar line-up

OK folks, with the return of Xavi and Pedro, here's FCB's expected CL line-up:





F:       Messi, Pedro, and Villa (but prefer Maxwell wide left to counter the condensed mass of defenders on the edge of the box)

M:      Xavi, Iniesta, Mascherano

D:       Adriano, Pique, Busquets, Alves

GK:    Valdez





Alternatively, Iniesta can play out wide left with Kieta/Afellay in the mid-field.





Let's make this very clear, Shakhtar is dangerous! Even Cruyff, has expressed his fears.  Why? They've got Brazilians everywhere, everywhere!!!





Thanks to Mistress Kari @ Barcelona Football Blog, I can share this analysis with you:





See this link --> Who Are Shakhtar and What Can We Expect?





First, Shakhtar have a disciplined back line led by Dymtro Chygrynskiy who spent a season with FCB recently & is complemented by their Croatian version of Dani Alves, Darijo Srna.





Second, Shaktar employs 2 defensive mid-fielders who are complemented by two Brazilian wingers who will track Alves & Adriano and thus possibly reduce their contributions.





Third, our back-line has been our Achilles Heel and it will fall upon Mascherano to stop Brazilian attacking midfielder, Jadson, from creating fast and dangerous counter-attacks.





Fourth, Brazilian Luiz Adriano has been spectacular in the lone striker position!  He will cause problems for Pique if he is not at his sharpest (best not to have Shakira in Barcelona or Europe for that matter).





Thus, any FCB onslaught will most probably be countered with 8 players in defense to contain Messi & company in the 1st half.  That will mean that FCB will have possession but remain susceptible to speedy counter attacks & long-range attempts (effective against Valdez).





In summary, FCB will have to maintain control over the ball, keep pressing, play out wide to counter the condensed formation in the box, and stay alert in the back for any sudden counter attacks.  FCB will have to win at home (and win big)!





Happy hunting gentlemen and good luck.

Iniesta is a father

Congratulations to Andres Iniesta! He is the father of Valeria, born on April 3rd.



All the best to you and your family!

Barcelona join in race for Borussia Dortmund wunderkind Mario Goetze

Just though the readers would be interested in this info



Barcelona join race for Borussia Dortmund's Goetze

Adebayor would be happy to return to EPL

Hey didn't you just cut your dreadlocks to "fit in" and declare that you want to secure a permanent move to Madrid?  Now you declare that Arsenal fans still love you and would be happy with a return to the EPL!



Make up your mind, you nut job!



Realistically though, who do you think is going to take you after Arsenal and Man City?  Chelsea?



Check this link --> Adebayor would be happy to return to Premier League

Moron-hu backs Redknapp as England manager

Typical Sun Tzu style mind games with the opponent before facing him in battle



See this Link --> Moron-hu backs Redknapp as England manager

Moron-hu writes off Tottenham's chances of beating Madrid

Good.  Whenever one underestimate the result is a shock defeat. Has Moron-hu forgetten the lessons of Sporting Gijon?



Mourinho writes off Tottenham's chances of beating Madrid in the Champions League



Post CL comment: Boy was I wrong!!!

Moron-hu: Title is almost Barcelonas

The signs of a bigger loser:  Moron-hu begins raising the white flag, thereby implying his focus on the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.



I guess I can't blame Moron-hu when you factor in Phil Ball's most recent commentary: "When you also consider that since the installation of the three-point system for a win in 1995, no side eight points adrift of the top side at this stage has ever managed to win the title, then it looks like the trophy is staying in Catalan territory"



See this link --> Mourinho: Title is almost Barcelonas



See think link as well: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/902597/phil-ball:-saturday-night-fever-in-la-liga?cc=5901

Sergio Ramos waves goodbye to La Liga title after shock defeat to Gijon

The sign of a loser folks, Madrid's Sergio Ramos raises the white flag.



See this link --> Sergio Ramos waves goodbye to La Liga title

Sucker punch, suckers!!!

I am so happy I don't even know where to begin...



Hmmm, should I start by Moron-hu's misery or Barcelona's victory? This is Moron-hu, and I don't really feel like being sportsmanly today and have a laugh at his expense, Ha ha ha ha!



Let's start with the shock upset of the season, even bigger than Hercules defeat of Barcelona in week 2.  Truth be told a depleted Mardid lost to Sporting Gijon's dying moment sucker punch, but more importantly the loss ended Moron-hu's long-standing and flawless record at home (having not lost 150 home games since February 23, 2002, spanning a period of 9 years with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Madrid).  There was no comparison between the two sides with Madrid taking 13 shots-on-goal out of a total of 33 shots vs. Gijon's sole strike out of a total of 4 shots.  Hats off to Sporting GK's Juan Pablo for his heroic efforts!!!



Now, will this be a bad omen for Moron-hu? Will they lose their next home match when they host Barcelona? After all misery loves company!!!



Barcelona's win was a pleasant surprise and broke recent tradition where the team plays poorly after playing international and Champions League games spanning a few seasons now.  I predicted a hard earn draw, but was more than happy with an under-strength Barcelona victory and Madrid's humiliating loss.  It was also good to see Afellay, Keita, Thiago and Mascherano get more play time.



Next up?  FCB welcomes Shakhtar to the Camp Nou for the first leg of the Champions League clash!

Barcelona's expected line-up at the El Madrigal

OK, based on our current injuries and with an eye towards the Champions League game, here is my line up:



F:     Afellay (L), Villa (C), Bojan

M:    Iniesta, Keita, Mascherano

D:     Adriano (L), Pique, Busquets, Alves (R)

GK:  Valdez



Reserves: Messi, Thiago and Jeffren



El Madrigal is a difficult stadium with an even more difficult crowd (kudos to the Villarreal fans for their loyalty) as such I would like to see the team play a physical first half (Keita and Mascherano) and slow the tempo of the game but bring in the heat in the 2nd half with Messi and Jeffren, if needed.  I would like to see Messi saved for the CL game later in the week and not risk an injury especially after the last scare.  I've included Afellay after his strong showing in the Euro qualifiers (I hope he shines and stays with the team).



For Villearreal, Nilmar and Rossi will want to impress Barcelona and show what they're made of.



Prediction? Based on the above and the fact that we don't do good when we come back from international games, I think it will be a hard earned draw...



Enjoy the game!

Moron-hu confirms Ronaldo, Benzema and Marcelo will miss Tottenham's CL game

Ahhh, that "wascawwy wabbit" is up to his shenanigans again.



This time his target is Tottenham.  Somehow, Madrid's leading goal scorers are suddenly out of the big game against Tottenham (I included Marcelo because he's been scoring in place of Madrid's quiet forwards).  Watch them all make a "surprise" comeback before the game, in typical Sun Tzu style. That wascawwy wabbit!



Hat's off to you Moron-hu, hats off...



See this link --> Mourinho confirms Ronaldo, Benzema and Marcelo will miss Champions League clash with Tottenham

Adebayor thinks Villarreal can defeat Barcelona

I had to share this with you folks.



It seems that Mr. Adebayor is either a comedian or can predict the future. It is pathetic when the hopes of winning La Liga are hinged upon the actions of others and not on your own...



See this link --> Madrid’s Adebayor thinks Villarreal can defeat Barcelona

Inter Milan almost poached Messi from Barcelona

I saw this and wanted to share it with you:



In short, Messi did not leave FCB even though Inter Milan was going to pay him more $$$ because he was loyal to a team that literally invested in him, unlike Cesc...



See this link --> Agent: Inter Milan came close to nicking Messi from Barcelona

Rafa Benitez has Madrid pre-contract

Madrid already have a plan B ready while Moron-hu is at the helm?  That is one hell of a vote of confidence.  But why am I not surprised? I guess that's how Madridistas roll...



See this link --> Ex-Liverpool boss Benitez has Real Madrid pre-contract



But why would Benitez do such a stupid thing?  Doesn't he know that Moron-hu would ridicule him as his "tail"? He failed at Liverpool and Inter Milan! Sure he did well with Valencia but Madrid is a different animal all together...



What sayest thou?

Adjustments | Barcelona Football Blog

I saw this excellent post on Barcelona Football Blog and wanted to share it with you:



See this link: Adjustments | Barcelona Football Blog



I want to focus on two things that I have been driving me crazy, especially if we are to continue to play across three tournaments, international friendlies, and international qualifiers:



1. CF: I agree that we need someone upfront, someone physical but older and wiser who can keep the opposing defensive line busy while he coldly passes the ball to an unmarked player to finish off the opponents (ala Larsson in the CL finals).



If you recall (assuming that I am can still recollect as well) Larsson, that great Swedish striker who come on in the 2nd half of the 2006 CL final, kept the defense busy with his intimidating presence and sneaked two magnificent assists against a 10-man but determined Arsenal.  We need some elder and intelligent striker, who knows that he is part of a team and must play his role.  Larsson did the same for Man. U when he went there on loan in 2007.  We had a wonderful experience with Larsson, we tried to do the same with Henry (he is excused for his marital problems) and thought that Ibrahimovic would do the same but found out that he was not mature enough yet (maybe after Ibrahimovic leaves for the EPL he can return more mature???).



So where can we find someone like Larsson, who is physical, mature, and has CL experience? Only Herr Klose fits the bill.  I think this more important than acquiring the services of Rossi, Nilmar, or Neymar.  A distant second is on the form of Trezeguet, aided by his compatriot Abidal, assuming his wife allows him to leave her home town.



2. CB:  We lost two versatile defensive players last season, Marquez and Toure, but did not replace them with any one.  Sure Adriano can play CB but he is more effective as a LB and Pique has been lost without Puyol.  Milito is washed up and Busquets is a short-term solution to a long-term problem (Toure was more versatile).  Let's face it, Madrid has a stronger back 4 while our defensive line is very thin.



We need someone who is physical and tall (ala Pique).  Demichelis, currently playing for Malaga, expressed his desire to leave and is a viable possibility.  I am not familiar with the EPL but FCB can scout for an older ELP CB who wants to play in La Liga.



One last pressing matter, CESC.  FCB doesn't need him!  Spain did not need him and La Masia can deliver more Xavis and Iniestas.  Plus, why bring back someone who had not loyalty when he was young and hand big $$$ to Arsenal for their efforts.  Recall Arsenal just replayed the scenario with a Barcelona youngster.  In addition, Cesc has seen an increasing number of injuries over the past few years and take it as a sign of his durability of lack thereof.



Your opinions?

The Teams That Jose Mourinho Could Be Coaching In 2011-12

Hey folks, just wanted to share this interesting article with my readers (see link below) and to share my thoughts:





1. Stay with Madrid:  Moron-hu will stay if he does humiliates Barcelona by either 1) delivering the King's Cup AND avenging the 5-0 loss with a comparable 0-5 victory OR 2) kicking Barcelona out of the Champions League.  If not, he will see the white flags raised in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.





Go to England and join:





2. Chelsea: Moron-hu's boys at Chelsea are still there and can still deliver.  Plus the Russian Billionaire will be more than happy to throw money at him and the transfer pool.  Recall Moron-hu will only join rich clubs that can buy championships.





3. Man City: Less probable but still a viable option especially if the Oil Sheikhs can meet his crazy salary demands.  It will fit his ego well if he can help Man City return to its old winning ways (circa 1960s???).





4. Man United: The Holy Grail of the EPL.  It ain't happening because he will always be in the shadows of SAF!





Return to Italy:





5. Inter Milan: Doubtful, he's got nothing to prove there any more.





6. Roma: Why?





Other options:





7. Bayern Munich:  He already defeated his master Van Gaal and has nothing to prove especially since the same Inter Milan team defeated the same BM team in the Champions League.





8.  Portugal:  Moron-hu will be starved for media attention and he's not going to get it as Portugal's coach.





Summary: the man is a Champions League tactician and knows he is respected as such, so why go to a team that does not have a chance of getting to the Champions League?  He stays with Real Madrid, he's got too much of ego to leave without delivering something, after all he is the self-proclaimed Special One!!!





All the best 





See this link --> The Teams That Jose Mourinho Could Be Coaching In 2011-12

Luis Figo warns Barcelona not to be complacent against Shakhtar Donetsk - Goal.com

Get this, FCB's own Benedict Arnold is warning Barcelona not to be complacent against a Champions League opponent!



Well thank you Figo, I didn't think that you cared?  Would you like to place your "kiss of Judas" while you're at it? Hilarious!!!



See this link --> Figo warns Barcelona not to be complacent against Shakhtar

Valdano still dreaming of Treble at Real Madrid

Madrid's Valdano believes that Madrid can win the Treble.  Looks like Mr. Valdano has been listening to Depeche Mode's hit "Dream On" so dream on pal, dream on...



See this link: Valdano still dreaming of Treble at Real Madrid

Spain boss Del Bosque's tribute to Barcelona star Xavi

Why am I not surprised?  I saw this and wanted to share it with you...



See this link --> Spain boss pays tribute to Barcelona's Xavi

Xavi leads Spain to 3-1 Euro 2012 qualifying win against Lithuania

A little bit late, but I wanted to share this article about Xavi:



See this link --> Xavi leads Spain to 3-1 Euro 2012 qualifying win against Lithuania



That's the way its done: Xavi is simply a genius...

Arsenal's RvP declares FCB Are An Extremely Annoying Team

Time to move on Mr. Van Persie. You lost, so get over it or go join Madrid and try to do something about. Who know's you might fit in with Moron-ho!!!



CLICK HERE --> 'Nagging' Barcelona Are An Extremely Annoying Team

Mancini plans to trump AC Milan for Ibrahimovic

Get this folks, The Daily Star reports Barcelona may get recoup more of its investment in Ibrahimovic if Man City enter the fray and try to outbid AC Milan!



Recall that Ibrahimovic was bought from Inter Milan for $65 million, in exchange for Eto'o (valued at $20 million), and Hleb on loan (valued at $10 million) making him worth between $85 to $95 million....



SEE THIS LINK --> Mancini plans to trump AC Milan for Barcelona-owned Ibrahimovic

I love Moron-ho, he entertains me!

YES, I finally got it off my chest...



I love Moron-ho, the way I love my puppy.  He keeps me entertained with his funny and crazy antics, but like any other pet, Moron-ho does get on my nerves when he does some stupid things that are akin to the puppy pissing on the rug and so forth.



This latest request, to have Madrid's La Liga schedule changed to accommodate its Champions League game against Tottenham, reminds me of the time when Barcelona had to face Moron-ho's Inter Milan during the Icelandic Volcano incident. Can you imagine the field day Moron-ho would have had had FCB asked UEFA to defer the game a day or two to accommodate the grueling bus ride from Barcelona to Milan?



I love you Moron-ho, the way I love my crazy over-active puppy!

Madrid wants to manipulate its schedule

Get this folks, Real Madrid has requested to have its game against Sporting Gijon moved forward from Sunday, April 3rd to either Saturday or Friday in order to rest its players for the game against Tottenham Hotspurs the following Tuesday



Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww!  Do da wittow boyz want a wowwipop wid dat?



Respect the game, the leagues, and the teams Moron-ho...

Barca 2 - 1 Getafe, the team's 27th league game without a loss

Barcelona played it's 27 league game without a lose (breaking the previous record that stood since 1973-74).  Dani Alves' lightning-bolt volley that veered towards to the GK's left and Bojan's deflected shot meant that Manu's beautiful one-touch in the 88th minute was Getafe's consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to Barcelona.



Felicitacions (Catalan for congratulations).



Next up: VILLARREAL

Getafe Line-up

Hey folks,



Let's start with the potential line-up.  We'll be missing Pedro, Maxwell, Puyol, and Abidal and will most probably look like this:



Front 3: Villa (CF), Messi from the right, and Iniesta on the left

Middle 3: Xavi, Mascherano (DMF), and Afellay

Back 4: Adriano (LB), Pique, Busquets, and Alvez on the right

GK: Valdez



My reasoning:

I would like to see Iniesta on the left, to feed any Messi/Villa attacks from the side, instead of Bojan who just sits there doing nothing.  While the inclusion of Mascherano gives means a more aggressive and commanding mid-field to support our shaky defensive line as now is not the time to experiment with Barca B players and waste 2 or 3 points.  Still we might see Messrs. Jeffren, Thiago, and Fontas come-in for the final 10 minutes.



I have not included Bojan or Milito in the starting line-up because of their inconsistent and disappointing performances.



Enjoy the game...

Samuel Eto'o - Zlatan Ibrahimovic Swap Was Great Business For Inter - Massimo Moratti - Goal.com

But of course it was, Inter got a prolific striker (who was tamed by Moron-hu) and cash to spend, which they did to build a better team that ultimately won the Champions League.  Good for Inter!!!  Thank God Laporta is gone...

SEE THIS LINK --> Samuel Eto'o - Zlatan Ibrahimovic Swap Was Great Business For Inter - Massimo Moratti - Goal.com

Madrid advance to the Champions League quarter-finals

Gee, I hope the hectic schedule won't give Moron-hu an excuse for failing to bring silverware at the end of the season...

Barcelona's Abidal diagnosed with liver tumor

Our man Abidal will go under the knife this Friday to deal with a liver tumor, let's pray he gets better soon.  All the best Eric!



SEE THIS LINK --> Barcelona defender Abidal diagnosed with liver tumor

Eto'o praises Moron-hu's approach

As opposed to the previous post, Fox Sports reports that ex-Barcelona great Eto'o has praised Moron-hu's managerial style.  Is this guy trying to go back to Mardid?





SEE THIS LINK --> Eto'o praises Mourinho's approach

Moron-hoe, the cruel and calculating?

Get this folks, former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Claude Makelele has branded the Portuguese boss 'calculating' and 'cruel' despite his great success.





Makelele told El Confidencial: "Mourinho is a winner. He knows how to use you and how to motivate you to get everything from you. In these terms he is a great coach. The problem is when you drop off. At that point he is calculating, cruel and ambitious."





See this link: Moron-hu, the Cruel and Calculating?

Messi injury

The Associated Press reports that Messi will probably miss out on this Saturday's game against Getafe.  Alves and Adriano, as well as Pedro were also injured at Sevilla, which means that Jeffren or Affellay may get the go ahead to play, as well Maxwell as left back.

Why Real Madrid will finally break the last-16 jinx?

Hello reader,

Here are the reasons why I believe Madrid will defeat Lyon:

First, Benzema is an ex-Lyon striker who knows his French league opponents well, similar to Ibrahimovic and the Italian League.  Benzema was effective against Auxerre (scoring a hat-trick) and Lyon in the Champions League, and with Bilbao, Levante, Malaga, Racing Santander, and Hercules in La Liga.  His braces against the last four minnows show he is more confident and will not give up his place to new arrival Adebayor.

Second, Madrid has Moron-who was Louis Van Gaal’s interpreter at Barcelona and the self-titled “Special One” who knows how to bring about the best in his players.  Moron-who was brought in to alleviate Madrid of its Champions League drought – which interestingly coincided with his successes with FC Porto and Inter Milan.  Moron-who will most probably play defense to protect Madrid’s away goal, the way he did against Barcelona when he was with Inter Milan and can afford to, especially since Lyon is not a high-scoring machine.  Furthermore, Moron-who is a Sun Tzu Art of War style master tactician who between today and Wednesday, will have said something to agitate Lyon enough for them to lose their cool.

Third, Cristiano R. is not playing which typically means a more efficient Madrid team.  C.R. tends to shot on goal from long range distances wasting Madrid’s opportunities.  C.R. is also known for being stingy with the ball, although he has been an effective partner to Benzema lately.  Thus if he does play, Madrid will have better scoring chances if he decides to keep feeding Benzema rather than  focus on beating Messi for most goals scored.

Fourth, Madrid should have a healthy Defensive Line who will play a hard and physical game and shut out Lyon.

Fifth, lousy refereeing means that Madrid can and will get dangerously physical and get away with it.

Lastly, history is irrelevant! The fact that Lyon have been the team that has done away with Madrid is irrelevant when you factor all the above and that Madrid has the crucial away goal.  Nonetheless, Lyon knows it has to attack and has a chance of striking fear into the hearts of the Madridistas if they can score at the Bernabeu.  Viva Olympique Lyonnais!

Please feel free to share your thoughts and take a look at the nice deals from Amazon, I think I'll treat myself to the Official Crested maroon colored cap.  

All the best!

A logical explanation to Barcelona's victory over Arsenal

Dear reader,

I wanted to share some objective viewpoints with you regarding the Champions League game between Barcelona and Arsenal held on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011.

First, both teams are one of the few that still play with heart and have a philosophy of playing speculative, attacking, entertaining football which should have made this game more entertaining than the CL Final itself.  It was going to be Attack, Attack, Attack!  Instead, Arsenal tried to perform a Moron-who/Inter defensive play, but that worked for a team that had a 2 goal difference and a much formidable defensive line as well as a defensive midfield (aka, the Argentineans). 

Second, did Arsenal play as Arsenal? No, Arsenal did not fight (zero shots on goal vs. 12).  Lower-tier La Liga teams have fought better than Arsenal did, TRYING to counter attack. A team cannot win if they do not shoot at the opposing teams goal.  Barcelona had 310 touches in Arsenal’s half while Arsenal had only 41, and that’s just in the first half. Barcelona had 76% possession vs. 24%.  Arsenal had 9 saves vs. zero for Barcelona.  Arsenal did not play as Arsenal, but Barcelona did play as Barcelona and actually tried to win.

Three, the refereeing was sloppy on both sides of the pitch!  The 2nd yellow card was uncalled for, but an experience professional like RvP cannot afford to make silly juvenile mistakes (Alves duped him into his first card while his little tryst with Mascherano inflamed his passions).  Furthermore, Barcelona too were denied a fair penalty and a possible goal which probably would have made the score 2-1 before RvP’s ejection (think Chelsea).  Other players deserved to be sent off included Koscienly, with two clear bookable offenses, and Abidal for manhandling RvP’s neck.

Fourth, luck played a huge part in the game for both sides.  The own goal gift to Arsenal, the unlucky injury to Szczesny (also Alves) and the back-heel by Cesc near his box in front of a pressing team was a moment of incalculable stupidity.

Fifth, Arsenal’s key players did not deliver.  While Game 1 saw Messi, Ineista, and Pedro fail to perform for Barcelona, RvP and Cesc failed miserably to deliver for Arsenal in game 2, regardless of refereeing or luck.  This time, Messi, Ineista, Villa, Pedro, Alves, Mascherano, and Xavi (did you see that beautiful 1-2-3 goal that bounced off of Sagna) delivered for Barcelona.  Valdez and company were never really bothered.  Only Almunia, Nasri and Busquets delivered for Arsenal.

Sixth, the magnificent goal by Messi should have instigated a response from Arsenal (fyi, the previous 4 matches saw the 1st team to score would eventually lose), instead there was no response.  The only real threat came from Wilshore’s brilliant pass to Bendtner which was perfectly robbed (yes this time Barcelona did rob) by Mascherano.  Speaking of Mr. Mascherano, his control of the mid-field allowed the two wing backs to cause havoc (Adriano, and Alves with RvP and Szczesny) which was not the case, I think, in game 1.

Seventh, Arsenal’s players lost their cool early on with 4 yellow cards.  Arsenal was playing hard, physical, but fair, yet Messi was not agitated when he was denied a clear penalty.  The players were emotional and that got the best of them.

Eighth, Arsenal has been very inconsistent.  The Game 1 comeback against Barcelona showed the everyone that Arsenal is a force to be reckoned with and will be over the next decade as the team matures under the watchful eye of the Professor, but the loss to Dunderland was just as shameful as was Barcelona’s to Hercules, except this was for silverware and not the first game of the season.

Lastly, I am comforted by the fact that Arsenal is in good hands with players such as Nasri and Wilshire who will dominate the pitch over the next decade.  That is my silver lining for Arsenal.

In summary, Game 1 had two great teams playing beautiful offense-football (I’ll defer judging the referee to you).  Game 2 had only one great team playing beautiful offense-football, trying to win, and lousy refereeing.  As a brilliant young man one enlightened me in an earlier post, Victoria Concordia Crescit! (Victory comes from harmony).

To close, as a fan of both Arsenal and Barcelona, I was shocked by the huge gap in quality between the two.

Viva Barcelona