₦airaland Forum

Mcleo007:
Timing is as important in these things as each passing match. Just like Penaldo in 2013; he had an eventful two weeks during the extended period of the Balon vote. The voters at that time were swept away by the frenzy; I mean CR7 scored 4 goals over two legs to qualify his country. At that time, the voters had forgotten Messi won the pichichi that season, won the Copa and had qualified his country for the world cup months before. And he did so in a turbulent season that was wrought with injuries and off the pitch issues. Also, that a certain Ribery was pivotal in an all conquering Bayern team that won the treble.

So, if Lucho likes, he should beat Athleti a hundred times; he should know losing to a Vigo and Sociedad would rue his team's chances at winning the Liga.

You sabi bros

Timing is very important. You know there won't be any kind of excuse if we fail to win the copa given that the two madrid teams are out

Johnpaul88:
Martino's failure to win Atletico even once in 6 meetings remains to me his greatest failure. His team never played with spirit like we do now, his inability to motivate them, woeful!

When a team plays as we do now at this crucial point in the season when titles are won or lost, there's no doubt such team is moving in the right direction.

I never argued otherwise. I see we both agree that martino was a failure. My mentioning of martino is just to show that winning at the right time trumps winning anytime. Martino played real madrid thrice last season and won twice; that should be impressive…only that he lost the most important. He couldn't beat atleti in 6 attempts and yet we played 2 finals; it's all about winning when it matters the most. I sincerely hope lucho will do the needful (when it matters most)

Johnpaul88:
I believe that these people that hate and doubt him, do so because of personality. They feel he's kinda arrogant and has got this cocky air about him.

His culture of aloofness to the media, makes him particularly unpopular with them. That's why they are always waiting to pounce at him at the slightest excuse. He's led us through a remarkable run and has got us in splendid form heading into the ever dreaded February, (we even managed to win our first game in February for the first time since 2011), yet you don't see some articles praising this turnaround. Not that he cares anyway!

If you missed yesternight's game, then you probably missed a game of the season contender. I knew that Villarreal were good but didn't know they were that good. We'll have to be at our best to beat them in semis.

Hehe
JohnluchoPaul88

We're all barca fans and we want the team's progress irrespective of who's the manager

For all of tata martino's 'failure' last season, he got us to the copa del rey final and the league 'last day' final, so when you think about it, even tata might have won two trophies

Make your lucho sha win us something

honeric01:
I couldn't watch this match but followed the commentary.. too and i missed the visual view..

I can see that Lucho is shaming some people already and the players are playing for passion and also for him.

I can wait for us to lift the copa dela rey cup and also the champions league.

Lucho defender. Lol

Great game yesterday. Priceless victory

Rafinha: Tóuche , Mascherano: Perfecto, , Messi: as usual , Suarez: fat

Johnpaul88:
I said football is psychological not a war!

If you however decides to go to war hoping to fight with your bare hands, you're entirely on your own.

Ehn we're saying the same thing na. The best players will still be the ones to do the job irrespective…

By the way, didn't you say you'd start doubting Enrique if we didn't beat Atletico madrid prior to our first match with them this season?

Johnpaul88:
But we've been playing them with strong team and never won. Maybe a weaker team could have done the magic and broke the jinx. Football is purely psychological! You can't expect different results when you keep taking to the same approach.

So you can go to the same battle field you've been going to with spears, guns and grenades and losing, with a knife, stick and stone and expect to win "psychologically"?

Change is constant and coaches use different approach YES but Luis Enrique's against Real Sociedad at the Anoeta puts the 'S' in silly

Johnpaul88:
Yeahh if you watched yesternight match, you'd totally agree. First half was not a vintage Barca playing but a tactically drilled Barca. We ceded possession to them but finished the half at the top.

Hmmmn. Was it not the same Enrique that coached us when we played real madrid and almeria? The same one that puts matthieu in LB position.

His tactic in the last few games have been great no doubt, but let's just continue to enjoy our great form and wait till season's end. You make him look like Pep the way you're labeling him

Johnpaul88:
It's not a convenient excuse. This is the situation of things in our B team. They're languishing in the relegation zone. If they happened to be in comfortable zone, I'm sure he'd still be with the first team while his development process continues.

All the same, good luck to him. I'm glad he can actually be of help

Johnpaul88:
We owe this ' shackle breakage' from genius of Enrique. Afterall it's largely this squad that fired blank 6 good time last year. His tactical excellence was all the difference.

Now you're just being comic . Genius of Enrique? Lol

Johnpaul88:
There's nothing to suggest that we would have won anyway since strangely though? La Real seems to reserve their best performance against the top teams. None of these top teams have so far left Anoeta with anything.

That's why I said "two wrongs don't make a right"

You can't face a team you haven't been able to beat with a strong squad, with a weak squad and expect to win. It's not done. It's the height of cluelessness

Johnpaul88:
Wouldn't you have loved it if Munir continued on his early season form and became the next best thing from La Masia? It takes courage from the coach to trust on the young players. And besides, Barca B needs him more now as they are passing through a difficult form. They just can't relegate

What a convenient excuse!

Good luck to him on his quest to save the B team

Johnpaul88:
Lol!

I'm quite fyn. Every now and then, we can still debate on this or that issue. I see nothing wrong with that.

Ehn why then include Lucho's name when fans are celebrating our freedom from the shackles of Atletico?

Johnpaul88:
Can't you see the import of my analogy using Rayo? Does it imply comparison?

All I was saying was that the lineup used was way strong enough to win.

No it wasn't. Considering the fact that we've not won there for more than 5 years now

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Johnpaul88:
Rayo Vallecano recently won in Anoeta the other day, would you say now that the line up Enrique sent out to play that game on the night, was weaker than Rayo's?

This has got to be a joke
Are you comparing Barca's squad to Rayo's?

Mcleo007:
Not Lucho... Manager that doesn't talk to his players?

It's cos of what we was smoking then. He has reduced it though (hopefully)

dmcdad:
Seriously, it's really bizarre and startling.

Johnpaul is in a frenzy mood today.

Johnpaul88:
That game is important to our form at this crucial point in the season
If that defeat didn't take place, we may not have been able to pick up this current run of form.

You're not sure of the bolded; no proof at all

Remember we're still 2nd on the log and that match was an opportunity to go top but our master tactician blew it cos of what he was smoking then

Our current form coincided with messi's resurgence (post ballon d'or) and his ever growing understanding with Neymar and lucho's decision to stop using a certain Munir

Johnpaul88:
If you ever happen to someday become a coach and all you're after is 'acceptance' from the media and not from your employer, then you have no idea what it means to be at the top. At the top, if you allow yourself to be buffeted by the wishes of the media, then you're already doomed.

Look around, no top coach allows himself to be dictated to by the media. They're always very divisive!

The fans and media have a say too. In fact, you can't imagine the power they hold; quite enormous. If at the top you pay little or no attention to the fans and media, you'll sink faster than the titanic. No matter how you look at it, it's a no-brainer

Real madrid just lost and we were playing at one of our most difficult ground, why were our best 2 players benched, especially after their 2 weeks break? I believe the board actually have him (lucho) some few matches ultimatum to restore parity

Johnpaul88:
Is that right?

You guys won't seize to amaze me! I'm sure if things again goes bad soon now, you guyz would be quick again to crucify the coach over again.

It's actually strange that you're still defending lucho over the real sociedad game

Double post

philfearon:
Wrong...The last time I checked,It was the Outcry from Fans,players and media that set his obstinate mind straight...

Spot on. He was downright insensitive and petulant about his selections then

Johnpaul88:
We're on the right track. Wouldn't you agree?

Of course we are but that doesn't give him penance over his woeful line up at the Anoeta. If fans and media worldwide hadn't "yelled" at him for his stupid decision that day, he might not see any wrong in what he did

A Trophy(ies) would earn him both forgiveness and worldwide acceptance

ddippset:
i still havent forgiven him for resting messi and neymar away to real sociedad, 10 mins after real madrid just lost, even after both players had had a 2 week rest. i only forgive him on the day we topple real madrid.

Thank you jare. Better talk

Johnpaul88:
And?

A coach should get his deserved plaudits when the season ends (with trophies)

Johnpaul88:
I wonder if there are people who still doubt our able and dynamic coach!

I'm so happy with myself for having stood by him while some of our fans and the media were turning the screw on him. He managed to remain true to his ideas and ideal, not minding the immense pressure he was subjected to.

Now, he's managed to get us playing our best football when it mattered most. Most major European teams must be envying us right now, for most of them are now struggling to replicate the fantastic from they displayed in the first half of the season, when little was astake. But here we are defeating a difficult team like Atletico 3 times in three weeks. I'm quite sure no team in Europe can do this right now. But we did, all thanks to the managerial abilities of Enrique. His refusal to play with the same lineup in our first 26 game of the season, is fast becoming a masterstroke!

Well done Enrique! You may well silence your critics forever by leading us to a breathtaking treble!

Errm errm…this again?

dmcdad:
But seriously, Neymar (my boy) is something else. That guy is doing wonders. Wan use dribble frustrate Juanfran and co.

I pity Atletico sha.

Pity Atletico? Are you kidding me?
They don't deserve an ounce of pity.

homesteady:
So so awesome!
It's now like a normal thing to win ATM now oh! I feel no pity for them, they deserve every beating they get from us! This people no allow us see road last season!

Na make we flog them for calderon for league remain. The ruffians deny us 2 trophies last season

coded01:
Accomplished!

Oh yeah . Na only goals no come. Maybe we save am for next match sha

coded01:
If I hear...

You better hear oh cos na the way

coded01:
Bro! D card neva finish... More to come...

Oya check if you go see goals join the cards

coded01:
Na inside tunnel oh, u no fit see am...

I follow them dey inside tunnel na