₦airaland Forum

logica:
It's a compliment. Take it for what it is.

coded01:
Rooney & Manchester United are reaping all they
have sowed in "PDP" style over the past 2
decades --- Coded01..
What do you think guys?

Johnpaul88:
Do you mind the garrulous fool I'm sure he's
still smarting from the various heartbreaking
defeats he's suffered from our hand. I'm certain
he's so damn happy to see things not going too
well for us.

elampiro:
If it's given to Neuer (a goalkeeper), no one will complain. It would be a safe choice to avoid 'fight' and good way to break the monopoly of the two aliens.

elampiro:
Neuer not Robben? When will they reward Robben? I won be surprised if Messi and Ronaldo are ignored this time in favour of Manual Neuer. I will love a thing like that.

Wayne Rooney and Di Maria got nomination for FIFApro. Di Maria should make it.

AjanleKoko:
In my view, a very good defensive performance against Valencia.
The double pivot ensured a more direct approach, and in a way helped us to deal better with the counter-attacking. But we lost fluidity in the middle, and ultimately struggled to create chances.

I saw Messi dropping really deep to link up with his co-attackers, becoming an extra man in midfield. For a large portion of the game, we effectively played a 4-4-1-1 with Messi as the central attacking midfielder, Suarez as the top 9, and Neymar just behind in an old-fashioned inside-right position . Very different and difficult way for Barca to play, but at least we were able to keep possession for large spells.

I like the way everyone gave their all and tried to adapt to Lucho's tactics. Bravo was fantastic, he kept us in the game at various crucial moments. One of those balls could have gone in, and it would likely be zero points instead of three. You get the feeling that, in a game like this, if/once Valencia scored, we would change shape, likely make another mistake, and they would score again, killing off the game.

I think the game yesterday brought home the reality to every cule - we are officially seeing a new Barca emerge, and it's not going to be pretty. But we will still be the same top side we have always been.

In a Barcelona starting XI
which included Lionel Messi,
Neymar and Luis Suarez,
Sergio Busquets was the
unlikely hero in Sunday's clash,
smashing home the winning goal to give Luis Enrique's
side a hard-fought 1-0 win in Valencia. However, as the
midfielder came off the pitch, the television
interviewer asked what many had been thinking as his
team toiled at Mestalla: "What were you trying to do
out there?"
It was a good question. Barca, back on form with
resounding wins over Sevilla and APOEL in their last
two fixtures, were well off colour again in this match.
"We will struggle again," Luis Enrique has predicted last
week. But the Barca boss surely couldn't have imagined
they would struggle so soon.

Found out for his tactics in the Clasico clash at the
Santiago Bernabeu last month, Luis Enrique again got it
wrong in a big game. Messi, at his brilliant best with
back-to-back hat-tricks against in their last two games,
was out on the wing early on with Suarez in the centre,
while a midfield double pivot of Javier Mascherano and
Sergio Busquets saw the Catalans lose much of their
habitual creativity against a solid Valencia side.
Another day, another experiment. Busquets played
further forward, with Xavi out on the left. "Busquets is
playing in Xavi's role and Xavi is playing the Busquets
role," commented former Liverpool striker Michael
Robinson on Canal Plus. "It's strange to see." Mestalla,
one of La Liga's toughest grounds, was surely not the
place for such tactical tinkering.
After a poor first half, Barca were even worse early in
the second period. Suarez squandered two glorious
chances to put the visitors in front, doing everything
right until he was required to provide exactly what he
was bought to do: score goals.
Ivan Rakitic, inexplicably overlooked despite being
rested in the midweek Champions League clash, was
left on the bench, but Barca improved immediately
when the Croatia international came on for Jeremy
Mathieu and Mascherano reverted to a defensive role
after 63 minutes.
Suarez finally put the ball in the net five minutes later
and was incorrectly ruled offside after the midfield
balance returned with Rakitic on the pitch.
In the end, Busquets' late winner following a spell of
late pressure saved Barca's blushes. But some strange
tactical decisions by Luis Enrique, a midfield missing
creativity and a forward line lacking movement and at
times completely static, will have frustrated fans who
are already growing impatient with their team's poor
performances in recent weeks.
"We played a good match," Luis Enrique said
afterwards. "We were imprecise at times, but we had
control of the play. We had faith right until the end and
we were worthy winners."
Perhaps. But just like in the defeats to Real Madrid and
Celta Vigo, and the dire display at Almeria which his
side eventually won 2-1 earlier in November, Luis
Enrique played into the opposition's hands with
unnecessary tactical tweaks. This time there was a
happy ending. Next time, there might not be.

coded01:
I am happy we bought 2 Great goalkeepers especially BRAVO...

Austeenx:
and again, bravo to Bravo for being magnificent. bravolicious

Krasid:
Damn.E pain me.

dmcdad:
Wetin Messi do wey ref give am yellow card?

dmcdad:
It was a 50-50 match imo. If Suarez had scored during the first half, that would have given the players a morale boost. Plus, it was early then. It would have affected Valencia negatively. All the same, we have the 3 points in the bag.

coded01:
Respect to King Messi...


Why dem haterz stone Baba na


Madrid haters in the stadium...

Darkrebel:
Please guys, what time is today's match?

Ibime:
No they didn't cos there was no AFCON in 2011.

Noah13:
Good point.
But it didn't stop Chelsea from getting to the top of the table and also getting a six point gap from his team. So till then. Peace!

Ibime:
Na luck. Bayern whooped them silly with 10 men, and even 2 youth players in their side.

Besides na Yaya runs through our midfield I dey fear, which is what made us park the bus at Etihad. We can push forward better without the fear of Yaya counterattacking us.

Noah13:
So is Chelsea regretting his departure?!

dmcdad:
Lucho pikin...

Noah13:
Because he scored a goal?!

Ibime:
No worries, we play them at the Bridge end of January when Yaya will be at Afcon,

onuwaje:
munir

philfearon:
He is off-click at the moment!!

ayswags:
Lol,I wish I was not a Nigerian sha but na the only option whey dey for the portal be dat and it's not even going.