₦airaland Forum

What a clear foul on Higuain by Nuer!

ddippset: One thing I've learnt in this world cup, never play mascherano at central defence!

Lesson for Barca crew; always play a player in his natural position! Masch the hero!

Leo all the way! Go go go Messi! No one needs the world cup more than u!

ddippset: he's the one o! I would sign that boy before even thinking about suarez.

waoh, what a player! I can't wait to seem him in d very fine jersy,

Are we talking about this Colombia Cuadrado? If yes, what are we still waiting for? Sooooo goo to be back here!

dmcdad: Pelé claims Zidane was a better player than Messi

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Pelé won't leave Messi alone, ever!

You dey mind that man? It's no more Neymar but Zidane. He just admires the guy called Messi as I have never heard him talk about CR7.

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philfearon: This piece has really made my day! Enjoy reading..
http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/Z6Fr77iphEyWBojhJ6MGg

Nice write up. It's so intresting seeing Batra taking his rightful position in the team. If he continues with his form, I don't see anything stoping him from going to the world cup come next year!

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yourangel: I am not an expert in football analysis like most our Cule brothers on this thread. You could describe me as a layman or at best, a football enthusiast. That notwithstanding, I think Valdes is right. If you carefully analyse his words, you would notice that the premise has an underlying caveat; "For me, Barca will always depend on him because he is the best in the world". Barca will always be Messi-dependent as long

as Messi continues to play at the top of his game. Once he slows down, that dependence would wane.

Alejandro Sabella, the national team coach of Argentina once opined that it would be impossible in this world for any team to have a player like Messi and not be dependent on him. I don't see any problems in the club being Messi-dependent. The problem is how to take that dependence out of the way if Messi is not playing or having a good game. There should be a plan B or C which would create an environment for other team members to step up their games when Messi is not playing at his best, or not playing at all.

Dependence on a talented individual in a team's setting is a natural phenomenon which occurs whenever you find a rare gem or genius around. Imagine having Albert Einstein on this thread and we are all working together to solve one very complex mathematical problem. Do you think Seun's eyes would be on me? No way! He would focus on Einstein, because he's the genius among the team members. Even we, the remaining members of the team would give him the freedom to take the centre stage, afterall, we are talking about Albert Einstein here. I tell you this bro, Messi is like the Albert Einstein of football. Who wouldn't depend on Einstein to solve his mathematical or classical physics problem for him? So, it's natural for any team to depend on Messi. Barca is not an exception to this.

Meanwhile, if Messi's injury woes persist and he no longer performs at his best, naturally Barca would gradually release him and remove their dependence because he would no longer be deemed reliable and dependable. But, as long as Messi continues to dazzle the world the way he currently does, any team on Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, etc, would naturally depend on him. This is what I think bro.

Bro you got it allright! No team in the world would have Messi and would not depend on him.
Even the so called assumed 'alliens' that came to watch Bayern match the other day would depend on king Leo if he plays for them...lol

.....Just here enjoying all the comments from great minds!

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yourangel: Brother Paul (abi na brother John....lol), the truth is that Messi already paid his dues before he got severely injured. Before now, he already won us the Liga, kept us in the CL to the semi-finals and qualified Argentina for the WC. His injury of last weekend has nothing to do with what he's achieved this year. He's done enough to be a worthy recipient of the award. You can't just 'reward' others because the contest should be interesting. Messi has clearly been the best player in the world in the last five years (it's only messi haters that disagree with this obvious fact). What has Ibrahimovic done this year that Messi hasn't done? Ribery, CR and Ibra could not automatically qualify their respective national teams for the WC. All three will have to go through play-offs to qualify. Messi already did that for Argentina. Ribery won the treble with Bayern, but was he their best player? No. They won as a great team with no particular individual as the team's shining star as in Messi, CR and Ibra in their respective teams.

I agree completely with you that others also deserve the award. However, Messi still deserves it as well. I would gladly accept whoever wins it this year, but I would be happier if Leo comes home with it . Cheers bro!

I don't care whoever gets the award as long as it's not Ronaldo! Ronaldo getting it would make him and his fans think he is better when it's obvious he's always second best. If Messi does'nt get it then giv it to Mikel....lol ...rather than CR7. Quick recovery king of world football!

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logica: Let me break it down to you; football at this level has a science. This is not secondary school stuff.

I will use Puyol as an example (or even Abidal). I have studied the movement of these 2 guys especially around the box. Their techniques are flawless, and that is why it would be hard for you to see Puyi or Abi conceded own goals. They could deflect a shot in the net, but not reflexively stick out a foot or leg to push the


ball in their own net. When I speak of positional play, it's like this: Before Puyi proceeds to go towards an opponent to tackle or make a challenge, he swivels his head around with his locks flying in the hair then he goes. In that split second, he has a picture of his position and others relative to him (both his teammates and opponents) and can project a good guess where they will all be by the time he makes the challenge. In short, Puyi would not have stuck out his foot like Pique did; and he would not have been positioned the same way or in the same location Pique was. And if he was exactly in Pique's position, he would have used his superior positional judgement to figure that he had 3 of his teammates behind him, as well as the goalkeeper to pick up the cross. No rash movements when you are that close to the goal.

Hmmmm but Pique is not Puyol, there can only be one Puyil.lol that's just on a lighter mood, you are right though!

Good game and good performance from the boyz. I'm happy Messi scored. I wouldnt blame Pique for the goal twas pure accidental. Neymar broke my heart for not scoring what would have been a trademark and Tv goal from such a great run!

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philfearon: You are very very right bro.....Bartra's time will surely come...........I guess i was angry with that decision earlier on shaa...But all well and good...
Lest i forget,History repeated itself again like i earlier foretold...Our new boy{Neymar} scored on the eve of our rival coaches{Ancelloti} first El classico,just like his predecessors{Movic,Villa} in our home ground.....and we won...

I so much like that post when i saw it, and when Neymar scored, your were the first person that came to my mind. Welldone!

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philfearon: Yeah bro,i understand your point,but all this people u said started out even younger,and even played more!! Its all about Faith...
Pedro,Busquets,Pique:were all products of faith from Pep...Yaya Toure who had to give way 4 Busquets is a great player,and stil is...Marquez who gave way 4 Pique,same tin....its all about faith....
Pique would not have felt all that bad if he missed the El classico once...He's been playin it 4rm day one!!
Remember,Iniesta played the 2006 UCL final,and he was 20yrs then......its faith and trust...Bartra was just not trusted,thats the simple truth.....

You are right but don't forget Iniesta was dissapointed for not starting the match ahead of Deco just because the coach could afford to bench his. Star players then. And besides, it was easy for all the guys that left because they are not Spaniard. I just believe Batra's time will come soonest. I trust and believe in him.

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philfearon: The said it that he will drop either of Iniesta or Xavi...So,checking with recent stats,i concluded that Iniesta will be the one....
Fabregas did exactly what the coach had in mind,or didnt u c that immediately he was subbed,the midfield battle got even? In that game,Fabregas was deployed to play underground role....
Talking of Pique,like i said,Pique did me proud,he tried...If he can improve on

performances like this,i will be in the heavens.......But my point is,Bartra would have outplayed him,just like he has been outplaying him this season......If at all you do play ball,you will realise what it feels like to Miss a high profile match,after u must have tried your best to partake in it....
And yeah,i would love him to leave,i dont tink there is any faith in him...He only started playing more cuz of Injury to other players...I hate it when sweet and great players like him are not appreciated...a 22yr old boy is not a kid...Bartra,Varane,Marquinhos,they all play similarly,but Bartra is the one being under-appreciated......

Bro, I quite understand your points. But I want you to remember that Barca is a club where the younger players, no matter how good they are must wait for their perfect time. If u could remember, Xavi almost left for milan Because of a certain Pep. He chose to wait for his time and he's regarded by many including me as the greatest CM ever. Same for Iniesta when Deco et all were in barca but he stayed put and today he's a legend. Thiago is a worthy starter any day but the senior players are also spanish who can't just be sold anyhow. Remember guily, Dihno have to pave way for Messi, Deco,Edmilson and co have to go for iniesta and Yaya for Busquet all because they are not spanish. Batra has to contend with Puyol and Pique who are spanish and must learn to wait for his time. I see him become the next Puyol bu he must retire puyol first.so, just be patient with the club!

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philfearon: Eat which words? Or didnt u see that what i said happened? Bartra would have been better......Pique tried very well though,but Bartra would have been better........
Now,someone should nt blame Bartra if he decides to leave next Year.....I do not want him to sign that contract extention again...Its clear that the coach doesnt really have faith in him,and more ill-treatments of this kind are still in the offing...........

So Batra may leave because he didn't play Classico? Batra is good and he's fast growing to whom we want him to be . But you have to understand that if he had played the match and probably had a bad day which is not impossible, the whole world would ask Tata questions why he should leave a more experienced Pique on the bench. Same goes to your take on having Gas play ahead of Iniesta just because he's not scoring nor assisting. Who had a better game among them? I think Iniesta did. Bro, no coach will ever leave his best players on the bench in such a crucial match.

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logica: Thank you o. I was wondering why Iniesta and Pique were being praised. That cross you mentioned; did you see where both Pique and Mascherano were? Jezuz! Zero defensive positional acumen. And yeah, Iniesta's passing was just off. There were so many through passes he couldn't make that would have let Alves or Neymar loose. And yes, he was the culprit in that chance Ronaldo had which Valdes parried over the bar.


It was a balanced game and we were lucky. I take the win anyway. But it could have gone either way.

They were being praised because they performed better than those calling for their heads had expected. I was surprised some guys even wished Iniesta had started on the bench. Which coach in the world would dare try that just because he's not scoring nor assisting? If Messi is having a poor form at goal and Pedro is scoring would you wish messi be benched for Pedro in a match of such magnitude? So funny cules are fast forgeting who Iniesta is!

..... And Pique played, Iniesta played and we won the match! Welldone guys.

I still don't see Iniesta start on the bench. No coach will ever try that when he's not injured. U don't bench your best players in a match of such magnitude just because he is under-performing. Who says he can't raise his game and win us the match? And besides, i think the issue is that he has not been able to really combine well with neymar because of their similar role. I will play Iniesta ahead of Gas any day.

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sapien: Valdes

Puyol - Pique - Mascherano - Adriano.

Busquets

Xavi - Fabregas

Alves- Messi- Ne
This is my preferred formation for tomorrow.











Carles Puyol should be drafted to the right back to cover sluggish Pique's back. Since Alves would always stray forward, he should be deployed in the right side of attack.

Pep Guardiola deployed Puyol at right back and Alves at right side of attack against Pellegrini's Madrid in 2009/10 season second leg match at the Bernabeu to curb the efficiency of C.Penaldo. It worked perfectly and Barca triumphed at the capital.

Meanwhile, Andres Iniesta should be dropped to the bench; he has been off-colour of late.
Good formation! But which coach in the world would dare drop a player like Iniesta on the bench in a game of such magnitude? Forget about being off-colour, every coach will want to make his best players happy and droping Iniesta on d bench would do him no good.

dmcdad: I strongly doubt that....

Madrid can't stop scoring from the spot while the refs keep waving play on to geniue fouls on our players expecially Meymar. I am afraid we may get to see a repeat of such come this weekend as Pepe and co will be doing their usual assignment. I prayer Neymar leaves the field with his legs.

Madrid and Refs this season! Will El-classico be free and fair?

ddippset: that's just my thinking as well. Our defence did it's job but our attack failed.

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I believe Andriano is also a defender and you will agree with me that he messed up last night! Our attack failed, fine! But does that mean the defenders should waste chances simpply because they are meant to defend?

Waoh! I luv this bro. Madrid should expect another bashing come this weekend. But my only concern is the incessant unmerited penalties awarded to Madrid this season. It's like the Refs want them to win the league at all cost. As regards our last night match, Andriano,Gas and Montoya conived together to rub us of the full points. I don't belive Montoya is overhyped, he's only match rusty.
And on a lighter mood, the guy dribbled by Iniesta last night is out for six months..lol
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philfearon: It was like i knew What was going to happen against Osasuna,and that was why i referred to that match in 2012.....
If most of u followed Osasuna like i did,you wouldnt be surprised by the End result of that Match..
I wouldnt lay the blame on anybody,but i would say that it was not Fabregas' day...People miss chances worse than he missed...If anyone really followed that match with no prejudice,u wil realise that the coach was partly to blame for that Match...Neymar{instead of Fabregas},should have retained his Messi-like role,and Tello should have started on the left Wing, I mean,Tello didnt go for any international,did he? Iniesta should have been rested,and Fabregas would have been better off operating from his normal position...If one saw clearly,I for once missed Alexis Sanchez in that match{dnt knw for others}...
Montoya was totally in mess,but i blame it on lack of game time and overhyping{come on guys,Montoya will never reach the standard of Bartra,not to talk of Alves..Barca shud ofload him now that his price is high,and give that Bagnak guy a chance..from what i have seen,he is much better,although not all that attack minded}..
.....
I dont want to talk about the Milan Match,so i will jump to El Classico:
In 2009,R.madrid hired a new coach,Pellegrini..In his debut El Classico,Barca won 1 - 0...Messi didnt score,but a certain new buy{Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored}...
..
In 2010,R.Madrid hired another coach{Mourinho},and in his debut El Classico match,Barca won 5 - 0..Messi didnt score again,but a certain new buy{David Villa} got a brace for himself,alongside other debutant{Jeffren}....
...
In 2013,R.Madrid hired another new coach{Carlo Anceloti},and there is another new buy{Neymar Jnr} in Barca in the same year 2013......
So,is anybody thinking what am thinking?

......And Madrid lost the derby! Welldone Athletico for a good job done. Messi is out for a while, i wish Tata tries Alexis as CF instead of Fabregas to see if we have alternative upfront.

What i fear most is happening now! Mascherano is out for 15 days, Alba is still on the sideline, Andriano is not reliable as he's injury prone. And we can't count on Pique for now. I hope Tata knows what this means!

What i fear most is happening now! Mascherano is out for 15 days, Alba is still on the sideline, Andriano is not reliable as he's injury prone. And we can't count on Pique for now.

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dmcdad: You never see anything yet... Buy for where! We ain't buying anyone.. That's just the painful thing. I just hope it doesn't haunt us

Hope ke? Injuries/suspensions are just inevitable if Mascherano gets injured/suspended then we are finished. Batra is yet to get a playing time and I can't count on Puyol's fitness anymore. I am afraid we might have same experience as last season because we started well too then only to end the season on a very sad note.

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AjanleKoko: It's hard to see how he will stay, if his release clause is that low, and an United or City is keen to snap him up, pay him millions, and make him an overnight star.

I've read some stuff here, some assumptions that he will stay or he will go and flop in other clubs. I don't know about that line of thinking. If a club in the Premier League are ready to buy him and make him a top player in their squad, I struggle to see how he would prefer to sit on the bench at Barca, and wait to be loaned out eventually like Bojan

Whether he wins the Ballon D'Or or flops like an Adriano or Robinho is another matter entirely. But out of all the options Thiago has, I simply cannot see how the dugout of FC Barcelona would be one of them. Maybe people don't even get that Barca's 'not good enough' is better than good for some other clubs. Maybe when the chap shows up at FC Bayern, my fellow cules go wake up from the delusion

As much as I would have loved to agree with you,but i still believe Thiago still has a bright future in Barca only if he can follow the steps of Iniesta who had Deco/Ddinho to contend with until he won the battle and the great Xavi who almost joined Milan due to lack of playing time because of a certain Guoardiola then. Xavi won the battle and since then has become one of the greatest CM of all time. Thiago has got everything but must learn to wait for his time as the great Xavi will soon step down for him. I love the kid.

Congratulations to the Spanish under21 team for their exploits in the Euro competition. A big hug to the Barca players and expecially Thiago. He really did us proud. How I wish we could keep him.

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Johnpaul88: If you insist on cashing in on some of them, then i may agree with you only on Fabregas and Villa. Fabregas failure to nail down a starting berth in the midfield is his own undoing but i understand the club does not want to sell. They may consider next summer if his situation does not improve.

Villa's situation is sealed.

For defenders, we 'll get defenders. But i see Mascherano leaving. He's not useful for us in midfield and if two or more defenders join, he 'll become surplus to requirement. I hear Benitez 's Napoli wants him. Barca may cash in. But i like Mascherano.

I still don't know why we should cash in on Fabrega. He was believed to take over from Xavi when we were all clamouring for him to join us and yet he has had to play in more than three positions in which he has the three best players to contend with. I believe he can still pick himself up. Mascherano is one of the most committed Barca players in recent time and i so much love him for that.why not keep our players in order to avoid what happened this past season.

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Johnpaul88: It'll be better for the club if Valdes stays for one more season so that Stegen (if he joins) will understudy him for a year. It'll be calamitous to throw the young man into the deep point of the Nou camp and expect him not to crumble under pressure.

Xavi lost pace? Did he ever have one? That 's not been his strongest point. He
may be getting old, but he still is the best passer of the ball in Europe. He even managed to be the highest chance creator in the just concluded season. So he's still the biggest play maker out
there and you gonna show him some respect.

Thiago can leave if he wishes. For me, Sergio Roberto is the next Xavi, not him.

I agree with you on Valdes only if the club will not loan Stegan as soon as he is bought.
Xavi is the greatest central midfielder of all time but,you will agree with me that some of the qualities that made him the greatest were missing this season. Thiago is good as well as S roberto but none can ever be the next xavi but they can be groomed to get out the best in them even under the tutilage of the great Xavi.