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[rodvik]

Bitter sweet day. Lets focus on the positives, Chelsea. Justice is served. Happy for them. Even better we can now enjoy a full cycle of english football podcasts praising the "best league in the world" 8) SO much fun.

Barcelona maybe the under dogs next year in La Liga. Time for me to start rooting for them.

 

[Rikkun]

Weel done Chelsea, I rooted for you. Match ended 2 minutes before The Avengers first screening and I got to know about Torres goal when I ran out for popcorn.
Went back singing Chelsea's anthem, shitting all over my poor friend who just called Torres a "pippa".

Pink Marchisio or Pirlo?

Leave Pirlo jersey's in Milano, pink Marchisio.

 

[IceCold]

Tomorrow will be crazy. My body is ready.

 

[Scum]

Congrats to Chelsea, but Barca is still a damn fine team regardless. They just need to reassemble and them, along with R. Madrid, need to scare the shit out of everyone in Europe next season.

Pep should :-

• Sign a new contract
• Get a CB - Chiellini/Vermaelen/Hummels
• Get a LB - Bale/(He'll need to be told)/Aly Cissoko/Criscito
• Get a ST - Cavani
• Teach his lads to float the crosses more rather than drill 'em

I'm still sticking to R. Madrid winning the whole thing. I want an epic troll from Mourinho when he lauds the CL Cup around in front of Abromavich.

 

[Broder Salsa]

Hope's cheekbones>Ivanovic's ass.

 

[Omikron]

What's he done?

Treated west ham like a piece of shit.

yeah, I hold grudges.

 

[leadbelly]

Congrats to Chelsea, but Barca is still a damn fine team regardless. They just need to reassemble and them, along with R. Madrid, need to scare the shit out of everyone in Europe next season.

They're a damn fine team, but... losing to Real at home when they really needed to win to stay in the championship, and then somehow losing to Chelsea at home in the semi-final when they were down to ten men. I still can't believe it. They're human after all.

Edit: drawing with Chelsea. Losing overall on aggregate.

 

[Dibbz]

Sczezny is a cocksure wanker. Song seems like a bit of a knob. Van Persie is an arrogant dickhead.

But no genuine cunt cunts.

 

[Lightning]

I find it impossible not to love Szczesny. He is just so damn awesome!!!!

 

[Rikkun]

Guys, Chiellini isn't going nowhere, please. Juve is Juve, non Napoli nor Udinese.

 

[Dibbz]

I find it impossible not to love Szczesny. He is just so damn awesome!!!!

Tell me about it. This is my desktop

 

[Clegg]

You should all have a look at the Barca/Chelsea thread on RAWK.

They didn't take the Torres goal in good grace.

 

[Brewster's Wallet]

I dont' think I'm ever going to sleep. Nando

 

[Brewster's Wallet]

You should all have a look at the Barca/Chelsea thread on RAWK.

They didn't take the Torres goal in good grace.

Please, I'd like to read those tears. A link maybe, please kind sir?

 

[dschalter]

chesney isn't that annoying, but he has the problem of not being very good. maybe it's just small sample size, but almost every time i watch arsenal he seems to make at least one bad mistake (usually a weak attempt to play the ball when being closed down) that gives the other team a good chance.

 

[Dibbz]

You should all have a look at the Barca/Chelsea thread on RAWK.

They didn't take the Torres goal in good grace.

link?

 

[Broder Salsa]

You should all have a look at the Barca/Chelsea thread on RAWK.

They didn't take the Torres goal in good grace.

So many *transgender slur* posts that would get banned for quoting on GAF, lol. Do love that some where cheering for Chelsea though, as they want Chelsea to win CL but not have Terry be able to lift the trophy, lol

 

[Arnie]

Some random points


I absolutely agree with it. I can understand 'deep defending', particularly at the latter stages of the game, but to revert to it from the kick off? There is something rotten in the state of the sport when it comes to that and I simply have no respect for people who attempt to invoke an equivocation between that and the styles that actually use 11 men in different positions

I vehemently disagree.

The irony of the argument is it's proponents suggest that football is too obsessed with the singular metric of putting the ball in the net, but allocating points for retaining the ball, or successfully passing the ball is as similarly linear.

If we're going to distill football into this pseudo sport where tonight Barcelona would've won, despite the fact that they were tactically inept, unable to offer a plan B, and at one point allowed an attacker to run free from his own half to score a goal, then I'm out.

In my opinion Chelsea were the better team tonight. They executed their gameplan to a greater degree than Barca, who were once again out of ideas. And people seem to indicate that this 'deep defending' is easy, which is frankly, bullshit. Just ask Real Madrid, who've been trying to outmuscle and soak up Barcelona for years to little success.

This week has shown that Barcelona aren't invincible; by the points suggested in that post, they would be. And that's not a sport.

 

[FootballFan]

Congrats to Chelsea, but Barca is still a damn fine team regardless. They just need to reassemble and them, along with R. Madrid, need to scare the shit out of everyone in Europe next season.

Pep should :-

• Sign a new contract
• Get a CB - Chiellini/Vermaelen/Hummels
• Get a LB - Bale/(He'll need to be told)/Aly Cissoko/Criscito
• Get a ST - Cavani
• Teach his lads to float the crosses more rather than drill 'em

I'm still sticking to R. Madrid winning the whole thing. I want an epic troll from Mourinho when he lauds the CL Cup around in front of Abromavich.

I think what Pep should do is go back to 4-3-3.
This line up would have done much better today imo:

Pedro-Messi-Sanchez
--Iniesta---Xavi-------
-----Busquets---------
Puyol-Masch-Pique-Alves
---------V.V--------------

Simple, nothing crazy, has worked in the past, never failed Pep(except against Inter), and it remains strong in the back.

As for transfer targets.
LB - Jordi Alba would be the best for us.
CB - No need, Masch, Pique, Puyol + Busquets, Fontas is enough. (Though I wouldn't mind another one)
Attack - If it weren't for injuries(doicare!) we are fine in that department too.
- Messi, Sanchez, Villa, Pedro, Afellay, Tello, Cuenca... but I wouldn't mind Neymar

So as stated, my main problem atm is the formation and Pep's goddamn contract.

Barcelona maybe the under dogs next year in La Liga. Time for me to start rooting for them.

Yes please, you have annoyed me enough for 3 years <3

 

[Moobabe]

I vehemently disagree.

The irony of the argument is it's proponents suggest that football is too obsessed with the singular metric of putting the ball in the net, but allocating points for retaining the ball, or successfully passing the ball is as similarly linear.

If we're going to distill football into this pseudo sport where tonight Barcelona would've won, despite the fact that they were tactically inept, unable to offer a plan B, and at one point allowed an attacker to run free from his own half to score a goal, then I'm out.

In my opinion Chelsea were the better team tonight. They executed their gameplan to a greater degree than Barca, who were once again out of ideas. And people seem to indicate that this 'deep defending' is easy, which is frankly, bullshit. Just ask Real Madrid, who've been trying to outmuscle and soak up Barcelona for years to little success.

This week has shown that Barcelona aren't invincible; by the points suggested in that post, they would be. And that's not a sport.

Well said man.

 

[Scum]

They're a damn fine team, but... losing to Real at home when they really needed to win to stay in the championship, and then somehow losing to Chelsea at home in the semi-final when they were down to ten men. I still can't believe it. They're human after all.

Edit: drawing with Chelsea. Losing overall on aggregate.

Bitter blow, of course. 'specially since both games were at home. But them, for me, are one of the finest teams to grace football.

Guys, Chiellini isn't going nowhere, please. Juve is Juve, non Napoli nor Udinese.

I know, I know. But he's just the type of CB that I believe Barca really need right now.

 

[MPW]

the good: barca knocked out

the bad: madrid could be knocked out tomorrow

the ugly: i expect messi and barca to f'n destroy every record/stat next season and win everything

 

[IceCold]

I hope we twat these fuckers in the FA Cup. I hope Bayern crucify these c*nts in the final. I hope Newcastle take the 4th Champions League spot. Fuck them, the gang of horrible classless twats.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=292356.5080

The tears. They are so tasty.


I also had a good time reading the Cristiano Ronaldo thread.

 

[FootballFan]

the good: Nothing, except Sanchez.

the bad: Madrid will probably win their 10th CL with Mourinho...ugh.

the ugly: i expect messi and barca to f'n crumble even harder next season and lose everything

Fixed from my perspective.

I really hoped to have done better for Abidal and Villa.

edit
God...to think that Napoli, well more like Maggio, could have ended Chelseas CL campaign had he scored that easy chance when it was still 3-1 for Napoli lol. How things have changed since then.

 

[rififi]

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=292356.5080

The tears. They are so tasty.


I also had a good time reading the Cristiano Ronaldo thread.

 

[Jin_7]

1. Football (or soccer) is the only major sport where you can absolutely dominate and yet end up on the losing side.

To me that is one of the charms of football.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

Some random points


I absolutely agree with it. I can understand 'deep defending', particularly at the latter stages of the game, but to revert to it from the kick off? There is something rotten in the state of the sport when it comes to that and I simply have no respect for people who attempt to invoke an equivocation between that and the styles that actually use 11 men in different positions

You are the worst, I don't think I've seen a more entertaining game all season. You think Barca should've been out of sight because they had more of the possession, and somehow that would have been more entertaining?

Also big respect to the ref. I'm still not sure about the penalty but other than that was spot on.

Hilarious that anyone thinks Terry's card shouldn't have been given just because the ref didn't see it.

 

[flintstryker]

I vehemently disagree.

The irony of the argument is it's proponents suggest that football is too obsessed with the singular metric of putting the ball in the net, but allocating points for retaining the ball, or successfully passing the ball is as similarly linear.

If we're going to distill football into this pseudo sport where tonight Barcelona would've won, despite the fact that they were tactically inept, unable to offer a plan B, and at one point allowed an attacker to run free from his own half to score a goal, then I'm out.

In my opinion Chelsea were the better team tonight. They executed their gameplan to a greater degree than Barca, who were once again out of ideas. And people seem to indicate that this 'deep defending' is easy, which is frankly, bullshit. Just ask Real Madrid, who've been trying to outmuscle and soak up Barcelona for years to little success.

This week has shown that Barcelona aren't invincible; by the points suggested in that post, they would be. And that's not a sport.

Well said sums up pretty much all I was going to write.

 

[Scum]

I think what Pep should do is go back to 4-3-3.
This line up would have done much better today imo:

Pedro-Messi-Sanchez
--Iniesta---Xavi-------
-----Busquets---------
Puyol-Masch-Pique-Alves
---------V.V--------------

Simple, nothing crazy, has worked in the past, never failed Pep(except against Inter), and it remains strong in the back.

As for transfer targets.
LB - Jordi Alba would be the best for us.
CB - No need, Masch, Pique, Puyol + Busquets, Fontas is enough. (Though I wouldn't mind another one)
Attack - If it weren't for injuries(doicare!) we are fine in that department too.
- Messi, Sanchez, Villa, Pedro, Afellay, Tello, Cuenca... but I wouldn't mind Neymar

So as stated, my main problem atm is the formation and Pep's goddamn contract.



Yes please, you have annoyed me enough for 3 years <3

You see, I'm not a big fan of Masch at CB, even though he does a damn fine job there. But you're right about the formation, though. 4-3-3 it should be and always.

By the way, what's happened to Muniesa(?) I thought he was a promising CB...?

 

[rodvik]

Yes please, you have annoyed me enough for 3 years <3

lol, well I hope I didnt really offend. But lets get started, I hope Pep can reinvigorate Barcelona and find even more beautiful ways to play. I do think he should have rested Messi at some point over the past few games, it was probably a game too far for the guy.

If Barca have a summer rebuild who would you want in?

 

[Dibbz]

BTw how was Torres onside for his goal? It seemed like he was well ahead of any defenders but maybe there was one off camera below or something? It's been bugging me.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

BTw how was Torres onside for his goal? It seemed like he was well ahead of any defenders but maybe there was one off camera below or something? It's been bugging me.

He was in his own half when the ball was played.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

BTw how was Torres onside for his goal? It seemed like he was well ahead of any defenders but maybe there was one off camera below or something? It's been bugging me.

He was way inside his own half.

 

[HomShaBom]

Tell me about it. This is my desktop

Could I have that pic?

 

[Arnie]

Honestly, I'll never understand some of your fascinations with RAWK. It genuinely intrigues me how you can draw so much pleasure from something that to me is so ordinary. It's like you're all staring at a blank piece of paper whilst laughing your tits off, and I can't understand the joke.

I look at that page linked and I can see a couple of posts that perhaps show some footballing ignorance, as is expected and demonstrated on all club specific forums, and then I see some posts that outshine many on here.

Like the person arguing that scalps aren't as important as trophies, and that it's disheartening to see our old team battling at the tail end of a Champions League competition whilst we currently reside in mid table obscurity.

*shrug

With the way you people describe and obsess over it you give the impression that:

A) You're all dab hands at presenting well balanced arguments free from bias and emotion.

and

B) That all posters on RAWK are raving lunatics that believe Liverpool are capable of winning the league and that Steven Gerrard is the best footballer of all time.

Neither of which are true.

 

[Dibbz]

He was in his own half when the ball was played.

He was way inside his own half.

lol wow. Great defending Barca lol

 

[José Mourinho]

I vehemently disagree.

The irony of the argument is it's proponents suggest that football is too obsessed with the singular metric of putting the ball in the net, but allocating points for retaining the ball, or successfully passing the ball is as similarly linear.

If we're going to distill football into this pseudo sport where tonight Barcelona would've won, despite the fact that they were tactically inept, unable to offer a plan B, and at one point allowed an attacker to run free from his own half to score a goal, then I'm out.

In my opinion Chelsea were the better team tonight. They executed their gameplan to a greater degree than Barca, who were once again out of ideas. And people seem to indicate that this 'deep defending' is easy, which is frankly, bullshit. Just ask Real Madrid, who've been trying to outmuscle and soak up Barcelona for years to little success.

This week has shown that Barcelona aren't invincible; by the points suggested in that post, they would be. And that's not a sport.

Good post Arnie.

 

[Dibbz]

Could I have that pic?

no

 

[Arnie]

lol wow. Great defending Barca lol

Didn't you hear? Defending isn't actually part of football, it's all about how well you can stroke the ball around in the opponents half.

Also, if you've been employing a system whereby your defenders secretly become attackers during play, the opposing team aren't allowed to acknowledge and counter this by turning attackers into defenders, because that's 'deep defending' and it's fucking blasphemy.

 

[rodvik]

Didn't you hear? Defending isn't actually part of football, it's all about how well you can stroke the ball around in the opponents half.

Also, if you've been employing a system whereby your defenders secretly become attackers during play, the opposing team aren't allowed to acknowledge and counter this by turning attackers into defenders, because that's 'deep defending' and it's fucking blasphemy.

stop making sense.

also RAWKS got very little on some Villa sites tonight. We are in full meltdown. Various Newcastle and Birmingham fans have registered just to pop in and rub it in which is nice of them 8)

 

[FootballFan]

You see, I'm not a big fan of Masch at CB, even though he does a damn fine job there. But you're right about the formation, though. 4-3-3 it should be and always.

By the way, what's happened to Muniesa(?) I thought he was a promising CB...?

He is still around but Pep hasn't really made use of him, and when he does it is at LB.. :S

BTw how was Torres onside for his goal? It seemed like he was well ahead of any defenders but maybe there was one off camera below or something? It's been bugging me.

He was behind the halfway line right? Havent watched any replays of the goals, can't do it .
If you are behind the line, no offside no matter what.

lol, well I hope I didnt really offend. But lets get started, I hope Pep can reinvigorate Barcelona and find even more beautiful ways to play. I do think he should have rested Messi at some point over the past few games, it was probably a game too far for the guy.

If Barca have a summer rebuild who would you want in?

All good I don't really mind any sort of 'banter' except uefalona, etc.

You are right, a lot has to do with Messi himself just being so eager to win and score. Whines and complains if he is subbed off even in the 85th minute. It is a good thing to see, cause he obviously wants to play and score, but it is also a bad characteristic. The guy has played more minutes than Valdes somehow, more minutes than anyone at Barca this season because of it.

When he was suspended and got a rest, the next game he scored a hattrick lol. I wouldn't have cared had he been rested in El Clasico, this was always more important to me. Oh well.

As for targets in the transfer window, Jordi Alba, a striker/winger(Neymar?) and a CB.

 

[Kyoufu]

Yeah I have to admit I LOL'd every time Chelsea attacked because Barca had nobody defending, and Puyol got torn apart by Drogba alone.

I think Pep needs to re-think his strategy.

4-3-3 or something.

I also agree regarding resting Messi, except you can't rest the best player in the world when you have 3 massive games to play back to back.

If the Clasico wasn't on Saturday then things may have been different.

 

[Rikkun]

Lol they had to score in 3 minutes to draw, didn't really care about Torres obviously.

 

[Choc]

Roman would consider that 50 million well spent now i should think

he always wanted another UCL final

 

[alexthekid]

To me that is one of the charms of football.

The person who wrote that don't now shit about sports and have never watched hockey.

 

[MPW]

will liverpool fans be cheering for torres and company in the final?

 

[Clegg]

The biggest problem I have with RAWK is the moderation.

Posters are banned very easily for the most innocuous things.

Criticism of Kenny Dalglish is a big no-no and people get banned for questioning his tactics. Its a discussion forum where discussion isn't actually allowed.

And there are some genuine crazies too.

Some very good threads on tactics though.

 

[Scum]

He is still around but Pep hasn't really made use of him, and when he does it is at LB.. :S

Well, at least he know he needs one. :lol
Is Alba a dead cert to Barca, you reckon?

 

[Mr. Luchador]

Scoring goals has always been the most important stat in football, don't let anyone else tell you that. How you do it is down to interpretation and your team's strengths and limitations. Its a simple game really. Perhaps somewhat over complicated with the obsession on stat lines. They're great tools to have as they allow you to build a coaching plan for players and teams, and help show any improvements.

They shouldn't be used however to try and defend a team that lost a game because they couldn't score goals. 1000 passes mean very little if you never scored a goal. 1 pass 1 shot 1 goal might seem very direct and boring, but if that wins you the game then you've succeeded in playing football.
It might not be pretty, or artistic. It might not get the neutrals out of their seats purring over your playing style, but your fanbase and teammates won't care about that - because you've won the game.

There is nothing wrong with sitting deep on the 18 yard box, compact as team unit defending the narrow passing lanes down the middle. Nothing wrong with that at all, certainly not if the team you're playing against are known for playing narrow and attacking through the middle.
Sure Barcelona have people on the flanks to provide width, but its not true width. Its a draw tactic to cause the defensive unit to shift to the left or the right opening space down the inside right or left channel to slip a ball into after a quick switch of play. They won't look to get the ball on the flanks and cross it into the box. The best you can hope for is the fullback will run with the ball, cut into the box before pulling the ball back to the edge of the 18 yard box.

There's also nothing wrong with standing off the ball and waiting on the 18 yard box. Certainly not if the opposition never take long range efforts - why close them down? Why leave your compact defensive unit to close down that player on the ball 20 yards out from goal if he's not going to shoot? He wants you to come and close him down. He wants you to create a gap in that compact wall your team mates have created. Its another draw tactic.

There's nothing wrong with counter attacking football either. Greece won the Euros playing counter attacking football. Sure no-one really remembers that outside of Greece, and it was considered 'ugly'. Do you think the people of Greece care about that? Of course not, they won the Euros.

Score goals.
Play to your strengths.
Play towards the opposition's weakness.

stop making sense.

also RAWKS got very little on some Villa sites tonight. We are in full meltdown. Various Newcastle and Birmingham fans have registered just to pop in and rub it in which is nice of them 8)

Only have yourselves to blame. The Vitriol your fans showed with that silly banner. Had no idea Villa were even like that.

 

[Dibbz]

I think what Pep should do is go back to 4-3-3.
This line up would have done much better today imo:

Pedro-Messi-Sanchez
--Iniesta---Xavi-------
-----Busquets---------
Puyol-Masch-Pique-Alves
---------V.V--------------

Simple, nothing crazy, has worked in the past, never failed Pep(except against Inter), and it remains strong in the back.

As for transfer targets.
LB - Jordi Alba would be the best for us.
CB - No need, Masch, Pique, Puyol + Busquets, Fontas is enough. (Though I wouldn't mind another one)
Attack - If it weren't for injuries(doicare!) we are fine in that department too.
- Messi, Sanchez, Villa, Pedro, Afellay, Tello, Cuenca... but I wouldn't mind Neymar

So as stated, my main problem atm is the formation and Pep's goddamn contract.



Yes please, you have annoyed me enough for 3 years <3

...but where does Cesc fit into this