Yeah for sure. So I totally forgot about the Champions League, I'm kind of mad because there were good games yesterday. Two things I noticed, one, PSG is looking like a legit contender after beating barca without ibra and lavezzi. Also, I only saw the two goals in man city's game and nothing else, but I have to say, absolutely disgusting defending by city on Totti's goal. He had enough space to calmly collect the ball and simply stroll into the box and chip hart. Not a chance that should ever be happening at this level of competition.
I wish I had watched the City game instead. I expected Roma to have a good game, they're doing well. But yeah, PSG did well. I just don't think Barca is what it used to be. I can see the final 4 being Real, Chelsea, PSG, and Bayern
That seems a likely final 4 to me. But yeah, Roma is legit. I've been using them in fifa to great effect haha
Yea, Barca certainly aren't what they used to be. Kind of sad to see as a supporter, but oh well. It is what it is. The team is still new and fresh... new coach with very little Champion's League experience, Rakitic and Mathieu both first-timers in the Champion's League... they looked quite shaky about the occasion. What was really disappointing to me was the performances from some of the old-timers. Dani Alves was absolutely SHOCKINGly bad. I mean, just absolutely fucking terrible. Jordi Alba had a really poor game as well. Pedro, if I may be honest, is an embarassment at this point. Everyone on BarcaForum chat watching the game pretty much agrees he is our comic relief on the pitch that's how bad he's gotten. Our entire defense was weak, including goalie Ter Stergen who looked quite nervous out there (he's gotten practically no Liga playing time this season, no idea why Lucho thought to start him). Our defense was weak and our midfield was disjointed and ineffective. It got better when Xavi came on late in the game but it was too late by then. I think this stat says it all about where Barca is at, once again. Messi's match rating on WhoScored... 8.9. The nearest to him were Iniesta at 7.6 and Neymar at 7.3. Messi just had no help this game. Every time the ball got to him, something positive came from it. Every time the ball got pushed out to Alves, he either crossed it to nowhere, misplaced a pass, or did some other dumb shit to completely give possession to PSG for a counter. And boy were they killing us there. Statistically, Barca is the highest rated club on WhoScored currently. But that doesn't say much... we haven't faced a real test until now. The fact that we lost like this to a PSG without Ibra or Thiago Silva just shows where we truly are. We have definitely fallen far from the heights we were at in 2011 and even 2012 (unlucky exit from the CL to that fucking Chelsea), dominating everybody. Iniesta seems to be struggling to find the magic these days, Xavi is past his explosive prime, Puyol is gone, Pique seems mostly past it, Busquets is showing signs of slowing down, we are lacking creativity and new ideas in build up. Messi and Neymar are the two things we have going for us, but when the midfield isn't creative, Pedro is awful and the defense is leaking goals left and right, having 2 great attackers doesn't mean much. It will be much better when Suarez comes, but that still won't fix the midfield and defensive problems that were shown tonight. Lucho definitely has his work cut out for him. I wonder if it is possible that this current generation really has another Champion's League in them, or if they really are just too past it. I feel like Messi DEFINITELY has it in him, but he can only carry teams on his own so far (see: World Cup, Barca for the past 2 years). Either way PSG impressed me as well. Once they have Ibra back I can see they are definitely not a force to be fucked with. Should be an interesting Champion's League this season. Didn't expect Roma to hit City that hard either. Glad to see some new strong teams up in the mix.
How many Spain starters are with Barca? Might be interesting to note that the poor performances from Spain on a national level might be trickling down to playing poorly on club level.
I'm happy to see Gervinho doing well with them. He's gone a long way from this; Everyone's reaction in this gif is fucking priceless.
Yea, chicken and egg situation, it's hard to really tell lol. No doubt there is a correlation. Spain used to be like 80% Barcelona. Iniesta, xavi, Busi, Pique, Alba, Pedro, Cesc, Valdes, Puyol. Used to be more, now Del Bosque rates a lot of the EPL players higher, the likes of Silva, Costa, Mata, Carzola etc. I feel like their confidence must be wrecked after such an embarrassment at the world cup. Iniesta seems to have lost so much of his mojo... All the "classic" Spain players have. Then again, maybe they went into the World Cup already wrecked from the first trophy-less season with Barca last season. Hard to say which it is lol, probably both. Wonder how the new Spain with Costa and all these EPL players will fair in the future.
We played like shit lol Sterling played like a little bitch..like a Madrid player or up his own ass. Gerrard wasted so many set pieces..We seemed so nervous and to be honest Basel didn't even have a good squad...
I can see the possibility of Benzema going to Liverpool and that will most likely seal the signing of Sterling to Madrid in the future
Not terribly sure about the Sterling saga, but yeah I suspect a really big team will come knocking for him. Still don't see Benzema leaving Real anytime soon. I expected Liverpool to struggle with the CL this year, to be honest. I think the whole competition is really going to hurt your guys chances at doing well in the league.
So did I, we'll adapt though. We've been fucked by injuries again..thought this was gonna be Suso's season but he's out for two months -.-
My best friend said that if Cesc scores AND celebrates this weekend then he will fly to Europe and neuter everyone Cesc loves. I don't think I've laughed so hard in months