Lliga | Round 29: FC Barcelona - Athletic Bilbao 2-0

[henias]

Wondering if the absence of Suarez had anything to do with the great first half where Barça moved the ball very well. Suarez is liable to be caught offsides, try a turn that fails, or bobble a wall pass- all interrupting the team rhythm. Opinions?

I think so too. Suarez has a tendency to stagnate attacks by holding the ball with his physique but when he fails he will automatically drop to the ground. He's a little too slow but still a very lethal striker. Cant seem to produce in the CL tho.

[Neeraj]

Wondering if the absence of Suarez had anything to do with the great first half where Barça moved the ball very well. Suarez is liable to be caught offsides, try a turn that fails, or bobble a wall pass- all interrupting the team rhythm. Opinions?

This is what I had brought up in the chat as well. I find it difficult to believe it was a co-incidence.

[Neeraj]

Also, what the hell was the Iniesta substitution about? Leading 2-0 at home, and you need to bring on the one player who needs to get the maximum rest? There's caution and then there's Valverde. It's absolutely bizarre.

[ATLBarcaFan]

One of the best halves we've played all year, followed by a half lacking motivation and quality, really disappointing.

[Ritchie]

Don't think we are "conserving energy" at all. We simply run out of steam, Valverde's conservative subs also show it.

A mitigating factor yesterday was natural tiredness after a big CL game. This season though, either the first half is slow, lethargic and generally awful or the second half is.

The first half was really good yesterday but then second half was dire. Similar to Atleti game. Half the time this season we haven't turned up till the second half.

Valverde did inherit a mess of a team who could only win games or score goals when MSN turned it on, or specifically through Messi's brilliance (or Neymar against PSG) there was no rhythm at all otherwise. It's going to take time to turn that midfield around and replace Suarez as well up front.