Champions League Semi Final: Liverpool - FC Barcelona 4-3 agg.

serghei said:

But, wouldn't you say Messi's position is something that lies within the attributes of the manager? What is the manager if not the person who sets the tactics and gives the players tactical roles to fulfill? One would say that finding a balanced shape which includes Messi is the no1 objective of a Barca manager in the 2010's. By your own accord, Valverde is not doing a great job, since, in your opinion, there are huge holes in the team.

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Exactly, I honestly don't see Valverde genuinely trying to solve these blatant issues so one is in no position to blame the players for such problems. These issues has been around since Lucho's era yet Valverde is mimicking the same setup, expecting a different outcome? It's simply common sense, you dont try the same thing with different set of players with different abilities. Only difference EV has a greater variety of players to choose from, to experiment, yet he still doesnt trust having a natural right winger, constantly trying to shoehorn Messi in the RW position.

I don't think Messi is a huge issue, as long as he is able to do his own thing and have the luxury of the free-role. The problem comes when the team is not instructed to be less dependant on Messi, to have their own mind of attacking roles and patterns. I dont see Messi shouting for the ball; he's just everywhere on the pitch, waiting to pounce on given the chance. Managers constantly fail to make such notion clear for the team. No wonder Barcelona has been extremely predictable and plagued with problems.

Xaviniesta said:

shit i was wrong, apparently firmino is back

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Good. I want their full strength team to face us, plus he's overrated.

henias said:

Exactly, I honestly don't see Valverde genuinely trying to solve these blatant issues so one is in no position to blame the players for such problems. These issues has been around since Lucho's era yet Valverde is mimicking the same setup, expecting a different outcome? It's simply common sense, you dont try the same thing with different set of players with different abilities. Only difference EV has a greater variety of players to choose from, to experiment, yet he still doesnt trust having a natural right winger, constantly trying to shoehorn Messi in the RW position.

I don't think Messi is a huge issue, as long as he is able to do his own thing and have the luxury of the free-role. The problem comes when the team is not instructed to be less dependant on Messi, to have their own mind of attacking roles and patterns. I dont see Messi shouting for the ball; he's just everywhere on the pitch, waiting to pounce on given the chance. Managers constantly fail to make such notion clear for the team. No wonder Barcelona has been extremely predictable and plagued with problems.

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For the two-legged tie vs Liverpool, Messi should play like a normal player (ie, one that runs at least 10Kms) and also contributes defensively. If he wants that 6th CL for us and a 6th Balon for him, then he must do this.

the game is tomorrow?!?!? WTF why did nobody say anything! I was sure it was today!

clemente said:

You weren't a barca fan when we played Juve? We created 0 chances in 2 legs, and noone was surprised.

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easy to say AFTER the match. I'm saying this Liverpool tie is 50/50 before the match. I expected us to beat Juve

Liverpool fan here who watches Barca almost as much as LFC. Purely on a football side of things rather than endless childish 'we gonna batter you', 'you ain't won shit for 30 years' This is the dream tie for me as I have drooled over Barca's football at their best for years now. Obviously Barca not at their best comparatively but their second or third best is better than 99% of teams in the world.

There will be no surprises in this match in terms of tactics - Barca will seek endless possession and try to prise open a very good LFC backline, while LFC will seek to counter with pace. I think both teams will therefore score unless something like a red card disrupts the script. I think Barca are rightly favourites and expect them to score 2-3 goals as although LFC's defence is brilliant in the EPL they rarely face attacks of this quality and frankly I doubt them when under constant pressure. Also Barca have to go all out in this home leg - it's their raison d'etre, and have the ability to blow teams apart when fully ramped up and motivated. I see a one or two goal lead for Barca with a likely away goal for LFC setting up a tense return leg.

Overall I'm excited to see Messi play - he is simply the very best player ever to walk this earth and no one but none including Pele or Maradonna were even in the same league as him. Enjoy him while he lasts

So prediction is Barca win, Messi to score and LFC away goal

LMTR14 said:

the game is tomorrow?!?!? WTF why did nobody say anything! I was sure it was today!

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it really sucks that we play tomorrow, time is going too slow.

From what I read so far in Liverpool forums, they are confident they will progress and don't think much of our team beside Messi. Some of them have watched our last few games.

henias said:

This excuse has been used countless times even when we had Andre Gomes. Yet we are back with it again this season, something to fall back on in case EV fails.

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Valverde's fans already began blaming players and saying how bad are they, read the Dembele, Coutinho...etc threads the past few weeks. This is in case we lose so the blame shouldn't be on the manager.

George_Costanza said:

From what I read so far in Liverpool forums, they are confident they will progress and don't think much of our team beside Messi. Some of them have watched our last few games.

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Some of us also watched their games and there was nothing outstanding there. Shock the ball forward into the free zone and the troika ran. Porto got up on the defensive and it was all over. By shots on goal Porto bypassed them. But reading the forum, you begin to doubt our victory.

You can be against EV or in favour of EV, ok no problem, but I hope everyone's hoping that we win the CL
Reading some posts I have some doubts

We are favorites. What lfc fans fail to realize is that this team despite playing bad, is the best in the world to expose opponents errors and show up in the right moments of the game. Lfc May play more joyful and better football, but this barca is deadly effective. For me its 60-40 at least, in barca favor.

Havesaks said:

We are favorites. What lfc fans fail to realize is that this team despite playing bad, is the best in the world to expose opponents errors and show up in the right moments of the game. Lfc May play more joyful and better football, but this barca is deadly effective. For me its 60-40 at least, in barca favor.

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and we seem to play better when motivated. We've been good in almost every big match this season.

MagIX said:

You can be against EV or in favour of EV, ok no problem, but I hope everyone's hoping that we win the CL
Reading some posts I have some doubts

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Im sure The usual anti-valverde fans would at least see it as a win-win situation, if we lose they Can hate more in ev and demand him fired (all tho that wont happen) and if we win its also a "win"

FinBarcelonafan said:

and we seem to play better when motivated. We've been good in almost every big match this season.

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That too, Yes.