CL R16 game 1: Newcastle - Barca

[serghei]

Full team.

Rotate heavily v Sevilla at home.

Full team next week.

Livramento not being fit is a big boost for Barca.

Raphinha should be able to run legs off of Trippier if he starts and Hall on other side not the quickest to deal with Yamal but very good on ball.

There is no heavy rotation vs a side that beat us 4-1. Strong side in all 3 and if players fall due to injury so be it. Pray we beat Newcastle and play Tottenham so we are able to have injuries back in semis for a showdown with Arsenal. If we get to semis maybe the league is closer by then.

 

[JamDav1982]

Nah should rotate at weekend.

Sevilla not a good side and have to take risks if want to win it all.

Folk would have said same before Bilbao and it was close but worth it.

 

[serghei]

Rotate a bit, but nothing too drastic. CL is in early stage still.

Still expecting Rashford to show what loaned him for. Goals vs fodder ain't it.

 

[MonteCuler]

Rotate a bit, but nothing too drastic. CL is in early stage still.

what rotation here? are you crazy

We also have 3 starters injured who would you even start out of rotation options?

Casado will get gangbanged vs such a physical side

 

[JamDav1982]

Rotate a bit, but nothing too drastic. CL is in early stage still.

Still expecting Rashford to show what loaned him for. Goals vs fodder ain't it.

Rashford been decent enough.

Done more in CL than others but everyone will need to step up from here.

 

[serghei]

Agreed, but decent ain't good enough.

 

[Barcaman]

This is a game for Rashford. Pedri-Olmo midfield, Raphinha in front.

Let's see what Flick fields.

 

[JamDav1982]

Agreed, but decent ain't good enough.

He has 5 goals and 4 assists in CL.

Got decent goals/assists v top half La Liga teams also.

To make out just doing it v fodder is not accurate.

 

[serghei]

Everything is too dependent on Lamine atm. Rashford shite, Lewa shite, Ferret super shite and Raphinha either injured or shite also. This can not go on.

There is big pressure on Raphinha, Rashford and whoever starts at 9. Olmo also, shite as well.

 

[JamDav1982]

Imagine it will be Lewa at 9 tonight.

Then Rashford, Olmo, Ferran etc will have chance to impact game off bench v tired legs.

Hopefully all can get at it.

Can see Newcastle man marking Pedri tonight and Joelinton/Tonali trying to bully Bernal if he starts as surely will.

 

[MonteCuler]

This is a game for Rashford. Pedri-Olmo midfield, Raphinha in front.

Let's see what Flick fields.

Olmo as a pivot is just nonsense. It works sometimes in La Liga because quality is in trenches

I hope Bernal starts

 

[serghei]

We would have done the remontada vs AM if most attackers werent bad on the night imo. They were there just ripe for picking and cooking them, but the attackers except Lamine were all bad.

 

[JamDav1982]

Raphinha needs to deliver.

A lot is given up tactically to give him more or less a free role from the left when Barca have the ball.

Also calm down with this irrelevant pressing at times.. Can do more harm than good for him and team if fucks the shape and leaves him gasping.

If he is up against and old Trippier has to make it count and run legs off him..

Newcastle may gamble in Livramento though but far from fit.

Fancy Barca to murder them out wide tonight as Newcastle have to go for win and take risks and wont cope with Raph/Yamal going other way.

 

[serghei]

Without doubt. He's the player with the biggest drop off in form vs last season if we exclude the useless ones.

 

[JamDav1982]

He will surely get chances from those Yamal/Pedri/Fermin passes in behind full back and Trippier wont keep up if they nail the pass and run.