The other games today - 2010/11

[AyeDubbleYoo]

There's more than one way to play football though. Fergie got his tactics exactly right for the opposition tonight.

 

Arsenal are great at what they do, but they aren't Barcelona good at it. This means that they can be countered by people like Fergie packing the midfield. When that happens, it's up to Wenger to find an answer.

 

 

no i understand that and fair play Fergie got his tactics right.  Its more me being pissed off watching it when i said today at work that i wasn't cos they'll try and cancel each other out and it'll be a shit game but i did end up watching it and just think that two of the best teams in the so called best league should produce a bettter game than that,  if a team was going to soak up pressure and hit on the break you expect it to be the away side.

 

Yeah fair enough, if anything they're so worried by results that they put that before anything else.

 

Ironically I think Arsenal could have got something out of it if they had been patient enough and stuck to their game 100%. It seemed as though they lost patience at times and tried to force the through balls too much.

 

Anyway, Arsenal fans should be proud of their style of football and what Wenger has done with the club.

[wormy]

That's what I don't get, why do people expect a barnstormer of a game with the top teams? Either going to be a complete one sider with one team on form and the other having a bad day at the office. Or it's going to be an absolute bore of a game as they're both so well-matched it'll be one or two moments that seperates them. More often than not, it's going to be the latter.

[Foluwashola]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

Would probably take Higuain, Torres or Roberts tbh.

[Beren]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

Would probably take Higuain, Torres or Roberts tbh.

 

Nah. Carroll ftw.

[colinmk]

That's what I don't get, why do people expect a barnstormer of a game with the top teams? Either going to be a complete one sider with one team on form and the other having a bad day at the office. Or it's going to be an absolute bore of a game as they're both so well-matched it'll be one or two moments that seperates them. More often than not, it's going to be the latter.

 

I never expect it, it's just the standard sky bullshit.

[Mr. Snrub]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

David Villa?

[ElDiablo]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

David Villa?

 

He's 29.

[Ronaldo]

Higuain would tempt me.

[Mr. Snrub]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

David Villa?

 

He's 29.

 

He's also the best striker in the world.

[johnnypd]

Pato

[Ronaldo]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

David Villa?

 

He's 29.

 

He's also the best striker in the world.

 

I wouldn't swap him for Carroll. Would make little sense considering the difference in age.

[ElDiablo]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

David Villa?

 

He's 29.

 

He's also the best striker in the world.

 

For how much longer?

[Nobody]

Pato

Villa has scored the same amount as Carroll this season, playing for fucking Barcelona and having played more games.

Then we've got the age difference, the fact that Carroll is a local lad, that he's used to the tempo of the Premier League and that we haven't got anyone who could play the through balls (bar Barton on occasion) for Villa that he'd need. That last bit is essential for me when comparing the two, Villa is a master of timing his runs and finding space, but that won't do you much good unless you've got the players who can see this.

Still, this is not me saying Carroll is a better striker than Villa, but rather that he's better suited for us.

[Village Idiot]

I'll keep Villa for now, thanks. Not sure we are capable of lifting a ball more than 6 feet high anyway.

[ponsaelius]

I'll keep Villa for now, thanks. Not sure we are capable of lifting a ball more than 6 feet high anyway.

 

The only thing you lack is a genuine target man option. I think the idea behind the signing of Zlatan was to obtain this, however the management clearly didn't realise that Zlatan is actually a pretty poor headerer of the ball and has never in his entire career been a target man.

[Tachikoma]

Carroll is in great form at the moment, but I remember James Beattie being in a similar vein of form once upon a time <_<

[Village Idiot]

I'll keep Villa for now, thanks. Not sure we are capable of lifting a ball more than 6 feet high anyway.

 

The only thing you lack is a genuine target man option. I think the idea behind the signing of Zlatan was to obtain this, however the management clearly didn't realise that Zlatan is actually a pretty poor headerer of the ball and has never in his entire career been a target man.

 

I don't think it was the heading power what we were after. In his first (good) days at Barça we'd lump the ball in the box and he would bring it down to his feet with amazing technique.

 

If we need a target man option it has to be a squad-ish player, the problem with Zlatan is that he ultimately didn't fit the way we played and he was meant to start every game. Seeing Villa buzzing around making runs and switching seamlessly with the other frontmen has really made me realize what we were missing last year.

 

Larsson was a great target man for us on this mould.

[Rich]

Just saw the extended highlights of Real Madrid and Barcelona from the weekend and I've got two words: fuck me.

 

Very different performances in terms of style, but both had me buzzing after watching them. The hunger of each team to win the ball back high up the pitch was fantastic and then what they did with it when they had it barely needs any more superlatives than what I assume people have thrown at it already.

 

Lassana Diarra and Dani Alves in particular were awesome to watch.

[Village Idiot]

Just saw the extended highlights of Real Madrid and Barcelona from the weekend and I've got two words: f*** me.

 

Very different performances in terms of style, but both had me buzzing after watching them. The hunger of each team to win the ball back high up the pitch was fantastic and then what they did with it when they had it barely needs any more superlatives than what I assume people have thrown at it already.

 

Lassana Diarra and Dani Alves in particular were awesome to watch.

 

Lass had a great game. I expect him to start for Madrid regularly again. His biggest weakness has always been tactical indiscipline (he tries to do too much) and if somebody can hammer some sense into him on that regard is José Mourinho.

 

When I saw Alves in the f***ing central striker position for Messi's goal I had a total football-gasm.

[Rich]

Just saw the extended highlights of Real Madrid and Barcelona from the weekend and I've got two words: f*** me.

 

Very different performances in terms of style, but both had me buzzing after watching them. The hunger of each team to win the ball back high up the pitch was fantastic and then what they did with it when they had it barely needs any more superlatives than what I assume people have thrown at it already.

 

Lassana Diarra and Dani Alves in particular were awesome to watch.

 

Lass had a great game. I expect him to start for Madrid regularly again. His biggest weakness has always been tactical indiscipline (he tries to do too much) and if somebody can hammer some sense into him on that regard is José Mourinho.

 

When I saw Alves in the f***ing central striker position for Messi's goal I had a total football-gasm.

 

On the Alves point, that goal was absolutely outstanding. Was it three one-twos between them? He was in the six yard box by the time Villa tucked in that first goal too. The mazy dribble he went on at another point (when he had chances to do his usual long shot but faked it two/three times instead) was awesome as well.

 

I know it's "easy" when you have such a world-class team to play with your fullbacks so advanced and with a defensive midfielder dropping in to turn the backline into a wide three, but man it's beautiful to watch. I love how the fullback position is becoming so, so key these days. They are regularly the players who spend the most time on the ball/get the most touches of the ball in any given match (even in the slightly lower levels of English football) and so when you get a particularly good one who can actually do something with that opportunity and contribute to much to the attacking schema of a team, it makes me a happy happy man.

[Neil]

The thing is when watching Real or Barca, especially the latter, I often see them passing it about themselves and think, "what the hell, there's not one player in the final 20-25 yards of the pitch", and yet, nearly always, they suddenly develop their seemingly harmless passing move into a clinical attack. It's superb to watch.

[Village Idiot]

Just saw the extended highlights of Real Madrid and Barcelona from the weekend and I've got two words: f*** me.

 

Very different performances in terms of style, but both had me buzzing after watching them. The hunger of each team to win the ball back high up the pitch was fantastic and then what they did with it when they had it barely needs any more superlatives than what I assume people have thrown at it already.

 

Lassana Diarra and Dani Alves in particular were awesome to watch.

 

Lass had a great game. I expect him to start for Madrid regularly again. His biggest weakness has always been tactical indiscipline (he tries to do too much) and if somebody can hammer some sense into him on that regard is José Mourinho.

 

When I saw Alves in the f***ing central striker position for Messi's goal I had a total football-gasm.

 

On the Alves point, that goal was absolutely outstanding. Was it three one-twos between them? He was in the six yard box by the time Villa tucked in that first goal too. The mazy dribble he went on at another point (when he had chances to do his usual long shot but faked it two/three times instead) was awesome as well.

 

I know it's "easy" when you have such a world-class team to play with your fullbacks so advanced and with a defensive midfielder dropping in to turn the backline into a wide three, but man it's beautiful to watch. I love how the fullback position is becoming so, so key these days. They are regularly the players who spend the most time on the ball/get the most touches of the ball in any given match (even in the slightly lower levels of English football) and so when you get a particularly good one who can actually do something with that opportunity and contribute to much to the attacking schema of a team, it makes me a happy happy man.

 

It's beautiful isn't it? Commiting your fullbacks allows your wingers to cut in while keeping width and crossing options while packing the box with players that are going to stretch and confuse their backline. Plus they are great counterattacking outlets. You can do so much with a good/great fullback.

[Village Idiot]

The thing is when watching Real or Barca, especially the latter, I often see them passing it about themselves and think, "what the hell, there's not one player in the final 20-25 yards of the pitch", and yet, nearly always, they suddenly develop their seemingly harmless passing move into a clinical attack. It's superb to watch.

 

That's what Del Bosque's Spain lacked. He was too conservative (fair enough, he won us the damn cup) and we never commited so many midfield players into the last third as Barça or Madrid do. So our passing didn't really go anywhere.

[rocksammy]

I honestly don't think there's a striker in the world i'd swap for Carroll. Especially given his age in comparison to most of the big guns.

 

I don't consider either Ronaldo or Messi to be a striker, before folk start.

 

kun aguero ?

[Neil]

Pato

Villa has scored the same amount as Carroll this season, playing for fucking Barcelona and having played more games.

Then we've got the age difference, the fact that Carroll is a local lad, that he's used to the tempo of the Premier League and that we haven't got anyone who could play the through balls (bar Barton on occasion) for Villa that he'd need. That last bit is essential for me when comparing the two, Villa is a master of timing his runs and finding space, but that won't do you much good unless you've got the players who can see this.

Still, this is not me saying Carroll is a better striker than Villa, but rather that he's better suited for us.

 

Mate, I know you're just saying Carroll is well-suited to your team but take out the last line and you sound like you're on fucking acid, man.