Champions League Semi Finals Barca v Inter/B Munich V Lyon

[AZOffaly]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

Exactly, which makes it all the more galling to see them doing a post-modernistic impression of Swan Lake when somebody goes near them. Messi was rolling around like a child in a cut meadow. Busquets was clutching his face like Quasimodo when Esmerelda was meeting him.

Pathetic, and I think it's actually sad.

By the way, I am normally glass half full. I support Liverpool, I have to be

[Main Street]

Forgot to add, Ibrahomivic (sp) showed last night why many thought Barca where mad to pay such money for him. He was completely ineffective and knocked down easier than Ronon O'Gara!

Leaving money out of the equation, look at the player.
You could question the role Ibrahomivic is asked to play, I'd see him more as an attacking midfielder type striker.
He did alright against Arsenal.
Barca's game results in having at least  60% of possession, teams like Inter will just park their bus and close down the space. When Eto played with Barca he was given more license to roam and create chances. Ibrahomivic is instructed to goal hang, isolated with 3 or 4 Inter defenders around him.
I have seen Barca games where Ibrahomivic was left to cut inside from the left and he was electric..

[Puckoon]

Forgot to add, Ibrahomivic (sp) showed last night why many thought Barca where mad to pay such money for him. He was completely ineffective and knocked down easier than Ronon O'Gara!

Barca paid inter milan 40 million pounds + Samuel Eto'o for Ibrahimovic.

It makes Chelsea's purchase of Andrei look like a dynamite piece of business.

[Boycey]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

no offence but thats bullshit..

Not knocking Barca, super team with one absolutely extraordinary talent but bought total football to new levels this last three seasons really??? Beaten comfortably by United in a semi two seasons ago, admittedly with a half fit Messi. Last season Chelsea were better than them over two legs and but for some outrageous bad luck would have knocked them out and this season well beaten over two legs by Inter.

Yes i do remember the wonderful performance in the Final last year and their football against a (poor) Arsenal side but "literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance" hmmmmm not sure.

[gallsman]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

Exactly, which makes it all the more galling to see them doing a post-modernistic impression of Swan Lake when somebody goes near them. Messi was rolling around like a child in a cut meadow. Busquets was clutching his face like Quasimodo when Esmerelda was meeting him.

Pathetic, and I think it's actually sad.

By the way, I am normally glass half full. I support Liverpool, I have to be

I didn't see Messi look for a penalty once last night. Jim Beglin said he was looking for one when Chivu took the ball off his toe and Lucio came in after the ball was gone and absolutely flattened him. The momentum rolled him once and he got back up.

[ross4life]

Going into this Tie Everyone Talked about "who can Stop Messi" apart from his one Shot in the 1st half he was totally outmarked & he ended up Diving looking for soft frees! so there was more than Ibrahimovic who was poor last night! but i wonder would Ibrahimovic have missed that Bojan header near the end?

[Main Street]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

Exactly, which makes it all the more galling to see them doing a post-modernistic impression of Swan Lake when somebody goes near them. Messi was rolling around like a child in a cut meadow. Busquets was clutching his face like Quasimodo when Esmerelda was meeting him.

Pathetic, and I think it's actually sad.

By the way, I am normally glass half full. I support Liverpool, I have to be

I didn't see Messi look for a penalty once last night. Jim Beglin said he was looking for one when Chivu took the ball off his toe and Lucio came in after the ball was gone and absolutely flattened him. The momentum rolled him once and he got back up.

That's how I saw it as well.
But Busquet's theatrics did turn a second yellow into a straight red.

[AZOffaly]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

Exactly, which makes it all the more galling to see them doing a post-modernistic impression of Swan Lake when somebody goes near them. Messi was rolling around like a child in a cut meadow. Busquets was clutching his face like Quasimodo when Esmerelda was meeting him.

Pathetic, and I think it's actually sad.

By the way, I am normally glass half full. I support Liverpool, I have to be

I didn't see Messi look for a penalty once last night. Jim Beglin said he was looking for one when Chivu took the ball off his toe and Lucio came in after the ball was gone and absolutely flattened him. The momentum rolled him once and he got back up.

I don't think he looked for penalties per se, but he was looking for fouls.

[Rossie11]

Messi didnt dive once last night. He fell or was felled a few times but jumped up immediately.
Busquets and Alves are known divers and they sicken me.
Jose and Inter are in a different league as regards gamesmanship. Lucio spent half the game on 1 knee.

Cant believe Barca are now been written off as been fancy dans/chokers/1 season wonders whatever.
In the 3 games they have played this season Barca lead 4-3 so it cant be said Inter are now a better team overall as Inter got the chunk of the good fortune over the 2 legs.
It was through no act of genius by Mourinho.

[ross4life]

Messi Didn't Dive once? well you must have watched a different game than i did last night  last night was the First time i ever Seen Messi Dive & not once was he booked! but at least he didn't roll around like some of the other players

I Don't think anyone is writing off Barca but they could also lose their status as Spain's best which would be a major fall back from last years achievements

[Main Street]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

no offence but thats bullshit..

Not knocking Barca, super team with one absolutely extraordinary talent but bought total football to new levels this last three seasons really???

You do understand the tactical term of "total football" ?

One example from last night, with a tall defender turning on a sixpence to score a well taken striker's goal.

[Celt_Man]

You are cup half empty guy AZ

Barca have brought the game of total football to new levels these last 3 seasons, providing long stretches of pure creativity never before seen. They have literally destroyed class teams, ripped them apart with their brilliance. They are not perfect, at least not yet. It's pretty scary to see where they can go, if they can build on this team.

no offence but thats bullshit..

Not knocking Barca, super team with one absolutely extraordinary talent but bought total football to new levels this last three seasons really???

You do understand the tactical term of "total football" ?

One example from last night, with a tall defender turning on a sixpence to score a well taken striker's goal.

But surely if that defender is poor at defending that point is moot

[ross4life]

Holland (late 80s) are the only Total Football team i have seen play they could defend just as well as attack! then have been told about the Ajax (70s) the three in a row European cup winners & of course Brazil 1970!

Barcelona are good & could get better but don't believe all the hype about them

[Doogie Browser]

Yeah good man Ross4life, people need perspective here, if Darren Fletcher was not suspended last year United would have beat them in that final too. 

[Rossie11]

Theres a difference between falling to the ground under a challenge and diving Ross4life..
Chivu went down holding his scrum cap after Messi out jumped him for a header.. Pathetic