Interesting video on Barcelona's tactics

[Maldini]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6A_K8oWqfk

[Nebraska Red]

it's damn simple as long as you have players with skill on the ball, confidence, brains and faith in their team mates.

 

so, you don't have to have the best 11 players, just the smartest.

Edited July 10, 2011 by Nebraska Red

[schmuckdonald]

One thing that really stands out in that video is not just their intelligence, it's their athleticism. Really shows how important Dani Alves is. Without players like him then their overloading would get found out. Guardiola obviously follows the same mentality of the game being entirely about the economy of position and possession. Don't think he set out to play like this, think it's more a symbiotic relationship between the players and their training and relationship with each other and the processes that Guardiola has instilled in them. Guardiola has said on several occasions that Barcelona have to play the way they do because they're weak on the defensive. I think this is a once in history type of team, where literally everything has fallen directly into place, enjoy it while it lasts.

 

Would also say that people who watch that video and don't see how us under Benitez followed similar tenets, albeit a lot more pragmatically, may need their vision checking. But that's a whole different argument.

[JonShar]

Would also say that people who watch that video and don't see how us under Benitez followed similar tenets, albeit a lot more pragmatically, may need their vision checking. But that's a whole different argument.

 

Not sure I'd agree 100% with that. I loved Rafa, but he was a big fan of the 2nd ball - ie put the ball into a situation where we may or may not keep possession, but have players around that area ready to regain possession from the "2nd ball".

[Maldini]

Not sure I'd agree 100% with that. I loved Rafa, but he was a big fan of the 2nd ball - ie put the ball into a situation where we may or may not keep possession, but have players around that area ready to regain possession from the "2nd ball".

 

That's what the high pressing is, we were the best team in Europe at that with Momo in the side, it was just a pity he couldn't kick snow off a rope because he was exceptional at winning the ball back high up the pitch.

[Nebraska Red]

Would also say that people who watch that video and don't see how us under Benitez followed similar tenets, albeit a lot more pragmatically, may need their vision checking. But that's a whole different argument.

 

 

perhaps, but we were short a few players to be able to play like that for 90 minutes.

 

yes, we could stifle other teams from playing almost at will, but we often struggled on the attacking side due to a lack of skill and crativity in certain areas.

 

sure, this Barcelona team might be a "once in a lifetime" deal, but they don't seem to miss too much when they bring in repalcements for some of their big guns.

[JonShar]

That's what the high pressing is, we were the best team in Europe at that with Momo in the side, it was just a pity he couldn't kick snow off a rope because he was exceptional at winning the ball back high up the pitch.

 

I think the difference is that Barca play with a "If" we lose the ball press hard to get it back, we played with a bit of a "when" we lose the ball press hard to get it back mentality.

 

I'd agree with Momo, he was a beast when we lost possession.

[schmuckdonald]

sure, this Barcelona team might be a "once in a lifetime" deal, but they don't seem to miss too much when they bring in repalcements for some of their big guns.

 

Don't think that's necessarily true. They struggle just as anyone does without their big hitters. They only have a very small squad and generally try to use only 14/15 players at most.

 

Think there are ideas that are similar, the expansion of player, the constriction of space, ball retention and moving the opposition around. Our best season was when we won through attrition because the side were so tactically apt. Nowhere near what Barca are now, mind.