How would you stop Barcelona?

[The Fish 10977]

I'd be tempted to play with one tireless player chasing Messi all over the place. While I agree Barca aren't a one man team, he is their talisman and if you were to quieten him they'd grow in frustration; commit silly fouls and spit their dummy out.

[Ayatollah Hermione 14088]

Keeper with massive hands.

[Kryten 0]

 

I think you might have to go to 3 at the back, man mark the mid field area and welly the ball into the corners a t their end - I'd also like to see how they'd handle Stoke-style throw-ins

 

Make them run further an have to pass the ball over longer distances

 

Suggestions???

 

cloning is the only way......

 

A team of 10 Chiek Tiotes and 1 Steve Hardwick would do them

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Chris Coleman was on talksport on friday morning, and his tactical masterplan was for all the defenders & midfielders to take turns putting reducers in on Messi, and to pump high balls into the box because they won't be used to that in Spain.

 

I laughed at the time but it probably wouldn't have ended up much worse than the hiding ManU got.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Chris Coleman was on talksport on friday morning, and his tactical masterplan was for all the defenders & midfielders to take turns putting reducers in on Messi, and to pump high balls into the box because they won't be used to that in Spain.

 

I laughed at the time but it probably wouldn't have ended up much worse than the hiding ManU got.

[OTF 7576]

Hope to fuck they're having a really bad day.

[tinofbeans 91]

I don'think there is a side including the great milan side of the late 80's and early90's, or the ajax side of the early 70's. The game has moved on from these 2 sides with players covering more ground and being more athletic. Also every player in that team is very comfortable on the ball and always looks for space and also they dont mind recycling the ball, as in restarting moves. The longest pass i saw from barca was about 15 to 20m (the first assist). I also like the unselfishness and willingness of all of the front3 to tackle and pass to any of their team mates. There are no egos. Just a really good football team.

[Rob W 0]

Volcanic ash so they have to travel by train or coach seemed to work well last season

[manc-mag 1]

I don'think there is a side including the great milan side of the late 80's and early90's, or the ajax side of the early 70's. The game has moved on from these 2 sides with players covering more ground and being more athletic. Also every player in that team is very comfortable on the ball and always looks for space and also they dont mind recycling the ball, as in restarting moves. The longest pass i saw from barca was about 15 to 20m (the first assist). I also like the unselfishness and willingness of all of the front3 to tackle and pass to any of their team mates. There are no egos. Just a really good football team.

 

Tbh, I'd say that Milan side were a more athletic side than the current Barca one even if Barca do cover more ground individually.

[tinofbeans 91]

I don'think there is a side including the great milan side of the late 80's and early90's, or the ajax side of the early 70's. The game has moved on from these 2 sides with players covering more ground and being more athletic. Also every player in that team is very comfortable on the ball and always looks for space and also they dont mind recycling the ball, as in restarting moves. The longest pass i saw from barca was about 15 to 20m (the first assist). I also like the unselfishness and willingness of all of the front3 to tackle and pass to any of their team mates. There are no egos. Just a really good football team.

 

Tbh, I'd say that Milan side were a more athletic side than the current Barca one even if Barca do cover more ground individually.

Gullit and riijkaard were machines. Very good athletes.

[Phil 6]

Their style of play is commonly known as tiki-taka;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki-taka

 

It's a style of play that looks to expose concentration and positional lapses through possession and movement. So staying alert and pressing as a team is important.

 

When Barca have the ball I would look to go with strict zonal (4-4-1) with the spare player chasing the ball. Playing a set defensive player like Tiote wouldn't fit the bill as the floating player needs to rotate as Barca switch wings.

 

Here's a nice example;

 

 

Barca's achilles heel in my opinion is their reluctance to play a long ball and lack of height in midfield/attack if they do. So pressing high and forcing a mistake or a long ball. The first 20 seconds of this clip show's they play pretty football, but if you defend as a team they have to go backwards to the keeper.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5578206/fc_b...vs_real_madrid/

 

 

A forward like Tevez that will run and run is a must.

[rabit71 0]

you need to have a very well drilled team playing as a team

 

man u tried that, but ultimately failed with rooney and giggs going individual and fucking it up (imo)

 

it's why mourinho seems to be the only guy capable of beating them - he gets his players to run through walls for him and do exactly what he says.

[Rob W 0]

I can remember a game at Highbury back in the 80's when Arsenal passed the ball all th e time - the moment it came anywhere near our penalty area we just dived in and hoofed it over the stand - I think the Arsenal keeper stayed in the dressing room for the second half it was so one sided but we did get a 0-0 draw

[snakehips 0]

Have absolutely uber-fast centre forward and wingers, making them [barca] shit scared of the ball into the channels? Then play said ball over the top into the channels on numerous occasions. Easy.