Comments on: Barcelona – Wisła Kraków: CL Qualifier, Leg 1, Wednedsay 3:45pm EST

By: IceMel

IceMel — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:23:09 +0000

Thanks for the first-hand info Genis. So did those 10 guys really play all over the feild…or was it more these two trade positions…these 3 mix it up…. and Cruyff plays where ever he wants?

By: Genis

Genis — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:47:40 +0000

I don’t wish to sound boastful when I mention my 34 years as a soci, but that’s the way things are. And you can give to my experience whatever credit you think it deserves. So, another comment about Henry: in all these years I’ve seen very few forwards standing -and getting caught- in offside as much as him… I hope that, from now on, he pays a little more attention to that. His performance yesterday was a good sign in this regard.

By: jake

jake — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:43:42 +0000

Good question IceMel. I wouldn’t call our system total football, but it’s as close as anyone is going to get this season.

By: Genis

Genis — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:10:14 +0000

I know, I know… our little group, as a sample, is not THAT representative, but from what you could read, see and hear in the catalan media (letters, posts, telephone calls to radio programs, etc.) this sensation of disappointment about Henry was, and still is, quite widespread.

By: Genis

Genis — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:57:32 +0000

IceMel, I’m old enough (in futbol years) to remember Holland’s “total football” (aka “clockwork orange” when played by the dutch National team): it was a very flexible and dynamic 3-4-3, although the players exchanged positions so frequently that all what you saw were ten guys, all with an excellent touch, attacking and defending together… That was, perhaps, the best football I’ve ever seen… That was Barça’s system too, when Cruyff, Neeskens and Marinus Michels (manager), among others, were here with us, especially in 1974.

To Kxevin about Henry yesterday. IMHO, that was, by far, the best match he’s played so far with us. You know, I used to be his advocate among my intimate group of socis (my girlfriend, a sister, one nephew, two nieces -two of them socis from the day they were born- an uncle and an aunt, plus three friends, all of them more than 25 years as socis except the little ones). They said that he was too old, that he would not adapt, but I believed in him and had high hopes… But in the end I had to give in to the evidence and recognize that Titi was a complete disappointment. No hate, no anger: just that sad feeling of being deeply dissapointed. He was hailed -and payed- as what we here call a “crack”, one of those players that make a difference, that will take on the team when things go wrong; one of those players that make us proud as Barça fans… But he was not.

So, although yesterday I almost saw the Titi I waited to see the whole last season, it’s not enough for me to trust him again. Really, I wish I can say the opposite just in three months!

Visca el Barça!

By: IceMel

IceMel — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:16:32 +0000

Are we on the verge of “total football?” …I’m too young (in futbol years) to remember such a thing, but I’ve heard it involved an “offensive” aligment, like we have in the 4-3-3 combined with versatile players,like we also have….plus Pep played under Cruyff, did he not?

We’ve been arguing so much about Henry vs Eto’o when the value of both together may be greater than the sum of the parts. So yeh they platoon…but while both are on the feild!! And it seems the gears have only just begun to turn, you can see some tentativeness in both, “outside or inside, pass or dribble” when this becomes intuitive… ¡qué brutal!

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:23:43 +0000

Exactly, it’s all about support. Our beautiful club doesn’t have a billionaire owner, so it’s the members that form the backbone. Plus ya, the deals on shirts and tickets is a nice bonus

By: Kxevin

Kxevin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:07:43 +0000

You’re welcome, Charlie! It’s actually a pretty cool deal if you lay in a bunch of shirts and hit some matches each season. And even if you don’t, I just like the idea of fiscally supporting the club that you love.

Oh, and I should point out, lest anyone accuse me of being anti-Eto’o with the statement “real striker options being locked up” in a previous comment, I mean strikers more in keeping with what Guardiola has expressed a desire for.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:13:40 +0000

Thank Kxevin!

For anyone that’s looking to buy an official jersey with printing on the back the FCB store has free printing on now until Monday I believe. Saves you a couple of bucks

By: Kxevin

Kxevin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:42:29 +0000

Oh, scuttlebutt is that discussions are ongoing with Eto’o regarding a contract renewal. Absent some big, giant crow being eaten, I can’t see that one happening, even though it’s our best option at this point, with all the real striker options being locked up.