Happy New Year!
By: Isaiah | January 2nd, 2008It’s the new year, the new half of the season (sort of, 2 more games before the real halftime), so I’m back fresh, hopefully along with a fresh team; we’ve got a Copa del Rey second leg match, an injured reserve keeper, and seven points to make up. And, to be honest, I’m excited. Ah, the life of a fan.
I’m planning a couple of posts in my head right now, but I’ve got BCS fever so next week will be the real return of the Barcelona Offside. This week, it’s a few commentary posts and a review of the Copa as well as a preview of the upcoming away match against Mallorca.
It’s transfer season too, of course, if only the January window. I’ll be getting up to date on all the rumors throughout today as I get back into the swing of things and actually read a sports newspaper for the first time since December 23 (an arbitrary date, nothing specific happened then).
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i go to indiana, and even though we got pummeled, listening (driving home from toronto) to illinois get embarrassed never fails to cheer me up
i root for big ten usually, esp in bowl games, but i grew up half an hour from champaign and it’s a craphole
on a different note i keep hearing that ronnie is going to ac milan even though emd had a headline the other day that his brother says absolutely not
also i swore i heard during the goltv broadcast during the real game that rijkaard has said he won’t return after this season. but i haven’t seen it anywhere else in the papers
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llobster, I too heard the GolTV statement during El Clasico about Rijkaard not returning…and was duly confused. I hadn’t heard anything about that either and have seen nothing to suggest that since. Weird.
Anyone have any news on that?
I’m an Oklahoma/Kansas fan, so I’m in a bad mood right now, but could be cheered up by the Orange Bowl…
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Actually, I heard that about Rijkaard too. When I was reading about El Clasico on ESPN’s website, I believe Phil Ball mentioned the same thing in passing. After I saw that I asked a friend and he said he hadn’t heard anything either, and neither of us have seen something since. That’s interesting that they mentioned it on GolTV…so there must be some truth to it but it’s still odd that it hasn’t been big news elsewhere.
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Happy New year to you too admin!
Many Happy ReturnsPosted from
Malaysia -
Happy New Year to all! May ‘08 be a better year for Barca than ‘07.
As I’ve said before, it would not be a bad thing if Rijkaard left — with the blessings and good wishes of all of us cules. But I’m still not sure who we could bring in to replace him. Mourinho has been suggested, and I loved what he did at Cheski. But his tactical style is better suited to Italy, I think, than to Spain. Who else is out there? I’m not sure.
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well aside from mourinho, there is a certain former U.S. womens national team coach out of the job…but he is an idiot
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Ha, yeah, Ry M, definitely Greg Ryan. Master tactician.
Not that I support getting rid of Rijkaard at this moment, even though I disagreed with him tactically in El Clasico (which I’ll discuss in a later post), but I’ll go ahead and throw a few names into the ring as I think of them.
What about Jurgen Klinsmann? Is he a good call? He’d revamp the whole staff according to his negotiations with the US national team, which isn’t necessarily something Barca wants or needs. But I enjoyed watching Germany’s transition to a fairly attack-minded squad, especially considering that I figured they’d be their normal solid, boring selves.
That’s just one; I’m sure others will occur to me throughout the evening and I’ll promptly ignore those names as I concentrate wholeheartedly on the Orange Bowl and my beloved Kansas Jayhawks.
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Odd stance from Txiki about the goalkeeper situation. he wants to bring in someone for a six-month loan because they have long term faith in Jorquera. I personally have never had any faith in Jorquera for a full ninety minutes. God forbid something happened to VV but I have to say I’d rather Oier in goals than Jorquera.
All the names that are being thrown around are old keepers without clubs. I don’t know but I’d like someone worthwhile long termPosted from
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Im with Ciaran. I was hoping that he would leave and we could get a long term replacement, or until Oier (however you spell it) becomes capable of being in the senior squad. Everytime Jorquera is in goals I am terrified. I would be happy with Cavallero. He isnt too old and last time I saw him he was great. Still someone who can compete with Valdes would be great, but I doubt the club wants to spend much money (maybe saving for something big?)
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I too agree with Ciaran. Like Jake, I’m always jittery when Jorquera is in goal, which I have to admit is exactly what Jorquera is…I’m sadly out of touch with the goalkeeping situation around the world, so I have no names to throw out there…
If Oier is good, keep him, but Valdes isn’t the best (3rd best from Spain, I think: Casillas, Reina) so I’d like to see a long-term commitment to someone in the very top flight of keepers. I trust Valdes, but I want to be better than RM in *every* position.
I like our team right now, in this moment, but we’ll need better players in the future at the back (we’re, uh, loaded up front)…
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Isaiah, if Mourinho comes, Cech will. Cech went to Chelsea because of Mourinho, and will follow him to any club. Apparently they still talk, and if Mourinho came, a move for Cech would be likely. That would be great, IMO, because Cech is the best (on par with Buffon, IMO). He is a bit injury prone though. I love VV, but I love Cech too, and he is much better.
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I was just thinking, with Henry back now, am I the only one thinking that Rijkaard might try Eto’o-Henry up front, with Ronnie and Messi out? I mean, the other forwards are Guddie, Bojan and Gio, so there is a good chance. Should be interesting to see who he picks. Henry might be a sub though, after missing so many games. Bojan would be my guess to start.
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Klinsmann? Intriguing thought. He is attack-minded, which means he will have no trouble adapting to Barca’s core philosophy. He’s also German, which means he knows the importance of a solid defence and midfield. But does he have the stomach for the week-in, week-out stresses that come with managing a club? I’m not sure he does.
How about Big Phil Scolari? As a club coach, he was terribly defensive — but then he didn’t have any great attacking players. But he did a good job with the Brazilian national team, and a better-than-decent job with Portugal.
Any thoughts?
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I have never thought about Phil Scolari before. He would probably fit in fairly well with the system and players. He plays with wingers which would suit Messi. Maybe he could even tempt Ronaldo to join us rather than Real. I will always have a wish that Quaresma will come back and become the best player in the world. I don’t think he will but I’d love to see Quaresma and Messi on the two wings… just like in Fifa/Pro Evo
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You have a very strong team, that voice comes from Zambrotta falls in the beautiful country of Italy, we know nothing?
By MercyHttp://biancoblutimes.blogspot.com (Fans Savona Italy)
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Not our best performance, but a win’s a win. Holy crap Eto’o’s goal was beautiful. Im starting to get excited about the Eto’o-Henry partnership. Things are looking pretty optimistic for that, but I still think that we need messi.
Honestly, when I’m watching the game, I forget that Bojan is still 17. He has the maturity of a 30 year old, and the talents of one too. It’s amazing to see how young some of our starting players are. (Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Gio, even Yaya).
Ciaran as great as C.Ronaldo is (and he is REALLY great), I would be ashamed to have him. It’s not something I can help, I just truly hate him. He is the most arrogant player in the world, and I think that with the way things are going, bringing him in would only divide the dressing room. I was reading an interview with him a few weeks ago where he said “It’s great to have signed players like Anderson and Nani, because now it won’t be all about Cristiano Ronaldo”. Now I’m sure everyone is already aware of how he is an enormous fan of himself, and probably gets aroused by the mirror, but I think we shouldn’t get him until either 1. He pulls his head out from his own arse, or 2. We have someone in charge who can do that for us if we do buy him.
Personally, I think Fabregas would be a better buy. He would be willing to come home (maybe with a little convincing, but I’m sure he would relish the chance to team up with Henry once more), and he is incredibly talented and mature for his age. He is very level headed, he’s a team player and I think he could work great setting up goals for Eto’o and Henry. If Arsenal don’t win anything this year, it could happen.
Also, I doubt we would have to pay the 75 million pounds that Man U want for Ronaldo.
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I wouldn’t be a fan of Ronaldo’s personality but I do not want to see him in a Real shirt. Likewise it would kill be to see Cesc in one. More than Ronaldo himself I would like if we had more match winners in our team. When Messi is not in the team we don’t have a definite match winner in the team. He creates goals from nothing. A good trait to have in more than one player methinks
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Ronaldo isn’t going anywhere. This happens every transfer window and none of the star players ever leave.
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Well, I won’t say that, like Jake, I’m starting to get excited about the Eto’o/Henry partnership. I’ve always been excited about the potential those two have, playing together. Henry made a couple of great runs, and that simple layoff pass for the second goal was one that Gudjohnsen consistently screwed up in the first half. It’s history now, but tell me Real would have known what to do with that pairing in El Clasico. That would have been the kind of adventurous thinking that might have won the match, instead of the same ol’ same ol’.
Dos Santos didn’t show much. His usual energy wasn’t there. I still think we’re crazy to even entertain for a moment thoughts about selling him. The up side for that kid is enormous and bright. Ditto for Krkic. That’s a 17-year-old kid? Man! Once he gets a bit more size and strength, he’s going to be amazing.
As far as players, we don’t need ‘em. We need a coach who can get the most out of the players we have. Superstar or not, it’s inexcusable for Ronaldinho to be allowed to be in the condition that he’s been in, both last season and this one. A coach has to walk the fine line between being a disciplinarian and showing some understanding. Rijkaard is clearly on the wrong side of the line, because no example is being set. Big talk about the code of conduct and all that jazz in the off-season. We need some spine. That was the biggest difference in the Evil Empire this season. Not new players, but the injection of a collective spine. They play hard, they play for each other. That doesn’t happen as often as it should with our lads.
As Eto’o said in a comment the other day, we try to pass the ball right into the net. Sometimes, you have to just throw it into the box and see what happens, but that means having players in the box to make things happen. Things are kinda weird right now, I think.
I still believe we’ll pull back the 7 points and win the league. But something has to happen to get the lads to start playing like we all know they can. I was screaming “Forward, forward” at the telly after yet another negative pass. Aggression and ball movement is the way.
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We end up having loads of possession and very little shots. Iniesta should be a bit more greedy when in and around the box. I dont mind seeing Xavi not shooting but
Iniesta should do more as he gets into better positions. I would love to see two fullbacks who both would put in crosses like Gio V.B. did for the last few years, *not necessarily him* like Dani AlvesPosted from
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Jake, I think you may have put your finger on the most important contribution Henry can make to the club: he can act as a magnet for Arsenal players, not just Fabregas, but others too. If the Frenchman can help engineer that, I’d be happy to forgive his failure to score goals for us!
Resuming the discussion about coaches, I see that Ottmar Hitzfeld is available. He knows how to win things (including the Cmaps League), play attractive football but is also a no-nonsense guy. The Madridistas would accuse us of copying them and getting a German coach, but what do we care?
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The Madridistas can eat it. I like how the press calls Barcelona’s game against Mallorca a lame showing while “ruthlessly efficient Madrid” beat Zaragoza.
The final scores of both games: 2-0. Only Barca was playing away. So…eat it Madrid. And eat a lot of it.
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Insulting Madridistas for a comment you only predict that they might make, concerning a transfer that is hyothetical, at best? You cules are becoming more and more what the Madridistas have notoriously been. And here us supporters of Los Blancos have been sparing in our comments, despite the fact that we beat you, in Nou Camp none the less, and are up 7 points in the table. hmmm…
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Bobby, I have heard rumours that Hleb is a potential target for us, which is great because I have always been a fan. Henry would come in very handy here.
I think we have a good chance with Fabregas, because apparently he and Henry were basically in love when they played together, and he said that he cried when Henry told him he was leaving. Madrid have no chance with him, as he is Catalan, his family loves Barca, and so does he (as well as the Henry factor).
Henry also acts a rolemodel and a guide for the younger players. After he left, almost every Arsenal player came out and said that Henry tought them everything they knew. And do you guys remember his reaction when Bojan scored? They were one step away from dry sex. With players like Bojan and Gio in the squad, Henry is the perfect player to have with them.
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John, I don’t know if your comment is aimed at my post, but “ruthlessly efficient Madrid” is a quote from Soccernet. The hypothetical transfer is, of course, just that and I don’t support any attempts to sign players simply because Madrid would get them otherwise. We should get who works best within our system and Madrid should lose. I can only assume that’s how Madrid fans feel about Barca and I’m quite content with that.
Whoopee you beat us. Whoopee. I could care less now. 2nd half of the season is on. The first half should keep the team going, make us care to make a comeback. Here’s hoping the game at the Bernabeu decides the title. I doubt many Madrid fans would mind that opportunity either, despite what it would mean in terms of wins and losses leading up to it.
Henry may be a good role model for “the children” but he should also be scoring more goals. I missed the game against Mallorca as I was in Boston watching my true love, the Kansas Jayhawks, go nut-house on the BC Eagles, but I guess Henry provided the final spark for Eto’o’s goal (and what a beaut) and that’s a pretty good contribution for a game you played in for 28 minutes.
More in the coming post. Sevilla! Copa del Rey! Murcia!
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United States
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