The Superclasico Overkill thread

[BarcaRulz]

Been a great game by us. Have completely controlled possession and have completely dominated the attacking front, while being defensively sound. Really should have had a couple of goals, but Casillas is having a good game so far.

Will be great if the team can keep this up. Hopefully the pitch dries up a bit throughout the game.

 

[BarcaRulz]

PS: any money you have lying around, put it all one Carvallho to get sent off. Some very dangerous tackles to make with him already on a yellow. Messi is clearly targeting his attacks to him.

 

[BarcaRulz]

That was nice and easy. Would have preffered a win, but we are now in the final, and can focus on wrapping up the league. The rain definitely didn't help all night. Very happy that we got no injuries, although Adebayor was trying his best to kill someone tonight.

Also was great to see Abidal back after having his tumor surgery and sucesfully recovering.

 

[Homeless]

Was a great game, especially the first half. Thankfully everyone seemed to get through unscathed.

Was awesome seeing Abidal back on the pitch the reception he got.

 

[apollo_creed]

Well, it's nice to see you are ready to pull the trigger when it matters.

Every team has certain players that dive, we have Busqi and Alves, Chelsea for example have Drogba and now Torres, ManU have Rooney and Nani, etc etc.

I'm pretty sure that every game I listed is a game that matters, yet nothing? You can also include Shaktar, Lyon, Bayern as games that matter in the last three season, and nothing there either.

Oh please mate. Your team is abysmal at surrounding the ref and trying to get other players sent off.

To suggest it is confined to Mourinho's teams is insulting.

 

[Hawthorn United]

Saw this in Sid Lowe's tweet quoting Cristiano Ronaldo

"Mascherano wasn't like this in Liverpool. He learned all the cheating tricks in Barcelona"

 

[Homeless]

Saw this in Sid Lowe's tweet quoting Cristiano Ronaldo

"Mascherano wasn't like this in Liverpool. He learned all the cheating tricks in Barcelona"

Oh the irony.

 

[Kompany]

Kompany you can't defend cheating mate.

I don't think I'm defending it - I don't want to see any of it - but I am giving it a place it deserves. You make it seem as if this cheating comes spontaneously, and that's something we obviously completely disagree with. It's simply not true. Well not as a team anyway (like you imply) - someone like Alves is a serial diver, none of us are denying that.

Criticise Mourinho all you want but his delusion is at the very least equalled by Guardiola.

All Guardiola has done wrong imo was to react to Mourinho's personal attack on him. At the time I thought it was a sign of weakness, but it turned out well.

I am criticising Mourinho, not for his defensive tactics (no matter how lame it is to play 3 DM's at home) but for all his efforts to try make it impossible for football to be played - mainly the bullying on and off the ball, but also the insults off the field. The man has absolutely no class and is a horrible example for future coaches. Naming Guardiola in his rant last week was really low (seriously wtf can Guardiola do about decisions going our way?), coming up with the Unicef conspiracy theory was ridiculous, and running onto the field last season flipping the bird around and then "celebrating" in front of the main stand was just below anything you can imagine. Coincidence that some of the world's greatest coaches like Hitzfeld and Hiddink + former Real great Di Stefano have criticised him so openly this week? According to Mijatovic the board aren't even in support of him anymore.

Saw this in Sid Lowe's tweet quoting Cristiano Ronaldo

"Mascherano wasn't like this in Liverpool. He learned all the cheating tricks in Barcelona"

Cristiano Ronaldo

Nice attempt to try cover up his completely self-centered idiocy. It was a surprise and a complete coincidence that the ball got to Higuain in the first place. If CR wouldn't have taken a dive after the minimal contact with Pique, he'd never have fallen onto Mascherano. It is such a clear foul - he lands with his back onto Mascherano's right ankle (his foot instantly clips against his left heel), there was such a clear shot of it on tv. No dive, no screw up by the ref, keep complaining Real

By the way, all the drama that went on before the game did have its effect. You can forgive De Bleeckere for not seeing Adebayor's blatant kick against Busquets (you can't see everything and let's be honest here, Busquets deserved it ) but he was clearly too scared to send off Carvalho and once again Diarra got away with a whole lot as well.

 

[CakeEater]

Taped the game and set out to watch it.
My Observations
Sheesh both sides went down more often then Uncle Junior from the Sopranos.
Would have sent Carvalho off in the 1st Half for 2 out of the 4 challenges he did in the 1st Half
I enjoy the way Barca comes out and passes the ball, but the ugly side of their game is the way they (and RM) were quick to flop to the ground see Mascherano
Would have been interesting had they let play go when Higuain put the ball into the back of the net from a neutral's persepctive, most games that isnt called for a free kick

 

[Jolldo87]

Saw this in Sid Lowe's tweet quoting Cristiano Ronaldo

"Mascherano wasn't like this in Liverpool. He learned all the cheating tricks in Barcelona"

He's right though. I've only seen a few highlights but the way he went down after Ronaldo fell on him was laughable.

As CakeEater mentioned in most times that would've been allowed to be a goal.

Also couldn't believe Adebayor didn't pick up a yellow for his challenge on Mascherano.

 

[Kompany]

Mate, it doesn't matter "how" Mascherano went down after the contact. He was in full sprint towards the ball, was closest to it, would've gotten to it first, but because of the contact CR made he wouldn't have. Clear foul, there's nothing else to say about it - I can't even believe you're thinking that should've been allowed.

 

[Jolldo87]

Mate, it doesn't matter "how" Mascherano went down after the contact. He was in full sprint towards the ball, was closest to it, would've gotten to it first, but because of the contact CR made he wouldn't have. Clear foul, there's nothing else to say about it - I can't even believe you're thinking that should've been allowed.

I know it doesn't matter how he went down, that's not the point I was making.

I agree it's a foul and i've got no problem with it being paid. However, you'll often see similar thing goes unpunished. On another day the goal would have stood.

 

[Bourky23]

strong lack of YS is strong

 

[Zidane98]

Jose Mourinho truly is Guardiola's bitch!! Another win for Barca. Mourinho cannot cope with Barca and will be fired at the end of this season after failing to yet again win a major trophy.

 

[Hawthorn United]

Copa del Rey not considered a major trophy? They won it last season.

If you don't consider it a major trophy, then the loss this morning wouldn't matter.

They have a nice break at the top of the league at the moment so can't be writing them off.

 

[Kompany]

This morning's dominance was remarkable though. The 1-2 scoreline really didn't reflect what happened on the field + most of all, Real played like a bunch of thugs, completely out of ideas and obviously very deeply frustrated.

They'll win la liga but clearly not because they're the better team. They're the hungrier, more focused and more consistent one, that's why they win close to all their games while we drop points more regularly. Don't mind them winning the title really, these head to head matches make up for all of that.

If Mourinho gets sacked, it'll be because he gives Real a bad image. This morning they were a random bunch of thugs, not unlike late last season.

 

[Magma]

slept through it, good to see abidal score after all his trouble. pepe is an absolute oxygen thief and scum. jose cant seem to cope with barca. coentrao in the midfield, playing altintop/carvalho, some of it doesnt make sense.

jose getting sacked would be so dumb, there's no one good enough to replace him. however their not exactly known as patient.

 

[apollo_creed]

Jose Mourinho truly is Guardiola's bitch!! Another win for Barca. Mourinho cannot cope with Barca and will be fired at the end of this season after failing to yet again win a major trophy.

you ever get sick of being wrong?

 

[strauchanie59]

Why in hell would they sack Jose? They are coming 1st in the league and look like staying there...they have the squad to win the title and they are finally reaching their potential.

WorldCup2022OZ - Real are looking the more likely to win the title at this stage...think before you post...he cannot cope with 1 team who have the best player in the world, etc, every manager is going to struggle against a team like Barca, but Real are taking their chances against the other sides, hence why they are 1st. Barca are not and find themselves in 2nd.

 

[manureid]

Why in hell would they sack Jose? They are coming 1st in the league and look like staying there...they have the squad to win the title and they are finally reaching their potential.

WorldCup2022OZ - Real are looking the more likely to win the title at this stage...think before you post...he cannot cope with 1 team who have the best player in the world, etc, every manager is going to struggle against a team like Barca, but Real are taking their chances against the other sides, hence why they are 1st. Barca are not and find themselves in 2nd.

Bolded bits for teh lulz.....

 

[Bourky23]

Ah yes, you see results aren't everything for clubs like Real and Barca

Madrid could finish 38-0 but if they parked the bus and won every game 1-0 on the counter, it's fair to say the manager wouldn't last long.

 

[strauchanie59]

Ah yes, you see results aren't everything for clubs like Real and Barca

Madrid could finish 38-0 but if they parked the bus and won every game 1-0 on the counter, it's fair to say the manager wouldn't last long.

I know, if I was CEO of Real and that happened no doubt I would sack Jose..but they do play attractive football which brings the crowds...shutting up shop and winning 1-0, as you said, doesn't bring fans, makes fans unhappy and then it's a no brainer to fire the manager.

 

[Magma]

madrid will likely win the league but the league hardly matters to madrid anymore. they're desperate to win the champions league and will likely continue to go through managers until they get it. jose could win every game in the league, the copa del rey, but lose in the semi's to barca and there's every chance he could be fired. hell, there's a chance he could be fired if they won the champions league.

 

[Kompany]

More and more Real fans are actually resigning to the fact that beating us (and it's not really about beating us, because they can, they've done it last season in the copa final - it's about being better than us) is just not going to be possible right now.

Without trying to sound arrogant, this Barcelona team is bloody good, and imo considerably to a whole lot better than a few seasons ago. Our midfield is almost unseen really, and that really shows against Real. Mourinho's tactics so far have been closing the shop, letting the butchers loose and pressing high. The high pressing has been really effective and lead to an early goal in December (and should've lead to a 2nd) but they could only keep up with it for half an hour or so. Turn it into any direction you want, we have outplayed them in most games under Mourinho.

The everyone in defense tactic (this morning quite a few times all of their players were behind the halfway circle, at the Bernabeu!) and bully the shit out of the opponents can work, and don't forget they still have every chance of knocking us out of the CL if things go their way (just like Chelsea or Bayern or anyone really can knock us out), but that's not what the Real fans and board (and sponsors) want. They'll probably accept it once, because we've won 3 CL's since their last one, but immediately after they'll start demanding to win in style, like they've always done and like we do now.

Like Bourky mentioned, both Barcelona and Real have not become the clubs they are because of winning things only. When I was young, Barcelona hardly won anything in Europe, but they were famous for their football.

Real would've been best off probably had they managed to sign Wenger back in the day. But he would probably have been sacked on the way. For Barcelona, the consistency has been paying off. Players coming out of youth teams who play a similar style to the first team and (apart from quite a number of failed purchases) some really good additions like Alves and Sanchez.

Guardiola is a legend for keeping this squad hungry for more and Hleb only this week said that the secret to Barcelona is that every single player plays 100% for the team.

 

[Zidane98]

you ever get sick of being wrong?

No, perhaps you could tell us how that feels? Mourinho knows because he continually gets outplayed tactically when Barca meat Real.