Comments on: An Ode to Barcelona

By: Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:43:42 +0000

Yeah, Messi has shown his true colors as of late.

By: BD Condell

BD Condell — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:32:26 +0000

@Alex: Justice has NOT been served. With 30% possession Chelsea dominated Barca and should have scored 2 or 3, penalties aside. 3 of the penalty shouts were jutified.

All you idiots who talk about the ‘beautiful game’ know nothing about tactics and the balance between defence and attack, drawing your opponents, who only know one way of playing, onto to you and exploiting their weakness, in this case defence.

I lost count of the number of 1 on 1s and 2 on 2s Chelsea’s forwards had. On another night they would have buried Barca and with another ref they should have.

In 4 games against the 2 best defences in Europe Messi has been absolutely toothless.

Great teams are about balance between defence, midfield and attack. Utd and Chelsea have that, Barca don’t.

Utd will expose them for what they are in Rome.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:12:04 +0000

Justice has been served.

By: Sheldon S

Sheldon S — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:44:54 +0000

I wonder how chelsea plans to win playing a 10-0-0 formation?? oh wait thats right hope barca doesn’t score go to penalties and get lucky…..oh wait that might work in barca’s favor if terry is gonna take a pk he’ll just choke again like in last year’s final haha
GO BARCA SHOW CHELSEA HOW TO PLAY THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

By: Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:21:23 +0000

I like Chelsea’s defense and defensive/center mids, but I can’t say that I’ve ever been to impressed with their offense… off-topic.

By: ish

ish — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:44:52 +0000

actually fortminor its about tactics. Sure chelsea could have gone out and attacked, but with a make shift left back against the best player in the world and playing away from home in one of the biggest stadiums in the world packed with barce fans in a pitch purpose made for barce’s football wouldnt be the smartest thing to do.
Chelsea played to their strength’s their defense and drogba, they nearly got a goal from it so you cant say they played any worse than barce just different. Chelsea’s style of play is all about quick counters and width to stretch the defense, barce’s is all about forcing the opposing teams defensive line further up the pitch and then slipping a ball through the middle or using the flanks to bombard the defense. I think the idea that barce play an amazing style is based on the idea the possession play is the ideal of football. The problem with possession play is that it gives you maybe 4 attacking chances in a game max against top opposition, they will probably be done in a way that it will be a tap in but still 4 chances. Chelsea style of play though gives you around 15 chances in a game with only about a third being anything remotely at goal, but in a law of averages means that chelsea gets 1 more shot on target then barce does. Thats why the new brazilian teams are all about speed and counters because they have found its the most effective way to consistently win. When pressing play became important the fullbacks and wingers became the main avenues to score, chelsea’s style is such that it the most effecient way of winning, manU are no different and arsenal when they have all their players with them are not that different either, playing mainly on the wings and playing the ball to adebayor.

By: fortminor

fortminor — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:26:02 +0000

EDIT: if you can’t play offensively against your opponent but you play defensively and wait for counterattack, that is not about different styles of play – it’s about quality!

By: fortminor

fortminor — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:11:28 +0000

said by Sid: “andrew…shut your trap man….chelsea played a great game at nou camp…they are two different teams with two different styles….you are more attracted to the beauty that barca potray…thats the only reason you are writing this…”

read again before posting. how can you say chelsea played great game at nou camp?? great game means exciting game, game when you put your opponent under a pressure, game when you are not outclassed by your opponent. by this criteria, barca is the only team that played the great game that evening.
chelsea’s style of play isn’t defensive, neither is barca’s. but that night chelsea played the way they don’t usually do. why? it’s obvious – barca is a better team. barca still played the way the always do and chelsea changed the way they play the game. chelsea just couldn’t make a good action because barca dictated the match and dominated in the middle.

if you can’t play offensively against your opponent but you play defensively and wait for counterattack, then it’s not about different styles of play – it’s about quality!

By: Brian W

Brian W — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:10:36 +0000

What a hypocritical piece of trash. Barcelona spends as much money as everyone, and even is rumored to be doling out top dollar for Ribery this summer.. Spare me the “terrible injustices” committed by Chelsea with their chequebook.

I didn’t hear anyne complaining last year when United parked behind the ball at Nou Camp and got their nil-nil; why is it such a big deal now?

Shit article from a gloryhunting Barca fan who won’t be mesmerized by their football anymore in two years and will switch allegiance to a team in red.

By: Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:33:21 +0000

1. Barca is not “everything good” in soccer.
2. Chelsea is not “everything bad” in soccer.
3. Barca is not the best team ever.
4. Barca might play beautiful football, but English clubs play efficient and effective football.
5. There is more to soccer than winning, but in the end, it comes down to winning.

As if we need another “Ode to Barcelona”.