Champions' League 2013/4

This second semi final should have been ecstasy for those who found last night's snooze fest, entertaining.
But who knows just how exhilarating it must have been for some to witness a goalkeeper gathering yet another ball out of the sky with his name written on it, or to watch one of the world's most expensive teams, defend like Norway in their heyday and that was sometimes Norway defending a goal defeat.
But the thrill of a Ronaldo assist just does pales into comparison with a centre half rising to nudge an attacker in the back away from the ball.

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Originally Posted by geysir

This second semi final should have been ecstasy for those who found last night's snooze fest, entertaining.

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I found the Chelsea game more intriguing than entertaining. The same Atletico side could have scored any amount in the previous round against Barca but Chelsea put the shackles on them. I don't really agree with Stutts that it was a basic parking the bus exercise, they just didn't have enough on the break to make it the perfect away performance. I think they were set up quite similarly to the night they won 1-0 at City, but they broke a lot quicker that night. Hazard really is a key player for them. There is nothing wrong with a team playing to their strengths and Chelsea's obvious strength is being able to defend well.

The match last night was brilliant. I'm not sure I've ever seen a game where it could be argued both teams dominated... Bayern dominated possession and territory, Real dominated the chances and played the more incisive football. 1-0 was probably the only outcome that makes it very unclear as to who is in the driving seat. Bayern will know they're well capable of winning by two, but they may need to score three or four to do so. First goal is massive.

Jose Mourinho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgQld_0vyEU

Have to say I like Mourinho, always makes it hard for the opposition, much prefer it to that ticci takki Guardiola stuff tbh

I think tactically he's generally a good (or effective) tactician, people talk about parking the bus but he can also set out a team to go for it. An example is the PSG 2nd leg also in his first spell at Chelsea his team was involved in good games vs Barca and Liverpool where you couldnt really say he was overly negative in those games. At Inter he was attacking in the 2010 home match vs Barca and also against Chelsea in the round before, and in the middle of that they played Juve and he put out an attacking team as well. He does tend to err on the side of caution especially in big games, this season you could argue he was a bit too negative the night before last and also in the away league games at Old Trafford and Arsenal (he went for 0-0s when the games were winnable).

I do think he ties himself in knots with some of the stuff he says, offering an opinion when he'd be much wiser saying nothing or a Guardiola-esque banal platitude. And certainly the stuff he has said about his strikers (Torres not good enough, Etoo too old) doesnt seem condusive to team coheasion.

Yeah I'd agree with all of that. He's a proper manager, analyses where the opposition are strong and potentially weak. I'd have much more faith in him going to Anfield the next day than I had in Pellegrini, for example. He'll respect what Liverpool have been doing well and try to counteract it. I get the impression Pellegrini just tells his players to go out and play football. Then again, the one variation in his tactics all season backfired spectacularly against Barcelona, that was probably a game where he should have told his players just to go for it, given how vulnerable Barca have looked since.

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

Have to say I like Mourinho, always makes it hard for the opposition, much prefer it to that ticci takki Guardiola stuff tbh

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I much preferred Benitez's cautious approach with Chelsea than Mourinho. Benitez caution was not that dissimilar to Ancelotti, a varied tactical game, pressed high, disturb the pattern of opposition playing out from the back, other times sit back and allow them to get cosy with their pattern then inject a period of pressing and at least have a threat of a counter attack game. A structure of caution and attack which allowed for many variables.
Mourinho strips the defence game down to the minimal, ultimately having no ambition, threat or guile to score. How can that be more attractive than watching the most dynamic attacking midfield duo of Xavi and Iniesta, along with Messi? 3 of the most acclaimed football geniuses of all time. probably you would have been bored out of your pants witnessing Cruyff or Best prancing their arts:)
Chelsea's game was about getting a nil all result, marginally better than watching a defensive set up before the back pass rule came in.

But I think if Mourinho has an opportunity to play an attacking team he will. He's deployed players like Oscar, Willian and Hazard (sometimes all 3 at once) but he does tend to only do it in matches against "weaker" teams - in big games he tends to revert to caution, especially in the CL knockouts, and if he doesnt have Eto'o fit it's 50/50 if he'll start with a striker at all.

One of the things that is often negelected about Barca playing with Xavi, Messi, Iniesta (and to an extent 2 of Neymar, Pedro, Alexis Sanchez) is that the team is pivoted to a slightly lopsided extent for this to happen. You end up with converted DMs at center back (Mascherano) and defensivly suspect center backs (Pique) and to an extent full backs (Alves and Alba) making up the back line. Even the regular keeper (Valdez) is probably better at sweeping and distributing than he is at orthodox goalkeeping. Sometimes it can be very nice to watch and this attacking backline pushes right up beyond the halfway line meaning the whole game is played in one half of the pitch; and against middle of the road teams it can be deadly (Barca go one up and the opposition suffocate in their own half) but they have spectacularly run out of ideas in games against big teams (vs Inter 2010 and Chelsea 2012 they were a man up with over half the second leg to play) and the lack of genuine defensive grit can leave them exposed to quick counters and set pieces (Bayern last year and Celtic springs to mind).

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Originally Posted by geysir

I much preferred Benitez's cautious approach with Chelsea than Mourinho. Benitez caution was not that dissimilar to Ancelotti, a varied tactical game, pressed high, disturb the pattern of opposition playing out from the back, other times sit back and allow them to get cosy with their pattern then inject a period of pressing and at least have a threat of a counter attack game. A structure of caution and attack which allowed for many variables.
Mourinho strips the defence game down to the minimal, ultimately having no ambition, threat or guile to score. How can that be more attractive than watching the most dynamic attacking midfield duo of Xavi and Iniesta, along with Messi? 3 of the most acclaimed football geniuses of all time. probably you would have been bored out of your pants witnessing Cruyff or Best prancing their arts:)
Chelsea's game was about getting a nil all result, marginally better than watching a defensive set up before the back pass rule came in.

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Three world class players that I love, but kick the ball over that midfield and you have to deal with a duff of a defence:D

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

Jose Mourinho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgQld_0vyEU

Have to say I like Mourinho, always makes it hard for the opposition, much prefer it to that ticci takki Guardiola stuff tbh

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I read a good piece by Glenn Moore in The Indy on Thursday about the tactical battle between Bayern and Real. Apparently a German paper ran a cartoon. Bayern: tika taka tika taka tika taka tika taka tika taka. Then they showed a picture of the guy who squared the ball to Benzema: tik, then a picture of Benzema: TAK!

I think they made their point.

Bayern in meltdown mode - two free Sergio Ramos headers has them 3-0 down and needing at least four to progress.

3-0 now, it's a massacre. Xabi Alonso will miss the final after getting a ridiculous yellow card for hacking down Schweinsteiger from behind 35 yards from goal.

It was always going downhill for Germany, since they got busted earlier this month for cheating at the World Bridge final, now Bayern are imploding in an embarrassing manner.

Pity about Alonso and that tackle, shattering for him personally.

Shattering but what an idiot.

Idiocy doesn't come into it. He's not an idiot, he's a world class player who had a bad 3 seconds and will live with that for years.

edit. They should have it, if a player stays on the pitch for the 2nd semi final, then he should be allowed to play in the final.
Take the suspension in the first CL game next season.

You would wonder why there's no amnesty for the second leg.

Didn't Roy miss a CL final for a yellow?

Sin é,
Roy was able to offer good practical advice to Alonso during the half time, TG4 style on-pitch pundit get together, 'to get over it and get his head down and play for the team'.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Idiocy doesn't come into it. He's not an idiot, he's a world class player who had a bad 3 seconds and will live with that for years.

edit. They should have it, if a player stays on the pitch for the 2nd semi final, then he should be allowed to play in the final.
Take the suspension in the first CL game next season.

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He has form. Against Dortmund he nearly jeopardised their whole involvement in the competition, when he was blessed to escape a second yellow when Real were on the ropes. Tonight's was a needless, indisciplined lunge under any circumstances, but just outrageous in these circumstances. It's a shame as he's one of those universally liked players and vital for Real, but yeah, I think it was pretty stupid.

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Originally Posted by Crosby87

Didn't Roy miss a CL final for a yellow?

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He did indeed, but he got his yellow when United were still losing the tie and he went on to inspire a victory and score (that might have been before the yellow though, I'm not sure). Alonso's side were four plus the away goal to the good.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

He has form. Against Dortmund he nearly jeopardised their whole involvement in the competition, when he was blessed to escape a second yellow when Real were on the ropes. Tonight's was a needless, indisciplined lunge under any circumstances, but just outrageous in these circumstances. It's a shame as he's one of those universally liked players and vital for Real, but yeah, I think it was pretty stupid.

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It's funny because I remember reading an interview with Alonso a few years back where he poured scorn on the English idea that tackling is an art form to be proud of, when in reality it means you've failed by getting yourself in a compromising position. This was an instance where Real were pretty comfortable and he still went for the inadvisable tackle, which suggests he might have benefit from a bit more of the English mentality.

I thought it obvious that he was afflicted with a flashback, a rush of the good ol' fashioned English.