When Bayern beat Arsenal they were singing Roll Out The Barrel. Now they're getting battered by Real it's We're Not Going To Take It by Twisted Sister. Weird.
I have long disagreed with the "play off" between the top 4 in RFU's premier league. To me, it makes a mockery of what winning a league is all about, I.e. Consistency. As we have all seen in football, any team in the premiership can beat any other on a given day. That, however, should not be what being the best over an entire season should be about. That accolade should go to the team that has achieved the most over the course of the season. It's all done to make more filthy lucre, of course. But, it's wrong, all the same.
I agree. It's one reason I care more about the PL than the American leagues. That and the fact that football teams actually play the f**king game instead of doing very little but stand around while more commercials run. There's been more destructions than last year at all levels, if I rely on the carefully calculated analysis of my gut instinct. Getting mullered is typically the result of trying to play an attacking style against a better side, so I'm not that bothered. I'd be more bothered to see us parking the bus like Chelsea. 4-0. Hey, maybe Guardiola will be available. If we would take him.
4-0...and total humiliation for Bayern and Guardiola. They are going to absolutely love this around here. In fact, I can hear the fireworks going off now ( The Spanish love a firework)
Too my mind, this says quite a bit about Guardiola. It seems that he has tried to adapt his players to play his idea of how the game should be played. What has been successful for him. Instead, surely he should have looked at the playing staff at his disposal and adapted his tactics to utilise their strong points. Bayern are not Barca!...
"Too my mind, this says quite a bit about Guardiola. It seems that he has tried to adapt his players to play his idea of how the game should be played." This is the question being asked all season. Would he augment the already decent Munich machine with the best things about the Barca game. Or would he Barca-fy that machine. Tis looking like the latter at the moment.
That was an incredible performance from Real. Yeah Bayern didn't defend well(you sacrifice some of that with the style of play) and they lacked quality in attack but that was all about Real for me. I've never seen them defend so well for a start, in the past Real would have been clumsy, give away penalties and lose their cool in the face of a passing side but they were brilliant in both legs making sure Bayern had to produce a special moment if they were to ever hit the back of the net. Up front we know what they can do but it's a big blow that Alonso's out of the final because they looked like they struck gold with that midfield trio. You expect a Guardiola team to pass the ball quickly and open teams up but ever since the first half of the first leg they've struggled to get anywhere near the tempo and pressure they like to create. All tonight, it was Madrid's midfield doing the pressing and forcing nerves into the opposition and as unorthodox as playing 2 playmakers and a winger(I know he's played in midfield a lot this season) in midfield, it worked perfectly.
Yes, and it clearly isn't working. It may have been enough to walk a fairly uncompetitive German league, but against the best sides in Europe - and, in this case, one who have seen it all before, it falls decidedly short.
Heynkes stock went way up while Guardiola's was plunging. The latter is looking like someone who didn't really understand that the Barca way won't work outside Barca.
This what a good manager should do, but there is so much hype around the modern game some of these managers believe they are the key and their game is all important. Pullis has shown them all the way, adapting his football to the players he has and the conditions they play under.
And Modric put in an amazing performance - defensively and creatively. Almost enough to make you want to cry....... If only.........
Almost every poster on here thinks that tactics are unimportant and playing to your players' strengths is required. Is there actually any evidence for this? I believe the exact opposite: all high class players have a very good skill set and what is important is how the team plays. Martinez has almost exactly the same group of players that Moyes had but has them set up a completely different way with more success. Guardiola has won everything else they've been in at a canter and now has the wrong policy because he ran into a stupendous Real Madrid performance?
