Did anyone watch the Chelsea v Barcelona match last night? I have to say one thing that stuck out above all else for me. The way Chelsea played it was so obvious that they have been watching videos of Argyle this season and clearly Fletcher is a tactical genius aped by even top premiership sides. Defend defend defend whilst lumping balls upfield. Sneak a goal against all the run of play and then repeat the defend defend defend and lump it up the field. It was like being at Home Park and really quite spooky. All you Fletcher detractors should go and appologise personally to the man.
COBBLERS.......or SHOEMAKERS.....sensible............if it had been a boxing match the Ref would have stopped it.........and not in Chelsea's favour.
No doubt Argyle will have to use the Chelsea Tactics for the Oxford game..for the European Cup or League survival...whatever works. look forward to reading the BBC Text..maybe next season i will invest in Argyle World..
Ah! but there is the rub plym. It was a football match and the tactics were perfect for the right result and on the night. Not how much you have the ball but what you do with it when you've got it. Records will show Chelsea 1 - 0 Barcelona
We have been using those tactics for most of the season AWAYINBC. Chelsea stole them which is where I get the Fletcher is a tactical genius bit from. Even Chelsea can see the merits in it and have adopted them. We did it first though.
I gather it has been raining pretty hard there..so a heavy pitch..what do you recon the gate will be..6000 or so? Do you think they are making money..or breaking even..i guess they are still paying the back wages..
Like to think 8K or so...the most important 3pts up for grabs in clubs history! Going back home to Malta in less than 3 wks for hols hoping to celebrate in style and give all those closet Utd fans a bit of stick....actually they have the biggest supporters club outside of the UK in Malta and it's the only thing wrong with the place! Would be great if some of you could make it too and the beers are on us as my Maltese/Canadian lady will back hoping to spoil me rotten...if you know what I mean!....later on down the road can put you up in our rental place as special guests on us.....if not been to Malta try it and probably will not want to leave the place, believe me!
But didn't the commentator say Barcelona "anaesthetise the game"? If you give them space in midfield, they'll kill you but if you get behind the ball, they'll pass endlessly and get nowhere. All that mattered was the result and the same is true for us against Oxford. We can worry about how we're going to win the league next year AFTER we're safe this season!
I never understand the criticism of teams when they defend in depth against Barcelona, to take them on in an open game is just suicide. Mourinho is a genius when he does it but with everyone else it is considered negative and spoiling tactics. Barcelona are brilliant when they have space but that does not mean you have to give them space and the 70 minutes of tic/tac passes across the midfield to me are soooo boring and with discipline and good shape not too hard to defend against. They are the best team around at the moment but do seem to lack a plan B on occasions.
The question is have Chelsea got a plan B when playing the second leg......they will be playing on a slightly bigger pitch.
I think Chelsea will struggle in Barcelona unless they get an early goal, maybe from a corner or freekick which Barca don't look to clever at defending. A key question will be the referee. Messi is a very honest player by today's standards but refs give him far too much protection because of his God-like status. I could see a red card if anyone has the temerity to tackle him. Then there are Alves and Busquets, two of the most infamous divers in the game if you ask me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3_ocUYu244 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENiYr4eG0xo
Sorry I forgot they do have a Plan B triple somersault with pike and reduce the opposition to 10 men. I think the longer Chelsea can hold them the better the chance of them grabbing a goal on the break. As NDG said I can see the ref playing a big part in this just hope he keeps his cards in his pocket when Biscuit starts his dramatics unless it is to book him for simulation.
By the time they play they will have had chance to have watched this weeks Argyle video and how to get a draw. I salute Fletcher as a tactical genius.................
Good grief sensible.....Fletcher got the tactics wrong this week........he must of had his notes upside down..........they should have scored with two minutes to go......not after two minutes of play.
Wash your mouth out Plym. Fletcher is a recognised genius and can do no wrong. He only allowed Oxford to equalise because they brough a decent amount of people to the ground and we needed the money. It was finances and nothing more.
Hopefully next season will see us playing attacking football. I think Fletcher deserves the chance to start the season, I say about 10 games and if he continues playing defensively he has to go!
And if we win the first 10 games 1 - 0 ???? I'm not really a Fletcher fan but say it quietly. I watched the Chelsea game and thought, albeit with a bit more skill etc, how similar it was to the way we have played for the last 10 games is all. But as we have been constantly reminded, this is a results driven business so does it matter how you get them in the end? We would all like to see Argyle playing other sides off the park and winning at a canter three/four nil every game but most of all we would love to see them just winning.
We won't because we will get that 1st goal and then sit back defending. We may not lose many but we won't win them like that either!
We might though and the scenario is that if we did, not saying we will but only if, then would his tactics be seen as that bad from the top of the league? No is the answer you are looking for by the way even if the football is boring. Now't like winning to colour the eyes green.
