Barca 0-Espanyol 0, a.k.a. “Making Kameni look good”
Barca 0-Espanyol 0, a.k.a. “Making Kameni look good”
Let’s just give him a pedicure, a nap and a bottle while we’re at it. Repeat after me: If you shoot the damned ball where the keeper is, he’s probably going to make the save. Make sense? Feel better now? Good. Now. This match had the stink of a 0-0 just oozing from its pores. It was [...]
Let’s just give him a pedicure, a nap and a bottle while we’re at it. Repeat after me:
If you shoot the damned ball where the keeper is, he’s probably going to make the save.
Make sense? Feel better now? Good.
Now. This match had the stink of a 0-0 just oozing from its pores. It was clear that Espanyol had zero interest in scoring a goal, or doing anything except keeping what they came in with. Shameful, but that’s what makes this beautiful game ugly sometimes.
Barcelona 0 - 0 ManU: Stalemate in Spain Edition
So what’s to say about a game that ended 0-0 with few shots on goal? Well, first, thank you for missing that penalty Cronaldo. That’s the first thing. The second thing is to scratch my head and wonder how it is that Barcelona didn’t score. The third and final thought I have is a little [...]
So what’s to say about a game that ended 0-0 with few shots on goal? Well, first, thank you for missing that penalty Cronaldo. That’s the first thing. The second thing is to scratch my head and wonder how it is that Barcelona didn’t score. The third and final thought I have is a little more long-winded and deals with tactics. And isn’t really a singular thought at all, but a full-fledged review.
The starting lineup was an adventure, that’s for sure: Valdes, Zambrotta, Marquez, Milito, Abidal, Toure, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Messi, Eto’o. That sort of formation isn’t something you see out of Frank Rijkaard every day and were it not for Deco’s lack of match fitness, I would have been very much in favor of such a lineup. As it was, it worked out fairly well, except for the times when Deco was obviously a little out of sorts, couldn’t link up with his teammates, and lost the ball in important positions. That’s to be expected, though, and I don’t mean for that comment to come off as derogatory towards Deco at all. I understand full well that Rijkaard is playing with what he’s got, but it just smacks of bad timing to throw Deco out there for his first game since March 4.
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State of the Liga Address
We have what amounts to a minibreak in Barcelona’s schedule as we wait for Espanyol’s arrival at the Camp Nou on Saturday (moved up from Sunday, FYI, due to the demands of the upcoming Champions League semifinal with ManU), so I thought I’d do a full league breakdown of where things stand with 6 matches [...]
We have what amounts to a minibreak in Barcelona’s schedule as we wait for Espanyol’s arrival at the Camp Nou on Saturday (moved up from Sunday, FYI, due to the demands of the upcoming Champions League semifinal with ManU), so I thought I’d do a full league breakdown of where things stand with 6 matches remaining.
Let’s go ahead and start off at the top, where Barcelona currently lies. It’s not exactly a dogfight for first, but someone’s going to have to take it and currently Real Madrid are in the top spot, 9 points up on Barcelona and 10 points up on Villarreal. The fourth Champions League spot is currently held by Atlético Madrid, 5 points behind Villarreal and only 1 point ahead of Racing Santander and 3 points ahead of Sevilla. That rounds out the UEFA Cup spots, after which there is a 6 point drop to Almeria in 7th. We can really discount them from European competition, I think, as you’ll see from the calculations/random guesses below.
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The Pipe is a grim thing
I wasn’t aware that crack was such a problem in Europe. I know that I’ve said this before but really….it’s just getting too big to ignore. The evidence? 1. Chelsea manager Avram Grant said in a press conference that he wants Kaka AND Messi next season. Now, he was smiling as he said it, because that’s [...]
I wasn’t aware that crack was such a problem in Europe. I know that I’ve said this before but really….it’s just getting too big to ignore. The evidence?
1. Chelsea manager Avram Grant said in a press conference that he wants Kaka AND Messi next season. Now, he was smiling as he said it, because that’s what the evil drug does to you. Makes you all happy and crazy and stuff. He said:
“Willi it take a flair player like Kaka or Messi? I will not reject that one of those names will be here.”
Gnus you all can use, including Brazilians and Frenchmen
Guess who’s coming to dinner at Old Trafford? Yes, lads and ladettes, it’s already been announced: Thierry Henry will be getting the start at Old Trafford next Tuesday, because of his fine legacy of bedeviling the Red Devils. Woot! No word on the rest of the starting lineup, but I’m already excited.
Guess who’s coming to dinner at Old Trafford?
Yes, lads and ladettes, it’s already been announced: Thierry Henry will be getting the start at Old Trafford next Tuesday, because of his fine legacy of bedeviling the Red Devils. Woot! No word on the rest of the starting lineup, but I’m already excited.
Barca v Man U, a.k.a. “The Big One” 1:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2
You know why this man is smiling? Because he is thinking about getting in some Red Devil ass, that’s why. Because this is it. The real deal, and he is the most pivotal player on the pitch for so many reasons, but most importantly, because they can’t score if they don’t have the ball. If [...]
You know why this man is smiling? Because he is thinking about getting in some Red Devil ass, that’s why. Because this is it. The real deal, and he is the most pivotal player on the pitch for so many reasons, but most importantly, because they can’t score if they don’t have the ball. If we are playing our possession game well, Yaya is a pivotal part, with his intelligent passes out of the back, deft footwork and physical presence.
Barcelona - ManU Liveblog
Daryl of the Offside homepage will be doing a Liveblog of the game, so feel free to stop by and check it out. I already linked it once, but in case you didn’t know what the blue, underlined letters were, here it is again. As always, check out the Where to Watch page to find out [...]
Daryl of the Offside homepage will be doing a Liveblog of the game, so feel free to stop by and check it out. I already linked it once, but in case you didn’t know what the blue, underlined letters were, here it is again.
As always, check out the Where to Watch page to find out where other cules are currently drinking heavily and shouting at televisions.
Barca v Deportivo La Coruna, or “She’s warming up….” Saturday, 1 p.m. CT, GolTV
Well, her song isn’t done, but you have to wonder. We’re in third place, one point behind Villarreal and eleven behind the Evil Empire, with five matches left to go. That’s fifteen points. Barring a massive collapse, alien abductions and the like, that’s a lotta points to make up, even if you count the three [...]
Well, her song isn’t done, but you have to wonder. We’re in third place, one point behind Villarreal and eleven behind the Evil Empire, with five matches left to go. That’s fifteen points. Barring a massive collapse, alien abductions and the like, that’s a lotta points to make up, even if you count the three we’re going to get at the Bernabeu.
Right now, I hope we’re thinking that “fewer matches are better” next season, and will play to overtake Villarreal for the automatic Champions League spot.
But standing in our way is Deportivo La Coruna.
Good news: I think we’re back, everyone
From the mouths of lions, no less. El Capitan, our penya, Carles Puyol, had some very interesting things to say after the Recreativo draw. “We need to think hard about this,” said Puyol. “We do the hard part, getting a lead, and then we stop creating chances. We have to get better in this respect because [...]
From the mouths of lions, no less. El Capitan, our penya, Carles Puyol, had some very interesting things to say after the Recreativo draw.
“We need to think hard about this,” said Puyol. “We do the hard part, getting a lead, and then we stop creating chances. We have to get better in this respect because when we take the lead our opponents ought to open up.”
“There are a lot of experienced players in the dressing room and we have to improve.”
Yes! The captain is calling out his mates, right? It’s as simple as that, or is it?
Victor Valdes, simultaneous hero and goat, said of the Recre match, “You can’t blame the ref.”
Exactly.
