Champions League Discussion Thread

[Roi]

No comment. But 90 minutes on the bernabeu are really long. Unlike barca we need 3-0 barca needs 5-0

 

[Roi]

arn't man utd one of the favs to sign lebwindowski? If so OH SHIT! Rvp and him as a strikerforce is gunna be lethal

Munich is going to sign him. Like 80%

 

[Crayo]

Not seen a good source for Bayern getting Lewandowski, so I won't believe that yet.

 

[Crayo]

So glad Lewandowski did that tonight, I've been a fanboy for a while now. God knows why Barca haven't made an attempt to sign him in the last couple of windows, he's the kind of striker they are crying out for.

How are they? Messi is their striker, and their whole play is based around him. Big strikers do not work at Barcelona.

 

[Roi]

Not seen a good source for Bayern getting Lewandowski, so I won't believe that yet.

I've read it on multiple sport pages. 40 millions €

 

[Crayo]

Source

Good source

 

[Rysenberg]

How are they? Messi is their striker, and their whole play is based around him. Big strikers do not work at Barcelona.

And having no plan B isn't working for Barca. A skillful, goalscoring striker who can hold the ball up brilliantly works at any team. Most of the time when they were under Guardiola they had a powerful striker at least in the reserves, and it massively helped them (aside from last year if my memory serves me correct). Teams have realised that they just need to blame extremely tight against Barca, as if they ever ping a ball in it isn't gonna threaten: if they had the option to put balls in to a guy like Lewandowski, it would force teams to play wider at that back and it may, in turn, allow them to have some space in the middle for Messi to tear them apart.

 

[Crayo]

Lewandowski is far too good to be a plan B. He will not be a reserve for anyone, even barcelona. Zlatan did nothing for Barca really. Bara have been and are successful on their own philosophy. They need a plan B, but Lewandowski isn't that.

 

[Rysenberg]

Lewandowski is far too good to be a plan B. He will not be a reserve for anyone, even barcelona. Zlatan did nothing for Barca really. Bara have been and are successful on their own philosophy. They need a plan B, but Lewandowski isn't that.

Then they need to adapt their game to fit him into their plan A for the reasons stated above IMO. I honestly think had Guardiola been in charge Lewandowski would be at Barca and playing weekly. The Zlatan situation was strange but from the impression I get he and Guardiola's personalities clashed somewhat.

 

[Crayo]

Lol god no. Where would Messi go? Guardiola was in charge, and he had Zlatan, and Zlatan was a bench warmer. Guardiola emphasised the philosophy Barca are playing now, and Tito has almost identical managerial techniques as him (for obvious reasons). You think Guardiola moves Messi for Lewandowski? :haha:

 

[Rysenberg]

Lol god no. Where would Messi go? Guardiola was in charge, and he had Zlatan, and Zlatan was a bench warmer. Guardiola emphasised the philosophy Barca are playing now, and Tito has almost identical managerial techniques as him (for obvious reasons). You think Guardiola moves Messi for Lewandowski? :haha:

Messi can still play the free role easily. Lewandowski can be the big number 9 whilst Messi can take advantage of the space Lewa creates for him. As I say, the Zlatan thing was due to a clash of personalities from what Ibra has had to say since. Lewa could play a similar role to Eto'o back in the day. If he were to do as SIMILAR job to that then Barca would be unstoppable.

 

[Crayo]

They would miss a winger, and wing play is crucial to Barca's set up. The Zlatan thing wasn't due to anything. He played quite a lot, sometimes started, and just could not get into platy. He didn't fit into the style, and neither would Lewandowski. Lewandowski would do better than Zlatan I think, but not as good. Eto and Lewan are completely different, but to allow a role like that,. Messi has to go wide. Messi was RW when Eto was ST. Now Messi is the CF of Barcelona - the most important position.

 

[Rysenberg]

They would miss a winger, and wing play is crucial to Barca's set up. The Zlatan thing wasn't due to anything. He played quite a lot, sometimes started, and just could not get into platy. He didn't fit into the style, and neither would Lewandowski. Lewandowski would do better than Zlatan I think, but not as good. Eto and Lewan are completely different, but to allow a role like that,. Messi has to go wide. Messi was RW when Eto was ST. Now Messi is the CF of Barcelona - the most important position.

Sacrificing a winger is obviously a downside, but if the winger stays on he's got nobody to cross the ball to. That game against Celtic really epitomizes that for me, they had guys in what most teams would consider great wide positions, without anything to do other than pass it back centrally in the hope Messi/whoever else could do something with it. Sacrificing a winger to have Lewa up front makes absolute sense to me. Real are doing it to an extent - although I guess Ronaldo a lot wider than Messi would in my suggested formation.

 

[Crayo]

One game means nothing. Barca have flopped before during their incredible dominant streak as well. Their issues isn't really having a plan b, it's just their football is not as crisp as it was, and other teams have got used to it now. You wouldn't last as a Barca manager lol. I don't think you get their philosophy, and how important the wingers are too their football, despite them not crossing the ball.

The system depends on it being a 4-3-3 false 9, and you can't have two false 9's without sacrificing a winger. Messi isn't the sort who needs a big partner, and would probably do more damage. Their system relies on Messi being the CF we know and love. They dominated both the CL and BBVA this year, until the semi-final, so their issues aren't as big as you think imo. On their day, they are still the best team in the world.

 

[Rysenberg]

One game means nothing. Barca have flopped before during their incredible dominant streak as well. Their issues isn't really having a plan b, it's just their football is not as crisp as it was, and other teams have got used to it now. You wouldn't last as a Barca manager lol. I don't think you get their philosophy, and how important the wingers are too their football, despite them not crossing the ball.

The system depends on it being a 4-3-3 false 9, and you can't have two false 9's without sacrificing a winger. Messi isn't the sort who needs a big partner, and would probably do more damage. Their system relies on Messi being the CF we know and love. They dominated both the CL and BBVA this year, until the semi-final, so their issues aren't as big as you think imo. On their day, they are still the best team in the world.

Of course I wouldn't, I'm an unqualified, tactically inept, Blue and blatanly overweight Scotsman who watches a bunch of fucking dribblers in green shirts attempt to kick the ball every week. But I'm sticking by opinion on this one lmao.

Even a smaller guy would be something. If they were to play Villa slightly in front of Messi in order to create space for him it would help so much. I get their whole philosophy and that, but it doesn't mean that Lewa or any other big, talented striker wouldn't do a job for them.