El Clásico

[Joso]

I thought Marcelo was brilliant, as he has been in all the recent El Classico games. Messi did nothing for much of last night, it's only after the red card softened up Madrid that a gap appeared for him to burst into.

It was also an unfortunate slip on the turf from Marcelo which gifted Afellay half a yard to get past him and put the ball in for the opener.

 

Still, no doubting that Barca shift the ball around better than Madrid, and I think Ramos and Alonso hinder that team in that respect as they don't move around enough to offer to teammates under pressure, they prefer to sit and take the safe option.

 

Pepe is perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the World, fact. Barca knew what they were doing.

 

You know your football real well. :whistle:

[Red Phoenix]

It's not that good to watch Maureen's teams playing, but to be honest I've got no problems with seeing his sides play fairly against a team like Barca. He sets them out well, makes them amazingly organised, and I'm always wondering how Barca can go about trying to break them down.

 

For them it's like the hardest test they face, as Maureen proved with Inter. You've got the stylish team with mostly small and skillful players against almost the total opposite, big players set out defensively and well organised, and from a strategy angle it's great to see what happens.

 

The problems arrive when you have players like Pepe, who's got a bad snidey and outright bad fouling streak, (the sending off challenge last night + he stood on one of Messi's legs in one of the previous two games that could've been seriously bad if he'd gone in harder.) and Ramos, who's a great player but just seems to get almost instantly wound up against Barca. On an almost equal note you usually have Alves and Sergio diving around as if thin air has just smashed them in the face.

 

Would love to see both sides just play fairly and see who comes out on top. The strangest thing for me last night though was seeing Villa standing right out on the wing when Barca were attacking. He should really be allowed to move right into the area more when they're in that situation as he's one of the best in the world when he's in that position. It'd be kind of like seeing Eto'o stood out on the wing, or T*rres, just doesn't seem to make much sense at all.

 

I know they're doing it to allow Messi the space, but if Messi would swap with him at times and cut in more naturally from the wing they'd maybe be able to break teams like Real down easier, or at least have someone in the area ready for one of Messi's passes. At times last night Keita was standing where Villa should've been and it was odd.

[RoboRiise]

I see Jose is still as much of a classless cunt as he ever was.

 

Barcelona call board meeting to consider action over Mourinho tirade

 

Barcelona have confirmed they will hold a board meeting to consider action against José Mourinho after the Real Madrid coach effectively accused Uefa of fixing it for Barcelona to reach the Champions League final.

 

Mourinho, talking after his Real Madrid team were beaten 2-0 at home in a controversial first leg of their semi-final, accused Barcelona of unfair influence in European football and said their coach, Pep Guardiola, should feel "ashamed".

 

Mourinho claimed his red card and that handed to his defender Pepe were unjustified, and that this was not the first time Barcelona's opponents have been singled out for unfair punishment. He added that he would not say what he "really thinks" because he feared a life ban, but did insist he felt "disgusted" to be working in football.

 

Guardiola refused to respond to the comments, but a statement from Barcelona read: "There will be an 'extraordinary' meeting of the board to discuss the action to be taken after the events of the Bernabéu.

 

"After the game, José Mourinho harshly criticised referee Wolfgang Stark and suggested Barcelona receive favourable treatment. The legal services of FC Barcelona are considering reporting the Real Madrid coach to the Disciplinary Commission of Uefa."

 

Real's Cristiano Ronaldo, also speaking after the game, backed Mourinho's view – "I do not understand why everyone playing against them in the Champions League ends with 10 men" – as did on-loan striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

 

In remarks reported by the BBC, Adebayor said: "Maybe Pepe committed a foul but I don't think it was a red card. Whenever you play against Barça, whenever you touch them they are on the floor crying like a baby.

 

"I have played three games against Barcelona and each time we have had to play with 10 men. Everyone talks about Barcelona and their fair play but I think they are very far away from fair play. Whenever you make contact when going for a one-on-one or 50-50 ball they are on the floor crying, putting their hand up near their face.

 

"Their manager, fans and the players on the bench are always crying. Barcelona is a fantastic club, has fantastic players, but they have to stop that."

 

 

Funny that Jose because the only person I see crying is you, yet again. What a fucking quim he is.

[Lario]

 

Andy is fucking huge!

Glen is cooler than cool.

Raul looks like a smackhead.

Cahill looks like a fucking cunt, and I hate seeing him with our lads!

[Guest TK-421]

They had an ace little five-a-side team between them:

 

-------Pepe------

------Glen------

--Raul-----Timmy--

-------Andy------

[Joe Le Taxi]

Ollie Holt and Ballbag havin a go about the match at twitter right at the moment :party:

Twitter

 

Haha ace. I don't get Twitter so can someone copy and paste what was said, please?

 

Fuck Real.

[Il Fenomeno]

They had an ace little five-a-side team between them:

 

-------Pepe------

------Glen------

--Raul-----Timmy--

-------Andy------

 

Can't believe you rate Cahill above Dirk. Shame on you.

[Lario]

That Messi chap will never make it as a professional footballer. Too slight for the physical side of things.

[Guest TK-421]

Can't believe you rate Cahill above Dirk. Shame on you.

 

Rolling subs.

[goatboy59]

Cahill looks like a fucking cunt, and I hate seeing him with our lads!

 

Small consolation;

 

imagine what it's doing to the blues?

 

Fuggenudderjudasamtellinyerlaaaaa.

[PaulMcC]

Mourinho has turned Xabi and Arbeloa into cunts.

[William_Ulsterman]

Mourinho has turned Xabi and Arbeloa into cunts.

 

Arbeloa was worse, but i agree and i really didn't like what i saw from either of them last night.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Surprise, mourihno is still a horrible cunt and should never be anywhere near us.

 

Love seeing the players taking a trip together like that, we really have a team of players now.

[mypost]

Even Ferguson wouldn't stoop that low.

 

You coluld fill a pitch with the amount of comments he's made in the past, against everyone and everything in his way. Hasn't he just got another touchline ban?

[mypost]

He's accusing them of a major conspiracy... He's gone wwaaayyy too far...

 

He's angry, and his emotions got the better of him. He's every right to be angry though. The sending off last night was a disgrace, and it's the 5th straight time he's played them and had a man sent off. Once or twice fair enough, but 5 in a row?? He is entitled to ask "why?"

 

Real are not a dirty team, or a defensive team. But facing Barcelona is a tough ask with 11 players, let alone 10, and a different tactical approach is needed. He set out his stall last night, it was the right thing to do, and it worked very well until the red card. Then Barcelona got a man off, then started to play the game. What does that tell you about them?

[Red Phoenix]

Without wishing to spoil it for you (since you've not seen it) they practically had none of the ball so couldn't even begin to play football. If you do find it, just savour the sublime quality of football from the home side, as it was the best footballing display by any team this season.

 

Thanks, will have to remember to get hold of it if possible, sounds great.

 

 

Haha ace. I don't get Twitter so can someone copy and paste what was said, please?

 

I hope you're ready for this pair of bitches, it's pretty depressing and not much fun. Copying it all out was way worse, would love to skip back half an hour :

 

GuillemBalague - When most of u come down from high moral stand,lets debate: nbdy ever faked an injury or took dive in premier league?U only need 2 c it once

 

GuillemBalague - Nobody ever insulted a ref? Nobody said strong works on a cam when kids watching? Nobody rounded ref demanding a change of decision?

 

GuillemBalague - nobody broke someone else's leg on purpose? nobody took a bung? no ref was scared of a manager? nobody benefited from dives?

 

GuillemBalague - moral high ground is such a muddy stand to be in...

 

OllieHoltMirror - But we weren't watching a Premier League game tonight, mate. We were watching Real-Barca.

 

GuillemBalague - ah, thats fine then. Can't wait for the same kind of reporting when Man U play Chelsea or Arsenal.

 

OllieHoltMirror - So you're attacking English journalists are you, Guillem? Interesting. You saying that The Times has double standards?

 

GuillemBalague - twisting words, are we? Times, who mentioned the Times?

 

OllieHoltMirror - You're saying you are going to monitor how English matches are reported. Does that include The Times or not?

 

GuillemBalague - monitor? Id like the same strong points being said about the EPL. I dont disagree totally with what you say....

 

GuillemBalague - Just seem to come more often and one eyed when other leagues are discussed.

 

OllieHoltMirror - Just interested in who you are accusing of double standards in English press. Times, Mirror, me, Henry, Shaun. Who?

 

GuillemBalague - so you don't agree with me then that cheating in English press is applied depending on the nationalities? Interesting

 

OllieHoltMirror - What, so you are saying that English reporters don't criticise Drogba, Nani, Gerrard, for diving? Are you sure?

 

GuillemBalague - sorry yes, you do criticise diving and cheating. All the time. No matter who does it. No sure what I was talking about

 

GuillemBalague - Lots of things 2 learn from u. U top journo, know how to drive an agenda but I feel foreigners receive a rougher treatment.

 

OllieHoltMirror - Idea that English papers victimise Barcelona and Madrid is totally absurd. Actually, in general, we lionise them.

 

GuillemBalague - stop it now! Nobody said that. Dont move goalpost of discussion. Lets agree 2 disagree on rest

 

OllieHoltMirror - You said we had double standards and that you would be watching what we wrote about Chelsea, Man U etc. Isn't that right

 

GuillemBalague - touchy eh! I stand by what I said. Some English press treat foreigners (clubs+players+managers) differently.U disagree.Cool

[Red Phoenix]

Actually I don't think Holt was that bad, Balague just went off on one by the looks of it.

[Joe Le Taxi]

Meh thought it was better than that.

 

And RP, look through the 5-0 game thread. Someone posted a utorrent link to the full match. I think I may have quoted the post with the link in but I have it on my laptop.

[Joe Le Taxi]

Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

 

Here it is.

[Red Phoenix]

Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

 

Here it is.

 

Nice one, cheers!

[BookableOffense]

So, Real is parking the bus at home now? Guess thats what you get with Maureen. Not much 'Galactico' about Bolton-tactics.

 

Does, however, call to mind all those times Fat Sam made the claim he could be managing at Real Madrid...

[ngogswilly]

Ballague can be full of shite sometimes but hes not half wrong about the English press. There can often be a real snidey xenopohobic slant to it at times depending on the journalists in question.

 

Thing is though, I'd imagine the same might occur in Spain or Italy if lots of English players and Managers ended up out there. They don't though so we can't really compare.

[Timão]

Ballague can be full of shite sometimes but hes not half wrong about the English press. There can often be a real snidey xenopohobic slant to it at times depending on the journalists in question.

 

Spot on. Some of the stuff about this game has been pathetic.

 

Pedro dives...terrible;

 

Rooney or Gerrard dive (for Engalnd)...clever;

 

It is pathetic. Diving goes on everywhere, it is not nice but there are worse things in football and as long as there is no consistent condemnation of it, they should all just keep their own counsel.

 

Lawton was trying to put Pedro's diving in the same bracket as Mourinho's allegation of corruption against Barcelona, UEFA and UNICEF.

 

We should have a long hard look at the English game before criticising anyone else.

[The Dude Abides]

don't think it was necessarily just the diving that had everyone incensed tbh. more the clear intention of getting players booked or sent off. also the frequency of the diving, the constant haranguing of the ref after every challenge where literally every Barca player would run to the ref. what we seen last night was, thankfully, not the same thing as Rooney or Gerrard going down a little easily. plus it was supposed to be a showcase game which only adds to the frustration i think.

 

thing is, these sane journos acting so outrage will be eating shit out of Maureens hand if he's ever back in England managing again when all of this nonsense will be long forgotten.

 

We should have a long hard look at the English game before criticising anyone else.

 

to be fair here, i watch a fair bit of European football and the level of simulation that goes on in England is far less than almost anywhere else, especially the latin leagues. some Portuguese, Spanish and Italian games are near unwatch-able because of it. but its all part of the game for them. football would be far better of if players behaved themselves as well as the English players do, on the whole, on the field. of course English players dive, but you rarely see the kind of shite we seen from pedro and Busquets Wedenesday night.

 

retrospective punishment is the only way to fix it, or at least cut it down somewhat. Busquets, Pedro, Marcelo and Adebayour, at least,should all be looking forward to a three game ban after a panel has gone over that game and dished out cards for simulation and violent conduct.

Edited April 29, 2011 by The Dude Abides

[Unrighteous]

GuillemBalague - When most of u come down from high moral stand,lets debate: nbdy ever faked an injury or took dive in premier league?U only need 2 c it once

 

GuillemBalague - Nobody ever insulted a ref? Nobody said strong works on a cam when kids watching? Nobody rounded ref demanding a change of decision?

 

GuillemBalague - nobody broke someone else's leg on purpose? nobody took a bung? no ref was scared of a manager? nobody benefited from dives?

 

GuillemBalague - moral high ground is such a muddy stand to be in...

 

OllieHoltMirror - But we weren't watching a Premier League game tonight, mate. We were watching Real-Barca.

 

GuillemBalague - ah, thats fine then. Can't wait for the same kind of reporting when Man U play Chelsea or Arsenal.

 

OllieHoltMirror - So you're attacking English journalists are you, Guillem? Interesting. You saying that The Times has double standards?

 

GuillemBalague - twisting words, are we? Times, who mentioned the Times?

 

OllieHoltMirror - You're saying you are going to monitor how English matches are reported. Does that include The Times or not?

 

GuillemBalague - monitor? Id like the same strong points being said about the EPL. I dont disagree totally with what you say....

 

GuillemBalague - Just seem to come more often and one eyed when other leagues are discussed.

 

OllieHoltMirror - Just interested in who you are accusing of double standards in English press. Times, Mirror, me, Henry, Shaun. Who?

 

GuillemBalague - so you don't agree with me then that cheating in English press is applied depending on the nationalities? Interesting

 

OllieHoltMirror - What, so you are saying that English reporters don't criticise Drogba, Nani, Gerrard, for diving? Are you sure?

 

GuillemBalague - sorry yes, you do criticise diving and cheating. All the time. No matter who does it. No sure what I was talking about

 

GuillemBalague - Lots of things 2 learn from u. U top journo, know how to drive an agenda but I feel foreigners receive a rougher treatment.

 

OllieHoltMirror - Idea that English papers victimise Barcelona and Madrid is totally absurd. Actually, in general, we lionise them.

 

GuillemBalague - stop it now! Nobody said that. Dont move goalpost of discussion. Lets agree 2 disagree on rest

 

OllieHoltMirror - You said we had double standards and that you would be watching what we wrote about Chelsea, Man U etc. Isn't that right

 

GuillemBalague - touchy eh! I stand by what I said. Some English press treat foreigners (clubs+players+managers) differently.U disagree.Cool

 

Another reason to dislike GuillemBallbag.