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0] Preface to match thread.
After 90 seconds reading my mentions & TL after the match, I gave up. Half of Barça Twitter should either:
1) bandwagon whichever club wins the most trophies
2) choose to support a club that never wins anything
Trust me, you'll be happier that way
After 90 seconds reading my mentions & TL after the match, I gave up. Half of Barça Twitter should either:
1) bandwagon whichever club wins the most trophies
2) choose to support a club that never wins anything
Trust me, you'll be happier that way
1] Obviously a very disappointing result, even more so because this team and coach needed (and deserve) a win against a big opponent this season.
Some of it is on Koeman, some of it on his players. The referee was mostly alright imo.
![1] Obviously a very disappointing result, even more so because this team and coach needed (and deserve) a win against a big opponent this season.Some of it is on Koeman, some of it on his players. The referee was mostly alright imo.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr6vXEWEAIKARW.jpg "1] Obviously a very disappointing result, even more so because this team and coach needed (and deserve) a win against a big opponent this season.Some of it is on Koeman, some of it on his players. The referee was mostly alright imo.")
Some of it is on Koeman, some of it on his players. The referee was mostly alright imo.
2] I think it is fair to say that more than merely screwing the pooch, Koeman raw-dogged the poodle and filmed it for repeated merengue self-pleasure viewing sessions. He made several decisions that helped M*drid more than they helped us.
![2] I think it is fair to say that more than merely screwing the pooch, Koeman raw-dogged the poodle and filmed it for repeated merengue self-pleasure viewing sessions. He made several decisions that helped M*drid more than they helped us.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr63awXMAUHQsN.jpg "2] I think it is fair to say that more than merely screwing the pooch, Koeman raw-dogged the poodle and filmed it for repeated merengue self-pleasure viewing sessions. He made several decisions that helped M*drid more than they helped us.")
3] This 3-man defense needs Frenkie in the middle to break lines and build play. There are reasons we did not create anything in the first half and it starts here.
FDJ gives us a lot more playing from deep than when playing him further forward.
![3] This 3-man defense needs Frenkie in the middle to break lines and build play. There are reasons we did not create anything in the first half and it starts here.FDJ gives us a lot more playing from deep than when playing him further forward.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr7GqAWEAAFiA3.jpg "3] This 3-man defense needs Frenkie in the middle to break lines and build play. There are reasons we did not create anything in the first half and it starts here.FDJ gives us a lot more playing from deep than when playing him further forward.")
FDJ gives us a lot more playing from deep than when playing him further forward.
4a] You must play to your strengths and your opponents' weaknesses.
Mendy is maybe the best 1v1 defender in the world. He will simply not less his opponents pass.
Dest's greatest quality is to take on defenders. Don't match him up against a player who neutralizes that quality
![4a] You must play to your strengths and your opponents' weaknesses.Mendy is maybe the best 1v1 defender in the world. He will simply not less his opponents pass.Dest's greatest quality is to take on defenders. Don't match him up against a player who neutralizes that quality](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr7ZUBWQAAW5Rp.jpg "4a] You must play to your strengths and your opponents' weaknesses.Mendy is maybe the best 1v1 defender in the world. He will simply not less his opponents pass.Dest's greatest quality is to take on defenders. Don't match him up against a player who neutralizes that quality")
Mendy is maybe the best 1v1 defender in the world. He will simply not less his opponents pass.
Dest's greatest quality is to take on defenders. Don't match him up against a player who neutralizes that quality
4b] One of Ousmane's greatest qualities is to take on defenders. It made sense to move him to the flank, but not against Mendy! Especially incomprehensible when Odriozala is there for the taking on the other flank.
5] I am trying to understand why Koeman put Sergi Roberto on the pitch, especially because I think that what SR does well, Ilaix can do... but what Ilaix does well, Sergi Roberto can't.
Experience when you control a game makes sense, when you chase the game less so.
![5] I am trying to understand why Koeman put Sergi Roberto on the pitch, especially because I think that what SR does well, Ilaix can do... but what Ilaix does well, Sergi Roberto can't.Experience when you control a game makes sense, when you chase the game less so.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr72iQXAAIiFQ4.jpg "5] I am trying to understand why Koeman put Sergi Roberto on the pitch, especially because I think that what SR does well, Ilaix can do... but what Ilaix does well, Sergi Roberto can't.Experience when you control a game makes sense, when you chase the game less so.")
Experience when you control a game makes sense, when you chase the game less so.
6] It's all fun and games to call Griezmann useless until you play 352 without him and turn our defense into a free for all.
![6] It's all fun and games to call Griezmann useless until you play 352 without him and turn our defense into a free for all.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr8AsQWgAAdALY.jpg "6] It's all fun and games to call Griezmann useless until you play 352 without him and turn our defense into a free for all.")
7a] The great thing about Ousmane Dembele is that he can play anywhere in the attack and even when he plays like crap, his presence conditions the opponents' defense, either because of his speed and creativity on the wing or because of his runs through the middle.
7b] If you play him at 9 and he doesn't make runs, the team loses a major advantage. This is on him. You don't choose to miscontrol a pass or to kick the air instead
the ball and waste the best chance we have in the first half.
Making the runs or not is a choice, however.
![7b] If you play him at 9 and he doesn't make runs, the team loses a major advantage. This is on him. You don't choose to miscontrol a pass or to kick the air instead the ball and waste the best chance we have in the first half.Making the runs or not is a choice, however.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr8aq9WEAIEohT.jpg "7b] If you play him at 9 and he doesn't make runs, the team loses a major advantage. This is on him. You don't choose to miscontrol a pass or to kick the air instead the ball and waste the best chance we have in the first half.Making the runs or not is a choice, however.")
the ball and waste the best chance we have in the first half.
Making the runs or not is a choice, however.
7c] It is very, very difficult to understand why he did not even try to get behind the defense.
Perhaps he would have done better at recognizing the opportunities if our buildup play was better, but still.
![7c] It is very, very difficult to understand why he did not even try to get behind the defense.Perhaps he would have done better at recognizing the opportunities if our buildup play was better, but still.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr8hFNWYAAc43r.jpg "7c] It is very, very difficult to understand why he did not even try to get behind the defense.Perhaps he would have done better at recognizing the opportunities if our buildup play was better, but still.")
Perhaps he would have done better at recognizing the opportunities if our buildup play was better, but still.
8a] Don't be harsh on our RB, we got exactly what we signed. A talented but inconsistent 20 yr old.
Having said that, Koeman should spend the summer lining Dest up in a wall and personally blast free kicks at his grill.
![8a] Don't be harsh on our RB, we got exactly what we signed. A talented but inconsistent 20 yr old.Having said that, Koeman should spend the summer lining Dest up in a wall and personally blast free kicks at his grill.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr86VuXEAE-VJA.jpg "8a] Don't be harsh on our RB, we got exactly what we signed. A talented but inconsistent 20 yr old.Having said that, Koeman should spend the summer lining Dest up in a wall and personally blast free kicks at his grill.")
Having said that, Koeman should spend the summer lining Dest up in a wall and personally blast free kicks at his grill.
9] If we are honest and judge Messi on games versus elite opponents these last 3-4 seasons, the decline is undeniable.
His last dominating Clásico performance was in 2017 :(
![9] If we are honest and judge Messi on games versus elite opponents these last 3-4 seasons, the decline is undeniable. His last dominating Clásico performance was in 2017 :(](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr9CcTWgAgbOrX.jpg "9] If we are honest and judge Messi on games versus elite opponents these last 3-4 seasons, the decline is undeniable. His last dominating Clásico performance was in 2017 :(")
His last dominating Clásico performance was in 2017 :(
9b] The challenge here is that he is still so incredibly good in so many matches, but somehow in versus the elite opponents the trade-off between what he gives us in offense and what he does not on defense often swings into the other direction.
![9b] The challenge here is that he is still so incredibly good in so many matches, but somehow in versus the elite opponents the trade-off between what he gives us in offense and what he does not on defense often swings into the other direction.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr9lbdXMAI8Z8z.jpg "9b] The challenge here is that he is still so incredibly good in so many matches, but somehow in versus the elite opponents the trade-off between what he gives us in offense and what he does not on defense often swings into the other direction.")
10a] I have zero qualms with being denied soft penalties for Demby on Ousmane and on Braithwaite, just like I don't think anyone can complain about Vinicius not getting the call when Busquets shoved him down in the box.
![10a] I have zero qualms with being denied soft penalties for Demby on Ousmane and on Braithwaite, just like I don't think anyone can complain about Vinicius not getting the call when Busquets shoved him down in the box.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr9rhIXMAEN_gP.jpg "10a] I have zero qualms with being denied soft penalties for Demby on Ousmane and on Braithwaite, just like I don't think anyone can complain about Vinicius not getting the call when Busquets shoved him down in the box.")
11b] What I do not understand is how this was unpunished. Can anyone imagine a Barça player not receiving a red card if he slapped a referee's hand away? Me neither. https://twitter.com/TheTruthWiiz/status/1381002467211632642?s=08
11c] 4 minutes of injury time seems little after Gil Manzano spent minutes trying to fix his electronical armband or whatever that was.
12] Pedri was our only decent player in the first half. So smart on the ball, he always knows where the space is.
![12] Pedri was our only decent player in the first half. So smart on the ball, he always knows where the space is.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr9_F5XMAEZl9W.jpg "12] Pedri was our only decent player in the first half. So smart on the ball, he always knows where the space is.")
13] Mingueza played with a lot of personality. Loved his performance.
Whatever the outcome of this season, the breakthrough of Pedri, Ilaix and Mingueza are huge wins, even more valuable than trophies.
![13] Mingueza played with a lot of personality. Loved his performance.Whatever the outcome of this season, the breakthrough of Pedri, Ilaix and Mingueza are huge wins, even more valuable than trophies.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eyr-GIxWEAMzXuA.jpg "13] Mingueza played with a lot of personality. Loved his performance.Whatever the outcome of this season, the breakthrough of Pedri, Ilaix and Mingueza are huge wins, even more valuable than trophies.")
Whatever the outcome of this season, the breakthrough of Pedri, Ilaix and Mingueza are huge wins, even more valuable than trophies.
14] Not blaming him at all, but Ter Stegen will probably never have a better chance at scoring a goal for Barça.
So sad for him. A last-minute equalizer versus the Evil Empire would have been the stuff of legends!
So sad for him. A last-minute equalizer versus the Evil Empire would have been the stuff of legends!
15] Last but not least, it might have been M*drid's B team stadium, but the fact thwir pitch did not morph into a swimming pool is seriously impressive.
16] End of thread. Visca Barça.
