I missed the game!  

Highlights of Athletic Bilbao 1-4 Barcelona:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNOFHqqE7Dk

Van Basten wrote:

I missed the game!   Highlights of Athletic Bilbao 1-4 Barcelona: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNOFHqqE7Dk

Just to make you aware...if you use the video tabs around the link, like shown below...

Code:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNOFHqqE7Dk[/video]

It will be embeded in the post, like shown below...


Link


Tutorial

1 and a half down 1 to go.

Damn Sky for not letting me watch the game.

What's it called when you win 2.5 trophies zeds?  A trouble?

Ta Dave, watched most of the game. Very enjoyable and very good to see Ya Ya T scoring a great goal from distance (as Keita on Sunday), Bojan taking a nice goal and Xavi knocking in a free kick.  

Dani Alves is a big loss for the final because even when he's playing rubbish he still provides an outlet on the right and a lot of energy.  But the big positive is there is now a chance of scoring from free kicks, rather than the usual approach of getting Dani Alves to whack them all 5 yards over the bar.

The bad things about the final were obviously another goal conceded direct from a corner and the fact Eto'o has rediscovered his 07/08 form.  Were I Pep, I'd be inclined to give Bojan the last 3 league games as centre forward and play him in the final instead of Eto'o if the latter doesn't get his form back fast.

Myles, thanks for the tutorial.

Sir George wrote:

But the big positive is there is now a chance of scoring from free kicks, rather than the usual approach of getting Dani Alves to whack them all 5 yards over the bar.

Agree. Ever since Ronladihno left, Barca have failed to threaten their opponent's goal from free kicks. Against most teams, this hasn't mattered so much because they've often found a dozen or so other ways of putting the ball in the back of the net, however, against United, I get the feeling that Barcelona might just benefit from selecting a player who can at least test the opposition's keeper when taken a free kick.

Sir George wrote:

What's it called when you win 2.5 trophies zeds?  A trouble? Ta Dave, watched most of the game. Very enjoyable and very good to see Ya Ya T scoring a great goal from distance (as Keita on Sunday), Bojan taking a nice goal and Xavi knocking in a free kick.   Dani Alves is a big loss for the final because even when he's playing rubbish he still provides an outlet on the right and a lot of energy.  But the big positive is there is now a chance of scoring from free kicks, rather than the usual approach of getting Dani Alves to whack them all 5 yards over the bar. The bad things about the final were obviously another goal conceded direct from a corner and the fact Eto'o has rediscovered his 07/08 form.  Were I Pep, I'd be inclined to give Bojan the last 3 league games as centre forward and play him in the final instead of Eto'o if the latter doesn't get his form back fast.

Whoopsie. I was trying to be smart and refer to the league as already half win, therefore Barca having won 1.5 trophies and requiring another 1.5 for the treble.  

Anyhoo, while I think Alves is a loss, if he was to play in the final anything like he did in the 2 games against Chelsea, then Barca are better off without him. He was dreadful. As was Eto'o, though not too many people have picked up on Eto'o so so form of late. He's been overshadowed this season first by Messi and then by Henry, and yet has still managed to score a silly amount of goals.

I think with Toure's solid display as centre half at Stamford Bridge, Guardiola might opt for him with Pique, with Puyol as right back and Sylvinho as left back. Then Keita holds in Midfield.  

Or he could play a back four of Keita, Toure, Pique and Puyol with Busquets holding, which will be a mistake because against Chelsea, Busquets looked out of his depth.

Well yes, it's a conundrum.  He either weakens his midfield by playing Busquets or brings in Silvinho to look after Ronaldo.  Hmmm.  Not sure Keita is a much better bet for that job either.  Maybe if Caceres was given a couple of games he might remember/discover how to play.

My suggestions of Eto'o being dropped for the final assumed of cousre that Henry would be fit, but that doesn't look all that likely, so chances are both Bojan and Eto'o will play.

I can't say I'm optimistic given all the absences and, if the very idea wasn't such anathema, I'd be piling big bucks on Schumchester at evens.  Iniesta has to play and Messi has to play near to his best.

Iniesta should be fit to start. Henry may probably be only fit enough for the bench (if that). They'll put Park on Messi, but Lionel simply has to overcome this challeng, especially in preparation for next year's world cup, when he could easily find himself man-marked in games.
Barca will have more of the ball, certainly early on, if they can some how manage the first goal, then I think they have a great chance.

Sir George wrote:

I'd be piling big bucks on Schumchester at evens.

Gracias Villareal. Title won.

Now rest everyone for the Final.

zeds wrote:

Now rest everyone for the Final.

Looks like Pep took heed of your advice...

anyone watch the athletico/valencia game sunday?what an atmosphere at the calderon  they play great football against the big teams but struggle against the lesser likes, Forlan,Aguero,Simao...what players they have

mikeoneill16 wrote:

anyone watch the athletico/valencia game sunday?what an atmosphere at the calderon  they play great football against the big teams but struggle against the lesser likes, Forlan,Aguero,Simao...what players they have

The atmosphere was incredible. As it was at the Mestalla the week before, when Valencia played Real, and also at the Madrigal on Saturday night in the Villareal v Real game.

Atletico are still a complete basket case though.

zeds wrote:

mikeoneill16 wrote: anyone watch the athletico/valencia game sunday?what an atmosphere at the calderon  they play great football against the big teams but struggle against the lesser likes, Forlan,Aguero,Simao...what players they have The atmosphere was incredible.

for me, only the german league can compete for atmosphere.

[quote="coco"]

zeds wrote:

mikeoneill16 wrote: The atmosphere was incredible. for me, only the german league can compete for atmosphere.

Agreed. Its about time the rest of Europe stood up and acknowledged the Budesliga.
Amazing packed crowds, great atmosphere, super stadiums and a league that has been led by 5 or 6 different teams through the course of the season.
Look at the prem and teams like wigan, 'boro, blackburn etc struggling to fill stadiums and a premier league that's becoming holplessly predictable.

Back to La Liga, I can't believe bloody sky are showing the non-event that will be Barca v Osasuna tonight when there are so many proper meanigful games on at the same time. I'd rather watch Bilbao v Atletico or Villareal v Valencia.
Surely, the dimwits could've shown one of these games and had a section at the end with Barca's title celebrations.

[quote="zeds"]

coco wrote:

zeds wrote: mikeoneill16 wrote: The atmosphere was incredible. for me, only the german league can compete for atmosphere. Agreed. Its about time the rest of Europe stood up and acknowledged the Budesliga. Amazing packed crowds, great atmosphere, super stadiums and a league that has been led by 5 or 6 different teams through the course of the season. Look at the prem and teams like wigan, 'boro, blackburn etc struggling to fill stadiums and a premier league that's becoming holplessly predictable.

I don’t recall a closer Bundesliga finale than this season! Three teams have a chance to win it on the final day - two of which go head-to-head! I would prefer Wolfsberg to win it as they've never been Bundesliga champions before.

One does wonder what could have been for Hoffenheim had Vedad Ibišević not suffered such a bad injury...

Van Basten wrote:

I don’t recall a closer Bundesliga finale than this season! Three teams have a chance to win it on the final day - two of which go head-to-head! I would prefer Wolfsberg to win it as they've never been Bundesliga champions before. One does wonder what could have been for Hoffenheim had Vedad Ibišević not suffered such a bad injury...

Wolsburg are champions!

You're right, Hoffenheim's challenge was completely derailed with Ibišević's injury. My guess is he'll be leaving in the summer.

First Kaka and now Ronaldo...Real Madrid's fantasy rebuilding continues.

Fantastic - I can hardly wait to see this deteriorate into another Real shambles. I already have images in my mind of the TV coverage cutting between the forlorn expressions of Kaka and Ronaldo as Osasuna score their fourth at the Bernebau.