Walter, what's up ? Tell Gordy and the boys.

[calscot 0]

If Barca play negative football we must play the most defensive and negative style ever.

 

Possibly, but then, that's not a million miles from what I'm saying...

[pete 2,499]

Barca play some of the most negative football I've ever seen and really couldn't understand their complaints about our style when they were far more negative a lot of the time than us. Barca basically stopped us playing football, they closed us down every time we had the ball and gave us no space whatsoever to play.

 

They basically played extreme spoiling tactics. We on the other hand, gave them space to play and pass the ball - how is that negative?

 

The difference for Barca is that they had the skill in possession to do something with the ball AFTER they used extreme negative tactics to win the ball.

 

We basically weren't good enough to play as negative as them when defending or play as positive as them in attack. However, in both games, Barca had few decent chances and spent a lot of the time passing it around the halfway line.

 

We just don't have the players to play Barca's or Man U's style of play - and neither did they until the financial balance shifted strongly in their favour.

 

Have you lost the plot cal?

Putting pressure high up the field is not negative but extremely positive. If you do not have good players to do it you will be passed by as scotland were in the 5-1 defeat against Holland in Amsterdam.

Pressurising early keeps the opponents in their own half and when you force the mistake you still have players in an advanced position. Letting eleven players drop back into their own half is positive for you. You completely confuse me on this one.

[calscot 0]

Yep, Ferguson's lack of mobility and Smith's lack of trust in Edu means we have a malfunctioning midfield.

 

That causes problems defensively and offensively.

 

Smith must change that if we're to challenge for the title.

 

I also think Ferguson has lost more than mobility, he has lost any creativity. He few ideas about how to use his possession to create an attack and general dawdles until he is hassled by the opposition, does his trademark backwards turn one way then the other, then lays a short ball off to the side.

 

Too often he also sends a strange ball that no-one reads or is able to chase, and in the cup final he chose a poor return pass to Lafferty near the corner when he was obvously offside - which is typical of his decisions these days.

 

Maybe he needs to watch videos of himself playing 10 years ago to recapture some inspiration.

 

In fact I think all the players need to be watching tons of videos of creative play that results in a good attack or goal - and then try them on the training ground. If they build themselves a repertoire they might have a few more ideas during the game. Practicing a gamut of set moves until they are instinctive and can be chosen from instantly in a stress situation works well for martial arts, so why not football?

[calscot 0]

Have you lost the plot cal?

Putting pressure high up the field is not negative but extremely positive. If you do not have good players to do it you will be passed by as scotland were in the 5-1 defeat against Holland in Amsterdam.

Pressurising early keeps the opponents in their own half and when you force the mistake you still have players in an advanced position. Letting eleven players drop back into their own half is positive for you. You completely confuse me on this one.

 

It's a different way of thinking but going out to stop the other team playing is what Walter was accused of and Barcelona patently do the same thing, just much better.

 

Defending is always negative and has to be done in a game, however two teams that give each other a bit of space to play can result in a very flowing game.

 

Neither Rangers nor Barcelona do this. The difference as you say is that Barcelona do it much further up the field.

[Gazza_8 233]

I think I've made a decent case, did you actually read and understand it? Care to give a well reasoned rebuttal?

 

Tell me what is positive about denying a team the space to play and closing them down at every opportunity?

 

I see you left the rest of my quote out. I explain myself there.

[Gazza_8 233]

It's a different way of thinking but going out to stop the other team playing is what Walter was accused of and Barcelona patently do the same thing, just much better.

 

Barca actually managed to attack in both legs, not only forcing McGregor into making saves but also scoring. Did we Valdes make one save over the two legs?

 

There's a hiuge difference in the way both teams play/played.

[calscot 0]

I see you left the rest of my quote out. I explain myself there.

 

I can't help it if you change your post AFTER I've replied!!!:box:

[pete 2,499]

It's a different way of thinking but going out to stop the other team playing is what Walter was accused of and Barcelona patently do the same thing, just much better.

 

Defending is always negative and has to be done in a game, however two teams that give each other a bit of space to play can result in a very flowing game.

 

Neither Rangers nor Barcelona do this. The difference as you say is that Barcelona do it much further up the field.

 

Cal that is called getting the ball back so you can attack. All top teams play like that. Man u Liverpool. If you haven't got the ball you can't score. That is dominating games, like we should be able to do in the SPL instead of camping on our own 18 yard box

i can't get your drift on this one Cal. Sorry.

[calscot 0]

Barca actually managed to attack in both legs, not only forcing McGregor into making saves but also scoring. Did we Valdes make one save over the two legs?

 

There's a hiuge difference in the way both teams play/played.

 

If I recall correctly we gave them a few scares with scoring chances in the first leg and at least one in the second.

 

I don't remember MacGregor making a barrel-load of saves although he did have to make them.

 

In the end they score one legitimate goal against us over the two legs.

 

Barca were able to attack as we gave them space in their own half and in the midfield, then we defended strongly nearer our goal which Barca struggled with.

 

Everytime we attacked we were closed down early, ran out of space and lost the ball.

 

In the end, they have far better players, so our tactics which I would say proved reasonably successful, were justified. Barca ran riot over many teams last year. I'm glad we weren't one of them.

 

If we had the same money to spend as Barca then I'd be more disappointed we didn't attack more.

 

Like I say, Hamilton were accused of naively attacking us too much, leaving them open at the back and were punished for it.

[biggordy 0]

Anyway, due to WS,s seemingly irrational decisions recently, does anyone think there is something going on with him that we are unaware of.......seriously ?

I always think when there are situations which defy logic and common sense there are usually unknown factors involved.