I'd like to see Barcelona

[devilish]

To face the treble side OR at least the 94 side. I'd like to see Iniesta and tiny Messi trying to dictate the game against the likes of Keane and Ince or Iniesta trying to prove to be a better passer then Scholes/Becks in their prime.

Barcelona are a magnificent side but lets stop wanking at them. They can be beaten, we HAD teams who were able to beat them and all those teams were built by one man SAF.

 

[Treble]

Barcelona - United 4:0, 1994

That team of Barcelona was quite good but not even close to the current team. Let's face it: no United team ever was as good as this Barcelona team.

Van Basten, the biggest star of the greatest Milan team, said recently that current Barcelona team is the best team in the history of football. Believe me, Van Basten knows something about football.

 

[I'm always right]

Sadly I doubt the 99 or 94 side would've beaten this Barca team, they have raised the bar (and this time without even needing to cheat). SAF has a tough job on his hands, but if anyone can....

 

[devilish]

Barcelona - United 4:0, 1994

That team of Barcelona was quite good but not even close to the current team. Let's face it: no United team ever was as good as this Barcelona team.

Van Basten, the biggest star of the greatest Milan team, said recently that current Barcelona team is the best team in the history of football. Believe me, Van Basten knows something about football.

The 94 team could never show its true potential because of the 3 foreigners rule. It wouldn't be the case now.

I think that Van Basten has forgotten the fantastic side he played in. Baresi would eat Barca's entire backline for breakfast.

 

[Cold_Boy]

This Barca side is better than any team we have had.

No one is wanking over Barca.Its not wrong to admit how good they are.Stop being bitter.

But yes our previous sides had a much much better midfield than what we currently have.Would have been closer but Barca would have won it then too.

 

[Richter]

The 99 midfield combined with the 08 defence and attack might have a chance.

08 VDS

99 Neville 08 Rio 99 Stam 08 Evra

99 Beckham 99 Keane 99 Scholes 99 Giggs

08 Rooney

08 Ronaldo

 

[devilish]

This Barca side is better than any team we have had.

No one is wanking over Barca.Its not wrong to admit how good they are.Stop being bitter.

But yes our previous sides had a much much better midfield than what we currently have.Would have been closer but Barca would have won it then too.

Im not bitter. They've got a great side but they capitalized because of our shit CM. We match them in various areas of the pitch. I wouldnt swap their defense or keeper (VDS) to ours that's for sure, Nani is better then Pedro and Rooney can easily match Villa.

 

[Scoreboard Red]

I personally think the AC Milan side of 1989-91 would give Barca a good run, they were tactically amazing and incredibly solid, plus they had Van Basten who was sensational.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Sadly I doubt the 99 or 94 side would've beaten this Barca team, they have raised the bar (and this time without even needing to cheat). SAF has a tough job on his hands, but if anyone can....

Inter beat them.

 

[devilish]

I personally think the AC Milan side of 1989-91 would give Barca a good run, they were tactically amazing and incredibly solid, plus they had Van Basten who was sensational.

Milan where actually better. They had the best defense ever. A fantastic midfield and a forward line to dream off. Rijkaard, Gullit and Ancellotti could match Iniesta, Basquets and Xavi in CM.

 

[I'm always right]

Inter beat them.

So did Madrid in the final a few weeks back. BUt both of those teams would lose more than they would win vs. this Barca.

Plenty of teams can beat Barca on their day of course, can anyone do it consistently? no is the answer.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

This Barca side is better than any team we have had.

No one is wanking over Barca.Its not wrong to admit how good they are.Stop being bitter.

But yes our previous sides had a much much better midfield than what we currently have.Would have been closer but Barca would have won it then too.

Does the better team on paper always win football matches, then? This notion that just because this United team of 09-11 has lost to Barca convincingly, no other United team would have beaten them, is daft. You could possibly think they are better OVERALL than any United team but many United teams in the past could beat this side.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

So did Madrid in the final a few weeks back. BUt both of those teams would lose more than they would win vs. this Barca.

Plenty of teams can beat Barca on their day of course, can anyone do it consistently? no is the answer.

Who cares about doing it consistently? We would have to beat them once or over two legs and a EC could be ours. I certainly wouldn't mind them beating us 3 times out of 5 over the next few years. Because if we get past them our chances of winning the thing will be huge on 2 occasions.

 

[I'm always right]

Who cares about doing it consistently? We would have to beat them once or over two legs and a EC could be ours. I certainly wouldn't mind them beating us 3 times out of 5 over the next few years. Because if we get past them our chances of winning the thing will be huge on 2 occasions.

You aint getting it, the point of the thread is that our 94 or 99 teams could beat them, and well if we're honest, Barca would win more than they would lose against those teams.

Make no mistake about it, the bar has been raised. This Barca team are pretty much the World Champions + the best player in the world.

 

[Cold_Boy]

Im not bitter. They've got a great side but they capitalized because of our shit CM. We match them in various areas of the pitch. I wouldnt swap their defense or keeper (VDS) to ours that's for sure, Nani is better then Pedro and Rooney can easily match Villa.

I agree with you completely tbh.

But overall they are better because their midfield is so fecking better than ours or any other team in the world tbf.

This is how I would rate each areas:

United:

Defense - 9
Midfield- 6.5/7
Attack - 8

Barca:

Defense- 8
Midfield 9.5
Attack - 8.5

 

[MikeUpNorth]

Barca:

Defense- 8
Midfield 9.5
Attack - 8.5

I'd like to see a 10 out of 10 midfield then!

 

[Cold_Boy]

Does the better team on paper always win football matches, then? This notion that just because this United team of 09-11 has lost to Barca convincingly, no other United team would have beaten them, is daft. You could possibly think they are better OVERALL than any United team but many United teams in the past could beat this side.

Yes I don't disagree with you.

Barca can't win every match possible anyways.

 

[Cold_Boy]

I'd like to see a 10 out of 10 midfield then!

Well I had put 10 first but then thought nothing is perfect.

But yes that Barca midfield might just be perfect.

 

[Richter]

Well I had put 10 first but then thought nothing is perfect.

But yes that Barca midfield might just be perfect.

It's almost perfect. Replace Busquets with a peak Roy Keane. Iniesta and Xavi wouldn't dare resting just one second

 

[Silva]

I'd like to see a 10 out of 10 midfield then!

One which doesn't have Mascherano in it. Plus, they're all cheating shites and have no plan B.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I agree with you completely tbh.

But overall they are better because their midfield is so fecking better than ours or any other team in the world tbf.

This is how I would rate each areas:

United:

Defense - 9
Midfield- 6.5/7
Attack - 8

Barca:

Defense- 8
Midfield 9.5
Attack - 8.5

Not sure what my ratings would be but an attack of 8 will look more like a 6 when supported by a midfield that's a 6 and an attack of 8 will look like an 8 or even more supported by a midfield of 9.5.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I'd apply my tedious logic to the defense as well.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

You aint getting it, the point of the thread is that our 94 or 99 teams could beat them, and well if we're honest, Barca would win more than they would lose against those teams.

Make no mistake about it, the bar has been raised. This Barca team are pretty much the World Champions + the best player in the world.

The original post's point is that they are beatable. And they clearly are by many past teams including United ones. Hell, they've been beaten last year by a treble winning team from Italy. Real can worry about them on a consistent basis. I'm happy with wins once in awhile.

 

[Cold_Boy]

Not sure what my ratings would be but an attack of 8 will look more like a 6 when supported by a midfield that's a 6 and an attack of 8 will look like an 8 or even more supported by a midfield of 9.5.

Yes its a team effort but I am just rating the quality.

How the team plays and performs is an different parameter.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Yes its a team effort but I am just rating the quality.

How the team plays and performs is an different parameter.

I know. Just saying that our attack and defense was made to look poorer because of the gulf in quality in the respective midfields. Rooney did so well despite having so little of the ball. Vidic and Ferdinand put in some brilliant tackles despite being constantly exposed left right and centre. They're the players I feel for after saturday. They are players who would get into any team in the world and didn't deserve to have their team look out it's depth. But these things happen in football.

 

[Cina]

Surprised nobody has mentioned our 08 team. They could take them.

 

[Treble]

Surprised nobody has mentioned our 08 team. They could take them.

... because Chelsea '08 are nearly as good as Barcelona '11?

 

[Raees]

Barca's midfield is a 10, to think they have the option of Mascherano in there if Busquets is injured, or they want a more rugged presence, is ridiculous.

 

[Plan M]

No United side would get near this Barca one.

 

[Cina]

... because Chelsea '08 are nearly as good as Barcelona '11?

 

[Fergie's gum]

On Saturday night we were not beaten by individuals, we were beaten by a footballing philosophy. Until a system is developed to counter act that, we will end up losing 9 times out of ten, no matter who you stick in the team.

 

[Anderson Searl]

This is a bit a reach isn't it?

 

[I'm always right]

On Saturday night we were not beaten by individuals.

He disagrees....

Him too....

 

[amolbhatia50k]

feck off with the Barca pictures.

 

[TheHorse'sMouth]

Surprised nobody has mentioned our 08 team. They could take them.

Clutching at straws here. This Barca is certainly Europe's most outstanding side in the last 20 years, and they've still got a lot more to give. A scary prospect indeed.

 

[Rory 7]

Our midfield from 99 was superb. They were so much more mobile than the four we played on Sat night - particularly in central midfield. I think our midfield from 99 would do a much better job at coping with Barca.

 

[Maltese Manc]

Our midfield from 99 was superb. They were so much more mobile than the four we played on Sat night - particularly in central midfield. I think our midfield from 99 would do a much better job at coping with Barca.

Our 99 played against a much worse Barcelona team twice in the group stages. Came 3-3 twice.

 

[dmode]

Come on... I won't be able to bear it again... there will be mass suicide...

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

So did Madrid in the final a few weeks back. BUt both of those teams would lose more than they would win vs. this Barca.

Plenty of teams can beat Barca on their day of course, can anyone do it consistently? no is the answer.

Irrelevant in a tournament. Only need to do it once.