Posted on 04-07-2009 under
PreviewsHere we are the day before the epic showdown at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. Pretty exciting, no? Over here at the Tigerblog we’re having fits of epileptic joy, so don’t be surprised if you see passages that lo.,fsag;lkdk jsdlkf awjfmcoiaevj fpo!!!!!!
Also American viewers, thanks to the contemptible behavior of our ESPN footy overlords you’ll need to watch the game on ESPN Deportes if you can find it. I’d recommend Latino bars and restaurants. I’ve got one in Baltimore I’m planning to go to (Carlos O’Charlies on Eastern Ave, a great joint) and I’ll sure be drinking some refreshing and delectable micheladas. But you’re not here for restaurant tips, so enough about that.
Predictions
This game will probably start a bit slowly. We’ll probably see possession bogged down in midfield and our share of back-passes as the teams feel each other out and start looking for the soft underbelly of the respective defenses. After 20 minutes, we’ll start seeing some real chances, and at the 34th minute Xavi, Messi, and Eto’o will combine on a goal to push Barca in front.
A few minutes later, Van Bommel will pick up a yellow card.
Just before half, Bayern’s left back Lahm will go forward and pick out a cross the ball will settle nicely for old hand Ze Roberto who will smash it past Victor Valdes to tie the score right before the teams enter the dressing room for halftime.
Shortly after half Barca will find another goal, this time coming from the other side and combination play from Iniesta and Henry.
Around the 60-65th, Bayern will remove Van Bommel to protect him from more bookings, and bring on Tim Borowski, and Barca will take off Rafa Marquez for Gerard Piqué.
After a half mostly filled with end-to-end play, around the 75th minute Barca will get another goal, this time afer their own left back Dani Alves gets involved going forward and working with Xavi and Messi.
At this point, Barca will remove Iniesta for Sergio Busquets
As the game reaches it’s conclusion, Bayern will earn a corner and get players forward. I predict Bayern to score the game’s final goal on a set piece, and then the match will conclude. Two end of half goals to save Bayern’s bacon heading back for the second leg, and good flowing attack from Barca. A man can dream the impossible dream, yes?
Final score of game 1: 3-2 to the boys from Barcelona.
I can’t wait for tomorrow. It should be some terrific and compelling ball. Feel free to look back over the Ultimate preview using the links below, and of course you can disagree/call me a jackass in the comments should you want to raise some hell, and I’ll see you back here for wrap-up after the game’s all over!
Posted on 04-06-2009 under
PreviewsApologies for the delay folks; sometimes life can get in the way of even something as titanic as the Barca-Bayern matchup. And I’d also like to use this space to give a big FUCK YOU to ESPN for only showing this game on ESPN Deportes. ESPN is a terrible steward for football in this country, and whoever decided to not show the Barca-Bayern game on any of the English speaking networks made a horrible error in judgement and is holding football fans in this country hostage. Seriously, fuck yourself Bristol.
Anyway, today we’re talking strategy.
How Bayern can win:
Defensively, Bayern Munich should do all they can to force Leo Messi and Theirry Henry wide into the corners and wings. Obviously other teams try this and Messi and Henry dribble and pass their way out, but Bayern might have the quality to do this successfully if they have the commitment. This will helps central defenders Lúcio and Martin Demichelis play to their strengths as zone defenders by muscling attackers out of dangerous positions in the box and winning crosses in the air.
It would be extremely interesting if Jürgen Klinsmann decide to have his wing midfielders Franck Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger switch sides. Doing so would allow Ribéry to work against Éric Abidal and Rafa Marquez, who are both decidedly slower and less-skilled than the defenders on the opposite side, Dani Alves and Carles Puyol. Franck would have fewer defensive responsibilities since the threat of attack from that side of Barca’s defense isn’t as strong.
In a similar vein Klinnsman may want to flip his central midfielders so that Mark Van Bommel, Bayern’s captain—who will most likely have a defensive assignment in this tie—lines up opposite Xavi so the München man can keep a closer eye on his former teammate.
Also, if Luca Toni isn’t full strength, Bayern may want to consider lining up with a 4-5-1 formation, perhaps adding a midfielder like Tim Borowski or even central defender Daniel Van Buyten playing slightly ahead of the defense as a very conservative holding midfielder. Doing so would congest the middle of the field on the defensive end and could frustrate the Barca attack. While Lukas Podolski wouldn’t be the ideal lone striker up top, Luca Toni could very well be, if healthy. if Bayern were able to attack by throwing some midfielders forward to try to produce chances it could make up for this.
As stated previously, manager Klinsmann isn’t much of a tinkerer, so I wouldn’t expect anything drastic provided everyone is fit. But a switch of Ribéry and Schweinsteiger may be the kind of button that he could push and receive a payoff.
How Barca can win:
For Barcelona’s defending, the key will be to try to win back possession in Bayern’s half or in the midfield. If they can continue to have success at this as they have throughout the season, they should be able to keep a lot of pressure on the Bayern defenders and force an error with this type of scrutiny. If they can shift some of the responsibility of defense from the defenders to the midfielders and even attackers tracking back, Barcelona will have more opportunities to force its will on Bayern and play their own style. Also, though I counted on Rafa Marquez starting for the Catalans, Pep Guardiola may want to start Gerard Piqué, who has been in sensational for the Spanish national team in their recent contests.
In the midfield, Barca will want to ensure that it controls possession and be sure to neutralize Bayern’s ageless Ze Roberto and the winger Schweinsteiger. Franck Ribéry will have his success against Barca, but they should be willing to except strong play from Ribéry provided they aren’t letting Bayern’s peripheral midfielders have too much influence. In that vein Barca make want to have central midfielder Yaya Touré challenge Mark Van Bommel on the offensive end, as MVB will have his hands full with Xavi and Ze Roberto may not have the defensive chops to take on the stronger Yaya.
In the attack Barca will want to try to give Eto’o, Henry, and Messi the ball on timing runs so they can take advantage of Bayern’s center backs, who can be shaky when the ball is played into space. If they start getting service behind the Bayern defensive line, they can get great chances on the run. If Barcelona can find a way to beat the offside trap and receive the ball behind open space, it could be goals galore for the Catalans.
Don’t worry folks, tomorrow the Tigerblog will be bringing the noise with the preview, coming to you live from Avon, NC.
Posted on 04-01-2009 under
PreviewsWow, Wednesday already! One week for all of this to be proven to be the steaming pile that it is…
Having completed the starting XI, the Ultimate Preview shifts it’s focus to the special group of players who may be scratching their noses one minute and the next minute entering one of the biggest stages in the world. Again, at this moment there are injury questions for each side, but I expect many of the regular starters to give it a go. Anyone with any knowledge or speculation otherwise is encouraged to hit up the comments section. Following the subs preview, some other odds and ends that may be of interest.
Substitutes
For Barcelona, manager Pep Guardiola has a handful of players that he has used outside his core of starters this season, with some having more success than others. As you’ll see, many are new to the Catalan club and in some cases, they haven’t adapted to the club’s signature style just yet, and as such, may not be at the tip of Guardiola’s tongue when he’s calling in substitutes.
Old Tigerblog favorite (and ex-Lens man) Seydou Keita is one of these new boys, and he’s adapted fairly well. As he played such a role at RC Lens, many thought that he would be a more defensive player at the Camp Nou. In fact he has adapted to Barcelona’s mercurial passing attack very well, and this season he has displayed an eye for goal that few foresaw him having. This leaves him as a very well-rounded midfielder that tends to play with a good understanding of his teammates, positioning and role. While not in the class of Barcelona’s midfield antelope Yaya Touré, we should expect to see the Mali international come on if Touré picks up a booking or as a substitute for one of the Barcelona forward players Eto’o, Messi, or Henry (along with a formation change) if they are looking to protect a lead in either match.
The other defensive midfielder in the Barcelona stable is the young’un Sergio Busquets. Having risen quickly through the Barcelona system, Busquets has gained the trust of coach Guardiola and we very well may see him in this massive tie. More of a defensive player, Busquets is not afraid to mix it up and will no doubt be seen scrapping with Bayern midfielders and giving them little space. He’s an intriguing player, and I bet Guardiola will be looking to find a way to use him. At some point he may be called on to spell Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, or Messi. If Barca need to play defensively, look for him to come in and it should not be a surprise at all if he gives the Bavarians hell with his disruptive play.
Joining Keita on the bench is Eiður Guðjohnsen. In his third season with the club, the Icelandic ace’s best days are probably behind him but Guðjohnsen’s has experience in big games. He plays with a decent understanding of Barca’s attacking flow although he doesn’t seem to have the absolute skill to make the perfect pass each time. Similarly, converting chances at goal is a bit of a crapshoot for him, as he tends to rush shots and miss finishes. On the otherhand, he does have good size and can keep possession pretty well. Guardiola is probably secretly hoping that he doesn’t have to deploy Eiður, but look for him to come on late in either match if Barca are looking for goals.
Guardiola can also turn to the young Bojan Krkić if he’s looking for an attacking edge. Bojan has been pegged as an ascending star for Barcelona and Spain, but his progression through the Barca pecking order hasn’t been as quick as many expected, and this season he has shown both brilliance and mediocrity in his appearances for the Barca boys. Bayern’s physicality may preclude Bojan from making an appearance, but if Henry or Iniesta are getting manhandled or Messi gets hurt, look for the speedy Bojan to come in. Also, if Barca have a lead that they are comfortable with, look for Bojan to come on to spell one of the estrellas and try to add to the lead.
In defense, Barca will have a choice between young Spaniard Gerard Piqué and Brazilian silver fox Sylvinho. Piqué has been getting more opportunities and could even start next to Puyol (this would be more likely, depending on circumstances, in the 2nd leg). He has good height, though he hasn’t quite figured out how to use it. Like fellow young buck Busquets, I think it’s likely Guardiola will be looking to find a way to get him in the game, so I’d expect him to come on for Rafa Marquez in the first game, particularly if Rafa gets a card. The wingback Sylvinho may be called on to replace Éric Abidal if Abidal is winded or if Guardiola spots a opportunity for him on that side of the pitch.
As we discussed yesterday, usual substitute Lukas Podolski will most likely get the start for the injured Miro Klose, so München’s bench depth will not be what we’ve seen for most of the year, though there still are some strong players on the Bayern bench that will probably appear.
Tigerblog favorite Hamit Altintop was selected to the Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament as a fullback, the only player selected from Turkey’s surprising squad. For Bayern he usually plays on the wing as a midfielder, and is both adept on the dribble and generating dangerous crosses. While I’m of the opinion that he should be in the starting XI over Bastian Schweinsteiger, he has not done enough in the eyes of the coaches to completely displace Der Schweini. This, coupled with the fact that he has been fighting injuries all season, have not given him the chance to jell with the Bayern starters. While he rarely appears as a fullback for Bayern, Bayern manager Jürgen Klinsmann may realize that he could pose trouble to the Barcelona left side and could replace Oddo at right back if Bayern want a more attacking edge. It’s more likely that he would come on for Schweinsteiger even though Bastian usually plays 90 minutes. If Bastian needs to come out to to booking or injury, Hamit will be the man to replace him.
Christian Lell is a wingback who brings great energy and agility to the Bayern side. He doesn’t have the strength that former Bayern kinder-wingback Marcel Jansen had, nor is he as technically sound with possession as Massimo Oddo, but he could be useful in this tie. I could see him fighting tooth and nail with Thierry Henry or Sammy Eto’o, but I could also see him getting caught out and punished, too. It says here that he’ll definitely appear in this tie, and as stated earlier, I fully expect him to get a booking. The question is when he’s in, will he play to his strengths or try to do too much and pay for it?
A big question mark for the München faithful will be whether the engimatic Argentine José Ernesto Sosa will play and how effective he’ll be. Bayern expected him to be the second coming of former favorite Claudio Pizarro, but like Bojan Krkić for Barca, his maturation hasn’t been has fast as many would have liked. He’s been playing better of late and scored a few goals, so Klinsmann may be curious enough to put him in. If Podolski is ineffective he may get the hook in favor of Sosa, and similarly, if not-quite-fit Luca Toni needs a break, Sosa may get his chance on the big stage.
The tallest player in the matchup is the big Belgian Daniel Van Buyten. Van Buyten is a quality centerback that could probably start for most clubs, but his inconsistency keeps him on the bench in Munich. If Bayern really wanted to get defensive, they could put him in as a defensive midfielder. If he is in, look for him to be active on corners and set pieces, as he is an effective header of the ball and could give the Catalans matchup problems.
Two others who may factor in for Bayern are Tim Borowski and Andreas Ottl. Borowski has been effective since his summer move from Werder Bremen, and if Bayern need to replace captain Van Bommel with a similar field-general type of player with more of an attacking presence, it could very well be Borowski, who has a good sense of positioning and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. This of course may be more likely given Van Bommel’s propensity for bookings. Ottl is a more defensive midfield type of player who could also play fullback, but Klinsmann would probably only use him at last resort.
Uniforms
Of course these respective choices may very well mean the difference between victory and defeat, hence they are necessary to discuss.
My guess is that at the Camp Nou Barcelona will be wearing the famous Blaugrana, which will force Bayern to wear their whites.
When they play in Germany, Bayern will revert to their familiar red and white hoops while Barca will probably wear their yellows. I suppose there’s a chance they wear their jarring aquamarine kits, but the feeling here is that it’s the yellows.
Stadiums
Both the Nou Camp and Allianz will be packed, and both will be crazy.
WAGs
After painstaking WAG research, we’re of the opinion that the greatest of the WAGz in this contest is Bastian Schweinsteiger’s GF Sara Brandner.
o_O
Well that does it for subs. Tomorrow we’ll be back for a tactical breakdown as the preview keeps a-rolling.