Pharoh:

Tevez and lavesi should just go and sit on the bench jare, i want to see aguero and Higuain/di maria on the field. They are not playing as a team with a developed tactics but as a bunch of assembled players from different clubs trying to live up the Argentina hype.

Messi will be the one to suffer for it sha, shebi na him be world player of the year, they better qualify or the tournament will be at a loss if the host nation goes out at this stage.

I wonder why they would bench Higuain for Lavezzi.
Meanwhile Tevez was originally dropped, but due to plenty complaints he was included. All his gra gra in the last 2 days haven't yielded squat.
Now Madrid is trying to buy him, and exchange either Higuain or Benzema . That, if it happens, will go down as the dumbest buy that club has ever made. CR7 and Tevez can't play in the same team without breaking bottles on each other's heads.

It has been reported that the embattled Baptista has decided to drop the underperforming quartet of Tevez, Lavezzi, Benega and Cambiasso from his starting line-up against Costa Rica and replace them with RM trio Hiugain, Di Maria and Gago and Kun Agüero. He will also revert to his traditional 4-2-3-1
We hope it works - for his sake. I wish them luck!

5 Reasons Why Real Madrid's José Mourinho Does NOT Have FC Barcelona's Number

Myths have a way to spread in sports, and football in particular. When many fans start saying the same thing, it ends up becoming true in the minds of the masses, even if the reality is quite different.

A great example of a myth is the belief that current Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has got FC Barcelona "figured out," that he is Barcelona's nemesis. While this might sound a beautiful proposition to some, a more careful analysis of the facts makes it easy to conclude that it couldn't be further away from the truth.

José Mourinho is not FC Barcelona's bête noire. It's quite the opposite actually. Here is why:

1. His Record Against FC Barcelona Is Clearly Negative
Since 2005, José Mourinho has faced FC Barcelona on 15 occasions and he has won a whooping,  four, one of them in extra time. He has drawn five teams and lost six. Overall, Mourinho's teams have scored 16 goals, while FC Barcelona scored 22. These definitely don't seem like the numbers of a manager who has Barcelona figured out.

Moreover, the Portuguese has never managed to win a game at Camp Nou in seven attempts: the best he's managed is three draws, and two of them meant his elimination from the Champions League (in the second leg in 2006 with Chelsea and last season with Real Madrid). It was also at the Camp Nou that José Mourinho suffered the biggest humiliation of his career so far, when Barcelona beat his Real Madrid side 5-0.

These numbers clearly prove that José Mourinho hasn't found a successful formula to beat Barcelona.

2.FC Barcelona and José Mourinho Have Participated in 7 CLs, Barca Won 3, José 1
José Mourinho and FC Barcelona have competed against each other in the Champions League on seven occasions, six if you discount the 2007/2008 season where Mourinho left Chelsea in the middle of the group stages.

On those six occasions (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011), Barcelona won the Champions three times! Mourinho only won it once with Inter (Barcelona did not participate in the 2003/2004 Champions League, which Mourinho won with Porto). If anything, it seems that José Mourinho is a lucky charm for Barcelona. The Catalans only won four Champions Leagues in their history, three of them had Mourinho in it. In two of them, Barcelona beat a Mourinho-managed team en route to the title, and in the other one, they beat the team that eliminated Mourinho (Manchester United in 2009).

To be fair, in the four ties where Barcelona faced a Mourinho-led team, Barcelona and Mourinho split triumphs, but Barcelona won their ties a lot more comfortably and, unlike Mourinho, went on to win the competition on both occasions.

3. Last Season's Clásicos
The hype was stronger than ever after José Mourinho's Inter Milan luckily eliminated Barcelona in the 2009/2010 Champions League and the Portuguese manager moved to Real Madrid, Barcelona's eternal rival.

Surely, with this magical manager that had Barcelona's number and the most expensive squad ever assembled at his disposal, Real Madrid would have no problem beating Barcelona in the 2010/2011 Clásicos, right? Wrong. In the first Clásico of the season, Mourinho had no answers as Barcelona mercilessly annihilated Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. José could only watch as he and his team took a true football lesson.

Those who expected a strong reaction in the following Clásico were bitterly disappointed. In a game that Real needed to win in order to have some title hopes, Mourinho set his team out to get a lackluster draw that basically handed Barcelona the league title.

The Copa del Rey title, ground out in extra time, was weak consolation, since the semifinals of the Champions League once again proved that Mourinho was no match for FC Barcelona. Mourinho had no answer to Lionel Messi. As the world's greatest player once again stole the show, Mourinho could do nothing but utter some deluded "Por Qués?".

In the end, Barcelona took the two most important trophies, while Mourinho had to settle for the Spanish Cup. While it's not exactly bad, it's not what you expect from a manager who supposedly has Barcelona figured out.

4. José Mourinho Has Always Managed Great Teams with Unlimited Transfer Funds
José Mourinho's record against Barcelona could be considered great if he were managing some minnows with no resources. But that's just not the case. Both in Chelsea and Real Madrid, he managed the most expensively assembled squads in the world at the given time, and there was no lack of resources at Inter either.

All these three sides have the resources to go head to head with Barcelona, so the only explanation for Mourinho's negative record against the Catalans is that, while he is a great manager (hence why he's got some wins), he does not have Barcelona figured out. He merely instructs his teams to defend as roughly as possible and try to surprise Barcelona on the counter, and most of the time, that has not worked.

Even if his Real Madrid one day match Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, that is hardly proof of Mourinho's unparalleled genius. Contrary to what he and the press wants us to believe, Mourinho and Madrid are not underdogs. They have arguably even more resources than Barcelona. After all, it's not like Mourinho would be the first Real Madrid manager to beat Barcelona, would it?

José is just a great manager, one of the world's best, managing great teams all his career, but that's about it.

5. Mourinho Has Been Powerless to Stop Barcelona's Golden Era
This is probably the most relevant point of all. Mourinho came into the scene in 2004, and curiously, it was after the emergence of this so-called "nemesis" that Barcelona entered the most successful period in their history. With a nemesis like this, who even needs friends?

In the past six seasons, Barcelona won the Champions League three times and reached two semifinals. In two of these triumphs, they beat a Mourinho-managed team en route to the title.

Mourinho hasn't been a thorn in Barcelona's golden era, but one of its many victims. He did frustrate the Catalans in 2010 with Inter, probably stealing them a fourth Champions League title in six seasons, but that's about it. He has been on the other end (the losing) on several occasions in the important competitions, and he was Real Madrid's manager in the match that will certainly turn out to be the defining match of this golden era at Barcelona, the manita.

Conclusion
José Mourinho is one of the greatest managers of this generation, but the myth that he has FC Barcelona's number is just that: a myth. To this day (it can change in the future), Mourinho hasn't found a formula to beat Barcelona, contrary to popular belief, as the numbers clearly show.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/763097-five-reasons-why-real-madrids-jos-mourinho-does-not-have-fc-barcelonas-numbe/page/7

Nice one my people.you guys are keeping it real.i really felt very bad the way the Agentine press are putting unnecessary pressure on Messi.a tree can not make forest as he is been their best player for two previous matches they have played.how i wish i could turn any of their player to Iniesta just to assist messi to grab a hat trick.once they can push their way through to the next round i guess they can still win the tournament.pls what time is their game against Costa Rica?

^^
That's hardly a myth.
Mourinho is just one man, while Barcelona is an institution. Hardly fair to pit them against each other. Those battles have been unncecessarily sensationalized over the years, primarily due to Mou's media antics.

Personally I think he is hoping to score one major triumph against Barca, then high-tail it out of Spain, possibly to England, where he is venerated.
In fact I'm pretty sure he will manage England sometime in the future.

medjai:

5 Reasons Why Real Madrid's José Mourinho Does NOT Have FC Barcelona's Number

Myths have a way to spread in sports, and football in particular. When many fans start saying the same thing, it ends up becoming true in the minds of the masses, even if the reality is quite different.

A great example of a myth is the belief that current Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has got FC Barcelona "figured out," that he is Barcelona's nemesis. While this might sound a beautiful proposition to some, a more careful analysis of the facts makes it easy to conclude that it couldn't be further away from the truth.

José Mourinho is not FC Barcelona's bête noire. It's quite the opposite actually. Here is why:

1. His Record Against FC Barcelona Is Clearly Negative
Since 2005, José Mourinho has faced FC Barcelona on 15 occasions and he has won a whooping, four, one of them in extra time. He has drawn five teams and lost six. Overall, Mourinho's teams have scored 16 goals, while FC Barcelona scored 22. These definitely don't seem like the numbers of a manager who has Barcelona figured out.

Moreover, the Portuguese has never managed to win a game at Camp Nou in seven attempts: the best he's managed is three draws, and two of them meant his elimination from the Champions League (in the second leg in 2006 with Chelsea and last season with Real Madrid). It was also at the Camp Nou that José Mourinho suffered the biggest humiliation of his career so far, when Barcelona beat his Real Madrid side 5-0.

These numbers clearly prove that José Mourinho hasn't found a successful formula to beat Barcelona.

2.FC Barcelona and José Mourinho Have Participated in 7 CLs, Barca Won 3, José 1
José Mourinho and FC Barcelona have competed against each other in the Champions League on seven occasions, six if you discount the 2007/2008 season where Mourinho left Chelsea in the middle of the group stages.

On those six occasions (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011), Barcelona won the Champions three times! Mourinho only won it once with Inter (Barcelona did not participate in the 2003/2004 Champions League, which Mourinho won with Porto). If anything, it seems that José Mourinho is a lucky charm for Barcelona. The Catalans only won four Champions Leagues in their history, three of them had Mourinho in it. In two of them, Barcelona beat a Mourinho-managed team en route to the title, and in the other one, they beat the team that eliminated Mourinho (Manchester United in 2009).

To be fair, in the four ties where Barcelona faced a Mourinho-led team, Barcelona and Mourinho split triumphs, but Barcelona won their ties a lot more comfortably and, unlike Mourinho, went on to win the competition on both occasions.

3. Last Season's Clásicos
The hype was stronger than ever after José Mourinho's Inter Milan luckily eliminated Barcelona in the 2009/2010 Champions League and the Portuguese manager moved to Real Madrid, Barcelona's eternal rival.

Surely, with this magical manager that had Barcelona's number and the most expensive squad ever assembled at his disposal, Real Madrid would have no problem beating Barcelona in the 2010/2011 Clásicos, right? Wrong. In the first Clásico of the season, Mourinho had no answers as Barcelona mercilessly annihilated Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. José could only watch as he and his team took a true football lesson.

Those who expected a strong reaction in the following Clásico were bitterly disappointed. In a game that Real needed to win in order to have some title hopes, Mourinho set his team out to get a lackluster draw that basically handed Barcelona the league title.

The Copa del Rey title, ground out in extra time, was weak consolation, since the semifinals of the Champions League once again proved that Mourinho was no match for FC Barcelona. Mourinho had no answer to Lionel Messi. As the world's greatest player once again stole the show, Mourinho could do nothing but utter some deluded "Por Qués?".

In the end, Barcelona took the two most important trophies, while Mourinho had to settle for the Spanish Cup. While it's not exactly bad, it's not what you expect from a manager who supposedly has Barcelona figured out.

4. José Mourinho Has Always Managed Great Teams with Unlimited Transfer Funds
José Mourinho's record against Barcelona could be considered great if he were managing some minnows with no resources. But that's just not the case. Both in Chelsea and Real Madrid, he managed the most expensively assembled squads in the world at the given time, and there was no lack of resources at Inter either.

All these three sides have the resources to go head to head with Barcelona, so the only explanation for Mourinho's negative record against the Catalans is that, while he is a great manager (hence why he's got some wins), he does not have Barcelona figured out. He merely instructs his teams to defend as roughly as possible and try to surprise Barcelona on the counter, and most of the time, that has not worked.

Even if his Real Madrid one day match Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, that is hardly proof of Mourinho's unparalleled genius. Contrary to what he and the press wants us to believe, Mourinho and Madrid are not underdogs. They have arguably even more resources than Barcelona. After all, it's not like Mourinho would be the first Real Madrid manager to beat Barcelona, would it?

José is just a great manager, one of the world's best, managing great teams all his career, but that's about it.

5. Mourinho Has Been Powerless to Stop Barcelona's Golden Era
This is probably the most relevant point of all. Mourinho came into the scene in 2004, and curiously, it was after the emergence of this so-called "nemesis" that Barcelona entered the most successful period in their history. With a nemesis like this, who even needs friends?

In the past six seasons, Barcelona won the Champions League three times and reached two semifinals. In two of these triumphs, they beat a Mourinho-managed team en route to the title.

Mourinho hasn't been a thorn in Barcelona's golden era, but one of its many victims. He did frustrate the Catalans in 2010 with Inter, probably stealing them a fourth Champions League title in six seasons, but that's about it. He has been on the other end (the losing) on several occasions in the important competitions, and he was Real Madrid's manager in the match that will certainly turn out to be the defining match of this golden era at Barcelona, the manita.

Conclusion
José Mourinho is one of the greatest managers of this generation, but the myth that he has FC Barcelona's number is just that: a myth. To this day (it can change in the future), Mourinho hasn't found a formula to beat Barcelona, contrary to popular belief, as the numbers clearly show.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/763097-five-reasons-why-real-madrids-jos-mourinho-does-not-have-fc-barcelonas-numbe/page/7

ehyaaaaaaa sorry no vex again.

AjanleKoko:

^^
That's hardly a myth.
Mourinho is just one man, while Barcelona is an institution. Hardly fair to pit them against each other.

and yet from your president emeritus to your presidents (past and present) to your legends (past and still active) to all forms of fans physical and virtual, you are never able to have a good nights rest without a thought/mention or word about him.

mourinhophobia

AjanleKoko:

^^
That's hardly a myth.
Mourinho is just one man, while Barcelona is an institution. Hardly fair to pit them against each other. Those battles have been unncecessarily sensationalized over the years, primarily due to Mou's media antics.

Personally I think he is hoping to score one major triumph against Barca, then high-tail it out of Spain, possibly to England, where he is venerated.
In fact I'm pretty sure he will manage England sometime in the future.

Brilliant . . .

Messi with two assits. . .Back at his mesmerizing best. Argentina 3-0 up.

To sum up:
1. bleep off Banega
2. bleep off Chuco
3. bleep off Tevez
4. bleep off Lavezzi
5. bleep off Higuain (well, a little)

Gago and Di Maria in and around Messi for most of the game and what happens? the wee man takes the bleep over. was never about bottle or will or leadership, was about needing SHORT PASSING OPTIONS. Gago's presence also put the CB's at ease because they always had someone to short pass to.

Higuain did a great job stretching the field but Christ, did he do anything else? awful finishing and almost zero involvement in buildup play. still against a parked bus that's what you need, really. well that and finishing. Messi put him clean through 4 times, 3 times he missed a sitter and once he didn't get a blatant penalty call.

I'd bench him 'til the next parked bus, in favour of Pastore. more short passing options for Leo = more awesome for Argentina. but I'd definitely bring him on if the team were chasing a goal.

Nice work by Aguero to snatch two goals, but he's clearly not a wide-forward. he did try hard, though, and put in a decent enough shift.

Hats off to Di Maria and Gago. the Madridistas were magnificent.

As for Messi, well, he was glorious and it was beautiful.

Messi is a joy to watch.you can say whatever you wanna say but EL pulga has no photocopies.

FINALLY THE MESSI DRUM HAS STARTED.

HALLELUJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Guys how una dey? good job
Glance flew

2 assist on goal by Messi, spose to be 3, but Higuain missed a clear chance. The boy nor dey try for him country as they(haters) wud always say.

where you dey hide all dese dayz

Messi was simply Mesmerizing , Lavezzi , Higuain , Tevez should be stripped naked and be given 12 lashes of strokes by angry Boko Harams , thank God for Di maria , Gago and Aguero , Messi I hail thee

burntcable, i Dey brother mi! Waiting for the season to kick off.

eyoniggar:

burntcable, .

you no go everly schange
one of these days i go burn you to smitherines

Hi peeps, a bit off-topic but I came across this today. Haven't stopped laughing since

A Day in the Life of Cesc Fábregas

The following nonsense is made up. I don't even know if Cesc likes Jeremy Kyle.

09:51 Wake up. Pre-season training hasn't started yet so stay in bed watching Jeremy Kyle. Check phone. Two unread text messages. Both are from Arsène. The first one was sent at three in the morning, possibly under the influence of a few glasses of red wine. 'Cesc u r making a mistake', it reads. 'We were ment 2 b. We will b gr8 together. U and me, heroes of arsenal. Plz dont goooo '. Sigh in exasperation and open up the second text. This one is more succinct. 'Ignore last night's text. Please call me soon - Arsène.' Get up and make breakfast.

10:24 Watch DVD of Barcelona beating Manchester United at Wembley. Imagine that it is you that sets up Pedro to score the opening goal. Celebrate each of Barcelona's goals by sliding along the floor on your knees, just like you do every morning. Go up to the attic and fetch your Barcelona jersey. Hug it tightly and mutter 'soon, soon' surreptitiously.

12:34 Phone rings. Think it's Arsène so leave it go unanswered. Begin throwing darts at Brian Horton dartboard in your kitchen. Phone rings again. Answer it this time. It's a hack. Ask how he got your number but he ignores you. Hang up. Hack rings again. Tell hack that you love Arsenal but who knows what the future holds. Change phone number. Again. Begin to cook lunch (pizza) and return to dartboard.

14:11 Doorbell rings. It's Arsène. He asks if you got his text messages. Tell him you lost your phone. He smiles and invites himself in. Sit down on the couch and listen to Arsène talk about His Plan. Avoid eye contact. Stare at ground and tell Arsène that your mind is made up and there is nothing he can do about it. He starts to get angry and begins talking about League Cup runner-up medals. Ask him to leave. He slams the door while shouting, 'I don't need you, Denilson and Diaby are the best midfielders in the world.' You know he is lying. It still hurts.

16:01 Turn on Sky Sports News. The quote you fed the hack earlier is scrolled across the yellow ticker. Notice that quote has been altered to say that '[you] loved Arsenal but Barcelona is what the future holds.' Watch fans burn your Arsenal shirt outside the Emirates. Ring agent and ask him to clarify what you really said in the press. Read news of Thiago extending his contract with Barcelona and begin to panic. Text Gerard and tell him how much you miss him. Wait sixteen minutes and forty three seconds before you get a reply. Gerard says that he misses you too and that he and Carles are doing everything they can to bring you home. Smile.

18:35 Win the Champions League with Barcelona on Fifa 11. Score two goals as captain in the final. Finish the season as topscorer. Sell Thiago.

19:57 Doorbell rings. It's Wilshere. Don't answer. He climbs in through an open window. He starts to tell you off for making Arsène sad. He asks if you're really leaving for Barcelona. Tell him that you are. Enjoy the confused look on his face. 'But Barcelona's not even in England', he says. Usher him out when he starts singing God Save the Queen. Return to Fifa 11. Drop Messi and play yourself up front. Score a hattrick in a 3-0 victory against Real Madrid.

23:21 Go to bed. There is nothing on telly and you have no one to go out with. Sleep with picture of the time Pepe put a Barcelona shirt on you under your arm. Dream of the Champions League final. Again.

02:42 Woken up by a text. It's Arsène. 'Plz Cesc, i can change. Dont leave. Plz dont leave.'

Change phone number.

http://ballbetweentwo..com/2011/07/day-in-life-of-cesc-fabregas.html?showComment=1310571018549#c8516359040109819281

Quite humourous. Lol @ 18:35 "wins champions league on fifa 11 And sells Thiago."

all hail king MESSI.

tocdee:

Hi peeps, a bit off-topic but I came across this today. Haven't stopped laughing since

A Day in the Life of Cesc Fábregas

The following nonsense is made up. I don't even know if Cesc likes Jeremy Kyle.

09:51 Wake up. Pre-season training hasn't started yet so stay in bed watching Jeremy Kyle. Check phone. Two unread text messages. Both are from Arsène. The first one was sent at three in the morning, possibly under the influence of a few glasses of red wine. 'Cesc u r making a mistake', it reads. 'We were ment 2 b. We will b gr8 together. U and me, heroes of arsenal. Plz dont goooo '. Sigh in exasperation and open up the second text. This one is more succinct. 'Ignore last night's text. Please call me soon - Arsène.' Get up and make breakfast.

10:24 Watch DVD of Barcelona beating Manchester United at Wembley. Imagine that it is you that sets up Pedro to score the opening goal. Celebrate each of Barcelona's goals by sliding along the floor on your knees, just like you do every morning. Go up to the attic and fetch your Barcelona jersey. Hug it tightly and mutter 'soon, soon' surreptitiously.

12:34 Phone rings. Think it's Arsène so leave it go unanswered. Begin throwing darts at Brian Horton dartboard in your kitchen. Phone rings again. Answer it this time. It's a hack. Ask how he got your number but he ignores you. Hang up. Hack rings again. Tell hack that you love Arsenal but who knows what the future holds. Change phone number. Again. Begin to cook lunch (pizza) and return to dartboard.

14:11 Doorbell rings. It's Arsène. He asks if you got his text messages. Tell him you lost your phone. He smiles and invites himself in. Sit down on the couch and listen to Arsène talk about His Plan. Avoid eye contact. Stare at ground and tell Arsène that your mind is made up and there is nothing he can do about it. He starts to get angry and begins talking about League Cup runner-up medals. Ask him to leave. He slams the door while shouting, 'I don't need you, Denilson and Diaby are the best midfielders in the world.' You know he is lying. It still hurts.

16:01 Turn on Sky Sports News. The quote you fed the hack earlier is scrolled across the yellow ticker. Notice that quote has been altered to say that '[you] loved Arsenal but Barcelona is what the future holds.' Watch fans burn your Arsenal shirt outside the Emirates. Ring agent and ask him to clarify what you really said in the press. Read news of Thiago extending his contract with Barcelona and begin to panic. Text Gerard and tell him how much you miss him. Wait sixteen minutes and forty three seconds before you get a reply. Gerard says that he misses you too and that he and Carles are doing everything they can to bring you home. Smile.

18:35 Win the Champions League with Barcelona on Fifa 11. Score two goals as captain in the final. Finish the season as topscorer. Sell Thiago.

19:57 Doorbell rings. It's Wilshere. Don't answer. He climbs in through an open window. He starts to tell you off for making Arsène sad. He asks if you're really leaving for Barcelona. Tell him that you are. Enjoy the confused look on his face. 'But Barcelona's not even in England', he says. Usher him out when he starts singing God Save the Queen. Return to Fifa 11. Drop Messi and play yourself up front. Score a hattrick in a 3-0 victory against Real Madrid.

23:21 Go to bed. There is nothing on telly and you have no one to go out with. Sleep with picture of the time Pepe put a Barcelona shirt on you under your arm. Dream of the Champions League final. Again.

02:42 Woken up by a text. It's Arsène. 'Plz Cesc, i can change. Dont leave. Plz dont leave.'

Change phone number.

http://ballbetweentwo..com/2011/07/day-in-life-of-cesc-fabregas.html?showComment=1310571018549#c8516359040109819281

lol. Funny stuff.
Just wondering if we finally sign Cesc and he then flops. . . I can't even imagine what will happen. There will be a civil war in Catalunya.
Meanwhile, Xavi don enter 'gbege' on Twitter. He was trending some moments ago.

medjai:

lol. Funny stuff.
Just wondering if we finally sign Cesc and he then flops. . . I can't even imagine what will happen. There will be a civil war in Catalunya.
Meanwhile, Xavi don enter 'gbege' on Twitter. He was trending some moments ago.

Cesc no go flop.
He is Catalan.
As per Twitter, Arsene says Xavi has disrespected Arsenal. he had better use his next salary to sign Cesc or else . . .

Finally. . . Alexis Sanchez don show!

khanye:

Finally. . . Alexis Sanchez don show!

For real? so how many people we don sign?

honeric01:

For real? so how many people we don sign?

Bros, you know Barca, since Cryuff's time, don't sign players in quantity. One or two impact players and that's it. And with good reason too. See how many signings have bombed over the years.

AjanleKoko:

Cesc no go flop.
He is Catalan.
As per Twitter, Arsene says Xavi has disrespected Arsenal. he had better use his next salary to sign Cesc or else . . .

so because he is catalan,he will not flop?
i'm no fan of Arsene but i agree with him on this.Xavi and the rest of the Barca crew need to put their pocket where there money is or just shut it.all this snide comments are not respectful at all.

AjanleKoko:

Cesc no go flop.
He is Catalan.
As per Twitter, Arsene says Xavi has disrespected Arsenal. he had better use his next salary to sign Cesc or else . . .

Well, there was a certain Gerrard Lopez we signed back in 2000. His story is similar to Cesc's. He left us to join Valencia as a youngster and was a massive hit with Los Che and was a part of the team that reached the CL final in 2000. We later signed him back and what a flop he turned out to be. Incessant injuries and stuff. We later sold him to Monaco. . . Hopefully, this won't be Cesc's story.

PS: Why can't all our players just contribute money and sign Cesc since they won't stop talking about how they'd love him to return?

khanye:

Finally. . . Alexis Sanchez don show!

Not official yet or is it?

AjanleKoko:

Bros, you know Barca, since Cryuff's time, don't sign players in quantity. One or two impact players and that's it. And with good reason too. See how many signings have bombed over the years.

But we need defenders o

medjai:

Well, there was a certain Gerrard Lopez we signed back in 2000. His story is similar to Cesc's. He left us to join Valencia as a youngster and was a massive hit with Los Che and was a part of the team that reached the CL final in 2000. We later signed him back and what a flop he turned out to be. Incessant injuries and stuff. We later sold him to Monaco. . . Hopefully, this won't be Cesc's story.

PS: Why can't all our players just contribute money and sign Cesc since they won't stop talking about how they'd love him to return?Not official yet or is it?

I remember Lopez. Unfortunately, the guy was signed during those barren years. But hey, even Riquelme flopped during those years.

mbulela:

so because he is catalan,he will not flop?
i'm no fan of Arsene but i agree with him on this.Xavi and the rest of the Barca crew need to put their pocket where there money is or just shut it.all this snide comments are not respectful at all.

Well . . . Cesc is not a stranger to the Barca way of playing. He's good at playing the passing game, has excellent close control, and likes to do tricks. He also won't have the additional burden of having to impress the 'Catalan Mafia', the most senior players in the team. They will take him under their wing.

So I think he won't flop.

Yeah, Xavi was out of line. It's glaringly apparent that Rosell is not interested in paying the big bucks for Cesc, but the senior players are trying to force his hand. As a president, he also has to stay in the good books of the socios, else his ass is grass. His stance on Cryuff is enough bad press.

Hi guys. Been a while - I still dey do hide & seek.

Eyo, I was in Lagos on your birthday, why didn't you organize something for the boys na?

Cocoa master, are you still in US? Abi you're back to wet, wet Lagos?

To Barca matters:

We have loaned Henrique to Palmeiras. I'm tired of these endless loan deals. Just sell these guys or use them as subs! I feel Henrique & Keirrison have some potential & should be sold with buy-back options. Hleb should def be sold, as should Milito & prob Maxwell (although he has been good except for some parts of last season).

We need at least one CB. I won't like us to be in the position where Busi needs to defend, in case Puyol & Abidal get injured (very possible) & Pique is suspended (he's a defender - suspensions come with the territory). Even Masch, as good as he was for us in defence last year, is not one I'll like to rely on too often as a CB, especially due to his (lack of) height. Puyol is barely taller, but he's a very strong jumper. Botia isn't the finished product yet. I'm surprised we didn't get Botia back (hopefully next summer) - for now, an old experienced defender who wont mind the bench is what we need. I don't have any names in my head yet.

If we want to splash the big cash on either Sanchez or Cesc, I'll have to resign to buying Cesc (a decision I've always opposed). Sanchez has only had one good season & Udinese are pricing him like he's Iniesta or something. For all we know, he may turn out to be a not so super signing, but Cesc should fit in quite comfortably, same way Villa fitted in easily compared to Ibra. I'll go for Mata rather than Sanchez - at least he has a lot of la Liga experience & he isn't close to the Sanchez cost.

Left to me though, I'll buy a few back-up players, rather than one or two marquee players. I'll like to have an Adriano or another Afellay in attack - players who won't mind the bench, but will deliver when called upon. Our 1st team is already the best, we just need able squad players to help rest the big boys when needed.

I would have liked to keep Nolito, Vasquez, Benja & Soriano, the experienced heads in Barca B as subs for the 1st team, but obviously the club doesn't agree with me (we only tried to keep Nolito of the 4). Even if we buy Sanchez, we still don't have enough cover upfront - for me 2 players for every position, leading to a squad of 22 players minimum is the ideal cover for a team. 19 players in the senior team last season was really a gamble you don't want to take every season.

medjai:

Well, there was a certain Gerrard Lopez we signed back in 2000. His story is similar to Cesc's. He left us to join Valencia as a youngster and was a massive hit with Los Che and was a part of the team that reached the CL final in 2000. We later signed him back and what a flop he turned out to be. Incessant injuries and stuff. We later sold him to Monaco. . . Hopefully, this won't be Cesc's story.

PS: Why can't all our players just contribute money and sign Cesc since they won't stop talking about how they'd love him to return?Not official yet or is it?

Hmm I remember Gerrard Lopez - that was such a long time ago! I didn't know he was ex-Barca before going to Valencia though,

As for our players always talking about Cesc, I think it's dumb & disrespectful and I'm surprised the club hasn't made this clear to the players since last season. As much as I dislike Arsenal & Wenger, our players really shouldn't be talking about Cesc to Barca so often. If asked by reporters, they can always choose not to answer the question. "No comment" does not kill. The reporters will get tired and move to other topics.