raumdeuter:


Arsenal can be very dangerous when they have nothing to lose like today. They have nothing to lose. Even if Barcelona beats them by 2-0 they would find a way to spin it into some form of moral victory

You should've saved this for the return leg...I quite agree. They'll put up a good fight and may even go close to overturning the deficit. I don't predict Arsenal's 1st Leg UCL matches.

bigkesh:

M pleased.... Its not like you won't beat them silly in spain

We will take good care of their needs in 3 weeks time.

It seems Conte will join chelsea
I like that man too.
My preferred choice is Diego Simeone.

Ola aina donating boots to youth teams in lagos.

Ola Aina goes back to Nigeria?

Ibeme:
Im excited by Conte rumours and excited by rumours that he's asked for Naingolann for the midfield.

No more ninny football.

I hope the rumours of bringing in Walter Sabatini as TD are true also, so we can finally get rid of that ninny-stocking, Brazilian-loving, building teams with no leaders/communicators, incompetent poossy called Emenalo.

Emenalo won't like this

bigkesh:
Arsenal were cool and comfortable until Wenger showed us why he went 10 years without a trophy.....
They were containing them well,why did he choose to attack and leave spaces at the back....

Messi,Neymar and esp Suarez found in difficult in the first 45mins because there was no space at all...And Wenger had to just give them that.....


Pressing barca is a very difficult task,when they get the ball from the back the two CBs split very wide almost as wing backs with busquet and iniesta dropping deep to orchestrate the play..........
The wing backs are high up their half while MSN goes narrow
If you press them they play it to the wings and back to the center and to the other wing, by then the space is open to penetrate.........

They did it time and time and time again and Wenger was just looking.....

You can't press them with 4-5-1,you will have to do it man to man and even at that a dribble of a poor marking from just a player will open a really big space....

The best way to do it is 3-4-3 like guardiola did for 45mins at nou camp,that way you mark everyone



The best way with very little risk is 8-1-1,block anything

I buy your 3-4-3 idea, but that is not the only way to beat Barcelona. Other methods like the one Wenger applied are equally effective.

He had two speedy wingers in Sanchez and Ox, to play quick counters and keep Barca's overlapping fullbacks in check. That way they lack the necessary width to breakdown the defence.

Also it gives you a room to attack because you want to win too. You have to score.

Again as a team which can also keep the ball the 4-5-1 was perfect. Any team that can hold the ball in midfield for 30secs can do Barca serious harm.

That said, it was obvious that the team created clear scoring chances but their finishing was very poor, infact a disgrace. This summarises Arsenal this season- create tonnes of chances but very poor finishing.

Having said so, it does not mean that any team can then beat Barca. They have so much quality that whatever tactics you come up with, you can ONLY PRAY.

Spy360:

I buy your 3-4-3 idea, but that is not the only way to beat Barcelona. Other methods like the one Wenger applied are equally effective.

He had two speedy wingers in Sanchez and Ox, to play quick counters and keep Barca's overlapping fullbacks in check. That way they lack the necessary width to breakdown the defence.

Also it gives you a room to attack because you want to win too. You have to score.

Again as a team which can also keep the ball the 4-5-1 was perfect. Any team that can hold the ball in midfield for 30secs can do Barca serious harm.

That said, it was obvious that the team created clear scoring chances but their finishing was very poor, infact a disgrace. This summarises Arsenal this season- create tonnes of chances but very poor finishing.

Having said so, it does not mean that any team can then beat Barca. They have so much quality that whatever tactics you come up with, you can ONLY PRAY.

Spy360:

I buy your 3-4-3 idea, but that is not the only way to beat Barcelona. Other methods like the one Wenger applied are equally effective.

He had two speedy wingers in Sanchez and Ox, to play quick counters and keep Barca's overlapping fullbacks in check. That way they lack the necessary width to breakdown the defence.

Also it gives you a room to attack because you want to win too. You have to score.

Again as a team which can also keep the ball the 4-5-1 was perfect. Any team that can hold the ball in midfield for 30secs can do Barca serious harm.

That said, it was obvious that the team created clear scoring chances but their finishing was very poor, infact a disgrace. This summarises Arsenal this season- create tonnes of chances but very poor finishing.

Having said so, it does not mean that any team can then beat Barca. They have so much quality that whatever tactics you come up with, you can ONLY PRAY.

My Lawd!

Spy360:

I buy your 3-4-3 idea, but that is not the only way to beat Barcelona. Other methods like the one Wenger applied are equally effective.

He had two speedy wingers in Sanchez and Ox, to play quick counters and keep Barca's overlapping fullbacks in check. That way they lack the necessary width to breakdown the defence.

Also it gives you a room to attack because you want to win too. You have to score.

Again as a team which can also keep the ball the 4-5-1 was perfect. Any team that can hold the ball in midfield for 30secs can do Barca serious harm.

That said, it was obvious that the team created clear scoring chances but their finishing was very poor, infact a disgrace. This summarises Arsenal this season- create tonnes of chances but very poor finishing.

Having said so, it does not mean that any team can then beat Barca. They have so much quality that whatever tactics you come up with, you can ONLY PRAY.

throw away Giroud, give welbeck more time... wenger should go and look for a traditional 9

lordfalcao:
throw away Giroud, give welbeck more time... wenger should go and look for a traditional 9

Welbeck lacks confidence in front of goal, but besides that, I think he is better than Giroud. He is faster, more skillful, and most importantly double footed.

Yes, Wenger should give him more time. He can improve in his goal scoring.

Chelsea are hopeful of finalising a deal to make Antonio Conte their next manager and will give the Italian GBP130 million to spend.

Source: Airtel message (244)

Bimffo:
Chelsea are hopeful of finalising a deal to make Antonio Conte their next manager and will give the Italian GBP130 million to spend.

Source: Airtel message (244)

lol@ your source.

Candreva and Vidal rumoured to be Conte's potential signings if he seals his move to SW6.

Bring them on I say.

I like conte's tactical football(what Italian coaches are good at) but his formation(3-5-2) is my worries. That formation can only work in Seria A due to their general slow pace with the ball unlike in epl.

Maybe na another Vidal Conte wan buy

raumdeuter:
Maybe na another Vidal Conte wan buy

Lol Aleix Vidal abi?

All these rumours on "to-be managers" and their supposed acclaimed signings sef..

Man U never sign Jose, rumour mill says he wants Mata and Foolaini sold...

hensben:
I like conte's tactical football(what Italian coaches are good at) but his formation(3-5-2) is my worries. That formation can only work in Seria A due to their general slow pace with the ball unlike in epl.

He should take over and play 3-5-2 and watch Chelsea van Gaaled....

elrony:


He should take over and play 3-5-2 and watch Chelsea van Gaaled....

I dey tell you.

raumdeuter:
Maybe na another Vidal Conte wan buy

Na Sun newspaper dey cook up that rumour. Nothing in it.

hensben:
I like conte's tactical football(what Italian coaches are good at) but his formation(3-5-2) is my worries. That formation can only work in Seria A due to their general slow pace with the ball unlike in epl.

A formation would work in any league if only executed well. Would you claim that European football was slow paced when LvG won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 using the 3-4-3 formation? Or that the 2014 WC was slow paced when he LVG finished 3rd with Netherlands using the 3-man defence line?

It wasn't about the league or competition, it was about the tools at LvG's disposal and how effective they responded to instructions.

Van Gaal may not have helped himself at times during his early days at manyoo, but it was a tough gig. And if you want a measure of how tough it was, you need to take a closer look at the mediocrity that resides in that manyoo's team.

Conte can come along with his 3-5-2 if he cares. It's a formation that places a lot of emphasis on space; maximising your own and restricting that of your opponent, and I believe with the acquisition of a weed-smoking defensive midfielder we can do just fine in it.

It has to be said though, a 3-5-2 would hardly accommodate folks like Hazard, Terry, Pedro, Cahill, Mikel, and Rahman Baba, so from an angle, a major overhaul could be on the cards.

At the back, the centre-backs don't have the constant reference point so they have to be a very well-drilled unit, combining qualities likes strength in the air, good tackling, mobility and confidence. A limited defender like Cahill who simply tackle and clear would be in danger of becoming redundant if Conte arrives unless the Englishman decides to change his game overnight.

My ideal combo would be: Ivanovic - Zouma - Aymeric Laporte

The wing-backs will have to move up field to support the midfield and be involved in the build-up when we're with the ball and would have to spring back to support the defence when we're without the ball, so. . .

My ideal combo would be: Cesar at the right, Willian at the left (Yes Willian!)

My three-man central midfield which will line up in a variant of a triangle would be a mix of vision, power and cohesion.

My ideal combo in that case would be: a rejuvenated Matic or Naingollan - Fabregas - Koke or Vidal (Dayokanu die).

The two net busters?

My ideal combo would be Costa - Harry Kane (Get Levy drunk and break the bank for the English lad I say).

Except that I'm not Conte and there's no chance of me getting a call from Roman Abramovich.

Griffon:


A formation would work in any league if only executed well. Would you claim that European football was slow paced when LvG won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 using the 3-4-3 formation? Or that the 2014 WC was slow paced when he LVG finished 3rd with Netherlands using the 3-man defence line?

It wasn't about the league or competition, it was about the tools at LvG's disposal and how effective they responded to instructions.

Van Gaal may not have helped himself at times during his early days at manyoo, but it was a tough gig. And if you want a measure of how tough it was, you need to take a closer look at the mediocrity that resides in that manyoo's team.

Conte can come along with his 3-5-2 if he cares. It's a formation that places a lot of emphasis on space; maximising your own and restricting that of your opponent, and I believe with the acquisition of a weed-smoking defensive midfielder we can do just fine in it.

This present Chelsea squad will not suit 3-5-2 formation which will result to overhauling of squad and no quality players will come to Chelsea easily due to we are not going to UCL next season. Another poor season awaiting because the new signings will hav to adapt to new league and formation.

Conte is not playing 3-5-2 with Italy. No need speculating. A manager will pick any formation that best suits his players.

Ibime:
Conte is not playing 3-5-2 with Italy. No need speculating. A manager will pick any formation that best suits his players.

if conte play 433 do we have the kind of midfielders wey go execute am perfectly

lordfalcao:
if conte play 433 do we have the kind of midfielders wey go execute am perfectly

We don't have midfielders that can execute anything perfectly.

Ibime:

We don't have midfielders that can execute anything perfectly.

Ibime:


We don't have midfielders that can execute anything perfectly.

bwuahahahahahahahahaha!

you are spot on and blunt!

Ibime:


We don't have midfielders that can execute anything perfectly.

Shakhtar Donetsk(UKR) v Anderlecht(BEL)

BaselBasel(SUI) v Sevilla(ESP)

Villarreal(ESP) v Leverkusen(GER)

Athletic Bilbao(ESP) v Valencia(ESP)

Liverpool(ENG) v Man. United(ENG)

Sparta Praha(CZE) v Lazio(ITA)

Dortmund(GER) v Tottenham(ENG)

Fenerbahçe(TUR) v Braga(POR

4 from ESP
3 from ENG
2 from GER



I'm not implying anything

JigsawKillah:
4 from ESP
3 from ENG
2 from GER



I'm not implying anything