Barca 4-2 Atleti | A Match of Identities
The Home Team regaining & the away, losing it.
With no exaggeration, the best game under Xavi, and certainly the whole season.
A Statement win & the perfect catalyst to continue the foray into the Top 4.
đ§ĩ
The Home Team regaining & the away, losing it.
With no exaggeration, the best game under Xavi, and certainly the whole season.
A Statement win & the perfect catalyst to continue the foray into the Top 4.
đ§ĩ
Identity is a privilege to have. Atleti has theirs, and Barca? no doubt about it.
But, it was a clash of identities.
Not because of the off-the-pitch some salty war of words b/w the 2 managers, that too mostly fan-made, but because of how the match started & finished.
But, it was a clash of identities.
Not because of the off-the-pitch some salty war of words b/w the 2 managers, that too mostly fan-made, but because of how the match started & finished.
Some years before, if you would have gone 1-0 down against Atletico in just under the first 8 minutes, you would nearly kill yourself to equalize, and IF you are lucky, take the lead.
But, for Barca to make it 4-1 after conceding first, shows the path the 2 clubs are going on.
But, for Barca to make it 4-1 after conceding first, shows the path the 2 clubs are going on.
Barca, clearly the club on an upwards trajectory, and Simeone, who no doubt, is one of the reasons Atleti is considered an elite club, is on a downward slope, with little to show despite having a quality squad, from the base to the top.
More on that at the last, now on the Match
More on that at the last, now on the Match
Our shape was a basic 4-3-3 but with profiles that made it tick as it has never done before.
Atleti, at the start of the game, set up in a 4-5-1 shape, with Suarez being the first line of the press, and a shield of 5 just behind him.
Atleti, at the start of the game, set up in a 4-5-1 shape, with Suarez being the first line of the press, and a shield of 5 just behind him.
That gave our backline respite to always be ahead with little pressure to build up.
But, Suarez's positioning meant that he was cover-shadowing Busquets, and our outlet in the 1st line of progression was not accessible.
But, Suarez's positioning meant that he was cover-shadowing Busquets, and our outlet in the 1st line of progression was not accessible.
That's where the deadly combo of (perfect profiles + instructions) came into play.
With Adama capable of 1v1s, Dani was given a free role to drift inside, and give an extra option, and replace Busquets as the lone pivot, or a double pivot with him, with De Fdj & Pedri advanced.
With Adama capable of 1v1s, Dani was given a free role to drift inside, and give an extra option, and replace Busquets as the lone pivot, or a double pivot with him, with De Fdj & Pedri advanced.
Simeone changed the system from a single one-man 1st press to a 2 man press, but that meant, Felix came inside and was not able to exploit spaces that opened up whenever Alves dropped central.
Alves, at times, shifted inside and became that extra man who was always free, and in turn, gave an opportunity to Busi to be more advanced.
His intelligence meant, he was always able to find a free man, and Atleti, despite having space, couldn't use it.
His intelligence meant, he was always able to find a free man, and Atleti, despite having space, couldn't use it.
With Alves dropping in the middle, it forced the likes of Felix to drift inside to track his movements & cut the passing lane to Pedri on the right.
It opened up space for Adama & he found himself in 1v1 situations.
The Perfect thing that can happen with a profile like Adama's.
It opened up space for Adama & he found himself in 1v1 situations.
The Perfect thing that can happen with a profile like Adama's.
First Chance -
With Dani central, Adama had space, and the switch came.
With some precise passing, he found Pedri, who drives & found Torres, who just missed.
A Simple switch - Opened the Defense.
With Dani central, Adama had space, and the switch came.
With some precise passing, he found Pedri, who drives & found Torres, who just missed.
A Simple switch - Opened the Defense.
Just simply see Pedri's positioning here.
Deploying himself from a fair distance from Adama, to let him do his work, and in the middle of a square of 4 Atleti players.
Lemar advanced, to cover for Dani dropping in b/w.
Receives it, turns & drives. đ
Deploying himself from a fair distance from Adama, to let him do his work, and in the middle of a square of 4 Atleti players.
Lemar advanced, to cover for Dani dropping in b/w.
Receives it, turns & drives. đ
To Force Adama in 1v1s was an advantage, as 9/10 times, he will come out on top.
Gavi's goal shows 2 concepts amazingly well.
Dani is sitting deep, and Busquets is advanced. When Pique drives in space & finds Torres, who gives it to Busi, who finds Pedri with a...
Gavi's goal shows 2 concepts amazingly well.
Dani is sitting deep, and Busquets is advanced. When Pique drives in space & finds Torres, who gives it to Busi, who finds Pedri with a...
...great penetrative pass. Fortunately, the ball breaks for Adama, who beats his man, & cross it in, & Gavi gives Barca the lead.
2-1 with 20 minutes on the clock. Comeback.
2-1 with 20 minutes on the clock. Comeback.
There were rare moments when Alves pushed up from the left, but when he did, he combined well with his fellow teammates to carve out a cross & opportunities to score.
Dani & Alba, for saying are 2 fullbacks, but their roles, are poles apart.
One who likes to go & play forward, Alves conservative coz of his age, but his intelligence helps him to play anywhere.
See Alves' (2nd one) touch map compared to Alba.
The Difference - Central Touches!
One who likes to go & play forward, Alves conservative coz of his age, but his intelligence helps him to play anywhere.
See Alves' (2nd one) touch map compared to Alba.
The Difference - Central Touches!
Frenkie De Jong & the amazing left-wing.
When I talked about profiles perfectly aligning with the game plan, that's what I mean.
The Overload on the left, and how the profiles perfectly worked with each other on that side, tell a great story.
Our average attack sides - âŦ
When I talked about profiles perfectly aligning with the game plan, that's what I mean.
The Overload on the left, and how the profiles perfectly worked with each other on that side, tell a great story.
Our average attack sides - âŦ
Tells the whole story.
Frenkie dropped a masterclass yesterday. How beautifully he played his role is just a small example of the quality he has & the number of variations he can play with.
Frenkie dropped a masterclass yesterday. How beautifully he played his role is just a small example of the quality he has & the number of variations he can play with.
With Pedri given a different role to sit in between the lines & make spaces for Adama, the other interior, Frenkie had quite an opposite role to play.
With Alba bombarding on the left, he dropped in the LCB position at times to make up for him, and provide an outlet from there.
With Alba bombarding on the left, he dropped in the LCB position at times to make up for him, and provide an outlet from there.
See how he tracks back & allows Alba to move forward.
With Gavi too drifting inside, Alba had all the time to be the receiver & get the ball in dangerous positions.
With Gavi too drifting inside, Alba had all the time to be the receiver & get the ball in dangerous positions.
Frenkie's role was important in many aspects.
With no typical winger on the left, the responsibility of forming attacks was all upon Alba & Gavi.
Frenkie's perfect positioning and movements in space gave them that freedom to be more open.
With no typical winger on the left, the responsibility of forming attacks was all upon Alba & Gavi.
Frenkie's perfect positioning and movements in space gave them that freedom to be more open.
A Perfect Example of what he provided from the left.
- Drops on the left.
- Finds Alba in space, with a perfectly timed ball.
- Alba crosses it in but falls on Pedri's left and he shoots wide.
âšī¸- Fast & Precise Progression.
- Drops on the left.
- Finds Alba in space, with a perfectly timed ball.
- Alba crosses it in but falls on Pedri's left and he shoots wide.
âšī¸- Fast & Precise Progression.
As Gavi drifted in, which opened up spaces on the left, Frenkie also dropped there to drive the ball forward, whenever Alba was too deep.
Overload on the Left.
With Ferran joining in, Barca always had numerical superiority on the left, which they used brilliantly in several situations.
With Ferran joining in, Barca always had numerical superiority on the left, which they used brilliantly in several situations.
Dani's goal is another example of how fluid the left-wing worked.
Despite having no extra numbers, De Jong & Gavi played a 1-2 & eventually crossed it in, which found Dani alone at the edge of the box, who scored.
Despite having no extra numbers, De Jong & Gavi played a 1-2 & eventually crossed it in, which found Dani alone at the edge of the box, who scored.
It's a 3v3 on the left, but with Alba sitting back & engaging De Paul, it was all about precise passing b/w Gavi & Fdj, who master in that, and eventually, Barca scored.
Average Positions show the whole story.
Ferran dropped & successfully generated numerical superiority on the left with the other 3 players that are closely placed there.
Also, how close Pedri is, and taking a player with him to make space for Adama, which I talked about earlier
Ferran dropped & successfully generated numerical superiority on the left with the other 3 players that are closely placed there.
Also, how close Pedri is, and taking a player with him to make space for Adama, which I talked about earlier
The Red Card changed the game, but Barca managed the game well, despite a man down.
When Aubameyang came in place of Adama, I thought this might be a mistake, because of Adama's pace on the counters.
But, Ferran (moved on the left) & Auba (now central) held the ball pretty well
When Aubameyang came in place of Adama, I thought this might be a mistake, because of Adama's pace on the counters.
But, Ferran (moved on the left) & Auba (now central) held the ball pretty well
Despite showing some great on-the-ball & buildup principles, the goal we conceded was easily avoidable.
Pique came out, & failed to track Suarez's run who crossed it in for Carrasco to score.
Pique came out, & failed to track Suarez's run who crossed it in for Carrasco to score.
Pique is caught out of position, and Suarez is left free on the right. Should not Happen!
Ferran Torres had a good game. The Value on the pitch one creates with his off-the-ball movements is something that adds that extra bite to the team, and Torres did exactly that.
Dropping back to facilitate for those 3rd man runs, engaging the defenders.
Quite a game from him!
Dropping back to facilitate for those 3rd man runs, engaging the defenders.
Quite a game from him!
Despite some blips atb, Barca played arguably the best football this season.
Especially the first 60 minutes, as Xavi also said post-match.
Especially the first 60 minutes, as Xavi also said post-match.
After the Alaves match, I said that these 2 weeks of rest might be the perfect thing for this team.
It not just provided rest but also gives ample time for Xavi & his staff to sit down and work on specific concepts.
& Fdj's improvements might just be a small example.
It not just provided rest but also gives ample time for Xavi & his staff to sit down and work on specific concepts.
& Fdj's improvements might just be a small example.
In fact, the whole team looked like they knew what to do.
If one outlet failed, they were proactive enough to go & try another.
Roles were understood better, & everyone played for what they were on the pitch.
Not More-Not Less.
Huge Win at this crucial juncture of the season!
If one outlet failed, they were proactive enough to go & try another.
Roles were understood better, & everyone played for what they were on the pitch.
Not More-Not Less.
Huge Win at this crucial juncture of the season!
The Game was a clear indication of the path that team is taking.
Despite this, that path is still very long. So, sit back & Enjoy.
This Team is not perfect. No team is.
But, it's slowly getting there where it belongs.
Patience!
Despite this, that path is still very long. So, sit back & Enjoy.
This Team is not perfect. No team is.
But, it's slowly getting there where it belongs.
Patience!
Concluding the Thread Now.
Thanks for Reading.
If you like the thread, do Like It & Retweet so that it reaches a larger audience.
Thanks for the support & drop your feedback (always accepted).
Hope you have a great day & a great year ahead. đ
Thanks for Reading.
If you like the thread, do Like It & Retweet so that it reaches a larger audience.
Thanks for the support & drop your feedback (always accepted).
Hope you have a great day & a great year ahead. đ
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