CL Semi-Finals 13/14 - April 22,23,29,30

I still can't understand how Pep decided not to have a marker to Ramos and Pepe during set pieces..

They are just man marking Ronaldo.. Even Bale's headers are good..

If Bayern don't change their tactics Dortmund might end up winning the German Cup.. Their weakness for fast paced counter attacks was evident even in the match against us..
 
Dante said:
Heh. Bayern dismantled Pep's tiki taka last year and Real have dismantled Pep's tiki taka this year. There's a easy way to play against it, as long as you have a bit of pace.

Guardiola simply doesn't have a plan B. The idea that he's an all time great manager is ridiculous.
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I said the same thing in the newbies and people started complaining. Pep has no fall back plan.
 
Pink Moon said:
Served Neville and in turn United well when tiki-taka was comprehensively beating them in two CL finals. Or when Spain won three major tournaments on the bounce.
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4-4-2 rules. You tiki-taka lovers are just so over.
 
Question, when was the last time a Champions League final was contested between two teams from the same City?
 
KLOPP > Guardiola

Dortmund needed one more goal to eliminate Real Madrid. Dortmund had almost all of their starters out.
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
- Tiki Taka RIP
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Have to say I'm particularly pleased about this. In Pep's first few season's this style was often exciting with frequent tempo increases and quick one-touch football in the box. But teams have learned to adapt and now this just leads to 70% of harmless possession. It's become abudantly clear in the last few years that the lack of plan B means this style will almost always lose against great teams playing powerful counter-attacking football. Pep needs to evolve. Right now he certainly doesn't look as tactically astute as he seemed when he burst onto the scene.
 
I made a bet on Real. They were at 4.75 to win. Ridiculous odds. Never felt like I was getting money for free from a betting company before.
 
100 said:
He's becoming increasingly annoying; I see where he's coming from but using a 200M forward line to make a point and coming out every week with an 'I told you so' is very tedious
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Dortmund beat them 3-0 recently too. Same style, about 150m less to build. You just need to find the right players, they don't all cost world record prices.
 
Fast and strong rock'n'roll football only works this well if you have exceptionally gifted players. Otherwise, you'll just be Stoke City.
 
charleysurf said:
4-4-2 rules. You tiki-taka lovers are just so over.
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I don't like tiki-taka tbh. I love football like Dortmund's and I know that's the kind of style Neville is talking about. I just think it's daft to think this mauling is down to tiki-taka v fast-furious football and nothing else.
 
Baxter said:
Aye but if he had his way, instead of foreigners like Bale and Ronaldo we'd have Young and Lennon.
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Gary in a nutshell. He's getting annoying for everyone with his tweets and comments. Foreigners know how to play a ruthless game as well.
 
People keep bringing up Barca to prove Pep was a genius.

He had Messi to bail him out. It works when you have the best player in the world who is able to play in that system and have the individual genius to score at any moment.
 
How will Madrid line up in the final without Alonso? They are a bit light in midfield and Illaramendi is nowhere near ready yet, or?
 
Martinez on for Mandzukic. Pep's just taking the piss now. Why not bring on Van Buyten for Müller as well, because feck it.
 
Chelsea are going to smash and grab another CL. I can't rule out a pitch invasion by Real fans when Mourinho celebrates wildly
 
Pep shares that AVB trait of always wanting the same formula and refusing to adapt to circumstances. That lack of pragmatism costs them heavily.
 
I don't think it's just winning the title early that's made Bayern relax and lose their edge.

They've had too easy a season, they haven't had to think enough or fight enough. Madrid are a challenge to their concentration and their speed of thought every time they go forward.
 
Pink Moon said:
I don't like tiki-taka tbh. I love football like Dortmund's and I know that's the kind of style Neville is talking about. I just think it's daft to think this mauling is down to tiki-taka v fast-furious football and nothing else.
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It obviously isn't that simple, players' form plays also a big role.
 
Dante said:
Mandzukic off for Martinez! :lol:

Tiki taka isn't working... needs more tiki taka then.
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Really can´t understand this sub. Martinez was needed but at the expense of the only striker? :wenger:
 
Ruht said:
Winning the league did more harm than good, that much is obvious. The intensity dropped severely and players simply didn't care for the league matches. We would have been much better had we not won the league so early in my opinion. That being said, I still reckon this Madrid side would have gone through. It's plain obvious how susceptible to counters we are and to not start Javi, a player who was the difference last season is crazy. Kroos and Bastian in DM simply does not work, we need a destroyer in there. Baffles me why Javi was benched. Good luck to Madrid in the final, much deserved. Playing brilliant football this year and you can just see how much they want it.

We will see how next year goes, but Pep has some tinkering to do in the summer. We need to combine the strengths of his tactics and what made Bayern so lethal last year, otherwise expect more of the same next season.
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A fully fit Dortmund might have kept them on their toes as well. Bayern were devastating last season, why try to change their style.
 
Neville is so annoying. Madrid have better players than us in every single position required to play that way.

Besides which, Van Gaal plays exciting football making use of wingers anyway!
 
Real Madrid just look quicker across their whole eleven.

Barcelona played this system with players who were all so light on their feet. They always looked faster and nippier against Madrid and everyone else.
With the exception of Robben, they all seem so heavy-footed.
 
Mandzukic is shit. No loss in taking him off. Correct decision but 45 minutes too late!
 
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