Best analysis I've seen of what Barcelona do

[Joesh]

EJG, we are pretty good at it but I think sometimes when we are pressed high we do tend to go back to Brad and he hits it long, just something you notice in the big games away from home where you really need to control game. Maybe not the best example but Emirates Marketing Project away without Ade, there was plenty of moments in the first half where they pressed us high, knowing we had no target man and knew we couldnt play our way out so we just gave cheap possession back.

I just think we are trying to be successful by dominating possession in games and there are areas we could improve on. Not sure we have the overall ability or confidence to play like Barca did in that game.

African, they probably do favour that side if it works but change it up if its not working. Again, we havent had Lennon for much of the season so maybe I am being harsh as we dont have another right winger. Sometimes we are a bit predictable without Lennon.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I remember in the World Cup, I think it was England vs Algeria, and when Alan Shearer was asked for his analysis of Algeria he basically said he knew sod all about them and offered zero insight. Embarrassing. Couldn't even be bothered to spend five minutes on wikipedia to find a couple of facts about their players.

Say what you like about Sky and the way they hype things up, but their football coverage tinkles over the BBC.

I agree that Sky's coverage is miles ahead of the BBC. Souness is also an excellent pundit, Wilkins and Gullit clearly know their stuff too. But I wouldn't say all of their pundits are great, or even good. Andy Gray knows fudge all about any league outside of England and Scotland, it clearly showed that he never did any research or even watched La Liga or Serie A for example. Sky have plenty of pundits who are sub par.

I would bet that Gary Linekar watches La Liga, he's bound to take extra interest in it as he played in Spain. Hansen is very good in his analysis of defending, but he's a one trick pony. Lee Dixon is decent I suppose. Shearer won't ever criticise anyone in the England team.

Gary Neville has surprised everyone with his knowledge of the game, me included.

 

[zin]

I agree that Sky's coverage is miles ahead of the BBC. Souness is also an excellent pundit, Wilkins and Gullit clearly know their stuff too.

I would bet that Gary Linekar watches La Liga, he's bound to take extra interest in it as he played in Spain.

Souness, Wilkins, Gullit and Lineker along with El Tel, Trevor Francis, Sherwood and McManaman are regularly on Al Jazeera Sport. The banter alone is worth the analysis.

Lineker was making German jokes with Didier Hamann just last night. Never heard a German with a Scouse accent before, incredibly irritating.

 

[Joesh]

That is part of the analysis Neville did. They have defenders that are very good on the ball (at least for defenders), and all their central midfielders are excellent on the ball (even for midfielders). We don't have that. Most teams can force us into playing long balls by putting pressure on us with two players. If they put pressure on us with 3 players we will punt it long even if we have VdV and Defoe up front. Our only defender that is good enough on the ball to play out from the back thru pressure is Ekotto. King used to be in this bracket, but these days he doesn't really move freely and as a result he isn't as good on the ball as he once was. Meanwhile Barca get put under pressure by 3 players and still pass it out from the back.



I agree. They lack a real wide man on the left. Alves provides excellent width for them on the right, but especially with Abidal out and Adriano (I think his name was) out or not good enough they have no real outlet on the left and so they play more on the right than on the left I think.

Yes, Abidal is a big player and Villa is missing as well. I guess we dont have the players to play this style despite being a passing team ourselves. I think a big factor in how people rate highly Benny and Modric is how they are so comfortable receiving the ball when players are closing them down. You often find pundits or commentators criticising Benny for not booting the ball out which is frustrating when you want your players to be confident and composed on the ball under pressure. The minute teams know you can be bullied off the ball high up the field especially away from home your in trouble regardless of the opposition quality.

 

[jimmyb]

I agree that Sky's coverage is miles ahead of the BBC. Souness is also an excellent pundit, Wilkins and Gullit clearly know their stuff too. But I wouldn't say all of their pundits are great, or even good. Andy Gray knows fudge all about any league outside of England and Scotland, it clearly showed that he never did any research or even watched La Liga or Serie A for example. Sky have plenty of pundits who are sub par.

I would bet that Gary Linekar watches La Liga, he's bound to take extra interest in it as he played in Spain. Hansen is very good in his analysis of defending, but he's a one trick pony. Lee Dixon is decent I suppose. Shearer won't ever criticise anyone in the England team.

Gary Neville has surprised everyone with his knowledge of the game, me included.

Neville hasn't surprised me at all. Anyone who regularly read his newspaper column had to know that he isn't your typically inarticulate and ignorant footballer. He has a fine brain.

 

[1882]

I know many of that era of 1990's Man Utd players have gone on to (so far) mediocre managerial careers... I'm thinking; Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Paul Ince, Roy Keane... but I can genuinely see Gary Neville becoming an excellent manager one day... mind you, it's one thing to 'know your stuff' (Hoddle knows his stuff') it's another to motivate players to know it too...

 

[AuroRaman]

3 pages of analysing an analysis by a footballing analysist??

Just get on the pitch and f***ing run around a bit.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Neville's analysis should be the norm. It is slightly depressing that we rush to laud a man who's only doing his job; i.e, analysis of the game. But still, kudos to him for giving due care and attention to his work, and for his knowledge of the game.

Personally, I'd like more Rafa types in studios doing the analysis. I mean Benitez, not our Rafa. Tactical managers, who are capable of dissecting the game and its nuances and presenting it to us. A few less of the 'blood and thunder' mates'-club English types and we should be fine. Hell, even Nigel Adkins, Chris Powell or Chris Hughton, if we're looking for capable Englishmen in the studio.