HOW BARCA PUNK'D LIVERPOOL& HOW IT'S NOT OVER: 2ND LEG PREVIEW
BARCELONA V LIVERPOOL
THE 2ND LEG SHOWDOWN
AT ANFIELD
Usually the name of an entity will usurp any and all of the parts and pieces that go with it, aka The Beatles: All four band members were #1 hit solo artists in their own right, but when together, their many qualities combined into a stew with its own G.O.A.T flavors.
And often times when the perceived star puts his name in front of that entity (THEM became "Van Morrison and THEM" or Rod Stewart and The Faces instead of The Faces), greed, anger and in fighting follows, usually to the destruction of the thing they'd all built together.
But when inserting Lionel Messi's name in front of Barcelona (making it Lionel Messi and Barcelona), it is only welcomed and acknowledged as the fact of the matter.
With his stunning, otherworldly display against Liverpool on Wednesday, we must dedicate a shrine specifically for him in every major city in the world.
That free kick sent tears streaming down my cheeks: the distance he hit the shot from, the supposed #1 keeper he took on with complete authority, the precision and speed in which he bent and dipped the ball through the Liverpool wall, caressing Fabinho's shoulder as if to say "You can't even deflect this bro" and the promise of a Champions League final birth ALL wrapped in one gift for Barca fans the world over.
Sure, Liverpool brought the best out of Barcelona in all three phases and made it incredibly tough, which the 3-0 score deceives us from thinking.
Klopp's squad pushed the Catalans to the brink, but with every shot on goal there was a big swatting paw from Ter Stegen to parry it away; with every dribble past a Barca defender or midfielder, there was Alba, Sergi Roberto, Rakitic or Arturo Vidal there to stuff the move; with every open cross or ball into the box, Lenglet and Pique were there to make one of their 21 clearances on the night and when gaps were created, they were exploited by Messi and co., especially after the substitution to Naby Keita.
From the 21st minute to the end of the first half, Barca played their best minutes of the season: flying into Liverpool just like Klopp instructs his men to do, dominating possession, making Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum and Gomez chase and race around to put out fires. Meanwhile, Joel Matip and VVD could barely get the ball out of their own box, with Matip in particular looking suspect.
It was during this raging, rampant thrust when the 1st goal came.
Barca had pinned Liverpool deep with a Gomez throw-in, only for Alba to sneak in front, intercepting it with his head and the ball circulating amongst the midfielders. Then, a long ball was launched by the imperious Arturo Vidal out to Coutinho and just as I said in the preview articles, the hesitation play on the wings would get the goals.
Coutinho did the best thing he did all night when he took the ball down with a brisk touch and then slid it back to the arriving Alba. One touch, head up, Suarez points and makes the run and Jordi supplied the ball.
The hesitation on the left wing completely froze Matip, and Suarez's exquisite run created the acute angle from which Alba's ball was steered: perhaps this is a wrinkle Barca should exploit in the 2nd leg?
For the rest of the half, Lionel Messi's glory exploded: flicking over two players on the right wing to open a counter attack, dribbling through and around some of the most steely Reds players and leaving them in the dust behind.
If Barca had started with Ousmane Dembele, they could've ended the 1st half up 3-0, such were the boundless gaps Liverpool left in behind when chasing the score.
Coutinho kept checking back, even in space, looking for Alba's disgusting pace in behind on the overlap to free him up, demanding quite a lot from the left back.
So what does Barcelona do now after being up 3-0 in the 1st leg?
What does Valverde consider going into the cauldron of Anfield in which we will find a luckier and potentially better Liverpool side than we saw at Camp Nou (you can't imagine a team playing any better and getting nothing from it, though Liverpool earned their problems).
Liverpool had chances: Sadio Mane shanked a definitive chance by lifting out a boot to a Gomez cross, his limp foot sending the ball skyward in the first 30 minutes; Salah hitting the post, Firmino having his shot cleared off of the line, Milner (x2) and Salah seeing a high quality shot saved by Ter Stegen: all of this is a result of doggedly vicious defending by Barcelona.
BARCELONA PUNKS LIVERPOOL
Liverpool were punk'd by Barca: Klopp not only had his men best prepared for a plethora of outcomes, they also performed at their highest levels.
Yet they couldn't have expected Barcelona to relinquish possession while also pressing like complete whack-job yokels thanks to the never ending speed and stamina of every Blaugrana player's desire, most notably Vidal's aggressive play.
This is where Valverde may be proven a genius by the end of the campaign.
Everyone thought Arthur Melo was a shoe-in for the XI, though Ernesto Valverde paid close attention to the rising stock of Arturo Vidal, with his recent appearances showing fight, grit, determination and enough forward impetus to break Messi free after the Chilean wins possession.
Maybe this says more about Arthur Melo's lack of fitness, form or ability to win the ball back as quickly and as effortlessly as Arturo Vidal makes it look (at this point in the season).
Vidal put in 6 completed tackles out of 8 attempts, though it seemed far more than that, such was his obsession with putting a boot in during the 1st leg at Camp Nou.
Regardless, this competitive dueling for possession played right into our hands: Liverpool having slightly more of the ball and resorting to conservative back line possession which was never going anywhere and threatening none of the Barca players.
While this tactic also made it possible for the pressing hounds of Rakitic, Roberto, Vidal, Messi, Suarez and Busquets to maintain that level for 90 minutes, picking the right moments in which to explode on to the Reds back line ensconced in drab possession, usually forcing the ball straight back to us.
It could've been a lot more dominant and assured had Ousmane Dembele replaced Coutinho at half time and if they'd held on to the ball for 10% more possession.
Instead, the period of time Liverpool looked most like scoring was in the second half until the 70th minute, a sequence where Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi and Busquets were asked to do too much, spreading themselves thin in the press and in the blistering counters they pulled off, though it was space Coutinho wouldn't take advantage of that repeatedly forced Barcelona deep, unable to get out of their own half.
Had Ousmane Dembele been subbed on during this time, the sizable gaps vacated in behind by Liverpool's surging, desperate midfield and back four would've been exploited outright and Messi and co. could be preparing for a 2nd leg snoozefest with a 5 or 6-0 lead in the 1st leg
The fact that the trident of two 30+ year old strikers and a left back still conjured 3 brilliant goals against that defensive unit, during the most intense and dominant spells for Liverpool proves my point exactly: Klopp's men weren't just outclassed, they were outworked, outrun, and still the Catalan giants created more attempts on goal, achieved more shots on target, while both clubs had 16 (BAR) and 17 tackles (LIV) respectively in what was a violent match.
It was a combative killing field out there and the worst tactical course of action would've been to dally on the ball for 70% of the match, giving the Reds easy targets to press into uncomfortable situations. That was where they would've been most comfortable: countering, pressing, soaking up and gaining possession when they could.
To every one's surprise (excluding Valverde) Liverpool out passed Barcelona marginally (by under 50 passes) and had 53% to our 47% possession.
Don't expect to see the possession statistics for Barcelona ever being that low again.
It was an incredible moment that had to be survived to reach exaltation: We were facing an unstoppable opponent that was not only well schooled in besting and destroying teams that play our football and that way only (Manchester City to be specific), Liverpool play that way, too and are a club that works so hard in all three phases and has already achieved incredible things in the last year, gaining experience and confidence while Mane, Firmino and Salah continue to gel and break club and league records.
They were set up to stop a possession dominant team in every way possible, not mobilized to defend with the ball at the back against a scrappy Klopp-esque side with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
We out Liverpool'd Liverpool, and remained 100% Barca while doing it, an incredible achievement that Ernesto Valverde deserves unbelievable praise for.
THE SECOND LEG @ ANFIELD:
JOB ONLY 1/2 DONE
Now the job isn't done, not even close: a 2nd leg (that promises to be better than the 1st) beckons on the horizon at Anfield, where Liverpool are a different beast altogether from the well-drilled, defined and purposeful side we saw at Camp Nou.
Even without Salah or Firmino, they will be sharper in front of goal, they will pass the ball quicker and their set pieces will need everything from Lenglet and Pique to defend them.
Klopp's team will be giving absolutely everything, and knowing that nobody gives them a chance to get through, they'll be playing with nothing to lose.
So if you can imagine how much they gave of themselves and their bodies in Barcelona, we can only surmise that this'll be a Liverpool team giving even more, somehow and some way. They'll be hungry and willing to fight, though the news about Mo Salah and Bobby Firmino couldn't be worse for them.
After scoring a goal vs Newcastle, Salah was plowed into from behind which resulted in a head injury that caused the Egyptian to be stretchered from the pitch, a shocking moment for any fan of football.
What is it with Salah in tears, injured at the end of the season for Liverpool???
We wish him the best to recover, yet who else do the Reds have to score goals now?
We know Anfield can drive these players on to unreal heights and at the same time make even the most experienced players shit themselves, however what type of mood will the Kop be in after the somber scenes of the last week?
How long can the replacements of Salah and Firmino last in the 2nd leg?
And that is precisely why the tactical setup for the 2nd leg for Barcelona is all too easy, knowing 1 or 2 away goals will finish the tie off and silence the Anfield spectators.
In keeping with this theme, Barca should look to dominate possession in this leg, starving Liverpool into early fouls, potential yellow cards and most of all, Valverde's men must be territorial in their passing.
We must look to force players such as TAA, Gomez, Robertson, Matip to rush themselves out of position and with one little pass over, under or around, Jordi Alba, Malcolm, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez can make those passes to each other with the corresponding run in behind and goals will come of it.
Is the 2nd leg another match for Vidal to start in? I'm not so sure, although anything that was a repeat of the 1st leg should be fine by me, although we must remember how well prepared and patient the Reds were at Camp Nou.
Can Barcelona outlast teams in possession anymore?
The indications from the 1st leg seem to be a big fat NO to that question, or was this just smart tactical awareness from Valverde?
Once again....ever the chameleon.
History tells us that Barcelona cannot sit on this lead and think they can soak up pressure, absorb the Liverpool attack and then counter.
Up 3 goals against Roma, going to their Stadio Olympico for the 2nd leg, it seemed as if the Catalans would walk into the semifinals last year. Instead, Barcelona were set up with a 4-4-2 base formation completely reliant upon Messi and Luis Suarez pressing and then attacking in isolation, of course with Dembele on the bench.
This blew up in Valverde's face as 1 goal became 2, and 2 became 3 until he finally made his first positive substitution, throwing on Ousmane Dembele with only minutes to go, and even at that juncture the Frenchman produced the two best chances for Barcelona to score the entire night, finally exposing Roma and relieving Messi.
But it was far too late and Barcelona crashed out because they were too naive to see the big picture: success in modern football is about evolution, it's predicated on unpredictability, it's surrounded in transitional combat and a bit of the ol' midfield ultra-violence.
Would 2011 Barcelona be able to out-possess and dominate the best clubs of 2019's uber-athleticism and physical dynamism?
It's interesting to ponder....though hindsight remains 20/20, as always, there are elements of every Barcelona team since 2006 in the DNA of Valverde-era Barcelona: the guile, craft and passing of the Xavi-Iniesta era; the measured, sly countering at 55% possession of the Rijkaard years; the Messi-dependence of 2012-2014 and again from 2017-2019; the direct, all out attacking ethos of the MSN era (the few times we've seen MSD unleashed, inc. the last 30 minutes vs Lyon the Copa Del Rey 2nd leg vs Real Madrid) and now, all of those subtleties come bearing fruit through the common threads of those eras that are still in the team (the maniacal saavy of Messi, the range and vision of Busquets and the Beckenbauer anticipation, non-tackling defending and absolute mastery of Gerard Pique.
Every facet of this "new Barca" must be on display in the 2nd leg, with renewed dominion on the ball on Merseyside or we can expect Barcelona to be pinned deep, whacking away at every cross into the box and defending for our lives for up to 120 minutes, with the Scouse crowd on top of us.
That is a recipe for disaster, even with Mane potentially being the only member of the front three available.
Valverde must learn his lesson from last season against Roma: he can't stay conservative with the lead...we are Barcelona. We take the game to our opponents and play the 87th minute the same as the 1st.
And in no match is this more critical (as a set of tactical doctrine) than this 2nd leg: simply put, just as Liverpool did last year over City, Barcelona must keep the foot on the gas pedal, in fact, they have to start Malcom in lieu of Ousmane Dembele after his new hamstring problem.
Liverpool will be pressing, passing, shooting and going on runs as if their lives depended on it (since their season does) and unless we use that nearly out of control movement and pace to our advantage, it'll sweep us aside.
Now with Liverpool chasing the tie, Arthur in midfield is paramount in forcing the Reds to chase the ball.
For every five minutes spent racing after possession and for every two or three tackles attempted to take it from us, it whittles away at their forward effectiveness.
AND IF SALAH OR FIRMINO AREN'T PLAYING...
On the wings for Klopp, Xherdan Shaqiri will most likely be joined by Trent Alexander-Arnold (who didn't play in the 1st leg to everyone's surprise and dismay). TAA showed his value to Klopp on the weekend vs Newcastle with 2 assists, with one to Salah that was one of the moves we never saw from the Reds at Camp Nou.
It was this wing play that allowed Salah center-right space inside the box against every opponent TAA and Salah have faced together, with Liverpool defeats often coinciding with Klopp benching the teenager or when an injury has befallen him (PSG, Napoli).
It is imperative for Liverpool that Shaqiri and TAA combine and pin Alba deep in the Barca half to have a chance of a comeback.
When taking on Jordi Alba, it was absolutely crucial for the former Roma and Chelsea man to be able to ghost into the box. Instead, Salah remained shackled to the right wing for Liverpool and Gomez (being conservative in his runs) made the defending for Alba and Lenglet far too easy.
Though with Shaqiri, Origi and Sturridge available to replace the two forward positions, this brings another big test for the Catalans as they faced MSF in the 1st leg and handled them fine (with some luck), they haven't gone up against these guys.
Shaqiri was electric at the start of the campaign, shredding top opposition and fitting into Klopp's side perfectly and the Swiss international's dead ball deliveries could spell danger for Lenglet and Pique, though he's been out of the team for a while, he did assist vs Newcastle to win the match.
IN CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the only way Liverpool can get back into the tie is a goal, if not 2 before halftime.
And if they score early goals, it'll come from their dynamic set pieces, with VVD, Mane and Matip being world class in the air, and everyone from TAA, Milner, Shaqiri and Henderson giving fantastic deliveries from dead ball situations.
However, more bad news for Liverpool: Barcelona have only allowed 1 goal in the 5 knockout games thus far./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61605529/1017236754.jpg.0.jpg)
On to Barca, the grave injury to Ousmane Dembele gives Liverpool a slight chance as long as they can pin us deep as they did in the 1st leg, catching us in our own half without a speedy outlet to free Messi and Luis Suarez up the pitch.
This is why Malcolm must start no matter what, because his pace not only gains Messi the necessary space, it also relaxes the entire shape of our back four and midfield, never letting the formation get too narrow or too packed in, not to mention the gaping holes Liverpool will leave in behind as they push to get level.
I'm saddened that the three players who've been injured won't be taking part: Mo Salah and Firmino make Liverpool formidable, while Ousmane Dembele's presence would've undoubtedly helped Messi and Luis Suarez up top to finish off the tie.
It would've been a remarkable 2nd leg with their participation, but such is football.
We have an easier solution for Dembele's absence when we plug Malcolm into the XI, but do Liverpool have anyone who can shoulder the load of Firmino and Salah?
We don't think so.
We think Shaqiri plays and helps score the first goal, a set piece from which VVD scores, but it won't be enough, as a Suarez pass to Messi on the counter in the 15th minute to respond will bury Liverpool's fortunes.
Later on, Sergi Roberto feeds Messi again and this time the Barca captain pulls it back to a trailing Rakitic to gouge the back of Liverpool's net.
It will be a fantastic 2nd leg, but Liverpool couldn't possibly have enough, right?
PREDICTION:
Previous prediction: 3-2
New prediction: 1-2
(BARCA ADVANCE 5-1 ON AGGREGATE)
LINEUPS:
GK Ter Stegen
RB Semedo
CB Pique
CB Lenglet
LB Alba
CDM Busi
RCM Vidal
LCM Arthur
LW Malcolm
RF CF CAM Messi
CF Suarez
GK Alisson
RB TAA
CB Lovren
CB VVD
LB Robertson
DM Henderson
RCM Milner
LCM Wijnaldum
RF Shaqiri
CF Origi
LF Mane
THE 2ND LEG SHOWDOWN
AT ANFIELD
Usually the name of an entity will usurp any and all of the parts and pieces that go with it, aka The Beatles: All four band members were #1 hit solo artists in their own right, but when together, their many qualities combined into a stew with its own G.O.A.T flavors. And often times when the perceived star puts his name in front of that entity (THEM became "Van Morrison and THEM" or Rod Stewart and The Faces instead of The Faces), greed, anger and in fighting follows, usually to the destruction of the thing they'd all built together.
But when inserting Lionel Messi's name in front of Barcelona (making it Lionel Messi and Barcelona), it is only welcomed and acknowledged as the fact of the matter.
With his stunning, otherworldly display against Liverpool on Wednesday, we must dedicate a shrine specifically for him in every major city in the world.
That free kick sent tears streaming down my cheeks: the distance he hit the shot from, the supposed #1 keeper he took on with complete authority, the precision and speed in which he bent and dipped the ball through the Liverpool wall, caressing Fabinho's shoulder as if to say "You can't even deflect this bro" and the promise of a Champions League final birth ALL wrapped in one gift for Barca fans the world over.
Sure, Liverpool brought the best out of Barcelona in all three phases and made it incredibly tough, which the 3-0 score deceives us from thinking.
Klopp's squad pushed the Catalans to the brink, but with every shot on goal there was a big swatting paw from Ter Stegen to parry it away; with every dribble past a Barca defender or midfielder, there was Alba, Sergi Roberto, Rakitic or Arturo Vidal there to stuff the move; with every open cross or ball into the box, Lenglet and Pique were there to make one of their 21 clearances on the night and when gaps were created, they were exploited by Messi and co., especially after the substitution to Naby Keita.
From the 21st minute to the end of the first half, Barca played their best minutes of the season: flying into Liverpool just like Klopp instructs his men to do, dominating possession, making Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum and Gomez chase and race around to put out fires. Meanwhile, Joel Matip and VVD could barely get the ball out of their own box, with Matip in particular looking suspect.It was during this raging, rampant thrust when the 1st goal came.
Barca had pinned Liverpool deep with a Gomez throw-in, only for Alba to sneak in front, intercepting it with his head and the ball circulating amongst the midfielders. Then, a long ball was launched by the imperious Arturo Vidal out to Coutinho and just as I said in the preview articles, the hesitation play on the wings would get the goals.
Coutinho did the best thing he did all night when he took the ball down with a brisk touch and then slid it back to the arriving Alba. One touch, head up, Suarez points and makes the run and Jordi supplied the ball.
The hesitation on the left wing completely froze Matip, and Suarez's exquisite run created the acute angle from which Alba's ball was steered: perhaps this is a wrinkle Barca should exploit in the 2nd leg?
For the rest of the half, Lionel Messi's glory exploded: flicking over two players on the right wing to open a counter attack, dribbling through and around some of the most steely Reds players and leaving them in the dust behind.
Coutinho kept checking back, even in space, looking for Alba's disgusting pace in behind on the overlap to free him up, demanding quite a lot from the left back.
So what does Barcelona do now after being up 3-0 in the 1st leg?
What does Valverde consider going into the cauldron of Anfield in which we will find a luckier and potentially better Liverpool side than we saw at Camp Nou (you can't imagine a team playing any better and getting nothing from it, though Liverpool earned their problems).
Liverpool had chances: Sadio Mane shanked a definitive chance by lifting out a boot to a Gomez cross, his limp foot sending the ball skyward in the first 30 minutes; Salah hitting the post, Firmino having his shot cleared off of the line, Milner (x2) and Salah seeing a high quality shot saved by Ter Stegen: all of this is a result of doggedly vicious defending by Barcelona.
BARCELONA PUNKS LIVERPOOL
Liverpool were punk'd by Barca: Klopp not only had his men best prepared for a plethora of outcomes, they also performed at their highest levels.
Yet they couldn't have expected Barcelona to relinquish possession while also pressing like complete whack-job yokels thanks to the never ending speed and stamina of every Blaugrana player's desire, most notably Vidal's aggressive play.
This is where Valverde may be proven a genius by the end of the campaign.
Maybe this says more about Arthur Melo's lack of fitness, form or ability to win the ball back as quickly and as effortlessly as Arturo Vidal makes it look (at this point in the season).
Vidal put in 6 completed tackles out of 8 attempts, though it seemed far more than that, such was his obsession with putting a boot in during the 1st leg at Camp Nou.
Regardless, this competitive dueling for possession played right into our hands: Liverpool having slightly more of the ball and resorting to conservative back line possession which was never going anywhere and threatening none of the Barca players.
While this tactic also made it possible for the pressing hounds of Rakitic, Roberto, Vidal, Messi, Suarez and Busquets to maintain that level for 90 minutes, picking the right moments in which to explode on to the Reds back line ensconced in drab possession, usually forcing the ball straight back to us.
It could've been a lot more dominant and assured had Ousmane Dembele replaced Coutinho at half time and if they'd held on to the ball for 10% more possession.
Instead, the period of time Liverpool looked most like scoring was in the second half until the 70th minute, a sequence where Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi and Busquets were asked to do too much, spreading themselves thin in the press and in the blistering counters they pulled off, though it was space Coutinho wouldn't take advantage of that repeatedly forced Barcelona deep, unable to get out of their own half.
Had Ousmane Dembele been subbed on during this time, the sizable gaps vacated in behind by Liverpool's surging, desperate midfield and back four would've been exploited outright and Messi and co. could be preparing for a 2nd leg snoozefest with a 5 or 6-0 lead in the 1st leg
The fact that the trident of two 30+ year old strikers and a left back still conjured 3 brilliant goals against that defensive unit, during the most intense and dominant spells for Liverpool proves my point exactly: Klopp's men weren't just outclassed, they were outworked, outrun, and still the Catalan giants created more attempts on goal, achieved more shots on target, while both clubs had 16 (BAR) and 17 tackles (LIV) respectively in what was a violent match.
It was a combative killing field out there and the worst tactical course of action would've been to dally on the ball for 70% of the match, giving the Reds easy targets to press into uncomfortable situations. That was where they would've been most comfortable: countering, pressing, soaking up and gaining possession when they could.
To every one's surprise (excluding Valverde) Liverpool out passed Barcelona marginally (by under 50 passes) and had 53% to our 47% possession.
Don't expect to see the possession statistics for Barcelona ever being that low again.
It was an incredible moment that had to be survived to reach exaltation: We were facing an unstoppable opponent that was not only well schooled in besting and destroying teams that play our football and that way only (Manchester City to be specific), Liverpool play that way, too and are a club that works so hard in all three phases and has already achieved incredible things in the last year, gaining experience and confidence while Mane, Firmino and Salah continue to gel and break club and league records.
They were set up to stop a possession dominant team in every way possible, not mobilized to defend with the ball at the back against a scrappy Klopp-esque side with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
We out Liverpool'd Liverpool, and remained 100% Barca while doing it, an incredible achievement that Ernesto Valverde deserves unbelievable praise for.
THE SECOND LEG @ ANFIELD:
JOB ONLY 1/2 DONE
Now the job isn't done, not even close: a 2nd leg (that promises to be better than the 1st) beckons on the horizon at Anfield, where Liverpool are a different beast altogether from the well-drilled, defined and purposeful side we saw at Camp Nou.
Even without Salah or Firmino, they will be sharper in front of goal, they will pass the ball quicker and their set pieces will need everything from Lenglet and Pique to defend them.
Klopp's team will be giving absolutely everything, and knowing that nobody gives them a chance to get through, they'll be playing with nothing to lose.
So if you can imagine how much they gave of themselves and their bodies in Barcelona, we can only surmise that this'll be a Liverpool team giving even more, somehow and some way. They'll be hungry and willing to fight, though the news about Mo Salah and Bobby Firmino couldn't be worse for them.
After scoring a goal vs Newcastle, Salah was plowed into from behind which resulted in a head injury that caused the Egyptian to be stretchered from the pitch, a shocking moment for any fan of football.
What is it with Salah in tears, injured at the end of the season for Liverpool???We wish him the best to recover, yet who else do the Reds have to score goals now?
We know Anfield can drive these players on to unreal heights and at the same time make even the most experienced players shit themselves, however what type of mood will the Kop be in after the somber scenes of the last week?
How long can the replacements of Salah and Firmino last in the 2nd leg?
And that is precisely why the tactical setup for the 2nd leg for Barcelona is all too easy, knowing 1 or 2 away goals will finish the tie off and silence the Anfield spectators.
In keeping with this theme, Barca should look to dominate possession in this leg, starving Liverpool into early fouls, potential yellow cards and most of all, Valverde's men must be territorial in their passing.
We must look to force players such as TAA, Gomez, Robertson, Matip to rush themselves out of position and with one little pass over, under or around, Jordi Alba, Malcolm, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez can make those passes to each other with the corresponding run in behind and goals will come of it.
Is the 2nd leg another match for Vidal to start in? I'm not so sure, although anything that was a repeat of the 1st leg should be fine by me, although we must remember how well prepared and patient the Reds were at Camp Nou.
Can Barcelona outlast teams in possession anymore?
The indications from the 1st leg seem to be a big fat NO to that question, or was this just smart tactical awareness from Valverde?
Once again....ever the chameleon.
History tells us that Barcelona cannot sit on this lead and think they can soak up pressure, absorb the Liverpool attack and then counter.
Up 3 goals against Roma, going to their Stadio Olympico for the 2nd leg, it seemed as if the Catalans would walk into the semifinals last year. Instead, Barcelona were set up with a 4-4-2 base formation completely reliant upon Messi and Luis Suarez pressing and then attacking in isolation, of course with Dembele on the bench.
This blew up in Valverde's face as 1 goal became 2, and 2 became 3 until he finally made his first positive substitution, throwing on Ousmane Dembele with only minutes to go, and even at that juncture the Frenchman produced the two best chances for Barcelona to score the entire night, finally exposing Roma and relieving Messi.
But it was far too late and Barcelona crashed out because they were too naive to see the big picture: success in modern football is about evolution, it's predicated on unpredictability, it's surrounded in transitional combat and a bit of the ol' midfield ultra-violence.
Would 2011 Barcelona be able to out-possess and dominate the best clubs of 2019's uber-athleticism and physical dynamism?It's interesting to ponder....though hindsight remains 20/20, as always, there are elements of every Barcelona team since 2006 in the DNA of Valverde-era Barcelona: the guile, craft and passing of the Xavi-Iniesta era; the measured, sly countering at 55% possession of the Rijkaard years; the Messi-dependence of 2012-2014 and again from 2017-2019; the direct, all out attacking ethos of the MSN era (the few times we've seen MSD unleashed, inc. the last 30 minutes vs Lyon the Copa Del Rey 2nd leg vs Real Madrid) and now, all of those subtleties come bearing fruit through the common threads of those eras that are still in the team (the maniacal saavy of Messi, the range and vision of Busquets and the Beckenbauer anticipation, non-tackling defending and absolute mastery of Gerard Pique.
 |
| There is many sides to the Barca way of playing possession football (From top left: Enrique, Cruyff, Guardiola, Rijkaard) |
That is a recipe for disaster, even with Mane potentially being the only member of the front three available.
Valverde must learn his lesson from last season against Roma: he can't stay conservative with the lead...we are Barcelona. We take the game to our opponents and play the 87th minute the same as the 1st.
And in no match is this more critical (as a set of tactical doctrine) than this 2nd leg: simply put, just as Liverpool did last year over City, Barcelona must keep the foot on the gas pedal, in fact, they have to start Malcom in lieu of Ousmane Dembele after his new hamstring problem.
Liverpool will be pressing, passing, shooting and going on runs as if their lives depended on it (since their season does) and unless we use that nearly out of control movement and pace to our advantage, it'll sweep us aside.
Now with Liverpool chasing the tie, Arthur in midfield is paramount in forcing the Reds to chase the ball.
For every five minutes spent racing after possession and for every two or three tackles attempted to take it from us, it whittles away at their forward effectiveness.
AND IF SALAH OR FIRMINO AREN'T PLAYING...
On the wings for Klopp, Xherdan Shaqiri will most likely be joined by Trent Alexander-Arnold (who didn't play in the 1st leg to everyone's surprise and dismay). TAA showed his value to Klopp on the weekend vs Newcastle with 2 assists, with one to Salah that was one of the moves we never saw from the Reds at Camp Nou.
It was this wing play that allowed Salah center-right space inside the box against every opponent TAA and Salah have faced together, with Liverpool defeats often coinciding with Klopp benching the teenager or when an injury has befallen him (PSG, Napoli).
It is imperative for Liverpool that Shaqiri and TAA combine and pin Alba deep in the Barca half to have a chance of a comeback.
When taking on Jordi Alba, it was absolutely crucial for the former Roma and Chelsea man to be able to ghost into the box. Instead, Salah remained shackled to the right wing for Liverpool and Gomez (being conservative in his runs) made the defending for Alba and Lenglet far too easy.
Though with Shaqiri, Origi and Sturridge available to replace the two forward positions, this brings another big test for the Catalans as they faced MSF in the 1st leg and handled them fine (with some luck), they haven't gone up against these guys.
Shaqiri was electric at the start of the campaign, shredding top opposition and fitting into Klopp's side perfectly and the Swiss international's dead ball deliveries could spell danger for Lenglet and Pique, though he's been out of the team for a while, he did assist vs Newcastle to win the match.IN CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the only way Liverpool can get back into the tie is a goal, if not 2 before halftime.
And if they score early goals, it'll come from their dynamic set pieces, with VVD, Mane and Matip being world class in the air, and everyone from TAA, Milner, Shaqiri and Henderson giving fantastic deliveries from dead ball situations.
However, more bad news for Liverpool: Barcelona have only allowed 1 goal in the 5 knockout games thus far.
On to Barca, the grave injury to Ousmane Dembele gives Liverpool a slight chance as long as they can pin us deep as they did in the 1st leg, catching us in our own half without a speedy outlet to free Messi and Luis Suarez up the pitch.
This is why Malcolm must start no matter what, because his pace not only gains Messi the necessary space, it also relaxes the entire shape of our back four and midfield, never letting the formation get too narrow or too packed in, not to mention the gaping holes Liverpool will leave in behind as they push to get level.
I'm saddened that the three players who've been injured won't be taking part: Mo Salah and Firmino make Liverpool formidable, while Ousmane Dembele's presence would've undoubtedly helped Messi and Luis Suarez up top to finish off the tie.
It would've been a remarkable 2nd leg with their participation, but such is football.
We have an easier solution for Dembele's absence when we plug Malcolm into the XI, but do Liverpool have anyone who can shoulder the load of Firmino and Salah?
We don't think so.
We think Shaqiri plays and helps score the first goal, a set piece from which VVD scores, but it won't be enough, as a Suarez pass to Messi on the counter in the 15th minute to respond will bury Liverpool's fortunes.
Later on, Sergi Roberto feeds Messi again and this time the Barca captain pulls it back to a trailing Rakitic to gouge the back of Liverpool's net.
It will be a fantastic 2nd leg, but Liverpool couldn't possibly have enough, right?
PREDICTION:
Previous prediction: 3-2
New prediction: 1-2
(BARCA ADVANCE 5-1 ON AGGREGATE)
LINEUPS:
GK Ter Stegen
RB Semedo
CB Pique
CB Lenglet
LB Alba
CDM Busi
RCM Vidal
LCM Arthur
LW Malcolm
RF CF CAM Messi
CF Suarez
GK Alisson
RB TAA
CB Lovren
CB VVD
LB Robertson
DM Henderson
RCM Milner
LCM Wijnaldum
RF Shaqiri
CF Origi
LF Mane
Comments
Post a Comment