Celebrating these goals with Braithwaite, Mingueza, Trincao, Puig, Lenglet, Dest, Firpo, Coutinho - guys who have had virtually no career since - really puts into perspective how hard he carried in his last season.
Since everyone's posting the video from behind Messi to say 'no penalty' (where the view is hard to make out), here's the side angle, uploaded by me, that no one's posting because it won't get likes on social media.
You're welcome.
Biggest robbery in the CL in modern history, and it doesn't show that the offside goal objectively should have stood too.
Not giving a red for the tackle on Busi or the penalty on Lewa, it can happen, but the other 2?
Always crazy to me that Barca don't leverage the incredible legacy Lio Messi left at the club to get to the front of the queue for the amazing talents coming out of that country.
Management of Fermin has been quite poor since Pedri came back.
From a player who was brilliant in a Clasico as a starter to overly-eager to impress because he's only getting 5 minutes a pop.
Remember when The Athletic and all the blue tick wankers were going on about how they refuse to be silenced about this? And yet there's crickets on my timeline?
🚨💣 | BREAKING: The Barcelona Court has DISMISSED the bribery charges in the 'Negreira case' and accepted the appeal made by President Laporta. [
@EFEnoticias
]
#fcblive
Its not even been 5 years since police were beating civilians in Catalonia for peacefully voting.
Thanks to everyone having phones and access to the Internet, we all got to see 1st hand the oppression they faced - imagine all we missed over the past century?
What a shame Barca fucked the CL campaign already. Was obvious with a few changes this team has bags of potential, keep a lid on things for a few months and you'll compete for everything.
@_Zeets
I can slightly one-up that:
Messi hit his 200th goal vs Valencia on February 19th 2012.
Messi hit his 300th (and 301st) goal vs Granada on *February 16th 2013*.
In other words, in less than a year, he hit 100 goals. Utter insanity when you stop and think about it.
Busquets loves Raphinha. When the ball is recycled to Busi, he knows more often than not Rapha will be on his bike to split the pitch open.
Something Barca sorely lacked for years.
If Leeds lose Phillips at some point, all I ask is that we dump all our money to bring Marc Roca. Wouldn't be as good as KP in defensive transition, but on the ball...he's fantastic.
All of that stuff is bad and I feel for Dele, but you shouldn't need to show your entire history to warrant basic compassion from others.
People arbitrarily put limits on how much sympathy they have for others for no reason.
– Alcoholic mom
– Molested by his mom's friend at 6
– Started smoking at 7
– Started dealing drugs at 8 (selling)
– Hung off a bridge at 11
– Adopted at 12
Emotional and powerful interview from Dele Alli.
Wishing him the best going forward. ❤️
Ampadu suffers from Messi syndrome - he's so good virtually every game, that it's hard to fully appreciate him.
Club captain after a year and plays like this once a week. 10/10 signing, pure and simple.
#LUFC
How are big clubs watching Toney stroke a pass like that and making no moves? Few if any forwards in the league more refined technically, so obvious his touches are truly special.
Big respect for Rodon, Struijk, Ampadu and especially Rutter - personality at 10 men was incredible. Rutter did all he a footballer could to give Leeds a chance.
#LUFC
@NealGardner_
Frenkie benched at the start of the season too. You could even point to him on bench when Barca played a great game away at Bayern.
But as the year has gone on he's made it clear that he should start, and play his best role, because he warrants it.
I'm begging *you* to look at it - he presses Kimmich on Barca's right side, Gavi fills in, plays is moved across.
Midfield rotation is a part of the game. It happens a lot. This shouldn't be new info to anyone.
I’m begging you guys to look at Busquets at Bayern’s second goal 🤣🤣🤣 such a passenger.
Everyone saying he’s always been like this didn’t watch him at his best. Stop disrespecting that player
What makes me a bit glum about Biesla is that, in the end, we treated him like any other manager -- fucked him out on his ear the minute we had a truly bad spell, for the first time in almost 4 years. [1/2]
#LUFC
Exhibition by Arnau Martinez. Didn't realize it until the last 3 games, but he's actually qyute robust defensively. After managing Vinicius well last week, can see he has a lot of confidence (and smarts) for defensive duels.
If we go down:
- sign the best striker in the league
- get a really good loan or 2 from City, Chelsea, Scum
- plan to be the best team in possession above all else -- scoring goals is the hard part
- make tough choices on which youngsters to prioritise.
#LUFC
The only answer Barca should have for AC's injury is the same one as always: La Masia.
Kounde CB, Fort RB.
As a reminder, here's what Fort, at 17, produced playing in his 2nd best position away at San Mames:
The thing I like about that super league proposal is that teams like Inter would be *actually* rewarded for performing in Europe.
Its criminal that a team who went to a CL final, that consistently does smart business, can struggle like this.
Biggest positive for me is Firpo, and notably, how much more resolute he was in his head. Dealt with the pressure and imposed himself really well.
#LUFC
By the way, Joe Rodon - superb. What character and quality he showed. If that's his last game for us, he went out on a high in a team that finished on a low. Hope he's here next year but if not, wish him well.
The worst thing for Barca is: I don't think it gets better any time soon. With or without Xavi. The club lives day-to-day too much to have the type of joined up thinking that successful clubs have.
I'm biased, very very biased, but to me, this is the best footballer in europe so far this season.
Haaland is the best/most impactful player for delivering 2 goals every game, but who generates more football than Pedri?
ℹ️ Hassane Kamara will remain at Watford FC for the 2022/23 season, having joined Udinese for a significant undisclosed fee and completed an immediate loan back to the Hornets.
#WatfordFC
I wonder how football twitter would feel about Iniesta if he emerged today.
Most advanced mid in a midfield 3 who doesn't score or assist much even with the best ever ahead of him. And wasn't a controller either.
Feel like people would complain way more.
Recommend
#LUFC
fans read this piece by
@Sidlowe23
from 2018. He speaks fondly of his time at Bolton when he was 19, being open to a return to the Premier League...
As always, cuts a very professional guy with a lot of humility. Will fit in well at Leeds.
Forshaw MOTM for me. It couldn't be more clear what the presence of a deep-lying playmaker does for us as a collective. Leeds' best game of the season by miles.
#LUFC
In a way, Fermin is Xavi's first *real* bet from La Masia (a talent of Lamine's ilk picks himself etc).
That in mind, it reflects well on him imo. Not only picked well, but picked someone no one was making a case for, giving the team something it sorely lacks in the process.
Xavi: "Fermin Lopez? I liked Fermin in pre-season. He has potential, he is hungry. His goal today gave us a point. He is a dynamic player and participated very well."
I'll never forget Bruno's handball in that game. Barca were absolutely robbed. And then Real won 3-2 at the same stadium with multiple dodgy calls...
That 16/17 title was fraudulent as fuck, even though they were very good.
Signed a contract when he could've left with 1 year on his deal (and believe me, its not down the football ladder he would've went), then puts up monstrous performances while half crocked.
What a champion. How lucky we are to have Pascal Struijk.
#LUFC
If there's only one
#LUFC
player I'm rooting for this year, it's Rutter.
Not everyone fell in the trap but it annoys me how he was used as a lightning rod for criticism of our bad recruitment, and painted as if useless in some circles.
I really want him to shut people up. [1/3]
I strongly dislike the idea that Raphinha "isn't trying enough".
Here's an unedited clip from last night:
83rd minute, 0-3 down, from LB to RW, still pouring sprints into the game to get out and close down the ball.
#LUFC
Literally screamed watching it live. Didnt seem like he had enough time to set and size this up and then WHAM, when the game was its most chaotic.
Protect Lamine at all costs.
Very good impact by Forshaw. Nothing too flash, but had a real impact in the press and freed up the ball well. Would be enormously helpful if he can stay fit.
#LUFC
Rutter hadn't been good up to today and for the money we spent, it's fair to say 'be good straight away'.
But imagine watching him today and not seeing how gifted he is - he was mint.
#LUFC
Don't like overrated/underrated tags, but Thomas Partey must be the most underrated player at a top club. Clearly Atleti's best passer on the ground. Every 10-20 yard pass is clean and goes forward.
People who don't watch La Liga think it's all small weak players making tidy short passes, but it's really not. In the first 3 weeks alone I've seen Joao Felix and Frenkie De Jong struggle with the physicality and intensity of the games.
Charlie Cresswell today completed only 66% of his passes (shocking for a CB), and won only 1/5 ground duels.
This is why going to the Championship was best for him - he's talented, but raw, and needs to live with the highs & lows of men's football.
#LUFC
@0bsidian__
Cold fact is, if people were introduced to religion for the first time at age 21, no one would be religious. Or a very small percent of people needing something to fill the void. Everyone would laugh it off for the insidious archaic bullshit that it is.
I can't believe we let people say MATS was Barca's best player in 22/23. A team giving up less than 1xG a game, had to make 1 or 2 saves a game, but nah, best player in La Liga. lol
So annoying how these English commentators on BT are so geared to complain about VAR. They're moaning about Christiansen being elbow'd looking "worse in slow-mo" as his head rocks like a boxer. lol
I love that Barca people don't claim Barca B players as La Masia (generally anyway). No need to pretend you're a club that develops and nurturers talent when you actually....do it.
When Struijk slides you a pass, he plays it properly, 9 times out of 10. It's not just the right idea, it's that it goes to the right foot, at the right time, at the right pace, so the next guy can take it and go.
Little adds up to a lot.
#LUFC
Rutter:
- key in the 1st goal
- wins the ball here & lays it to Gray for the winner
- amazing play to win the foul on the 3rd goal
- set up Summerville for tonnes of shots
- won the most fouls
- 0.82 xG+A (0.72xA).
On a night where he blew hot & cold, that's a lot of hot.
#LUFC
I think Farke has bottled the big call since Leeds played Chelsea - he's cut Piroe way too much slack and cut Joseph none.
The goals have dried up and he's still persisted with it, even as we can all see its wrong.
#LUFC
Someone said once that you could throw Pedri into prime Pep Barca and he'd look right at home among Xavi Iniesta Busquets Fabregas Thiago.
By the day I'm more convinced its true.
I'm going to tell you right here, right now:
Largie Ramazani has *enormous* potential.
Both the eyes and the data support this.
He's a discount Mane and I use Mane because he's the most well rounded winger I've seen in my lifetime.
#LUFC
1/3
I mean, this is very clearly the best player in the league isn't it?
Ampadu is my darg but an attacker who creates this many high-quality chances from open play is the most precious commodity in the sport.
#LUFC
I respect Bournemouth so much for kicking Gary O'Neil out when they did. Would've been the easiest thing in the world to go 'well, he kept us up, deserves his chance' and plod along.
I don't see many mentions of Barca seeking a LW in the market but the lack of difference makers is the biggest issue of the team currently.
I don't know how you could watch the last 2 games and come to another conclusion.
We don't even speak about Summerville anymore.
Its taken for a given that he be our best goal threat, best ball carrier, best outlet, best in open space, best foul winner, most competitive, most decisive player in the team.
#LUFC
I got my Premier League dream with a legendary gaffer producing my favourite Leeds team ever - the pain of this doesn't touch the joy of that. All worth it.
#LUFC
A lot of football understandererers love to portray Ferran as this litmus test for understanding the game beyond on-ball actions. He's pretty good off the ball, fairs, but lets be real here - he's mid.
Loved seeing Struijk step up 2nd for a penalty after our best taker in the squad. Also loved seeing him be first to console Rutter and Shackleton after missing.
#LUFC
Swear I saw people on here making out Mou was silencing his doubters this season. Roma are 7th, gonna hit 60-65 points - pretty much par for the course with every Roma team for 2 decades.
Araujo's lack of self criticism is so so disappointing. His reaction to the red in the PSG game rubs me wrong.
Gives away that penalty here and immediately is pleading with the ref.
Leeds need to bin off the cup game vs Chelsea. Or at the very least, you do not play Rutter & Summerville.
Start all of Cooper, Cresswell, Shackleton, Byram, Anthony, Joffy, Joseph, DJ.
#LUFC
Just completely amateurish by Farke. How can the team be so poor tactically with 10 days to prepare, to be beaten in near identical fashion by Southampton?