Team to beat Barca

I heard on the commentary of the Barcelona Sao Paulo match that this Barca team could beat a rest of the world team. Any ideas what that team would be? I will try.

G) Casillas

LB) Maicon
RB) Lahm
CB) Kompany
CB) Vermaelen

M) Sneijder
M) Ozil
M) Ronaldo
M) Silva

F) Van Persie
F) Gomez

I don't have a holding midfield player so if I wanted one I would choose Schweinsteiger.

Casillas
Lahm, Vidic, Chiellini, A.Cole
Ronaldo, Yaya Toure, De Rossi, Gotze, Silva
van Persie

I went for a 5 man midfield, more likely to change to a 4-3-3 though. Ronaldo-RVP-Silva is a frontline that would scare even the strongest of defences. Toure and De Rossi give that bit of steel to break up play and Gotze is the guy in the middle to create. Both fullbacks are quite attacking, but can defend well too. I chose two experienced centre backs who are strong in the air, although they might not be the quickest.

That said, it's mostly picking your own best XI, just leaving out the likes of Pique, Xavi and Messi.

-------------------Casillas
--------Kompany--Silva--Ramos
Lahm-------------------------------Cole
-------------Alonso---Lucas
-----Robben-------------------Silva
---------------Van Persie

ive piled the side with cbs and put 2 dms in the side as through the middle is where they are going to try and hurt you, the reason i didnt put ronaldo in is because i want the team to work together, and he is one that will try to do everything himself, id have robben and silva cutting inside to go at the cbs and with van persie in the form of his life, and a little bit more tricky to habdle than the likes of gomez and rooney, he deserves his place

---------------Casillas------------------
Ramos----Godin----Chiellini----Maicon
---------------Vidal------------------
Ronaldo----Silva----Sneijder----Robben
--------------Neymar----------------

YI, you'd go with Neymar who's largely untested against strong opposition ahead of every other striker available?

Yup.

I'd go with a no nonense back four that do there job and nothing more. De Rossi and Toure would be used to break up any attacks and use their physical strength to worry boss the Barcelona midfield. I've got three in behind Van Persie, with all three more than capable to run with the ball.

G) Julio Cesar

RB) Bacary Sagna
CB) Nemanja Vidic
CB) Vincent Kompany
LB) Phillip Lahm

RM) Arjen Robben
DM) Yaya Toure
DM) Xabi Alonso
LW) Cristiano Ronaldo

St) Samuel Eto'o
St) Robin Van Persie

GK: Casillas

RB: Ramos
CB: Kompany
CB: Chiellini
LB: A.Cole

DM: De Rossi

CM: Xabi Alonso
CM: Sneijder

RAM: Silva
RAM: Ronaldo

CF: Drogba

Play 4-1-2-2-1

Subs:
Buffon
Lahm
De Jong
Mata
Vidal
van Persie
Gomez

I think a pacy striker is a must because both Pique and Puyol are pretty slow.

Y I Man wrote:Yup.

Just wondering why? Surely if you want pace there's much better options used to playing against top teams, Neymar has hardly done anything brilliant against tough opposition.

Drogba in his prime ala how he was against Valencia this season would be a handful and allow Silva/Ronaldo to cause havoc

GK: Casillas

RB: Ramos
CB: Lescott
CB: Terry
LB: A.Cole

RM: Ronaldo
CM: Vidal
CM: Alonso
LM: Silva

S: Van Persie
S: Eto'o

Joleon Lescott? Care to elaborate how that donkey has managed to get in your team?

Gregers wrote:Drogba in his prime ala how he was against Valencia this season would be a handful and allow Silva/Ronaldo to cause havoc

I think you're looking through blue tinted glasses with Drogba's selection to be honest, one good performance does not make up for the past 18 months where I don't think he's even close to being the best striker in the world.

It's interesting that only one person didn't choose Casillas as their goal keeper. To Aberdeen Steve, I can't believe you have Alex in your defence. I am sure he would really strike fear in Messi.

lorus59 wrote:It's interesting that only one person didn't choose Casillas as their goal keeper. To Aberdeen Steve, I can't believe you have Alex in your defence. I am sure he would really strike fear in Messi.

Better than Joleon Lescott....

GK- Hart
RB- Lahm
CB- Chellini
CB- Vermaelen
LB- Coentreo
CDM- Xabi Alonso
CDM- Yaya Toure
CAM- Suarez
RM- Mata
LM- Silva
ST- Van Persie
Subs:
Ruddy
Naughton
R Martin
Hoolahan
Pilkington
Morison
Holt
Just because my team would have to be involved! NCFC

John Terry and Lescott?! That team would be crucified. Richard Dunne is bettewr than the both of them like!

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:

Gregers wrote:Drogba in his prime ala how he was against Valencia this season would be a handful and allow Silva/Ronaldo to cause havoc

I think you're looking through blue tinted glasses with Drogba's selection to be honest, one good performance does not make up for the past 18 months where I don't think he's even close to being the best striker in the world.

A big tall striker is what u need against Barce especially with the creative players behind in midfield. Someone like the drog will keep Puyol/Pique occupied providing space to play into. Another option would be Kevin Davies!

Kevin Davies?!

Pique and Puyol's weakness is their speed, so a pacey striker will always be the best option against them. Pique is a big strong centre back who would be able to cope with any big, tall striker.

Cant believe how many people are picking Ashley Cole!!

He has lost it and would be a liability against Barcelona

Gk: Reina
Lb: A. Pereira
Cb: Chiellini
Cb: Godin
Rb: Van Der Weil
CDM: Fellaini
CM: De Rossi
LW: Cazorla
RW: Hulk
AM: Eriksen
ST: Falcao

Macclads (formerly Hero) wrote:Gk: Reina
Lb: A. Pereira
Cb: Chiellini
Cb: Godin
Rb: Van Der Weil
CDM: Fellaini
CM: De Rossi
LW: Cazorla
RW: Hulk
AM: Eriksen
ST: Falcao

That sounds familiar

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:Kevin Davies?!

Pique and Puyol's weakness is their speed, so a pacey striker will always be the best option against them. Pique is a big strong centre back who would be able to cope with any big, tall striker.

Yes Kevin Davies, he is a great at annoying defenders. If he can get one of Puyol or Pique sent off we are one step to beating them!

As for Ashley Cole he is the best left back of his generation so his pick is almost a given

Don't know why a lot of people are going for De Rossi, he is not a holding midfielder you would see that in his performances for Roma. Making him playing in that role would probably cost you against Barca. Not only playing him in the wrong position but he has been poor since 2009, guess people are looking at the big names and reputations rather then form. or the actual player.

Gregers wrote:
As for Ashley Cole he is the best left back of his generation so his pick is almost a given

Most overrated left back of his generation

Chelsea fan?

Name a left back of his generation better than Ashley?

Not as overrated as Gerrard is as a centre mid!

I think Leighton Baines is better than Cashley. Coentrao is certainly better.

Gregers wrote:Name a left back of his generation better than Ashley?

Not as overrated as Gerrard is as a centre mid!

The same Steven Gerrard that Chelsea spent two years desperate to sign?

For the record, I think Ashley Cole was probably the best left back in the world from about 07-10, but he's not the best in the world at the moment.

GK-Neaur

RB-Lahm
CB-Godin
CB-Hummels
LB-Coentrao
CDM-Vidal
CAM-Gotze
LM-Silva
RM-Ronaldo
RF-Gomez
LF-Etoo

Baines? Seriously?

Now he is anyway. I never understood why Cashley got such rave reviews. Decent and pretty good going forward but nothing outstanding. It's another case of English players being overated.

hart

richards kompany vidic cole

ronaldo delap silva bale

davies drogba

oh did i not mention its at stokes ground on a cold and wet winters night!! really would like to see how they would deal with the big aerial threat of a team like that though. have to disagree a earlier poster who's says that pique is a strong centre half, it was his main weakness while at united. while he may have got stronger he was often bullied by the big donkey forwards like j.roberts, heskey and davies (players who he doesnt have to face in spain)

being slighty more serious though and i think the pace of richards, bale would really help as they work hard and add ronaldo in breaking on them and big threat. seen alot people put alot of attacking teams out there, really dont see how you can beat barca by playing football with them, as they have easily the best midfield around. xavi, inestia, fabregas, busquets still beats any midfiled we can put out there epescially when you consider what a cohesive unit they are together

compelling and rich wrote: hart

richards kompany vidic cole

ronaldo delap silva bale

davies drogba

oh did i not mention its at stokes ground on a cold and wet winters night!! really would like to see how they would deal with the big aerial threat of a team like that though. have to disagree a earlier poster who's says that pique is a strong centre half, it was his main weakness while at united. while he may have got stronger he was often bullied by the big donkey forwards like j.roberts, heskey and davies (players who he doesnt have to face in spain)


being slighty more serious though and i think the pace of richards, bale would really help as they work hard and add ronaldo in breaking on them and big threat. seen alot people put alot of attacking teams out there, really dont see how you can beat barca by playing football with them, as they have easily the best midfield around. xavi, inestia, fabregas, busquets still beats any midfiled we can put out there epescially when you consider what a cohesive unit they are together

Every player (except Ronaldo, who was) are English Premier League players. You don't think there is a better choice in Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or any of the other European teams? The Barca defence would not be bullied by that team because that team would hardly ever have the ball.

richards was included purely because his pace, he thats quick that even messi would have a hard time going past him. probably ignore delap davies drogba etc i was just illustrating the point about bringing a different style there not use to. i would stick to that defence better than anything bayern and real have got. both league they play in are pretty poor defensively. kompany plays it out well from the back and silva in the middle can keep it really well.

dont buy into the other league are so much better than the english prem, can easily see why robben etc can get into your team as he's a great player but would notk hard enough for me in defence unlike bale. delap for Sneijder is the easy one and probably use ronaldo as a forward as opposed to a midfileder to put a extra ball winner in there, maybe some one like de jong (he's not pretty but effective)

your team at the top is all attack and nobody who would win the ball, suicide against barca for me

would also like to add that while not having there best team united have been to the final 3 years recently,without barca they would have won a couple more and everyone would still be raving about the prem being the strongest around. madrid have challenge well in la liga but have not won anything (spanish cup that nobody cares about a side), not to sure why we should rate them so highly for this. rather have a united team that doesnt look great paper but is still successful

Stoke. On a coldy, wet and windy Wednesday night

On a serious note, you could pick the best team in the world (minus Barca players) but if they were coached by someone with poor tactical knowledge a la Steve Bruce they would probably get hammered. The coach is probably just as, if not more important than the team itself.

........................Casillas
Maicon.....Ramos............Vidic.....Lahm
.............Y.Toure.........X.Alonso
Ronaldo...............Ozil.................Silva
.......................Aguero