MARSEILLE - PSG

now PSG and MARSEILLE both started with a 4-3-3 formation for PSG ibra was at the top with cavani and pastore along side him . matuidi , motta and veratti made he midfield three . for marseille gignac was at the top with payet behind him . ayew  on the left and thauvin on the right while lemina and morel were the midfielders .

now any side that is coached by beilsa it has its distinct properties . they try to press high . he likes his players to excel in one on one situations . they should be able to keep the ball in tight situations and individual battles with opposite number all over the pitch . now this game was a little bit different . marseille were trying to go all gung ho with psg instead they were conserving themselves . they were letting silva and luiz had the ball but they were waiting just like ath.mad to let the ball come in the midfield or beyond where they were pressing . in all marseille were playing on the counter to let psg come to them where on they break their attack and hit them on counter .
now in all this blanc did showed a good tactical acumen . he knew marseille were going to get tight to them . he knew that they would man marked all over the pitch and the opposite number will follow them anywhere . for the first 20 min marseille were playing a very high line and for which they could had payed . first ibra found space behind the centre backs by a good ball by veratti . most importantly ibra  was able to go past fani very easing only for mendy to recover and make the tackle . the second chance was clear cut one . pastore made a diagonal run on the inside and veratti again spotted him on a through ball and the chance was wasted by cavani who was hopeless all night long .
now marseille took the lead through gignac . marseille had a pattern about their play they were never ever going for the midfield battle instead they were advancing on one wing and switch on the other where there was space and then they would cross to gignac on the back post who scored on one such play . but psg soon equalised through  matuidi's wonder goal . he faked of going inside but cut on the weaker foot to slot home a very good shot . the second goal came because of ramao dispossessed pastore and fed gignac who finished nicely .
in the second the game became more intense and psg showed their class with marquinohos and own goal by morel .
now in this intense game where the personal duels all over the pitch there was one which made all the difference . for me the game changer or the one who ran the show was veratti the italian had matured under blanc his earlier habit was to keep hold of the ball in tight situations and show that he can come out of it . now in this game he had a personal duel with payet but not one single time did payet got the better of veratti or was able to stop him . the little italian defended very well he was supporting motta to shield the back plus he had to look on the left side and help marquinihos since cavani wasnt coming deep to do his duties . he was the one who sent pastore  and ibra clear on goal in the first half . he  had the responsibility of ticking the game and finding players who are in good positions . he was able to spot runs made by players and was able to feed them with proper through balls in their feet . to be honest if we look at the players performance for all over the match . then i think he was the one who was man of the match for me . 

PSG VS BARCELONA

now PSG started with a 4-3-3 . mota had veratti and matuidi on his side . PSG played some very good positive football . they passed from the back . they moved the ball well most importantly they took the ball from down to upfield quickly that allowed them to exert more pressure on barca . for PSG lucas stayed wide and stayed up he caused a lot of problems with his pace to alba and mathieu but wasnt able to deliver a telling ball to the forwards . pastore played between the lines he linked very well the midfielders and the fullbacks and was the reason why PSG scored the third goal . cavani had a hopeless game he wasted numerous chances . one thing i need to mention is PSG didnt worked the ball behind ball defense as i would had like there were no. of times when the ball could been played behind barca's back four just like it was played for the third PSG goal . secondly PSG needs to get their three forwards in tandem if the forward work in tandem then the opposition stays deep and wont commit too many forwards .thirdly blanc needs to get his team on one page matudi goes to press but others sit back they need to do it as a team similar was the case with barca .iniesta would go to press but the rest of the team would sit back . they played too spacious that they could make an effort to press . for blanc he needs to get some discipline in matuidi . he has an abundanceof energy but needs to make better decisions . he was more playing like a headless chicken . he was getting on the wrong side of opposition players . blanc needs to make him understand the game better . on the other hand veratti and mota were superb they were very disciplined moved the ball very well

 barca started with a 4-3-3 . now this is new barcelona side . under enrique they seem to be a bit cautious .they are not pressing that aggreseively . instead they are doing it when the opportunity . the barca sides in the past used to press aggresively . the second change in the barca team is they are playing a lot deeper than usual . earlier barca side used to play a very high line but given their experiences in the past and knowing that opponents have learnt to play against their pressing game . enriques side was a bit cautious from the start . in this match barca played more on the wings rather than the usual middle of the pitch approach . barca fullbacks were finding quite a space down the flanks since they didnt had a natural defender against them on offense . one of the PSG midfielders would switch from the middle to defend barca's fullbacks . now on offense  barca were finding quite a lot of space between the lines . even though PSG had three players in the middle they were not that disciplined .the perfect example of that will be found out in the braca's first of how easy they lost messi and let him have an easy shot to score . for me at times barca should give up the policy of scoring a perfect .they should be dangerous from anywhere on the field . for iniesta and rakitic failed to exert there authority on the game . barca's passing wasnt that quick and crisp . another let down was neymar although he scored a goal but still his showmanship needs to be disciplined . he needs to understand as to where he can take players on and who can he take on . he tried to dribble from the centre line which is not proper . barca had too much space since PSG were getting stretched out their midfield had the job of defending the middle as well as to support the fullbacks since their forward were not that interested in defending their opposite numbers .
in the second half both sides made substitutions but there no significant change in the style of play . al hadadi had one good shot which touched the post other than PSG missed a couple as they had done all game long .

WHO'S BETTER MOURINIHO OR GAURDIOLA ACCORDING TO CRYUFF .

i agree with cryuff on his assessment of both coaches in terms of offensive football and players better understanding of their positions on offense . now we have to consider cryuff personality because gaurdiola coaches similar kind of football what cryuff used to do . he too likes the team playing with flair but having said that you cannot just push mouriniho away . if teams like spain and germany won the type of football which gaurdiola then it cannot be denied that italy won the 2006 world cup because of their defensive ability . just as gaurdiola showed the beautiful side of the game mauriniho showed as to how even teams with lesser talented individuals can stop teams with abundance of talent . defense is should not be considered ugly it is  a test of man's skill,concentration, discipline and most importantly team work to stop opposition . just as gaurdiola's team displayed flair mouriniho's team showed discipline and team work which two are also the most important factors when you coach a team .
just as in chess  TAL  was known for his offense similarly TIGER PETROSIAN  was known for his defense ( although it was a bit different ) . just because cryuff said  that pep is better mou i wont take that . both are important for the game . it was mouriniho only who showed as to how you can counter against all demolishing team and win against team and that had helped the previous bayern team to win the european cup . so both are just two sides of a coin .

BAYERN MUNICH VS MANCHESTER CITY .

for the first time i would say that you had made good observation and had perfectly summed up the game . but i would like to add as to what man city lacked and why could they pressed and what they need to do if they need to progress in the group .

now city moved the ball well but the one thing they lacked was pass and move . because what happened that the game slowed down a bit for city bayern could recuperate and get back players behind the ball and press and eventually regain possession . secondly city need to stop playing de mechelis . he is like an old fashioned english defender who like players coming on him and heading the ball rather than chasing them and closing them down . if you had seen carefully most if the diagonal runs that were made by bayern in the box were behind kompany . now kompany cannot defend that and needs his partner to cover that which de mechelis cannot since he is too slow ( that is why bayern let him go .) another thing is toure is becoming more of a liability to city than an asset . his indiscipline would had cost city he needs to be along side fernandiniho not treading upfield . when you cannot press successfully then you need to maintain the discipline this lack of discipline would cost city big time . i think casillas made the change at the hour mark and brought milner to partner fernadiniho when gaurdiola bought alaba in to the midifield .who was much more disciplined . what city needs is t hey need to players as well as the ball . city enjoyed the midfield but couldnt capitalise on it .had they moved and passed the ball better then they would had a better result .

i think in the first half bayerns idea was to play on flank and not go into midfield battle with city . that is why you could see gotze and benat were both on the right side while lahm was more on the right side than middle .
in the first half gaurdiola had conceded the midfield to city in the favour of playing on the flanks and trying to pull city in it . but initially as you had mentioned i think city had upper hand in then midfield but they failed to capitalise on it .they moved the ball better but the players movement wasnt that good . in the second half gaudiola changed the things and bought alaba in the midfield and bought benat in the back four . even though city countered that well with milner but milner has no quality over the ball compared to alaba,lahm and alonso .
most importantly they started to play through the middle rather than on flanks which they originally did in first half . alonso was tightly looked over by silva yesterday . he did quite a decent job on him .
i was disappointed with city's performance hope this serves as a lesson for them and pellegini gets his team to play better . cause roma wont be walk over and CSKA will definitely play negative now .

lack of a defensive midfielder for arsenal .

yes the point raised is good but last season arsenal lost because they played too expansive against these teams and too wide and allowed these teams to tear them apart . arsenal's problem over the years had been that they had been not able to handle counter attacks . it had always been boys against men on counter . secondly they played some wrong players against some wrong teams . you cannot play arteta against man city . he hasnt got legs anymore to go and close players . now wilshere played in the position for england on the win against the swiss . i think against man city he needs to do that and play that . last time around also wilshere played against these team also last season but went for a stroll upfield and couldnt keep the kind of discipline that needs to be kept while playing in this position .
the best arsenal line up will be without arteta . wilshere playing alongside flamini and both remaining extremly tight and not venturing too much forward .

you had said about barca the thing arsenal had been playing possession football but they had not able to do the type of defending that barca does . the front players like ramsey,ozil and giroud are not able to their defensive duties properly . but these season with welback and sanchez i think arsenal will be able to play better .
yes the question of an good defensive midfielder remains but the main thing is how can arsenal cope up with what is on their hands . if you had seen man city playing southampton last year and how jack cork got stuck to toure that is what one of the arsenal players need to do . another thing that arsenal needs to do is keep the ball and keep away from the physical duel . if arsenal can do that then i think we have a good interesting game on out hands .

to be honest if engalnd do want to make a statement then they should two changes to the current team . townsend should start instead of henderson who was hopeless and smalling or even jagielka should start in place of cahill .
in this match two players caught the eye for me along with welback . both delph and his fullback partner baines were very good yesterday . they worked that left side beautifully . they both looked assured on the ball . baines cross for rooney which the hopeless player missed was excellent . delph needs to get a bit more mature on defense and not rash . but on offense with the ball he was very assured . he was crisp on passing the ball and his movement was also very good .
now england played a 4-3-3 i think first time under hodgson . but i there is still some work to do for hodgson . he still needs to refine sterling both hodgson and rodgers need to do that . he needs to understand where he needs to dribble . who he should dribble against where should he dribble or where should he pass and keep the ball rolling . yes he has a fear factor but he needs to exercise that at correct moment not at all the times . townsend in place will be a very good move and will add more pace and fear factor to the team .
having said that i think player like kieron dyer deserves a place in the team just like delph who was excellent . on what basis henderson deserve his place i dont know .

is cahill dependable .

i really dont know but there are some idiot writers on this site who should be replaced and the writer of the post is one of that . cahill was twice guilty yesterday of playing the opposition player on side . first time when there was collision between jones and sefarovic . when jones tried to play sfarovic offside . cahill played him on. he should had been vocal to jones whether he needs to play him up or stay back or defend him depending on his position which he was not . secondly again he played sefarovic on off which hart made a good save . for me in that back four cahill is the weak link . he cannot pass the ball out of back . even if he passes he passes to player who is under threat of getting closed quickly . his discipline is very bad and most importantly he can be nutmegged . i would like smalling in his place . its a stupidity of the author to question jones who could had send off because of cahill's mistake . so it would be better to find some suitable replacement .