El Classico

nobeer -i fully apreciate your right to an opinion, no matter how wrong you might be 😉

you are right, i am using terminology that is unquantifiable, but my argument is that modern era barca are merely a continuation of the classic 4-3-3 holland system that guardiola has inherited from the dutch influence at barcelona.

the examples that i have listed are inovators as well as being easy on the eye. germany 70-82 and england 66 could equally be offered up as more innovative than barca but clearly not as easy on the eye.

i fully apreciate your right to an opinion, no matter how wrong you might be

(Gets Trailmonkey in my office, talks for 20 mins, decides I was right… 😉 )

See, the current Barca and Real teams have between them helped create the current World and Yerpean Champion Spanish side, possibly with more of a Barça influence.

As for ‘innovation’; those teams you mention merely developed the game as it was, as have Barca. All incremental steps; not as though suddenly rule changes allowed them to play a completely different way than was ever allowed before.

The speed of the game has increased in the time I’ve been watching footy, some 30+ years. The finesse and agility of some players today surpasses just about anything seen before. The physical strength and ability of modern players at top level is way above what it was previously. Plus the balls have changed in their construction, the quality of pitches has improved (remember the mud baths you used to see?), so you simply can’t compare then with now.

One thing hasn’t changed, and that’s the game’s appeal. Will always be the number one sport.

”LIVERPOOL FC players may be physically fit, but now their supporters have been officially declared the “fittest” or sexiest in the Premiership – and that’s official”[/url].

the beautiful game 😉

See, the current Barca and Real teams have between them helped create the current World and Yerpean Champion Spanish side, possibly with more of a Barça influence.

i agree, that’s true. The success of all succesful national teams historically, hinged upon the emergence of one world great surrounded by a strong supporting cast – holland 74 (cruyff), argentina 78 (kempes), argentina 86 (maradona) brazil 94(romario) etc, etc. spain have the benefit of players that you wouldn’t neccesarily class as all time greats but together are irrestistable – david villa, xavi, alonso, iniesta et al.

i still maintain however that barca are merely the classic holland adapted to the modern era so that they press.
i can’t argue that they aren’t a great side but for me they’re not one of the greats.

all opinion isn’t it ?

I think it’s also fair to say that barcelona have similarities to ajax in terms of development. continuity must be a major factor in the success of both teams and both nations

(stopping now – they’ve had some fantastic teams)
LOL at molby in that pic, tubbier than me

LOL at molby in that pic, tubbier than me

That’s not Molby, that’s Stevie Nicol.