Best team ever?

[One More Solo]

Good points. Once the game went to 3-1 Barca resorted to either a) breaking up the play by drawing niggly fouls constantly and b) passing among their back four. It's impossible to get back into the game from there.

Also, for all Barca's great passing, in the big games very few of their goals come from passing moves. More often than not they rely on moments of brilliance from the likes of Messi and Villa.

 

[B&W]

imo Messi is the greatest player of all time and Barca are one of the greatest sides of all time, best side ive seen.

You've got the best two passers in the world, Xavi, iniesta in the middle, world class DM like mascherano and busqets, world class striker David Villa, world class defender Puyol and pique, so much class in one team, oh and i forgot, Messi................

 

[No1newts]

I have always had 4 "greatest" teams ever who I can never really decide upon.

- Milan - Baresi and co. Fantastic side!
- Ajax - I still think they invented and implemented the great pass and move football that we see today.
- Liverpool - they wernt in Europe but if they had been there they would have won it all.

And perhaps controversially

Napoli - During the Maradonna period they were sublime and could probably have beaten all the above teams hands down at 50% effort.

BUT

Over the last few years the current Barca team trump all of the above hands down. People are very unwilling to accept a truly great side as one of the all time greats whilst they are still around for some reason. But if retrospect is what it takes in10 years time this Barca team will go down as one of the best ever in the football worlds eyes.

 

[Tunney]

It's impossible to compare them. With the advances in tactics, training and fitness, a modern day team would most likely stroll past an equally successful team of the past. I'm sure this year's Wolves team could beat the Hungry side of 1953 and Everton would be more than a match for the 1970 Brazil side.

 

[bagsjoni]

That i agree comparing teams of 70's to those of today needs to keep some factors constant! I think a lot has changed in terms of game development. IMO i think Messi is a class apart in talent but 2 me as far as a beautiful game is concerned he is yet to entertain me more that Ronaldinho did. That guy added comedy to foot ball by forcing opponents into comedians.

Its a shame he lost his form at an early age i pray Messi doesn't also disappear at 28yrs

 

[B&W]

That i agree comparing teams of 70's to those of today needs to keep some factors constant! I think a lot has changed in terms of game development. IMO i think Messi is a class apart in talent but 2 me as far as a beautiful game is concerned he is yet to entertain me more that Ronaldinho did. That guy added comedy to foot ball by forcing opponents into comedians.

Its a shame he lost his form at an early age i pray Messi doesn't also disappear at 28yrs

oh definetly messi won't

 

[HangTime]

Best team of the past 15 years certainly, and probably of all time.

Mid90s Ajax were pretty special IMO (CL winners, unbeaten in the league) but sadly got broken up before we could see what they were capable of.

Milan circa 1990 were very strong also.

One thing I would say about Barca is that I think their game is based around a few select players combined with their style of play, and the really worrying thing is that I believe their team could be improved. That doesn't really sit too well with me, the best team of all time should have very few weaknesses, yet I look at Barca and think Valdes, Abidal, Alves, Busquets, Pedro etc are decent players and fit in with Barca but could be improved on. So what that tells me is that their play is very defined and that they have some exceptional individuals dealing damage.

Busquets is a great example in fact, to me he is nothing special but Barca's game just seems to suit him.

Whenever I watch Barca I always think of the headline in this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...orld-Xavi--Ronaldo-crowned-king-football.html
What a muppet.

Stat of the day: Excluding crosses, Xavi completed 141 passes in the Champions League final.

 

[Hxc]

Who is better than Alves at what he does? Honest question there. I agree with Valdez, I think Pique could be better but the stats when he and Puyol play together kick that in the chest... Abidal I really do rate. Pedro? I don't think there is many players with better off the ball positioning. Right place right time, every time.

Busquets had a fantastic game in the CL final but I will always believe that Yaya Toure was better than him, so I agree there.

 

[-|ScottFree|-]

Best team I have ever seen...

Comparing this team to any of the other great teams of yester year is a bit pointless. If this team played any team of yester year they would make them all look average, but todays Arsenal Chelsea and Man U would do that. Have a look at the great sides of the 70's and 80's they played football at snails pace compared to the modern day teams....its different era and not comparable in any way...

 

[cheets64]

I hated the way they played against Real but on Saturday that is how you play football, best team I have ever seen, blows anything English league has ever produced, this a team this is peaking year after year, 3 trophies in 5 years, I remember when they beat United in 94 and found out pep played in that game

Trophies mean nothing, its all about winning and the way Barca played on Saturday was just amazing, left all the United fans dumbstruck

 

[pauLAW]

Its hard to say they are the best team ever...I can only look at what I have seen in my time and say I have never seen a team keep the ball like they do, they pass teams to death, you look at them and struggle to work out how to get the ball off them let alone beat them.....

Most exciting football team I have ever seen in my time are United 98/99, attacking football! I am a united fan so possibly slightly bias.....I also really liked the 94 Brazil team.

I know people talk about Brazil 70s, Liverpool 70s etc but I don't think its fair to comment on teams or players that were around before your time!


Something I would say about this current Barca team.....The defence/keeper are not the worlds best imo. They are not tested enough, Valdes is not the best keeper, he is just a spectator wearing gloves.

 

[peterattheboro]

They do have the best players in my opinion. Every position has possibly the best player in the world.

not in the slightest

Perhaps in a few positions they may not have but for the majority of their squad they have some pretty decent world class players.

Whilst they don't have the best players in the world playing in every position, when you are playing with quality players around you, your game is raised and you will seem better than you are. You are more calm and composed on the ball and are less prone to make mistakes.

Take any one of those Barca players and stick them in another side and they probably won't be as good as they are for Barca. Possibly even Messi himself. Messi has only got 50 odd goals this season because of the help he has around him.

There are no individuals in the Barcelona team.

In my opinion anyway.