The thing that makes Barca so special is their tactics. Plenty of teams have had great players but tatically Barca have rewritten how to play football. 3 small forwards all coming off the front line into midfield gives a team a huge numerical advantage whereby Barca only have to pass the ball short distances to go past the opposition. You then reach the last line who are wondering whaton earh to do being so used to attackers standing on the furthest line and simply short passes suddenly see less than 6ft players who are far faster over 1-5 metres 10 metres taking on 6ft + defenders who whilst faster over 50m and better aerially really struggle v such attacks. If you win the ball v that tactic, suddenly Baraca have 6 attackers defending to your 3 or 4 defenders. It works perfectly both in attack and defence.
Tactically Utd were brave but naive. 2 attackers was not an option, 2 wingers similarly, chasing and pressing like mad men left players like Park absolutely shattered. You have to concede territor and have 9 players back with the 2 lines very close (Utds gap between defence and midfield was too much). The last line needs 5 across it. Intercept the ball deep in your own half and then have the rest of the pitch to break into.
AC Milan v Barca would have been fantastic tactically. AC could defend better than anybody out there now or since their time and had the players to play with the ball.
TF_caster rob.
