Other Games - 2010/11 Season

[TheSandman]

3-1 Falcao.

[spangley1812]

3 - 1 Porto......Falcao

[TheSandman]

4-1 Porto

Falcao hat-trick.

[spangley1812]

4 - 1 Porto......Falcao h/t

[spangley1812]

5 - 1 Porto......Falcao

[spangley1812]

Falcao has scored 16 goals in the Europa league this season

[olaftab]

Falcao and Bent dream team next season.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Falcao has scored 16 goals in the Europa league this season

The same Falcao we were interested in less than two years ago and could have bought for about £4m.

[Monty]

I thought some of the antics in the game yesterday were awful, but the amount of nonsense being spouted on Talkshite today is untrue.  Of course with the upstanding gentlemen footballers we have in the premier league, we are entitled to turn our noses up at this lot!

I think this video sums it up quite nicely...

One hundred and ten percent agree.

[villa1]

I thought some of the antics in the game yesterday were awful, but the amount of nonsense being spouted on Talkshite today is untrue.  Of course with the upstanding gentlemen footballers we have in the premier league, we are entitled to turn our noses up at this lot!

I think this video sums it up quite nicely...

Gerard's a tool.

It wasn't just the diving though. It was the play acting, waving imaginary cards at the ref and general behaviour of the players. It was embarrassing.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It was definitely to Barca's shame that they allowed themselves to be dragged down to Mourinho's level. People have overreacted massively, but there are two things to clear up: Barca don't do that all the time, but Mourinho does. Guardiola will feel a certain sense of disappointment in his players' actions (he's spoken against the cult of exaggeration - and it was exaggeration, not diving, and it looks more embarrassing often), but he will also slightly not care because he's just beaten a man who does nothing but despoil, nullify, harm and manipulate - who's then had the nerve to claim that Barca's success is tainted by some grand conspiracy!

These games have not shown the best of anyone except for Xavi and especially Messi, the only two who consistently played well and the only two who refused to be dragged down to this level (Iniesta might have joined them but he didn't play through injury). Ramos has been a particular disgrace in every Clasico this season - not only sent off for an awful lunge on Messi in the 5-0 (and should have gone yesterday for a forearm smash on the same player), but also guilty of as many histrionics as Busquets. Say what you like about Barca, at least they never just kicked the opposition like half a billion euros' worth of talent decided to yesterday. Mourinho has to leave Spain to rescue this fixture from the gutter.

Agree about Messi and Xavi but having just seen this clip on the Real site, I have a tiny bit of sympathy for Mourinho. Whilst he set out a team that never looked like scoring, watching the Barca players play acting he does have a point:

http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/1330054873516/noticia/Noticia/Television_images_show_that_Pepe_did_not_touch_Alves__leg.htm

[Monty]

Again, I agree, the Barca playacting was embarrassing, but it was certainly Real who set the spiralling in motion with their increasingly dirty and physical approach. It is to Barca's shame that they reacted, like a child whining "but he started it", but I suppose when you see tactics and challenges (often unpunished, Jose) like Real have employed this season which vary from game-stopping to potentially leg-breaking you can see where they're coming from. It's that old line that it was understandable but unjustifiable.

[Villa'Zawg]

Again, I agree, the Barca playacting was embarrassing, but it was certainly Real who set the spiralling in motion with their increasingly dirty and physical approach. It is to Barca's shame that they reacted, like a child whining "but he started it", but I suppose when you see tactics and challenges (often unpunished, Jose) like Real have employed this season which vary from game-stopping to potentially leg-breaking you can see where they're coming from. It's that old line that it was understandable but unjustifiable.

I think you forget that football is supposed to be sporting contest. Fouls are part and parcel of the game, the rules are there to deal with it. Cheating en masse as Barcelona did is totally unacceptable in any sport. They are a fucking disgrace and should have the book trown at them.

[TheSandman]

Talking of books that should be thrown but haven't been:

Why aren't UEFA taking action against Spurs and Real for the racist chanting in their recent games?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Again, I agree, the Barca playacting was embarrassing, but it was certainly Real who set the spiralling in motion with their increasingly dirty and physical approach. It is to Barca's shame that they reacted, like a child whining "but he started it", but I suppose when you see tactics and challenges (often unpunished, Jose) like Real have employed this season which vary from game-stopping to potentially leg-breaking you can see where they're coming from. It's that old line that it was understandable but unjustifiable.

I think you forget that football is supposed to be sporting contest. Fouls are part and parcel of the game, the rules are there to deal with it. Cheating en masse as Barcelona did is totally unacceptable in any sport. They are a fucking disgrace and should have the book trown at them.

Exactly. The key word is 'cheating'. It makes the referee's job near impossible.