Comments on: Barcelona 2 – 0 Real Madrid: Pity the Immovable Object http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/ Attacking Football Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:36:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Linda http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/#comment-3164 Linda Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:10:22 +0000 http://www.runofplay.com/?p=4657#comment-3164 Any pity I might have felt for Real's magnificent resilience going without reward went out the window with the first vicious challenge on Messi. If the referee isn't going to protect skilled players, then this is what less skilled opponents will resort to. That it's Real Madrid, the richest, biggest club in Europe, just makes it absurd. Any pity I might have felt for Real’s magnificent resilience going without reward went out the window with the first vicious challenge on Messi.

If the referee isn’t going to protect skilled players, then this is what less skilled opponents will resort to. That it’s Real Madrid, the richest, biggest club in Europe, just makes it absurd.

]]> By: Richard Whittall http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/#comment-3162 Richard Whittall Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:32:19 +0000 http://www.runofplay.com/?p=4657#comment-3162 Death by a thousand cuts...does sound plausible. I'm always a bit wary of Barca-as-victim match hermeneutics, but I can't imagine a Real Madrid with Metzelder and Drenthe would have thought beyond hacking the bejesus out the best player in Europe all evening when it came to tactics. Death by a thousand cuts…does sound plausible. I’m always a bit wary of Barca-as-victim match hermeneutics, but I can’t imagine a Real Madrid with Metzelder and Drenthe would have thought beyond hacking the bejesus out the best player in Europe all evening when it came to tactics.

]]> By: Brian Phillips http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/#comment-3160 Brian Phillips Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:21:44 +0000 http://www.runofplay.com/?p=4657#comment-3160 "They've been making rib-eyes out of his calves all night," was how Ray Hudson put it. Richard, it wasn't so much that the tackles were brutal; it was that the stream of late, not-<em>quite</em>-brutal fouls was just constant. Every time he went near the ball in the first half. It was clearly meant to send a message and keep him from playing his game. He rolled around, but he had a point. “They’ve been making rib-eyes out of his calves all night,” was how Ray Hudson put it.

Richard, it wasn’t so much that the tackles were brutal; it was that the stream of late, not-quite-brutal fouls was just constant. Every time he went near the ball in the first half. It was clearly meant to send a message and keep him from playing his game. He rolled around, but he had a point.

]]> By: A. http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/#comment-3159 A. Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:51:33 +0000 http://www.runofplay.com/?p=4657#comment-3159 Three early challanges from behind (a couple, painful looking Achilles tendon jobs) slowed Messi for the rest of the game. But Madrid had their moments in the first half, it could have gone sour for barca. Three early challanges from behind (a couple, painful looking Achilles tendon jobs) slowed Messi for the rest of the game. But Madrid had their moments in the first half, it could have gone sour for barca.

]]> By: Richard Whittall http://www.runofplay.com/2008/12/13/barcelona-2-0-real-madrid-pity-the-immovable-object/#comment-3156 Richard Whittall Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:42:04 +0000 http://www.runofplay.com/?p=4657#comment-3156 Saw some highlights. Not quite Butcher of Bilbao stuff, and there was something about how Messi rolled around that betrayed an expectation of physical play from Madrid. I was hoping Real would take it, I will admit. So many injuries, Barca quite simply the best team in Europe. Would have been another great turnover. Saw some highlights. Not quite Butcher of Bilbao stuff, and there was something about how Messi rolled around that betrayed an expectation of physical play from Madrid.

I was hoping Real would take it, I will admit. So many injuries, Barca quite simply the best team in Europe. Would have been another great turnover.

]]>