Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao
Ok, I must write about Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Europa League match. The match of the week, it was billed by the people who knew about Athletic and their coach. And they couldn't be more true!
After a very slow start to the season, Athletic have been steadily improving and are in a position to challenge for Champions League next season. When Marcelo Bielsa took reins of Athletic, people knew they would see a different Athletic -- high-pressing, high-tempo one. And that's what El Loco turned them into. Their matches with Barca and Man United are proof enough for that.
I must concede that this was the first Athletic's match I watched this season and realized what I have been missing. It was a late kick-off and I am glad it was worth staying awake to watch it!
I will skip the details on much publicised methods or madness of Bielsa. There's always a method to madness, if only one looks for it. Bielsa is eccentric and principled, and he's determined to get Athletic play his style of game and he will make them do it - whether or not they win anything. That's El Loco for you!
La Liga has often been criticized for being a two-team league - Barcelona and Real Madrid. But last night's performance of Athletic's must have opened those myopic eyes of the doubters that refuse to see the reality. The thing is there's a huge gap between Barca&Madrid and the rest of La Liga, but then there's a huge gap between Barca&Madrid and the rest of football world. It's just that Barca and Madrid happen to be playing in Spanish League.
Against United, Athletic have played one of the best matches I have watched in a long time. They kept the ball, attacked the goal, marauded the midfield and shredded defence apart. But for the profligacy of the attackers and fantastic keeping of De Gea, United would have been staring at the exit of Europa League, not that they aren't now! But the flicker of hope would have been so obscure that even Hubble telescope wouldn't have detected it. If they had played more a bit of tiki-taka, Athletic would have been almost Barca-esque! But their passing, pressing and relentless will to win the ball back were amazing. United knew what they were in for but then they don't play teams like Athletic every week to have a plan to nullify Athletic's strengths.
Muniain, what a talent he is. Copious amounts of praises have been written but I watched him only last night. And boy wasn't he good!! For me, he is the next Messi. I have not watched Neymar but if Muniain can play like this at 19, I wonder what he will do in coming years. It's wonderful to watch when a team plays like a team, and Athletic truly played like a team. Llorente, held the ball up, kept the defenders at bay and scored a thunder like header. Javi Martinez was cool, calm, precise in passing and covered the defenders when required. But for the trio of Barcelona midfielders he would be starting every Spanish national team's match. Athletic have one foot into the quarterfinals of Europa League and I hope they will take the inspiration from the win at "the theatre of dreams" to "La Catedral" of San Mames. I can hardly wait for the return leg!!
After a very slow start to the season, Athletic have been steadily improving and are in a position to challenge for Champions League next season. When Marcelo Bielsa took reins of Athletic, people knew they would see a different Athletic -- high-pressing, high-tempo one. And that's what El Loco turned them into. Their matches with Barca and Man United are proof enough for that.
I must concede that this was the first Athletic's match I watched this season and realized what I have been missing. It was a late kick-off and I am glad it was worth staying awake to watch it!
I will skip the details on much publicised methods or madness of Bielsa. There's always a method to madness, if only one looks for it. Bielsa is eccentric and principled, and he's determined to get Athletic play his style of game and he will make them do it - whether or not they win anything. That's El Loco for you!
La Liga has often been criticized for being a two-team league - Barcelona and Real Madrid. But last night's performance of Athletic's must have opened those myopic eyes of the doubters that refuse to see the reality. The thing is there's a huge gap between Barca&Madrid and the rest of La Liga, but then there's a huge gap between Barca&Madrid and the rest of football world. It's just that Barca and Madrid happen to be playing in Spanish League.
Against United, Athletic have played one of the best matches I have watched in a long time. They kept the ball, attacked the goal, marauded the midfield and shredded defence apart. But for the profligacy of the attackers and fantastic keeping of De Gea, United would have been staring at the exit of Europa League, not that they aren't now! But the flicker of hope would have been so obscure that even Hubble telescope wouldn't have detected it. If they had played more a bit of tiki-taka, Athletic would have been almost Barca-esque! But their passing, pressing and relentless will to win the ball back were amazing. United knew what they were in for but then they don't play teams like Athletic every week to have a plan to nullify Athletic's strengths.
Muniain, what a talent he is. Copious amounts of praises have been written but I watched him only last night. And boy wasn't he good!! For me, he is the next Messi. I have not watched Neymar but if Muniain can play like this at 19, I wonder what he will do in coming years. It's wonderful to watch when a team plays like a team, and Athletic truly played like a team. Llorente, held the ball up, kept the defenders at bay and scored a thunder like header. Javi Martinez was cool, calm, precise in passing and covered the defenders when required. But for the trio of Barcelona midfielders he would be starting every Spanish national team's match. Athletic have one foot into the quarterfinals of Europa League and I hope they will take the inspiration from the win at "the theatre of dreams" to "La Catedral" of San Mames. I can hardly wait for the return leg!!
posted by Srikanth | 5:46 AM
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