ElClasicoBros

Twin bros divided by football's greatest rivalry. Survived peak Gaspart and Gravesen, lived to tell the tale. Now elevating the debate, one pigs head at a time.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

Yep. Davids the only right answer here.

Hard to overstate his impact and the chain reaction it set off. Came in with Laporta and Rijkaard at a crossroads and Barca near relegation places...he comes in, Ronaldinho is unleashed, Xavi becomes THE Xavi, and the momentum from that second half carries into the summer with the signings of Eto'o, Deco etc, and the rest well...is history.

How about this for an alternative future without Davids...Scolari comes in, miss out on CL for another season, and lose the young Messi and Iniesta in a desperate scramble for money....and the Gaspart era vibes roll on.

Watched it all unfold in the crazy morning hours from New Zealand back then.

Edgar Davids will always be the saviour.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@kevvwill Yep the 'Six headed hydra' @sidlowe called it at the time. Physical beasts (Eto'o, Henry, Puyol, Yaya Toure, Abidal), combined with the La Masia tekkers (Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busi, Pique), and then the crazy joga bonito running the team from RB (Alves).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

Context matters here. The number of established La Masia age 'kids' in the first team is unprecedented, even for the Pep or Cruyff eras.

Gavi, Lamine, Cubarsi, Balde, Fermin, Gerard, Bernal, Casado...that is eight U22s in a world top 5 team, all playing big minutes. Ordinarily if the club had money maybe only 4 would be in the first team and the rest would be introduced one season at a time. All would hail Flick then.

In other words the best have been absorbed at a ridiculous volume, so at some point you reach a level where what's left is not good enough, yet.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@sidlowe They've removed the first 2 rows of the stand to make it fit too. The seats were closer to the pitch before the renovation.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@LaLigaMichael Barca 2009 with Etoo, Henry, Puyol and occasionally Yaya Toure were the better version IMO and my pick for GOAT XI. Could kill you in so many ways, whereas the 2011 version perfected the one way.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@sidlowe @swearimnotpaul To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@kevvwill Thought there was something about Nico too, although more like a Rakitic profile than a Xavi Iniesta Busquets

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@markgoldbridge To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@ZachLowy To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@Mike_RMCF To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@HughWoozencroft To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@Zonal_Marking To make the #UCL format better within the current framework, teams finishing 9 to 16 should have a one legged home playoff against those finishing 17 to 24.

This penalises those finishing 17 to 24, and gives extra value to finishing in the top 8 (avoid one leg playoff lottery).

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@kevvwill @NealGardner_ Same story with Gai Assullin, Iago Falque, Gio Dos Santos, Carles Alena...time shows they just aren't at the level.

The only major ones that left early and were Barca 1st team elite were Cesc, Pique and Thiago. As for the rest, La Masia is the gift that keeps on giving.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

Difference being Cubarsi has only started looking shaky in a system that stretches defenders to the absolute limit, whilst Hujisen is shaky in a fairly standard defensive system.

Similar to the Walter Samuel story.... impregnable in Inter's low block, but found out in a more attacking Madrid team.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@henrywinter Not even close to Cristiano, Kaka, Benzema and Xabi Alonso in one window. That's three Ballon d'Or winners in one window!! Nothing will match that

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

La Liga TV coverage this season is so poor.

Emotionless studio commentary, muted stadium noise, completely devoid of atmosphere or excitement. Every other European league does it better.

@LaLigaEN @LaLiga @LaLigaTV fix this for the good of the league. It's turning fans away.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

Yeah always found it strange too.

The 2009 side had more weapons, and could hurt you in more ways. Henry, Etoo, Toure and a more dynamic Dani Alves were the differentiators in addition to the usual Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.

2011 was like achieving perfection in the one way, where Xavi, Iniesta and Messi were (literally) central to everything.

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@NealGardner_ Jorge Mendes is the reason

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@LaLigaMichael And oh...how can we forget MAKELELE

[ElClasicoBros @ElClasicoBros]

@LaLigaMichael If purely on La Liga matches (remember Barca won 8 in 11 seasons) then it's Iniesta Xavi Busquets Modric. Kroos more influential in CL and Zidane's flame at Madrid too short vs the rest.

Wonder where Rodri, Redondo, Thiago ended up if they were in La Liga for longer.