FC Barcelona Discussion

[Philippe Coutinho]

Agree with most your points @Spike @SirBalon

Yes, Seri defo ain't comin. Dembele will be signed soon. The best we can expect in an overly inflated market. A signing for the future.

As was Gomes. He's just not Barca material, I'm afraid. Just too slow. Not creative enough, nor is he a gamechanger. Always plays the safe pass.

When's the last time Neymar played a "safe pass"? Risk and reward, folks. Neymar often misplaced passes but a lot of the time they created bonafide goalscoring chances. Gomes? Create chances? That's not something he does. All he does is circulate the ball.

Alba, I'd personally give him a slight edge over Digne. Links up better with attacks down the left flank. (There was good chemistry between Alba and Neymar). Now that we have Dembele comin we need Alba and his torrid pace supplying passes to "Dembouz".

I like Messi as a false 9. He's a bit older now, not the electric pace of 2009 when he used to tear down the right flank (boy, was he somethin else!!) Electrifying he was.

I've been watching Ter Stegen. Oftentimes he doesn't even attempt to make a save. Contrast that with someone like Keylor Navas whom you just KNOW will attempt to save each and every goal-bound ball. Latin passion > logical Germanic reasoning?   He's terrible at defending set pieces and crosses/corners too. Not convinced by Ter Stegen, but he "plays the Barca way", by building from the back. 

Even Umtiti isn't the defensive stalwart some supporters make him out to be. Barca has never ever been known for our defense!! Historically, our attacking prowess always makes up for defensive lapses.

Pique is Pique lol. Slow, but a leader.

I'd include Rakitic in there for some matches. He doesn't have the heart of someone like Roberto but technically he is better at breaking down the teams that park the bus. Powerful shot too for said buses.

Vidal defo should get more chances. Semedo promising start. (squad is paper thin, not exactly the time to get rid of players you'll need in a long season!) Gomes gotta go, I'm afraid. The only player that's worse than Paco for Barca.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Savvy Xavi

[Spike]

18 minutes ago, Savvy Xavi said:

Agree with most your points @Spike @SirBalon

Yes, Seri defo ain't comin. Dembele will be signed soon. The best we can expect in an overly inflated market. A signing for the future.

As was Gomes. He's just not Barca material, I'm afraid. Just too slow. Not creative enough, nor is he a gamechanger. Always plays the safe pass.

When's the last time Neymar played a "safe pass"? Risk and reward, folks. Neymar often misplaced passes but a lot of the time they created bonafide goalscoring chances. Gomes? Create chances? That's not something he does. All he does is circulate the ball.

Alba, I'd personally give him a slight edge over Digne. Links up better with attacks down the left flank. (There was good chemistry between Alba and Neymar). Now that we have Dembele comin we need Alba and his torrid pace supplying passes to "Dembouz".

I like Messi as a false 9. He's a bit older now, not the electric pace of 2009 when he used to tear down the right flank (boy, was he somethin' else then!!) Electrifying he was.

I've been watching Ter Stegen. Oftentimes he doesn't even attempt to make a save. Contrast that with someone like Keylor Navas whom you just KNOW will attempt to save each and every goal-bound ball. Latin passion > logical Germanic reasoning?   He's terrible at defending set pieces and crosses/corners too. Not convinced by Ter Stegen, but he "plays the Barca way", by building from the back. 

Even Umtiti isn't the defensive stalwart some supporters make him out to be. Barca has never ever been known for our defense!! Historically, our attacking prowess always makes up for defensive lapses.

Pique is Pique lol. Slow, but a leader.

I'd include Rakitic in there for some matches. He doesn't have the heart of someone like Roberto but technically he is better at breaking down the teams that park the bus. Powerful shot too for said buses.

Vidal defo should get more chances. Semedo promising start. (squad is paper thin, not exactly the time to get rid of players you'll need in a long season!) Gomes gotta go, I'm afraid. The only player that's worse than Paco for Barca.

Gomes is also an attacking mid that Enrique thinks is a defensive mid because he is tall. 

[El Profesor]

42 minutes ago, Spike said:

Gomes is also an attacking mid that Enrique thinks is a defensive mid because he is tall. 

I think André Gomes is a central midfielder. The problem with him is that he is really slow, he has a nice pass, ability and elegance with the ball, but he just doesn´t have the intensity and the pace to play football at the highest level in 2017. In the 70s he´d have been great, but not in today´s football. He is the portuguese PH Ganso.

 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Spike said:

@The Rebel CRS @SirBalon @Savvy Xavi @FCBNick

What players need to be culled from the squad? Barcelona is aging and perhaps a season or two of mediocrity would allow the club to return to something it was.

My proposals:

• Sell Mascherano. He is very much on the wrong side of 30. There won't be much return from him and unless he reverses the aging process, his wages are too high to keep around for sentimentality. Samper could replace him as team rotation.
• Sell Alba. I don't like Alba, I haven't liked Alba since Euros 2012. I think he is an average player that has nothing besides pace. Also he cheats too much.
• Sell Turan. He has never established himself and never will. 
• Assassinate Paulinho.
• Sell the gutter rubbish of Vermaelen, Munir, Douglas, etc
• Give Gomes and Vidal one more season to prove their worth otherwise sack them.
• Resign fucking Bartra and Grimaldo. Shit even Fontas or Inigo Montoya (EDIT: It's actually Inigo Martinez) could work. The defence is paper thin.
• Stop playing Roberto as  RB.
• The midfield and forwards are stacked, forget about signing those players. 

A new formation could work, I hate to be the twat to post starting XIs I really do but to illustrate my opinion I have to.

 

 

Nice post, Spike. Regarding the proposals: 

1) I´m with you, Mascherano should be sold. The problem is that he is one of the most popular guys in that dressing room and the players made the board know that no defenders should be signed in order to preserve Masch´s playing time; 

2) Alba is still good and a better option than Digne, who is a good sub, but just doesn´t have the creativity and the offensive capability of Alba;

3) I also agree that Arda should be sold. But I read on TT that Rakuten is opposed to selling Turan because of his marketability in the Middle East; 

4) I think Matuidi and Renato Sanches would make more sense, but now that they bought Paulinho, Valverde should see what he´s got;

5) Definitely. Sell, sell, sell! ; 

6) I would sell Gomes and give Aleix one more shot; 

7) Yes, that defence is thin, and that´s why they should play a 4-3-3 not a 3-5-2, and unless they sign another CB, I wouldn´t loan Marlon, they need depth there; 

8) 100% agree, especially with Semedo looking capable of sticking as a starter; 

9) I still think they lack a quality, elite midfielder to pair with Busquets and share the responsability in the distribution. 

 

Barcelona is still a very good team, especially with the Dembélé signing. As we´ve seen in the past few years, the pure strenght and quality of their attack can hide some of their weaknesses, even though the midfield problem hasn´t been solved.

The start of the season will be really to important to Valverde. If he can somehow find an adequate midfield formation they´ll contend. That´s the key of the season. So far, on the midfield, the only thing I know for certain is that Busquets should start, other than that Valverde should give a fair shot to all players from that position and whoever makes the most of it should start the big matches. Forget about the names, if Rakitic and Iniesta are not perfoming drop them. I´d love to see Aleñá getting a chance to prove himself.

[Carnivore Chris]

20 hours ago, Spike said:

@The Rebel CRS @SirBalon @Savvy Xavi @FCBNick

What players need to be culled from the squad? Barcelona is aging and perhaps a season or two of mediocrity would allow the club to return to something it was.

My proposals:

• Sell Mascherano. He is very much on the wrong side of 30. There won't be much return from him and unless he reverses the aging process, his wages are too high to keep around for sentimentality. Samper could replace him as team rotation.
• Sell Alba. I don't like Alba, I haven't liked Alba since Euros 2012. I think he is an average player that has nothing besides pace. Also he cheats too much.
• Sell Turan. He has never established himself and never will. 
• Assassinate Paulinho.
• Sell the gutter rubbish of Vermaelen, Munir, Douglas, etc
• Give Gomes and Vidal one more season to prove their worth otherwise sack them.
• Resign fucking Bartra and Grimaldo. Shit even Fontas or Inigo Montoya (EDIT: It's actually Inigo Martinez) could work. The defence is paper thin.
• Stop playing Roberto as  RB.
• The midfield and forwards are stacked, forget about signing those players. 

A new formation could work, I hate to be the twat to post starting XIs I really do but to illustrate my opinion I have to.

1. I'd Keep Mascherano unless Martinez is bought, as he is not just the present but the future, although if Masch is kept(along with the young, promising Marlon Santos) then that could be sufficient until next season, where Masch will definitely move on most likely.

2. Alba suits Barcelona's system perfectly and will likely form something brilliant with Dembele, if the latter is to play down the left. As for Digne, I think he offers good enough back up to be honest, although Alba should always be first choice as it stands.

3. Turan is a quality player, but he's also  a confidence one so he's never really going to get going at Barcelona I don't think and getting rid of him would be for the best definitely.

4. Seri should have been signed over Paulinho.

5. Definitely sell Vermaelen and Douglas, but Munir going out on loan(to say, Las Palmas, where Samper has recently gone on loan) would be more ideal. I'm not sure he will ever make it at Barcelona, but he is a talented kid and certainly not rubbish.

6. I'd sell Gomes, but Vidal offers sufficient enough cover for Semedo at right back in my opinion.

7. Iñigo Martínez is the one, he'd be a top signing.

8. Sergi Roberto will play all his football in midfield now I would have imagined, since Semedo will be first choice at right back along with Vidal as cover in this position. I could see Roberto featuring a lot in midfield this term and holding himself down a starting role.

9. Denis Suarez needs more chances as he's a quality player with a career still ahead of him.

 

 

My formation and line-up would be identical to Balon's to be honest, so I don't need to bother making my own:-

 

Edited August 25, 2017 by The Rebel CRS

[SirBalon]

1 hour ago, The Rebel CRS said:

1. I'd Keep Mascherano unless Martinez is bought, as he is not just the present but the future, although if Masch is kept(along with the young, promising Marlon Santos) then that could be sufficient until next season, where Masch will definitely move on most likely.

2. Alba suits Barcelona's system perfectly and will likely form something brilliant with Dembele, if the latter is to play down the left. As for Digne, I think he offers good enough back up to be honest, although Alba should always be first choice as it stands.

3. Turan is a quality player, but he's also  a confidence one so he's never really going to get going at Barcelona I don't think and getting rid of him would be for the best definitely.

4. Seri should have been signed over Paulinho.

5. Definitely sell Vermaelen and Douglas, but Munir going out on loan(to say, Las Palmas, where Samper has recently gone on loan) would be more ideal. I'm not sure he will ever make it at Barcelona, but he is a talented kid and certainly not rubbish.

6. I'd sell Gomes, but Vidal offers sufficient enough cover for Semedo at right back in my opinion.

7. Iñigo Martínez is the one, he'd be a top signing.

8. Sergi Roberto will play all his football in midfield now I would have imagined, since Semedo will be first choice at right back along with Vidal as cover in this position. I could see Roberto featuring a lot in midfield this term and holding himself down a starting role.

9. Denis Suarez needs more chances as he's a quality player with a career still ahead of him.

 

 

My formation and line-up would be identical to Balon's to be honest, so I don't need to bother making my own:-

 

Arda Turan's situation is unfortunate to be honest.  He like Diego Costa are apparently doing everything possible to return to Atlético Madrid...  Apparently Arda doesn't want to leave Spain as his children are totally settled in Spanish culture.  It's going to be difficult times for him I think and I'm even hearing he may not even be registered for this season so as to force him out and into a decision.  The thing is he's had serious big offers from all over Europe and the club want to cash in.

André Gomes unfortunately should leave too and Barcelona would get a decent amount of money for him.  He's just not a Barça type player and even though I rate him extremely highly when he's on song, he's too slow and his transitional game is totally out of sync with what the team requires right now.  Juve really want him!  Let's see what happens.

Munir needs game time and he should be loaned out...  There's no way he's going to feature unless a disaster in terms of injuries occurs.  Paco Alcácer is much better in that sense as he's a total predator.

I would also love for Iñigo Martínez to come but the possible arrival of Yerri Mina in January seems to have scuppered that deal...  Why they prefer Mina to Iñigo is beyond me although I don't know enough about the Colombian to make a proper comparison judgement.  What I do know is that Iñigo Martínez is for me one of the best centre-backs in European football.

[Cicero]

10 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Arda Turan's situation is unfortunate to be honest.  He like Diego Costa are apparently doing everything possible to return to Atlético Madrid...  Apparently Arda doesn't want to leave Spain as his children are totally settled in Spanish culture.  It's going to be difficult times for him I think and I'm even hearing he may not even be registered for this season so as to force him out and into a decision.  The thing is he's had serious big offers from all over Europe and the club want to cash in.

André Gomes unfortunately should leave too and Barcelona would get a decent amount of money for him.  He's just not a Barça type player and even though I rate him extremely highly when he's on song, he's too slow and his transitional game is totally out of sync with what the team requires right now.  Juve really want him!  Let's see what happens.

Munir needs game time and he should be loaned out...  There's no way he's going to feature unless a disaster in terms of injuries occurs.  Paco Alcácer is much better in that sense as he's a total predator.

I would also love for Iñigo Martínez to come but the possible arrival of Yerri Mina in January seems to have scuppered that deal...  Why they prefer Mina to Iñigo is beyond me although I don't know enough about the Colombian to make a proper comparison judgement.  What I do know is that Iñigo Martínez is for me one of the best centre-backs in European football.

Absolutely zero sympathy for him. He knew what he was getting into and his heartfilled 'goodbye' to Atletico was a piece of comedy gold. I said what ever trophy he wins at Barcelona won't ever be at a higher standard than the league title he has with Atletico. 

Hope he continues to stay at the bench and wastes away his career. 

[SirBalon]

4 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Hope he continues to stay at the bench and wastes away his career. 

By the sounds of things, he may not even have a registration to be on the bench this season.  The registrations have to be handed in by next Friday and the rumours are he may not get one amazingly.

[bozziovai]

dembele is confirmed.   150 million euro ....

[SirBalon]

Juventus and Barcelona negotiating the André Gomes move

 

It's been the subplot for a couple of weeks but with all of the talk surrounding Dembélé it's been left in the background.  But Juventus have been negotiating with Barça for the services of Portuguese international André Gomes.  They are really set on trying to sign him and right at this minute both clubs are locked in talks as to the price of the player which speculation from Italy is stating that it could be €50m up front with add-ons.

There should be news by the end of today if sources are to be believed.

[Asura]

On 8/24/2017 at 4:40 PM, El_Loco said:

Leo, Suárez and Dembélé will form the LSD trio. That attack will blow our minds. 

Or they could be Leo, Ousmane, Luis to form LOL and become the laughing stock  

[Carnivore Chris]

There is a scaffold company who work on the same building site as I do called "MDS", well there we have it.

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2017 by The Rebel CRS

[Carnivore Chris]

 

 

[Stan]

On 27/08/2017 at 4:07 AM, Asura said:

Or they could be Leo, Ousmane, Luis to form LOL and become the laughing stock  

as an Arsenal fan, you're in no position to talk about laughing stocks  

[Asura]

5 hours ago, Stan said:

as an Arsenal fan, you're in no position to talk about laughing stocks  

Im just being wary of the competition from barcelona after this new board's miracles  

[Philippe Coutinho]

@SirBalon @Spike @FCBNick @El_Loco  @Viva la FCB Does anyone know of any good intelligent FC Barcelona forums online? I love talkfootball365 but would also like to join a Barca-centric forum. Thanks a bunch.

-aka "Savvy Xavi"......at least it's not Savvy Chavvy lol  

Edited August 29, 2017 by 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11

[El Profesor]

1 minute ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

@SirBalon @Spike @FCBNick @El_Loco   Does anyone know of any good intelligent FC Barcelona forums online? I love talkfootball365 but would also like to join a Barca-centric forum. Thanks a bunch.

-aka "Savvy Xavi"......at least it's not Savvy Chavvy lol  

https://www.barcaforum.com I´m not registered but I read some stuff they post there. Don´t abandon us though, I find debating with fans of other clubs much more interesting.  

[Philippe Coutinho]

1 minute ago, El_Loco said:

https://www.barcaforum.com I´m not registered but I read some stuff they post there. Don´t abandon us though, I find debating with fans of other clubs much more interesting.  

No, I'm defo not abandoning this forum. I enjoy the civil discourse lol. Thanks for the recommendation.

@The Rebel CRS Know of any others? Thanks everyone.

[Spike]

11 minutes ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

@SirBalon @Spike @FCBNick @El_Loco  @Viva la FCB Does anyone know of any good intelligent FC Barcelona forums online? I love talkfootball365 but would also like to join a Barca-centric forum. Thanks a bunch.

-aka "Savvy Xavi"......at least it's not Savvy Chavvy lol  

I've read a couple before and I can't say that were exactly the chummiest people. Something very... odd about them. Speaking English yet deriding all the Barca 'gloryhunters'.

[Philippe Coutinho]

Wow.....we have 166 members. They have almost 5000 members. Crazy numbers.

[Viva la FCB+]

Personally i do belong to a Bayern forum but i find alot of what El Loco says to be true. I mostly use it as a source of information and try and rarely post as its not the most interesting discussions and debates, when there is its usually started from outsiders. Just my view on our english forum maybe Barca's different but i enjoy the input from other league and club fans more here to be honest. Sorry no idea on Barca forums though

[SirBalon]

6 hours ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

@SirBalon @Spike @FCBNick @El_Loco  @Viva la FCB Does anyone know of any good intelligent FC Barcelona forums online? I love talkfootball365 but would also like to join a Barca-centric forum. Thanks a bunch.

-aka "Savvy Xavi"......at least it's not Savvy Chavvy lol  

I don't write on any other forums mate.  But there was one I used to belong to some years back, but it's in Spanish...  Do you know how to write in Spanish mate? (or Catalan for that matter).

I also agree with Ricardo, one club forums are very boring.

[Philippe Coutinho]

Thanks for the input. I did check out barcaforum. Don't like their layout/interface at all. They also require admins to approve new members' comments, apparently. Total BS, if you ask me.

talkfooball365 still/always numero uno in my book, just like Real Madrid still the "Gold Standard" in world football  

 

[SirBalon]

THE MEYBA YEARS

1981-1990

 

Més que un club. It’s a motto of which FC Barcelona’s fans, directors and marketing department persistently remind us, but not without justification: in European football the club has always been something of an anomaly. As is perhaps to be expected for a club that exists as the world’s most positive and visible source of Catalan pride, Barça have always tended to have their own way of doing things. For a long time these differences extended to the team’s kit. Famously, Barcelona were the last major club in the modern era not to sully their shirt with a commercial sponsor. It seems hard to believe given today’s all too frequent Nike efforts, but not too long ago the blaugrana strip barely changed over the course of a decade. Produced by the Spanish company Meyba, this classic kit was (along with an innate dislike for Real Madrid) one of the few constants at the Camp Nou in the 1980s. The shirt is often listed as dating from 1984-89, but I see no difference in the kits worn either side of that period, which leaves me convinced that it remained unchanged for nine seasons between 1981 and 1990.

For the team it was a turbulent period characterised by strained relationships and only sporadic on-field success, not to mention a slew of big-money signings and big-name managerial casualties. The first of these was the aging Argentine Helenio Herrera, who despite picking up a Copa del Rey with Barça in 1981, could only lead the team to a disappointing fifth-place league finish. Herrera’s replacement was Udo Lattek. The West German maintained a prickly relationship with compatriot Bernd Schuster, but reignited a bond with the Danish forward Allan Simonsen — an old acquaintance from Lattek’s days at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Barcelona reached the final of the 1982 European Cup Winners’ Cup, which just so happened to be hosted that year at the Camp Nou. Though they went behind against Standard Liege, Barça’s home advantage eventually proved the difference, and goals from Simonsen and veteran striker Quini clinched the victory. Though the Catalans finished a close second to Real Sociedad in the league — with Quini securing the Pichichi top scorer trophy for the third season in a row — the Liga title continued to elude them.

The plan to change that came in the shape of Diego Maradona, who arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 1982. The fee paid to Boca Juniors was a then-record £5 million, but the greatest player in the world seemed worth every penny, at least according to Barcelona’s elected president, Josep Lluís Núñez. Unfortunately the Argentine’s first season in Spain was plagued by a bout of hepatitis, causing him to spend three months on the sidelines. Maradona recovered in time to help Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the final of both cup competitions (the Copa del Rey and the Copa de la Liga), but they could only manage fourth in the league. Lattek departed that summer, and in stepped chain-smoking Argentine César Luis Menotti. Known as “El Flaco”, Menotti had coached Argentina at the last two World Cups; it was hoped that this factor that would help him bring out the best in Maradona. That plan was thrown into jeopardy just four games into the new season, when a reckless tackle by Athletic Bilbao’s Andoni Goikoetxea left the Argentine with a broken ankle. Maradona returned in time to play his part in a shockingly violent Copa del Rey final also against Bilbao, but it was a relatively meagre third place finish in the league that sealed Menotti’s fate.

Impressive results with Queens Park Rangers, and an endorsement from England coach Bobby Robson, helped Terry Venables’ fill the vacant seat on the bench at Barça. With Maradona having left that summer for Napoli, “El Tel” built his team around a strong back four, the commanding Schuster in midfield and a fellow Brit up front: Scottish striker Steve Archibald. It proved a winning combination, as Barça galloped to a tenth title — their first since 1974 — with a ten-point lead over Atlético Madrid. Venables’ was no one-season wonder: his team boasted a nucleus of Spanish internationals, including Victor, Migueli, Julio Alberto, Caldere, Marcos and Carrasco. The side proved strong enough to reach the European Cup Final for only the second time in 1986. Their opponents in Seville were the talented Romanians of Steaua Bucharest. A typically close final ended goalless after extra-time and Barcelona’s lacklustre display was confounded by a remarkable penalty shoot-out, in which they saw all four of their penalties saved by Steaua keeper Helmuth Duckadam.

Keen to recover from that blow, Venables signed two stars of that summer’s World Cup: Spain goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta (who would replace the veteran Urruti) and England centre-forward Gary Lineker. Fresh from having won the Golden Boot in Mexico, Lineker was expected to form a deadly partnership alongside Mark Hughes, who had arrived from Manchester United. Unfortunately the Welshman failed to settle in Catalonia, earning himself the pejorative nickname “El Toro” before being swiftly loaned out to Bayern Munich after a single season. Lineker on the other hand quickly made himself at home, and immediately endeared himself to the Barcelona faithful by scoring on his league debut after just two minutes. Later that season “El Matador” bagged a memorable hat-trick against Real Madrid, further cementing his place in Catalan hearts. But despite Lineker’s prolific goalscoring Barça were pipped to the title by Real Madrid for the second year running, this time by just a single point. However it was the ignominy of home and away defeats to Dundee in the UEFA Cup quarter-final later that season that most likely cost Venables his job just a few weeks into the 1987-88 campaign.

The Englishman’s caretaker replacement, Luis Aragonés, remained in charge for the rest of the what proved a tumultuous season on and off the pitch. A government clampdown on tax evasion had seen players asked to have their wages cut in order for the club to repay what they owed the authorities. The row reached its climax in April 1988 when the bulk of the squad convened at the Hotel Heredia calling on Nuñez to resign. In the end the president stayed, with most of his players departing instead. It was clearly time for a fresh start, and the man handed the task of leading Barça into a much-needed new era was Johan Cruyff. With a steadfast conviction in his footballing philosophy, the Dutchman introduced a style of play that had its roots in the Total Football of Ajax. The new manager seemed less than taken with the team he inherited, moulding his new side around several new players: Bakero, Goikoetxea, Amor, Beguiristain and Salinas. Victor, Schuster and Archibald all left the club, while Cruyff preferred the tall Salinas as a target man up front, forcing Lineker out wide on the right wing. From his new position the Englishman inevitably found the net less frequently, but did provide the cross for Barcelona’s first goal in the 1989 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, in which they beat Sampdoria 2-0.

Lineker rejoined Venables at Tottenham Hotspur later that summer. Carrasco and Quini also left Camp Nou, with Dutch defender Ronald Koeman and the elegant Dane Michael Laudrup arriving. 1989-90 turned out to be the final season for Barcelona’s now familiar kit, in which they had experienced such extreme highs and lows. In 1990 the shirt was modified for the first time since 1981 with the inclusion of a subtle stripe detail woven through the fabric of the shirt. By now Cruyff had begun to assemble what became known as the “Dream Team”, signing the Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and plucking homegrown prospects Guardiola and Ferrer from the “B” team. Barcelona finally won the league at Cruyff’s third attempt in 1991, initiating a period of domination that would last for four seasons. Despite losing that year’s Cup Winners’ Cup Final to Manchester United (in which Barça reject Hughes scored twice) the Catalans maintained their momentum in Europe the following season, reaching the European Cup Final at Wembley, where once again they faced Italian champions Sampdoria. A typically close but absorbing contest was settled in extra-time by a bullet-like free-kick from the boot of Koeman. In recognition of the occasion, at the final whistle the team quickly threw on home shirts for the trophy presentation (they’d worn an orange away kit during the match), in which the club’s official captain Alexanko (now playing the role of substitute) was given the honour of hoisting aloft European football’s ultimate prize.

Barcelona’s Wembley victory proved a fitting conclusion to its long association with Meyba. In 1992 the club struck a deal with the Turin-based company Kappa, whose Madrid-white branding along the sleeves of the new shirt caused immediate consternation among fans. Cruyff’s “Dream Team” won four Liga titles in a row, their one misstep a 4-0 capitulation at the hands of Milan in the European Cup Final in 1994. Following Cruyff’s departure, Bobby Robson led a Ronaldo-inspired Barça to a record fourth Cup Winners’ Cup success, before Louis Van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard achieved further success in the Dutch tradition. But it was under Cruyff disciple Guardiola that the Dutchman’s footballing vision reached its extreme peak, and inevitable conclusion. Between 2009 and 2012 Barcelona became an almost unstoppable force at home and in Europe, developing a style of possession football that became known by the onomatopaeic term tiki-taka. Of course, this period of consistency was contrasted by annual — and at times radical — changes to the club’s once-iconic strip. A complete reversal from the 1980s, when Barça changed everything but their kit.

Credits to: James Campbell Taylor

Edited August 29, 2017 by SirBalon

[Philippe Coutinho]

5 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

The MEYBA years

1981-1990

 

Més que un club. It’s a motto of which FC Barcelona’s fans, directors and marketing department persistently remind us, but not without justification: in European football the club has always been something of an anomaly. As is perhaps to be expected for a club that exists as the world’s most positive and visible source of Catalan pride, Barça have always tended to have their own way of doing things. For a long time these differences extended to the team’s kit. Famously, Barcelona were the last major club in the modern era not to sully their shirt with a commercial sponsor. It seems hard to believe given today’s all too frequent Nike efforts, but not too long ago the blaugrana strip barely changed over the course of a decade. Produced by the Spanish company Meyba, this classic kit was (along with an innate dislike for Real Madrid) one of the few constants at the Camp Nou in the 1980s. The shirt is often listed as dating from 1984-89, but I see no difference in the kits worn either side of that period, which leaves me convinced that it remained unchanged for nine seasons between 1981 and 1990.

For the team it was a turbulent period characterised by strained relationships and only sporadic on-field success, not to mention a slew of big-money signings and big-name managerial casualties. The first of these was the aging Argentine Helenio Herrera, who despite picking up a Copa del Rey with Barça in 1981, could only lead the team to a disappointing fifth-place league finish. Herrera’s replacement was Udo Lattek. The West German maintained a prickly relationship with compatriot Bernd Schuster, but reignited a bond with the Danish forward Allan Simonsen — an old acquaintance from Lattek’s days at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Barcelona reached the final of the 1982 European Cup Winners’ Cup, which just so happened to be hosted that year at the Camp Nou. Though they went behind against Standard Liege, Barça’s home advantage eventually proved the difference, and goals from Simonsen and veteran striker Quini clinched the victory. Though the Catalans finished a close second to Real Sociedad in the league — with Quini securing the Pichichi top scorer trophy for the third season in a row — the Liga title continued to elude them.

The plan to change that came in the shape of Diego Maradona, who arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 1982. The fee paid to Boca Juniors was a then-record £5 million, but the greatest player in the world seemed worth every penny, at least according to Barcelona’s elected president, Josep Lluís Núñez. Unfortunately the Argentine’s first season in Spain was plagued by a bout of hepatitis, causing him to spend three months on the sidelines. Maradona recovered in time to help Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the final of both cup competitions (the Copa del Rey and the Copa de la Liga), but they could only manage fourth in the league. Lattek departed that summer, and in stepped chain-smoking Argentine César Luis Menotti. Known as “El Flaco”, Menotti had coached Argentina at the last two World Cups; it was hoped that this factor that would help him bring out the best in Maradona. That plan was thrown into jeopardy just four games into the new season, when a reckless tackle by Athletic Bilbao’s Andoni Goikoetxea left the Argentine with a broken ankle. Maradona returned in time to play his part in a shockingly violent Copa del Rey final also against Bilbao, but it was a relatively meagre third place finish in the league that sealed Menotti’s fate.

Impressive results with Queens Park Rangers, and an endorsement from England coach Bobby Robson, helped Terry Venables’ fill the vacant seat on the bench at Barça. With Maradona having left that summer for Napoli, “El Tel” built his team around a strong back four, the commanding Schuster in midfield and a fellow Brit up front: Scottish striker Steve Archibald. It proved a winning combination, as Barça galloped to a tenth title — their first since 1974 — with a ten-point lead over Atlético Madrid. Venables’ was no one-season wonder: his team boasted a nucleus of Spanish internationals, including Victor, Migueli, Julio Alberto, Caldere, Marcos and Carrasco. The side proved strong enough to reach the European Cup Final for only the second time in 1986. Their opponents in Seville were the talented Romanians of Steaua Bucharest. A typically close final ended goalless after extra-time and Barcelona’s lacklustre display was confounded by a remarkable penalty shoot-out, in which they saw all four of their penalties saved by Steaua keeper Helmuth Duckadam.

Keen to recover from that blow, Venables signed two stars of that summer’s World Cup: Spain goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta (who would replace the veteran Urruti) and England centre-forward Gary Lineker. Fresh from having won the Golden Boot in Mexico, Lineker was expected to form a deadly partnership alongside Mark Hughes, who had arrived from Manchester United. Unfortunately the Welshman failed to settle in Catalonia, earning himself the pejorative nickname “El Toro” before being swiftly loaned out to Bayern Munich after a single season. Lineker on the other hand quickly made himself at home, and immediately endeared himself to the Barcelona faithful by scoring on his league debut after just two minutes. Later that season “El Matador” bagged a memorable hat-trick against Real Madrid, further cementing his place in Catalan hearts. But despite Lineker’s prolific goalscoring Barça were pipped to the title by Real Madrid for the second year running, this time by just a single point. However it was the ignominy of home and away defeats to Dundee in the UEFA Cup quarter-final later that season that most likely cost Venables his job just a few weeks into the 1987-88 campaign.

The Englishman’s caretaker replacement, Luis Aragonés, remained in charge for the rest of the what proved a tumultuous season on and off the pitch. A government clampdown on tax evasion had seen players asked to have their wages cut in order for the club to repay what they owed the authorities. The row reached its climax in April 1988 when the bulk of the squad convened at the Hotel Heredia calling on Nuñez to resign. In the end the president stayed, with most of his players departing instead. It was clearly time for a fresh start, and the man handed the task of leading Barça into a much-needed new era was Johan Cruyff. With a steadfast conviction in his footballing philosophy, the Dutchman introduced a style of play that had its roots in the Total Football of Ajax. The new manager seemed less than taken with the team he inherited, moulding his new side around several new players: Bakero, Goikoetxea, Amor, Beguiristain and Salinas. Victor, Schuster and Archibald all left the club, while Cruyff preferred the tall Salinas as a target man up front, forcing Lineker out wide on the right wing. From his new position the Englishman inevitably found the net less frequently, but did provide the cross for Barcelona’s first goal in the 1989 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, in which they beat Sampdoria 2-0.

Lineker rejoined Venables at Tottenham Hotspur later that summer. Carrasco and Quini also left Camp Nou, with Dutch defender Ronald Koeman and the elegant Dane Michael Laudrup arriving. 1989-90 turned out to be the final season for Barcelona’s now familiar kit, in which they had experienced such extreme highs and lows. In 1990 the shirt was modified for the first time since 1981 with the inclusion of a subtle stripe detail woven through the fabric of the shirt. By now Cruyff had begun to assemble what became known as the “Dream Team”, signing the Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and plucking homegrown prospects Guardiola and Ferrer from the “B” team. Barcelona finally won the league at Cruyff’s third attempt in 1991, initiating a period of domination that would last for four seasons. Despite losing that year’s Cup Winners’ Cup Final to Manchester United (in which Barça reject Hughes scored twice) the Catalans maintained their momentum in Europe the following season, reaching the European Cup Final at Wembley, where once again they faced Italian champions Sampdoria. A typically close but absorbing contest was settled in extra-time by a bullet-like free-kick from the boot of Koeman. In recognition of the occasion, at the final whistle the team quickly threw on home shirts for the trophy presentation (they’d worn an orange away kit during the match), in which the club’s official captain Alexanko (now playing the role of substitute) was given the honour of hoisting aloft European football’s ultimate prize.

Barcelona’s Wembley victory proved a fitting conclusion to its long association with Meyba. In 1992 the club struck a deal with the Turin-based company Kappa, whose Madrid-white branding along the sleeves of the new shirt caused immediate consternation among fans. Cruyff’s “Dream Team” won four Liga titles in a row, their one misstep a 4-0 capitulation at the hands of Milan in the European Cup Final in 1994. Following Cruyff’s departure, Bobby Robson led a Ronaldo-inspired Barça to a record fourth Cup Winners’ Cup success, before Louis Van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard achieved further success in the Dutch tradition. But it was under Cruyff disciple Guardiola that the Dutchman’s footballing vision reached its extreme peak, and inevitable conclusion. Between 2009 and 2012 Barcelona became an almost unstoppable force at home and in Europe, developing a style of possession football that became known by the onomatopaeic term tiki-taka. Of course, this period of consistency was contrasted by annual — and at times radical — changes to the club’s once-iconic strip. A complete reversal from the 1980s, when Barça changed everything but their kit.

Credits to: James Campbell Taylor

Beautiful pics of a beautiful era. Classic, classy Barca. Thanks Antonio.

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

Beautiful pics of a beautiful era. Classic, classy Barca. Thanks Antonio.

Call it nostalgia or even melancholy....

It's my favourite period and one that many real Barça fans will never see again...  Like the piece says, those were rather turbulent times during that period much to do with (unsaid) with Spain coming to terms with democracy after the long shackled period lived under Franco.  But for me that period where Spanish football and especially FC Barcelona were concerned, a mysterious and fantastical period.  Success on the field was sparse, but it was genuine and based on the ideals the football club had set with it's foundation in 1899.

The club continues to live in it's democratic fan based rule, but ever since, the essence was lost and only for a brief period when Joan Laporta took over as president did it seem like the ideals were once again put at the forefront of everything that surrounded it.  Unfortunately, Joan Laporta got too involved in politics and used his ideological beliefs through the club as a vehicle that became to politicised.  Since then it's been a downward spiral of individuals using the club name for their own purposes and within it rot has set.

But anyway...  As I started, my greatest moments and memories of the club lie in that period which wasn't exactly glittered with the success Barça have enjoyed since.