FC Barcelona Discussion

[Cicero]

As opposed to Oscar and Ramires. 

Christ Brasil has come along way 

Edited March 13, 2018 by Cicero

[SirBalon]

21 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

The interview with Andre Gomes is sad reading. I'm in the minority that doesn't think he's that bad, he's just struggled to adapt to a club as big as Barcelona. The fact that he's too ashamed to leave his own house isn't good though and mental health issues like this should really be taken seriously. 

Wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see him depart in the summer but I'd love him to turn things around and ''make it''.

He goes on to say that he doesn't know why he's playing so badly and can't work out what happens to him on the pitch. But that he does know he isn't able to give what he knows he can and that all of this is bringing him down.  He even goes onto say that he sometimes doesn't leave his home because he's strain of being pointed at.

[Machado]

 

His body language during the interview says it all. If he's not enjoying himself, it would be better for everyone if he moved on.

I don't think he ever was the right fit for Barcelona. Maybe there's no point.

[Guest]

Does this mean we'll see Arthur in the World Cup now? Tite is a bit stubborn to change his group as he seems happy with the select team he has chosen, but Arthur has shown enough and now has gotten his move to Barcelona. Would be disappointing to see him miss out, but knowing Tite, it would not surprise me if Renato Augusto beats him to the spot... again.

[SirBalon]

Iniesta drowns Barça fans euphoria

Andrés Iniesta was interviewed in on the way to the dressing room after tonight's Champions League victory against Chelsea at the Camp Nou where after analysing the game he left a dart in the hearts of the Barça faithful.  There's been speculation in recent weeks that China has come calling with a ridiculous amount of money and that David Bekham has also been in touch asking him to join him in his adventure in the US.  Plus he's got a hefty deal on the table from New York City FC since four months back...

Well when the journalist asked Iniesta if he will be entertaining the offer, the Barcelona first captain said this;

"It's true that I renewed my contract only a month ago but my future is uncertain due to my physical capabilities and what playing for a team like Barcelona requires every single day.  I am looking at every option but what I do know is that whatever my future holds I will never be playing against Barcelona as I have always promised.  The club will know my decision when I've made it and that decision will be made in the next couple of weeks."

[SirBalon]

André Gomes last night came on for Sergio Busquets after the latter was complaining about a muscle problem... After André’s passionate and heartfelt interview for Panenka Magazine the Camp Nou responded in kind and emotionally by giving him a big reception and pushing him on during the minutes he was on for.

André Gomes after the game thanked the fans for their support via his Twitter account.

 

[Panna King]

Barcelona will keep a keen eye on Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt during the international break with a view to signing the player this summer.

The La Liga giants were linked with the young Dutchman during the January transfer window, but with all their efforts put into signing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, a move never came to fruition.

They are likely to return to De Ligt this summer and, according to Mundo Deportivo, will closely monitor the player during the international break.

 

Edited March 21, 2018 by VanPaddy

[Cicero]

Lad oozes class. Very composed on the ball and great technical ability so no surprise Barca are after him. 

However, they should put him out on loan until Pique calls it a day. 

[Panna King]

3 hours ago, Cannabis said:

Absolute beast for me on FM at the moment (which is an accurate database). 

His ratings when he is about 26 on FM are insane.

[Panna King]

3 hours ago, Cicero said:

Lad oozes class. Very composed on the ball and great technical ability so no surprise Barca are after him. 

However, they should put him out on loan until Pique calls it a day. 

There is talk of Vermaelen going the other way back to Ajax if de Ligt does make a move to Barcelona.   Personally I wouldnt take Vermaelen if I was the coach of Ajax as they have already another big talent coming through called Max Wober.

[RandoEFC+]

Forgot that Vermaelen still exists .

[SirBalon]

Funnily enough Vermaelen has actually had some pretty decent performances for Barcelona on the rare occasions he's been called upon and when he hasn't been injured.  The problem with him is that he will always be injured and this obviously has something to do with Belgian genetics.

[Panna King]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

Funnily enough Vermaelen has actually had some pretty decent performances for Barcelona on the rare occasions he's been called upon and when he hasn't been injured.  The problem with him is that he will always be injured and this obviously has something to do with Belgian genetics.

His whole career he has injury problems

[Spike]

2 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Funnily enough Vermaelen has actually had some pretty decent performances for Barcelona on the rare occasions he's been called upon and when he hasn't been injured.  The problem with him is that he will always be injured and this obviously has something to do with Belgian genetics.

Sounds like an Asterix character. Genetix, Geriatrix, Obelix, and Getafix, all have a great time together.

[Machado]

Saul: "Busquets plays the ball to you in a way that you can figure out what to do next. If he plays it to the back of you it's for you to return it, if he plays it to your front it's because you're free to turn. For me to do that, I must be focused and it's mentally tiring. It comes naturally to him."

[Carnivore Chris]

 

[Samuel Eto'o]

 

[SirBalon]

For me this is definitely a worse Argentina side Messi has to the one Maradona had.  By quite some margin too...

[Carnivore Chris]

On 25/03/2018 at 04:33, Machado said:

Saul: "Busquets plays the ball to you in a way that you can figure out what to do next. If he plays it to the back of you it's for you to return it, if he plays it to your front it's because you're free to turn. For me to do that, I must be focused and it's mentally tiring. It comes naturally to him."

To think that Busquets weren't even playing in the 6-1 the other night is scary for every opponent Spain will come up against this summer.

 

[Carnivore Chris]

On 21/03/2018 at 23:37, SirBalon said:

Funnily enough Vermaelen has actually had some pretty decent performances for Barcelona on the rare occasions he's been called upon and when he hasn't been injured.  The problem with him is that he will always be injured and this obviously has something to do with Belgian genetics.

It's more likely a case of Arsenal having their hands on him first

[Guest]

On 29/3/2018 at 04:01, SirBalon said:

For me this is definitely a worse Argentina side Messi has to the one Maradona had.  By quite some margin too...

I agree, although they were 2 different Argentina sides. One of them was with a tactically incompetent manager and now its with incompetent players as well as some really poor coaching. I'm going to spare Sampaoli and Bauza here but not their staff.

I don't rate Bauza personally but I now see it wasn't all his fault. The team is just in a down in morale and really they don't have as many good players as some claim. 

Edited March 30, 2018 by Guest

[SirBalon]

2 hours ago, Ruigol said:

I agree, although they were 2 different Argentina sides. One of them was with a tactically incompetent manager and now its with incompetent players as well as some really poor coaching. I'm going to spare Sampaoli and Bauza here but not their staff.

I don't rate Bauza personally but I now see it wasn't all his fault. The team is just in a down in morale and really they don't have as many good players as some claim. 

I've always admitted that I'm a massive Menottista and very anti Bilardo, but without a doubt you have to give credit to Carlos Bilardo's managerial record on all levels even if I rather disliked his brand of football.  He was very tactical as was another Argentine in Helenio Herrera (Herrera more so) although in the case of HH he ended up naturalising himself French so we can discount him from any equation in cases such as these where Argentinian football is in question.

To cut what I could make into one of my trademark long posts, yes indeed Argentina were coached much better to be a winning formula in 1986 under Carlos Bilardo, but even Bilardo wouldn't have done much with this team.

You can have all the talent you want sitting up front waiting for the right ball to come so as to score, but if those behind you aren't good enough to win it back against top sides (because you have to beat the top sides somewhere along the line to win things) and be able to maintain it with aplomb and containing a certain amount of improvisation without being too blatant in what you want to do, then those players up front are worthless!

Theyre even more worthless because due to the fact what's behind them ranges from below average to ok and then a couple that are good, then that creates anxiety in the front men and when they are given a good opportunity out of the blue, they tend to fluff it more than they ever would at club level.

My gripe in anything concerning Argentina is where fools say that the Class of 86 were mediocre and that Maradona won it on his own.  I lived that era live and watched as many games as I could, even friendliness...  That team was good, not brilliant, but they were good and with the added factor of Diego Maradona, that became a winning formula due to Bilardo understanding the difficiencies in the team and making them play in such a way that those problems became almost null and void.

Tactics aren't just about understanding and studying your opponent as many seem to think it is.  Yes its's vital, but a great coach also knows his team, his players and how to make that unit function in such a manner that any issues are brushed over with some makeup so that it all can be as seamless as possible.

I rate Sampaoli highly, a lot more highly than they do in his home nation where the general consensus is that he's a very dislikable character.  Sampaoli has had that team playing a lot better than what they should be playing.  He's had various instances of good football, compact football with the lines playing close to each other so as to not leave spaces which would be where you would make obvious how crap that midfield is and how mediocre the defence also is.  He should be commended for this because that's why they managed to qualify.

Messi can only do so much.

[Carnivore Chris]

 

[Philippe Coutinho]

Is that supposed to be Umtiti? LOL! 

Love the seat reserved for Griezmann  

 

[Stan]

9 minutes ago, Philippe Coutinho said:

Is that supposed to be Umtiti? LOL! 

Love the seat reserved for Griezmann  

 

Iniesta behind the bar as well