Pre-season 2016/17 Official Discussion

Matches

Squad headed to the pre-season matches (list could change depending on transfers)

(this isn't the official list for the Gamper trophy/Super Copa)



Discuss..

Looking forward to our first game. Hope we give enough time to young signings to get accustomed.

interesting that messi cut his vacation short to join the preseason, a motivated messi is dangerous

Not exactly on topic but indirectly related and maybe not worth creating a thread for.

In the general section an individual has claimed that Barcelona have an excellent attack but an average midfield. I am intentionally not giving any reference to that post.

My question to my fellow Barca fans is that at this point in time which all teams do you think have a better midfield than us.

i can't say who has a better midfield, but this topic is being brought up because our midfield has declined since the prime xavi iniesta days

buscuit and iniesta are still world class players, but the third midfield is an odd case, his role (rakitic) seems more like covering for messi.
when messi moves centrally ivan is a winger, when messi doesn't track back rakitic has to pull a double shift.

but with all that messi also covers the creativity that rakitic lacks so maybe it's a good partnership?

Barca doesn't have a midfield, they hardly can provide the ball to attackers unless Messi drops deep to help them.

Harmonica wrote:Barca doesn't have a midfield, they hardly can provide the ball to attackers unless Messi drops deep to help them.

Donuts wrote:i can't say who has a better midfield, but this topic is being brought up because our midfield has declined since the prime xavi iniesta days

buscuit and iniesta are still world class players, but the third midfield is an odd case, his role (rakitic) seems more like covering for messi.
when messi moves centrally ivan is a winger, when messi doesn't track back rakitic has to pull a double shift.

but with all that messi also covers the creativity that rakitic lacks so maybe it's a good partnership?

I agree with your comments but I am not that convinced that there is a midfield around that is definitively better than ours.

Finally a match saturday. I've been needing a Barça fix for months. And with Suarez and Messi.

The same problem continues, Messi needing to drop deep to form proper midfield.

Really liking our kit hopefully we don't put Qatar on it. Anyone know we're I can get one of those online? Real or Replica. I remember a US they only had a few days they were a good price around $40 with the shorts looked real too. Not sure if it exists still.

Nike website has it, both real and replica without the QATAR logo.

Saw the game. Denis Suarez looked really good. Still early but seems we have got ourselves a football player.
Of the youth, really liked Samper and Alena. Samper is not a youth anymore but it is a shame what has happened to him. Wish someone like a Rijkaard or Pep was in charge. Both would have brought Alena and Samper through to the first team. Under Enrique, most likely the two will go out on loan to some scrub club. I hate this new policy of outsourcing youth development instead of bringing them through ourselves.

The RB spot is a real concern. Vidal got destroyed all game against some scrub. It could potentially destroy our season. We need to evaluate whether we need to dip into the market for a RB. It is too risky and season threatening to go in with Roberto and Vidal. We need to spend the cash to bring Bellerin back.

I bet you anything Bellerin returns next summer. He is gonna cost allot, and we already spent allot this summer to reinforce the rest of the team. Not only that, our new Nike kit money kicks in next summer.

My only concern with Bellerin is that he is super happy at Arsenel. And even said that his dream was to play at the Camp Nou, and now that he has with Arsenal that his dream is fulfilled. He said his life, girlfriend, and his friends are all now in London and that he is super happy and has no plans to return. So unlike Cesc, Bellerin is not sounding like he would even want a return one day.

Either way, I think the logic is to spend huge on a right back next summer, and reinforce the rest of the team this summer. Not saying I agree with it, but thats what it looks like to me from the way they are doing things

Vidal was good in offence but was terrible in defence. Also I don't think we are looking anyone for RB spot this season. Vidal and sergi are all we have got and as Alex said it's not a good news for us.

Couldn't see the game but i'm happy to hear we done pretty well

the RB spot seems to be a problem though. I hope we can sort it out before business starts.

Will umtiti or gomes be ready for the next game btw?

Denis really impressed me. Vidal is not good defending, this could be problematic. Messi still drop deeping to create, hope the coach sorts this out soon.

Marcus Aurelius wrote:Will umtiti or gomes be ready for the next game btw?

No, they didn't join the squad yet. Just Busquets and Mascherano joined the squad to play tomorrow vs Leicester.

Messi going deep and not moving much is not a worry yet imo. He's one of those super explosive players so I think he eases into full fitness a bit longer then say, iniesta or busquets

Mahrez about to try his ass off to try and impress us lol. Apparently he's a huge Barca fan

Anybody watching this match?

Munir seems to have developed a bit.

Suarez

Messi turning on prime Xavi mode

Harmonica wrote:Munir seems to have developed a bit.

Agreed. He's looked great these two matches.

What a ridiculous goal from Suarez btw, lol. That Marlon kid we signed for the B team has been pretty decent out there