Re: Match Day Thread

by CM Pep Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:09 am

Agreed with Alex. I think Denis Suarez has some potential, hopefully, Valverde gives him the chance to play.

A concern for me was how Suarez had to keep drifting to the left. While he might adjust to playing over there, I'm not sure all of his strengths are being used to the fullest.

Nevertheless, I too am cautiously optimistic. Let's see.

by futbol Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:42 pm

Semedo and Dempelé on the right (last season Sergi Roberto + no one) improves the team much more than losing Neymar on the left harm us.

I'd like alex to explain why Lucho is still working in the background and keeps the central midfielders disconnected from each other:

https://i.imgur.com/QUIuOpn.jpg

by Lucifer Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:15 pm

Look who's suddenly the fan of dembele. Also Lucho destroyed Barca in every sense that even uncle Flo couldn't have dreamt of.

by windkick Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:48 am

Messi off to a ridiculous start. Could of had a hat trick every single game since the season started. Valverde is really getting the best out of him, playing him in a more central attacking role, and having the midfield involved more than what Lucho did, thus Messi isn't dropping so far back to get the ball plus he is centrally to goal which is where he is the most lethal

by messixaviesta Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:49 pm

Myesyats wrote:
Everyone played really well honestly, but I'm quite concerned about Iniesta. IDK if it's a dip in form or did decline started kicking in in a brutal way because he really looked not-so-good, to be polite. I'm afraid it's already the latter.

He played very well in Spain's game against Italy. I think now it's difficult for him to perform day in day out but he could still step it up when it really matters.

Like the overall enthusiasm at the forum. I am also feeling some of it. Thumbs up

by CM Pep Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:23 am

It will be interesting to see how we cope when we meet our first real park the bus team.

If you recall, one of the reasons for MSN's success was that we would intentionally not hold too much of the ball and hit more on the counter, and that worked well with teams defending in huge numbers. Lucho's first few games against Atleti worked really well in that regard.

Now with Messi in the middle and Suarez not the 'main' striker... it will be interesting to see what happens. Let's see what Valverde does in that scenarios.

by Myesyats Sat Sep 16, 2017 1:34 pm

messixaviesta wrote:
Myesyats wrote:
Everyone played really well honestly, but I'm quite concerned about Iniesta. IDK if it's a dip in form or did decline started kicking in in a brutal way because he really looked not-so-good, to be polite. I'm afraid it's already the latter.

He played very well in Spain's game against Italy. I think now it's difficult for him to perform day in day out but he could still step it up when it really matters.

Like the overall enthusiasm at the forum. I am also feeling some of it.

Yes he definitely still can step up if needed, was sublime against Juventus. However you can't fight with time which is passing by in a brutal way. His time is sadly coming to an end. It will be a really sad day when retires, such a pleasure to watch this man slide past opponents like he's a goddamn fish.

by FennecFox7 Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:06 pm

Damn. Suarez is garbage now. Don't even think big benz is that bad

by BarrileteCosmico Sun Sep 17, 2017 5:02 am

It must be said that if we end up winning the league by 2 points or less the 40m for Paulinho will look a lot less ridiculous

by windkick Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:52 pm

Messi in the false 9 role is the most lethal player on the planet.

Also Denis is really showing his worth. Suarez needs to get his shit together

by BarcaLearning Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:36 pm

Never ever thought we would be in a position like this...still not gonna raise hopes too high though. But really with Messi, anything can happen u feel... but against the elite teams they will know how to try defend him better than the opponents we have faced so far.

by Marko85 Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:43 pm

Vamos Barca!!!

by Lucifer Sat Sep 23, 2017 3:27 pm

Welcome Marko

by alexjanosik Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:40 am

futbol wrote:Semedo and Dempelé on the right (last season Sergi Roberto + no one) improves the team much more than losing Neymar on the left harm us.

I'd like alex to explain why Lucho is still working in the background and keeps the central midfielders disconnected from each other:

https://i.imgur.com/QUIuOpn.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05gv6xg

I dont have to explain anything. Rakitic confirms what I have been saying all along. We cant play the Cruyff way with Messi. And we will continue to get exposed in the big games.

Its very simple. The only way to maintain our philosophy and indulge Messi is to play a 3-4-3 with a diamond midfield.
Cant play a 4-3-3 with Messi.

by Myesyats Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:08 pm

Valverde is trying his best but we're still lacking a Xavi type of player. There's only so much you can do with the players you have at your hand. You can't expect Barca to dominate every game in midfield with a POS player like Rakitic or Paulinho who is pretty good but very offensive minded.

If we had, let's say, a Modrić to complete the triangle alongisde Busquets & Iniesta then we'd look much better and it would be easier to dominate in the middle.

We have to land a good 'non-offensive minded' CM who can slow and speed up the tempo when needed and distribute the ball quickly if we want to at least lean a little closer towards prime Pep's Barca shape.

by futbol Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:45 pm

It's hard for me to believe that the available personnel isn't good enough to at least dominate Girona from start to finish. So far we are just doing okay with an extra portion of luck where everything goes our way. 2 own goals against Girona, penalty and corner goals opening up Eibar, needing a comeback against Getafe, mediocre first half against a weakened Juventus team.

I don't see too many improvements except the right flank with Semedo. We've actually conceded more shots than we managed ourselves upfront in our last 4 games and we're only playing plebs so far.

Obviously we'll need more time to judge (at least until Christmas I think) but I sense a Tito-esque season coming up where we'll roll all the La Liga minnows over but get embarrassed in most big games.

by futbol Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:48 pm

It's a joke the club members don't do shit to vote Bartomeu out. Our starting midfield is still Busquets-Iniesta-Rakitic. Iniesta is 33 and Rakitic last game had a scene where the ball bounced off of his feet 5 yards as if he was an elephant and not a multi-million Euro earning Barcelona midfielder.

by Myesyats Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:06 pm

I think that with the midfielders we have right now, it actually is pretty hard to dominate ANY game.

1. Rakitić is bloody average, he's a good fit for a Sevilla type club, but that's about it. He's not a dominant midfielder. So far Paulinho is offering more than he does, and that says a lot.

2. Iniesta is a grandpa who rarely shows up. He needs a midfielder beside him who will babysit him and not the other way around. In Spain he has Isco/Koke/Silva etc. Beside a donkey like Rakitić, he's being held back.

3. Not much Busi can do when he has that chaotic/incompatible pairing in front of him in Andres and Ivan.

by Myesyats Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:17 pm

Paulinho definitely deserves to start over Rakitic.

by futbol Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:06 pm

Awful.

by BarcaLearning Thu Sep 28, 2017 6:17 pm

Paulinho isnt bad, but he definitely doesnt seem our type of player, totally different. Not sure but I doubt it, which is all I see him doing is always trying to get forward and score, leaving our midfield way too open. Against top teams if he plays and does that we are doomed.

He looks physically very strong though, and wait to see if he plays probably rather than what hes doing so far, which is useful when were trying to score obviously. His control and passing under pressure overall dont look too impressive though...

by windkick Sat Sep 30, 2017 6:23 am

Rakitic has been pretty bad no denying, and by bad I mean he is having more off than on games but I still like him more than Paulinho who basically wants to just run up and down the whole damn match as oppose to staying in position to help the team tactically. Also would consider giving Denis some minuites in midfield, and also Sergi.

And lastly, Messi in the false 9 is great but Suarez is really struggling adjusting to playing a advanced left striker role.

by futbol Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:38 pm

Suarez could be finished. He doesn't look as sharp, mobile or confident as he did when he first arrived or when he was at Liverpool. Regardless of position (he isn't really on the wings anyway, we play variations of 4-4-2). When he first came he was first put on the right wing and still contributed every game with assists and dribbles even when not scoring. Now he looks dead.

Our whole squad looks dead tbh. I didn't watch much football last season but this season I've watched all our games and we look horrible. Semedo, Umtiti, Busquets and Messi look useful. Iniesta glimpses here and there. Alba in great form but it's the same old Alba who sucks per definition. The rest horrible.

by futbol Sun Oct 01, 2017 6:30 pm

This coach was praised to heavens, especially by free_cat.

Less possession and passes at home than Las Palmas.

4-4-2 formation.

Pls respond.

by Lucifer Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:00 pm

That's half the truth. We were utter shite in first half but that was mainly due lack of quality in midfield and Alex Vidal's resolve to remind us what it was like in the days of Ser Mathieu and Ser Andre Gomes. With Iniesta and Rakitic on we took control of the game from the go. The way Palmas were playing this match was becoming a huge banana slip and we managed to avoid that.

by Myesyats Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:17 pm

Not enough quality in midfield, still.

And 4-4-2 obviously doesnt work... I wonder why Deulofeu doesn't get any chances.

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