What should Barca do next?

Why was Abidal appointed director of anything lol?

So he could do what Bart told him to do and take the fall if it didn't work out.

And looking at the comments on the articles of his firing, nearly everyone thought he actually did a bad job as opposed to simply being a figurehead.

Not surprised as he was just a left back and then got the job as a director. Feels like it was just to make amends of how disgracefully he was treated when he was ill.

So they sacked Abidal a day after saying hes staying on? What a circus ffs lol... at least we know there might be change for the better now in this position, but u get the feeling its still a mess the way Barto is doing things as usual, just a mess.

Sacked wasn't the right word, Bartomeu claims that it was a personal choice of Abidal to step down.

We will be quite a mess this season imo, and any hopes of trophies should be forgotten, with the focus being on rebuilding and making the team right and know what they are doing again. We have got so many players leaving especially experienced players in midfield going, and Suarez, and looking like getting a few Dutch players who could be promising, but nothing to really get too excited about.

Myseyats has listed the possible 4-2-3-1 Koeman prefers to use with the players that could be in each position. It could work but we have traditionally been 4-3-3 and the 4-4-2 often these past few years which always felt was just a make shift temporary fix. No matter what the issue with our right hand side will remain, so it will be interesting if Koeman will figure a way to solve it.

A key point to consider I think is from Koeman's POV, he knows the president will be gone soon, and so for himself he will need to get the team to perform and results well enough in order to keep his job come the next president? Otherwise it would really be just a waste of time for him and everyone else. So knowing that there wont be too much time for him to find his right mix to get there. Difficult job indeed lol.

Im imagining a couple months of trial and adjustments ahead at most, and by X'mas we need to be not too far off the pace, and especially come March we would need to be looking like a team in a proper state or going in the right direction. So the youngsters and new players wont have that many opportunities and patience given to them, they need to take them whenever arise.

Team wise from the below, I would think the best team to look something like:

Fati Griezmann Depay? Braithwaite Dembele Messi Trincao(no idea about him yet)

De Jong Pjanic Wxxxxxxxx? Busquets Roberto Puig


Dembele/Fati - Griezmann/Depay - Messi

De Jong - Pjanic - Wxxxxxxxx

Alba - Lenglet - Pique - Semedo

Ter Stegen

I dont see Dembele fitting in anywhere but the LW, unless Messi plays in the false 9, but meaning no striker and Griezmann at LW which wont work.

BarcaLearning wrote:We will be quite a mess this season imo, and any hopes of trophies should be forgotten, with the focus being on rebuilding and making the team right and know what they are doing again. We have got so many players leaving especially experienced players in midfield going, and Suarez, and looking like getting a few Dutch players who could be promising, but nothing to really get too excited about.

Myseyats has listed the possible 4-2-3-1 Koeman prefers to use with the players that could be in each position. It could work but we have traditionally been 4-3-3 and the 4-4-2 often these past few years which always felt was just a make shift temporary fix. No matter what the issue with our right hand side will remain, so it will be interesting if Koeman will figure a way to solve it.

A key point to consider I think is from Koeman's POV, he knows the president will be gone soon, and so for himself he will need to get the team to perform and results well enough in order to keep his job come the next president? Otherwise it would really be just a waste of time for him and everyone else. So knowing that there wont be too much time for him to find his right mix to get there. Difficult job indeed lol.

Im imagining a couple months of trial and adjustments ahead at most, and by X'mas we need to be not too far off the pace, and especially come March we would need to be looking like a team in a proper state or going in the right direction. So the youngsters and new players wont have that many opportunities and patience given to them, they need to take them whenever arise.

Team wise from the below, I would think the best team to look something like:

Fati Griezmann Depay? Braithwaite Dembele Messi Trincao(no idea about him yet)

De Jong Pjanic Wxxxxxxxx? Busquets Roberto Puig


Dembele/Fati - Griezmann/Depay - Messi

De Jong - Pjanic - Wxxxxxxxx

Alba - Lenglet - Pique - Semedo

Ter Stegen

I dont see Dembele fitting in anywhere but the LW, unless Messi plays in the false 9, but meaning no striker and Griezmann at LW which wont work.

@BarcaLearning, I think your analysis is missing several items;

1. Where is Fart going to get money for the two signings you have listed?

2. You are missing one of your infamous 100M+ signings.

3. You are underestimating both Fart and Koeman being lame ducks for most of season. That undoubtedly will lead to issues in dressing room and on field.

4. Rather than it be a rebuild year, it will likely be a struggle to avoid relegation zone!

Yea I dont know if we will get Wxxxxxx and Depay, Im just going by what news we get that look likely or not. If we dont, we are even more screwed obviously lol. Coutinho has been so poor and in effective I basically dont consider him in my thoughts in the team tbh. I just dont see a role for him suitable?

Koeman I think we still would need to see a while b4 judging, he hasnt even started a game yet.

Results wise, I wouldnt complain if we ended 4th or something as long as we show that we are going in a right direction in terms of getting our style or a proper motivated team going tbh. It is a rebuilding year, although to say struggle to avoid relegation is quite far fetched.

BarcaLearning wrote:Yea I dont know if we will get Wxxxxxx and Depay, Im just going by what news we get that look likely or not. If we dont, we are even more screwed obviously lol. Coutinho has been so poor and in effective I basically dont consider him in my thoughts in the team tbh. I just dont see a role for him suitable?

Koeman I think we still would need to see a while b4 judging, he hasnt even started a game yet.

Results wise, I wouldnt complain if we ended 4th or something as long as we show that we are going in a right direction in terms of getting our style or a proper motivated team going tbh. It is a rebuilding year, although to say struggle to avoid relegation is quite far fetched.

Lol, are you trying to say Koeman will be around long enough to have any influence whatsoever in any rebuilding? He going to have his hands full trying to deal with Messi!

And I’m sure Coutinho must have looked extremely bad in that 8-2 thrashing.

Just read Thomas at Atletico is having some trouble with a new deal, no sure true or not. But I really think he is a kind of player we need in midfield, someone strong physically, defensive, but also good enough to maintain the ball, etc.

Also strange though Koeman seems not mentioning he wants to get a midfielder in. We are so short in that area.

BarcaLearning wrote:Just read Thomas at Atletico is having some trouble with a new deal, no sure true or not. But I really think he is a kind of player we need in midfield, someone strong physically, defensive, but also good enough to maintain the ball, etc.

Also strange though Koeman seems not mentioning he wants to get a midfielder in. We are so short in that area.

I don't think you're short in midfielders. You have Busquets, Pjanić, de Jong, Roberto, Aleñá, Rafinha, Puig and possibly some La Masia recruits.

Problem is, you don't have any world class ones. A bit like Madrid's forward situation. For years they have been trying to find strikers and wingers to replace Benzema and Ronaldo and all they have been getting are malnourished favela kids and one season bundesfodder wonders for a lot of money. Rather have one world class forward than 3 Vinícius type headless chickens.

Can’t say I disagree regarding Vinicius, but he’s still a teenager, and can hopefully improve in the areas where improvement is needed. If he doesn’t, I’m sure we’ll fetch a good price for him, as his speed and trickery alone likely makes him appealing to some clubs. Tricky wingers have always been hot property. We got Di Maria when he was in his early 20s, and he was initially a headless chicken, as well.

Yea Vinicius is massingly underrated still, hes a huge talent at this age, and under Zidane who is the best there is im sure he will be alright in development.

For us the young midfielders I just never rate so I dont consider them at all (that includes Roberto and Rafinha), not if we wanna win anything. Busquets is clearly done so to me I only see De Jong, Pjanic (whom Im not optimistic about anyway), and Wijnaldum (thats if we even get him), so in that sense its really scarey to think just thin our midfield will be lol.

You keep ignoring Coutino

Why are Barca so bad?

Hapless_Hans wrote:Why are Barca so bad?

Do you even need to ask? Has the manager been blamed, yet? That must be the problem.

Hapless_Hans wrote:Why are Barca so bad?

Everton level manager with a bunch of nobodies (Trincao, Pedri) and overrated "stars" (De Jong) and a star player who did not want to be in this mess but was forced to (Messi).

It all started when they sacked Ernesto Valverde

Because Valverde was recognized by fans as the team’s primary issue.

Thimmy wrote:Because Valverde was recognized by fans as the team’s primary issue.

I know this will come as news to you, but fans, let alone those posting online, don't actually carry out club decisions like sacking a manager

I know this will come as news to you, but fans, let alone posting online, don't actually affect VAR decisions. What is your point, exactly?

Koeman proving to be a poor manager, has done next to nothing for the better of the team. Some horrible transfers that make no sense - eg. Arthur for Pjanic. Players just getting fed up and loss of motivation. The long existing problem of players not being able to play in their best positions. Injuries. I think that sums it up

Anyway, bottom line is again this was always just a period of waiting for the new board to come in and hopefully carry out the real needed changes, and in the meantime the games and results dont matter much.

Koeman knew he was walking into a mess, it's sad that his dream job ended up like this but it was inevitable with the financial issues and poor recruitment.

Barca was top of the table for the 3rd year in a row only as far as 11 months ago. A decline like Real Madrid's was acceptable (iffy results in some games but still topping their CL group and only 6 points off the top of the table).

3 points off relegation spots and coming 2nd in CL groups for the first time in decades though? What is Koeman even doing? He plays a formation with 2 central midfielders and 4 forwards, literally 4-2-4. While having a laughable defense to begin with.

When he announced his plans at the beginning of the season I already checked out for this season (really only watched 1 game so far) and put a 100 Euro bet on Atletico finishing above Barca.

On the real though, Valverde was a much better manager, its just that Barca fans hated his playing style despite having a great winning record. Well now they have managers that promise to play the Barca way and are getting clapped by Juve, Madrid and Bayern

Winning record for someone that blew a 4-0 lead twice

I'll grant you he worked magic in the league and was unfairly let go at the wrong time, thoughtlessly and with a wrong replacement. But he's the definition of complacency.