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Football Thread 2016/17 |OT| Mou Money Mo Pogba

Heshinsi

"playing" dumb? unpossible
Posted on my FB feed by a football meme page, and I can't stop laughing.

"PSG leading Barcelona 4-0. Barcelona's defense be like.."

88fb2408bed5f067b9e6368849450c3f.jpg
 

OCD Guy

Member
lol at Kermit.

Without taking anything away from PSG as they've played really well, Barca have invited PSG and just been watching them play. Look at 2 of the goals, they literally let the likes of Di Maria run towards them.

And then Messi looks like he's not completed an attempted dribble, and Iniesta can't complete a pass.
 
The return leg could be quite interesting still. Barca infront of their own fans and they need to go for it, PSG will get their chances on the counter-attack.
 

OCD Guy

Member
The return leg could be quite interesting still. Barca infront of their own fans and they need to go for it, PSG will get their chances on the counter-attack.

Yeah they've got nothing to lose so should be good.

But maybe they'll turn up and think fuck it. Their mentality needs to be right. Enrique got it wrong though, nothing changed at all in the second half, so either the players ignored his instructions, or he really thought one of his star players could randomly pull a goal out of their arse as usual.

Anyway good luck to him, he'll need it. They're going to crucify him in Spain. The fans there go crazy, I remember how the Real fans treated Bale after some bad performances, they're going to be waiting for all the players to drive away from training and throw stones at them or something lol
 

SkylineRKR

Member
PSG was quicker, more agile, stronger... won every clash basically. Messi and Suarez completely neutralized. PSG won literally every fight for the ball. They were absolutely bodied tonight. They won't recover from this, it'll be a bad season for them anyway.

That defender from PSG, Kimpembe? He was brilliant. And Meunier was playing a good game too.
 

OCD Guy

Member
It was the right play statistically speaking. He sold it poorly but down the middle is not the wrong option.

It's not the direction, as you say going down the middle is often right, as most keepers dive.

But the issue was exactly what you said, he telegraphed what he was going to do. Really bad penalty.
 

Syder

Member
It's weird how Barça added well to the depth of their squad this year but have been so bad compared to previous years.
 

OCD Guy

Member
It's weird how Barça added well to the depth of their squad this year but have been so bad compared to previous years.

They've bought the wrong players. I can't think of one signing that's improved the squad.

They spent a shit load of money altogether but it was relatively small amounts on (shit wouldn't be fair) average players.

It's the managers fault, he's also got them playing a very different style of football where the midfield is almost bypassed, and they just whack the ball up to Neymar, Messi or Suarez and hope they can just create something, and if they play against a team with a high press the defenders panic and it results in goals.

I believe they spent over 100 million on players, and I honestly can't think of one good signing. They've got lot's of depth in midfield but no real standout players. Iniesta and Busquets are only going getting worse as each year passes.

They should have blown a crap load on a decent right back and ball playing central defender to start with, rather than spending so much on lot's of players. Or spunked a crap load on someone like Verrati. Rather than buying lot's of average midfielders who are nothing like what they already have. But they thought they were probably being clever buying the likes of Gomes, Umtitti, Digne etc to build for the future....

Anyway Enrique's pretty much done. I think it's just a question of when he'll get sacked as opposed to if he'll get sacked.

edit: Just to add, they were really lucky to be fair to have had the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi etc come from their youth academy, but there's no sign of that ever happening again.
 

Syder

Member
They've bought the wrong players. I can't think of one signing that's improved the squad.

They spent a shit load of money altogether but it was relatively small amounts on (shit wouldn't be fair) average players.
Paco Alcácer was meant to ease the strain of playing so many games rather than an improvement on the best front 3 in the world. On paper, Umtiti & Digne were good signings, young but promising, but they just don't look ready. André Gomes & Denis Suárez just don't look like they'll ever be of the quality of previous Barca midfielders. I think Sergi Roberto (and Rafinha) is better than either of them but he'll be stuck at right back for the foreseeable future until Vidal comes back or they buy a new right back.

#GiveSergiSamperAChance
 

OCD Guy

Member
Paco Alcácer was meant to ease the strain of playing so many games rather than an improvement on the best front 3 in the world. On paper, Umtiti & Digne were good signings, young but promising, but they just don't look ready. André Gomes & Denis Suárez just don't look like they'll ever be of the quality of previous Barca midfielders. I think Sergi Roberto (and Rafinha) is better than either of them but he'll be stuck at right back for the foreseeable future until Vidal comes back or they buy a new right back.

#GiveSergiSamperAChance

I agree, and I know this isn't football manager but sometimes spending a large amount of money on someone proven is the way to go.

Of course you can end up in a Pogba situation too, someone that is capable but just not playing anywhere near good enough, and people still wouldn't be happy as they'd be complaining about how much they spent on one player.

I know it's only one game, but things just don't look good for Barca right now or in the near future....

They desperately need to improve the central midfield and right back positions though. As you say Gomes and Suarez don't look good enough. They're still young but I don't see the raw talent that could elevate them to world class status.

Compare Gomes to Verratti for example, there's not much difference in age, and Verratti looked leagues ahead than what Gomes looks now at the same age.

Then again anything could happen, look at the way Pique was at Manchester Utd lol, but he transformed into arguably a world class player.
 

Syder

Member
I agree, and I know this isn't football manager but sometimes spending a large amount of money on someone proven is the way to go.

Of course you can end up in a Pogba situation too, someone that is capable but just not playing anywhere near good enough, and people still wouldn't be happy as they'd be complaining about how much they spent on one player.

I know it's only one game, but things just don't look good for Barca right now or in the near future....

They desperately need to improve the central midfield and right back positions though. As you say Gomes and Suarez don't look good enough. They're still young but I don't see the raw talent that could elevate them to world class status.

Compare Gomes to Verratti for example, there's not much difference in age, and Verratti looked leagues ahead than what Gomes looks now at the same age.

Then again anything could happen, look at the way Pique was at Manchester Utd lol, but he transformed into arguably a world class player.
Say what you want about Pep but I feel if he was still there he would've taken some of these promising youngsters (Tello, Roberto, Deulofeu, Rafinha, Samper, Munir, etc.) and turned them into world beaters already.
First mistake made that would negatively affect the long-term future of the club when Pep left was selling Thiago Alcántara. Enrique [or the next Barça manager] need take Rafinha, Roberto, Gomes, D. Suárez and turn at least one of them into the next Iniesta/Xavi/Rakitić.
I don't know if any of them have a ceiling anywhere close to that level though.
 

OCD Guy

Member
Say what you want about Pep but I feel if he was still there he would've taken some of these promising youngsters (Tello, Roberto, Deulofeu, Rafinha, Samper, Munir, etc.) and turned them into world beaters already.
First mistake made that would negatively affect the long-term future of the club when Pep left was selling Thiago Alcántara. Enrique [or the next Barça manager] need take Rafinha, Roberto, Gomes, D. Suárez and turn at least one of them into the next Iniesta/Xavi/Rakitić.
I don't know if any of them have a ceiling anywhere close to that level though.

Yeah Pep is clearly a very good manager, despite some saying he only wins matches because he has the best teams.

If that was the case then you'd never see managers failing while managing the worlds biggest clubs.

I don't doubt that some of the youth could turn out good, development and the right manager can work wonders. Using someone like Martial for example, he will either end up world class or fade into a distant memory and I question whether Mourinho is the best coach to make the most of him

You look at the likes of Sane, Sterling and Jesus, players with potential and the guidance of Pep they've got a damn good chance at becoming world class.

I hear a lot of Fraud comments aimed at Pep, but Enrique is the real fraud, and he's being found out....

Who do you think will end up at Barca when Enrique goes?

edit: Just watched a video of Craig Burley saying that Gomes is Barcelona's answer to Fellaini of Man Utd lol
 

Syder

Member
Who do you think will end up at Barca when Enrique goes?
Busquets told reporters afterwards that his team-mates had been found wanting tactically and, speaking at a post-match news conference, Enrique did not disagree. It really feels like when not if he will go now and I think Barça will prefer to hire from within, who that will be, I have no idea (Gerard López is perhaps still too young for the job) as I don't think they expected this season to turn out this way at all. I imagine former Barcelona players like Koeman, De Boer, Óscar García, etc. will be touted but honestly, I can seem them going for Mauricio Pochettino, or definitely someone that knows La Liga like Valverde.

...or who knows? maybe they'll get Xavi.
KuGsj.gif
 

Jarnet87

Member
Say what you want about Pep but I feel if he was still there he would've taken some of these promising youngsters (Tello, Roberto, Deulofeu, Rafinha, Samper, Munir, etc.) and turned them into world beaters already.
First mistake made that would negatively affect the long-term future of the club when Pep left was selling Thiago Alcántara. Enrique [or the next Barça manager] need take Rafinha, Roberto, Gomes, D. Suárez and turn at least one of them into the next Iniesta/Xavi/Rakitić.
I don't know if any of them have a ceiling anywhere close to that level though.

and what if that group of players just isn't that good?
 
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