5 - Pau Cubarsí

[Xtroverto]

Puyol is not better than Pique or Koeman as a pure CB.

Overall, with leadership qualities included, he might be in the mix.

Puyol was way better than either of Pique or Koeman. He held together the back line like no other defender this club has ever seen. In 2003-4, without Puyol we would have finished 10th in the league. 2 of the worst defender I have ever seen in a Barcelona shirt played at the same time, Reizinger and Van Bronckhorst. Puyol was totally cruicial in defence back then and only got better with Rafa Marquez (an actually half decent defender).

Puyol eating Merengues for breakfast

 

[GloryHunter 007]

Puyol was way better than either of Pique or Koeman. He held together the back line like no other defender this club has ever seen. In 2003-4, without Puyol we would have finished 10th in the league. 2 of the worst defender I have ever seen in a Barcelona shirt played at the same time, Reizinger and Van Bronckhorst. Puyol was bolldy cruicial in defence back then and only gotr better with Rafa Marquez (an actually half decent defender).

Oleguer was arguably worse. I rate Puyi above Pique and Koeman tho.

 

[Xtroverto]

Oleguer was arguably worse. I rate Puyi above Pique and Koeman tho.

Oleguer may have been a rubbish player but with him as a starter Barcelona won 2 leagues and a Champions League beating Chelsea, Benfica, Ac Milan and Arsenal. Puyol made Oleguer overperform though.

 

[GloryHunter 007]

Oleguer may have been a rubbish player but with him as a starter Barcelona won 2 leagues and a Champions League beating Chelsea, Benfica, Ac Milan and Arsenal. Puyol made Oleguer overperform though.

He was bang average, not very bad imo.

 

[Xtroverto]

He was bang average, not very bad imo.

One of the very few defenders in FC Barcelona history not being called up to the nation team even when playing as a starter in a Champions League final to boot, he could not even make the squad. Some people claim Oleguer refused to play because of politics (separatist sympathiser) but he later denied that, he was simply not good enough.

 

[MonteCuler]

Imagine if the club had done that when Puyol made a fool out of himself agains Liverpool back in 2001, Emile Heskey ate him for breakfast that day. We would have lost the best defender this club has ever seen before he even got a chance to prove it.

Cubarsi has every posibility to become a world class defender in the future, but he is still only just 19 years old. Let us give him some time to develop.

We are not losing Cubarsi if we bench him though

You say we should give him time to develop. True. And it's hard to develop when you have so much pressure on your back and have to lead the defense in such a chaotic defensive system at 18 years old with no experience.

 

[DonAK]

If we lose Cubarsi because he lacks patience then no big deal. He's not some generational talent. He's not quick enough or strong enough to be that. Nor is he a leader, at least yet anyway. We'll move on.

I don't think he'll grow impatient and want to leave though. Where would he even go? He's not surviving in England with his build and PSG already have better defenders so doubt he starts there anyway.

Our fanbase is so starved of seeing actual great defensive play and players that we latch onto everything and everyone like they're one.

 

[Barcaman]

First of all, he's 18 years old. Still in his teenager years. There is no teenager in the world, who can perform constantly on a high level like an adult professional athlete. It's completely normal to have a low phase, especially in his age.
In addition, he basically plays every third day without a pause thanks to the lack of alternatives. He's much overplayed, not only physically, but mentally too, playing without a break.

I have no doubt, that he'll have a worldclass career at barca, because he has the potential and abilities, despite current poor performances for said reasons.

Let's stop with "only 18". I get it, everyone does. So does Balde who peaked at 17.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Cuba's not below average IQ like Balde.

We shouldn't be playing suicide line traps.

But Flick loves basketball chaos the modern way, and our board asked for it.

 

[Loki]

everyone does

I'm not so sure, reading some comments expecting from a 18 year old to perform without low phases like a world class player in his prime years.

 

[Barcaman]

I'm not so sure, reading some comments expecting from a 18 year old to perform without low phases like a world class player in his prime years.

He's been in a low phase for most of this calendar year. I also think there will never be a phase where he will grow to be presence in the box or become faster.
This is why managers can be particularly patient and lenient with Araujo profile that do have presence and speed.

 

[serghei]

Age is irrelevant. Either you are good enough to start or you aren't. He isn't. We are in the bussiness of winning titles. Imagine if you are Raphinha and Pedri who are up there close in level to hold a CL winner medal and you don't have a chance at that because some teenagers in defense need time to develop and fuck around constantly. We don't have time.

We need to start fixing the defense fast. Our best player arguably is 29 years old. He will need replacing him if we spend 3-4 years trying to groom likes of Cubarsi into a competent dedender.