11 - Neymar Jr. - v4

[Barcaman]

No, it was a matter of ability. Neymar had a lot of opportunities to create last season, he just wasn't very good at it. He was one of the worst passers in team and was preferring Messi wayyy too much. He simply drastically improved his passing and playmaking this season. He also turns the ball over much less when dribbling and is more comfortable shooting with his left foot. Of goals he lately scored, many would have not ended in back of the net last season because he often needed one more touch to move the ball to his right foot allowing the defender to close in.

Well said.

 

[EdmondDantes]

Messi will always be the king but I get the feeling we are nearly entering Neymar era. He is playing at an extraordinary high level and making it look so easy.

I love Neymar, but Messi will be King til the day he retires. Leo belongs up there with Pele and Maradona; Neymar half a step below but still way above other legends like Zidane, Romario, Cruyff, Ronaldinho, etc.

 

[TornAndFrayed]

yea neymar is way above ronnie, zidane or freaking cruyff.

If we could just stop comparing players...

 

[JamDav1982]

Why are people freaking out over comparing players?

Seems like now Neymar is becoming unreal it should be stopped for some reason.

Compared all players for years.

 

[Horatio]

Messi will always be the king but I get the feeling we are nearly entering Neymar era. He is playing at an extraordinary high level and making it look so easy.

Not sure about that. Messi always steps ups a lot time in big difficult matches and has the potential to overturn that game. I think we will see that magic still for a couple of years to come.

 

[TornAndFrayed]

Haha yea neymar becoming a beast must be the reason, well thought.

Let's take a shit on all the past greats, it's kewl.

 

[Ini8]

http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...-taking-barca-star-neymar-real-madrid-4711519

Uncle Flo is obsessed with him apparently.

 

[Barcafan 2304]

AS running with this. Surely not! We surely wouldn't sell him to them

 

[Galning]

Flo is like that playboy at school who got dissed by the hot new girl and then tries another time. I guess he lost his pride a long time ago so why not get rejected by Neymar a second time.

 

[Topolino]

 

[Barcafan 2304]

Might be just an attempt to ruin our contract negotiations with him. Petty bastard

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Neymar's 1st goal vs. Real Sociedad

Y'all catch that blatant American football tackle on Suarez during that goal?

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

How many games have you watched last year? Every time ball went to Neymar he tended to slow down the tempo of the game and his passes were intercepted too often. For example our first goal against Roma - last season's Neymar would never be able to fire such pass to Alves. And it was not because of his tactical role - he tried but mostly failed. I'm not saying he was bad for us last season, but because of his goals, not playmaking.

It is true though, that he was better playmaker for Brazil than for Barca, but I don't think it was solely because of different tactical role. He simply improved or maybe he developed better understanding with Barca teamates, I don't know.

He has improved both technically and tactically. To be honest, I wasn't sure he'd be able to, because he seemed pretty locked into his own way of playing, and has a huge cult of Yes Men behind him; that's always dangerous for a talented young person. But it's not the first time a talented player has improved after a year+ playing with Barça. Sanchez, for example, became far more adept at short passing. At a lower level, Rakitic is also improving, compared to his first season.

With Neymar, I'd say it's a combination of adapting to the more technical demands of La Liga (you just can't play as sloppy [a.k.a. "open"] as in Brazil) as well as finally understanding it's more effective to use the options his teammates give him (and have been giving him since day one). One can't say if he came to that conclusion on his own, by watching/emulating his teammates or reviewing his own performances, or was guided by Messi, Lucho, Alves, whomever.

Whatever the reason, if he keeps playing this more connective teamplay like the rest of his teammates, he's only going to get better at it, because his skills will have the chance to be refined and developed for those situations. It probably works both ways, self-fulfilling- he didn't take use those opportunities previously, because he lacked (or didn't trust) his abilities to do so, so he failed to develop that part of the game. Now that he's technically improved, he's trusting those opportunities, which means he'll try them more often, and the execution and understanding will get sharper.

 

[RationalMathematician]

He has improved both technically and tactically. To be honest, I wasn't sure he'd be able to, because he seemed pretty locked into his own way of playing, and has a huge cult of Yes Men behind him; that's always dangerous for a talented young person. But it's not the first time a talented player has improved after a year+ playing with Barça. Sanchez, for example, became far more adept at short passing. At a lower level, Rakitic is also improving, compared to his first season.

With Neymar, I'd say it's a combination of adapting to the more technical demands of La Liga (you just can't play as sloppy [a.k.a. "open"] as in Brazil) as well as finally understanding it's more effective to use the options his teammates give him (and have been giving him since day one). One can't say if he came to that conclusion on his own, by watching/emulating his teammates or reviewing his own performances, or was guided by Messi, Lucho, Alves, whomever.

Whatever the reason, if he keeps playing this more connective teamplay like the rest of his teammates, he's only going to get better at it, because his skills will have the chance to be refined and developed for those situations. It probably works both ways, self-fulfilling- he didn't take use those opportunities previously, because he lacked (or didn't trust) his abilities to do so, so he failed to develop that part of the game. Now that he's technically improved, he's trusting those opportunities, which means he'll try them more often, and the execution and understanding will get sharper.

So is Neymar's teamplay better than the teamplay of Pedro?

 

[Nucky]

I must say I was a bit sceptical when Neymar signed for Barca 2 years ago. I though he is just another overhyped Brazilian youtube star. And his first season wasn't so good but I said, well he needs time to adopt spanish league and Barca style but last season he exploded not to mention this season when he is top class. Our striker are all in TOP 5 of the world. I'd put Penaldo and Lewandowski there also in TOP 5. He will be great replacment for Messi after his form drops and he retires. Neymar is future Ballon D'or winner for sure.