11 - Neymar Jr. - v4

[BBZ8800]

As long as we acknowledge that Reus or someone like that is not better or more reliable of top-performing, as some in here suggests, then I get what you are saying.
But because he is not over-shining Suarez or Messi does not mean that we should try to sell him. No guarantee that the new players would 'click' into our team + no guarantee that Pogba's prize does not raise to 150 M. if we sell him.

If you are going to go down the road "all players have bad periods" and similar.
Well, they do, but again, some play bad 1 out of 5 matches, or in short spells like a few weeks.

Ney already in 3 seasons in Barca has 2 spells of 2-3 Months of horrible play and a first season where he was very average.
In the last 15-20 seasons, I can't remember any top Fc from our team who was as hot and cold as Neymar (only Kluivert was somewhat similar in how bad or good he would play on some days).

All other of our leaders were more or less very consistent in form during a majority of their career (and especially in early 2-3-4 years), and usually you could have always relied on them, like:
-- Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Etoo, Messi, Deco, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Suarez

Ney is probably the only Barca's top player (leader or a 2nd most important player to the team) who is showing such a level of inconsistency in a long, loooong time...

This is what bothers me with Ney.
So, if we had 10 similar players (leaders) and all of them were way more consistent than Ney (a lot of them were very young also, like Ronnie, Etoo, Messi, so the age is not an excuse), I can't "buy" an idea that ALL players are going through similar episodes as Neymar.

Yes, all players have dips in form.
But when Neymar goes low, he goes deeper than anyone, he does it consistently often (once per season, it seems), and when he goes down, it lasts 2-3 Months, usually in a key part of a season.

So, since so many of our former players (leaders) were way more consistent, again, I can't buy a story that Reus or majority of other players would have the same problems here in Barca.

Although, I am sure about 2 players who are famous for these long episodes of poor form: Neymar and Hazard.

But there are other options in the world, besides hot and cold guys, like Ney and Hazard.

 

[Jefecito]

If we lose Neymar we win 190m. euros to buy Pogba and some other winger. So, I'm good either way. It's not like he leaves for 40m. or so. If Neymar stays, excellent, if Neymar leaves, well, we still get payed a lot and we can improve the team with the money. Maybe not at LW, cause he's the best in the world there, but in other areas.

Only way he goes is by way of his buyout being payed I think.

When Bartomeu will give a press conference saying that Nolito is the only opportunity we had in the summer and injects the rest of Neymar sale (175m€) into Espai Barça project
The club is managed by complete idiots, thinking that in case we sell Neymar we'd get Reus + Verratti + a top CB is being more than naive.

 

[Vlom]

Yeah it may be a bad option for him to renew. Because, the last few games he has been bad and there is no footballer in the world who goes through rough patches? Surely. I see you have everything figured out about his drop of form connected to parties so explain to me what led to his drop of form in his first season after november? Or last season during jan and feb? Ever gave it a thought that its maybe, I don't know, for just every other reason the whole team is playing bad? Few bad games and people forget who he is. Remember messidependencia? and what a big problem it used to be. He made that dissapear and managed the team singlehandedly in his absense. There are not many players who can do that right now. Hell I would say there is only neymar. And you doubt him just because of some bad games.

You are clearly not reading my posts correctly mate.

I'll just sum it up by saying, for the hundred time, YES, Neymar is an amazing player, best in his position, but he is a terrible professional.

Either keeping him or selling him is a 50/50 gamble at this point, that's why I never took position on any of the 2 options.

 

[gasgas]

Relax guys.
Very soon he'll start dribbling towards opponent' s goal again

 

[Zidane121]

Neymar is a future Ballon D'or Winner.

 

[Vlom]

Neymar is a future Ballon D'or Winner.

Great, how many points does that give us in La Liga exactly ? Or does it send us straight to UCL semis ?

Half of RM's squad is/was considered future Ballon d'Or winner according to the media, look where that got you guys

EDIT : Haha, Bojan Luky Luke
Bye Bye Zidane, you won't be missed.

 

[gasgas]

Great, how many points does that give us in La Liga exactly ? Or does it send us straight to UCL semis ?

Half of RM's squad is/was considered future Ballon d'Or winner according to the media, look where that got you guys

EDIT : Haha, Bojan Luky Luke
Bye Bye Zidane, you won't be missed.

Um treble?

 

[Ghostmaster]

I think some elements of his play could be fixed by Lucho, I mean if he dribbles in the middle of the pitch when he is surrounded by 5 players until he loses the ball when manager should just tell him to stop doing that and release the ball faster. Unless Lucho is afraid of Neymar and he does whatever he pleases. It's basically like Alves crossing during Tata's season when he stopped doing that his overall play improved.

 

[Jamie Cal]

Great, how many points does that give us in La Liga exactly ?

If we count the first half of the season, y'know, as we should, then he's given us plenty. And I seem to remember him scoring in every round from the QFs onward in a treble-winning season too.

 

[JamDav1982]

If we do sell Neymar we should tweak the system and move the focus from front trio back to midfield. Answer is not Pogba though. Going back to basics would be best and if there are no options out there just get Nolito or put the trust in Denis.

Unfortunately, this board would just throw money away on Pogba or some ageing Liga player so mind as well keep Neymar and hope he somehow gets back to his best. Mind you, special treatment, partying and doubling his wages won't help.

It's a tricky situation.

I would rather Dennis than Nolito.

Dennis can play LW is younger and cheaper.

Paying 18m for Nolito would be a waste I think as the front three wont accept taking the minutes to rest to make it worth it.

That is the one thing that grates about the front three is that they bitch when get rested and I think it fucked up this season a bit. In the more intense games none of the front three could cope for 90 mins and the midfield wasnt good enough to step up.

 

[JamDav1982]

Great, how many points does that give us in La Liga exactly ? Or does it send us straight to UCL semis ?

Half of RM's squad is/was considered future Ballon d'Or winner according to the media, look where that got you guys

EDIT : Haha, Bojan Luky Luke
Bye Bye Zidane, you won't be missed.

Jeepers Vlom....Ney stepped him in loads of games to win points and trophies.

I genuinely cant think of one Real player tipped as future balon dor winner. James maybe at one point after world cup?

 

[BarçaBarça]

Although, I am sure about 2 players who are famous for these long episodes of poor form: Neymar and Hazard.

But there are other options in the world, besides hot and cold guys, like Ney and Hazard.

Come on - it is a bit stretched to put Neymar in the same category as Hazard in terms of being hot and cold, don't you think? Neymar stepping up in Messis absence, and dropping with the team, in a period where even Busquets misplaces passes(!). Hazard only scoring against Aston Villa for a whole season is not comparable. One player hot/cold within seasons, the other for whole seasons..

But I will give you this: Some players are more inconsistent than others, that is logical. But he is not inconsistent enough to justify a sale.
I suspect you only suggest it because it would allow us to buy Pogba. Pogba is good, but look at his first half of this season: he did not lead the team when every Juve-player played really bad, and neither did Neymar do any better when our team dropped form. It is kind of Football Manager-thinking to suggest selling Neymar and buying Pogba + Reus with money left. We have no guarantee it will work any better than now. MSN has a good relationship, which is rare at toplevel-football because of all the divas at this level. We don't know how a new forward would fit in. IMO it would be madness not to see if more rest + benching him when he plays like shit could work for us, when we sign better backups than now.

I won't use his age as an excuse for being inconsistent, but his playing-time. For me it is obvious that MSN all could benefit from more rest, as they play more than any other strikers in the world (plenty of stats from this season backs this). That matters, I think. But you could argue: will this change from now on? That is an open question, but something we could decide to manage ourselves instead of just selling. I really disagree with people saying it is as much a risk to keep him as to selling him. We need players with the highest top-performances in the world, so signing more consistent players with lower top-level is not the way, as I see it.

To be clear I think he is trusted too much, when he obviously can't find his form - then he should be benched, both to rest him and send a signal.

 

[Jefecito]

Great, how many points does that give us in La Liga exactly ? Or does it send us straight to UCL semis ?

Half of RM's squad is/was considered future Ballon d'Or winner according to the media, look where that got you guys

EDIT : Haha, Bojan Luky Luke
Bye Bye Zidane, you won't be missed.

The "future Ballon d'Or" argument is BS but yours isn't better to be fair.
Some of you have as special ability to forget what happened just 6 months ago, let alone last season.
We aren't talking about a 30yo who gave what he had to give for the club, he's 24, just finished 3rd in BO and still has a lot to offer.
There are those who where chanting "Neymar" in the Nou Camp yesterday because they know what he's worth and what he is able to bring to this team, and others who are shitting on him because he's in a disastrous moment (the way he took the penalty yesterday shows he lacks confidence these days). This whole fanbase forgot what football is about, thinking players are machines and the first who has a bad moment should be replaced by a random Nolito (hey, wake up, it's the same Nolito we had at Barça B). If some of you were running the club Messi, Piqué, Iniesta, Valdes would have never made history at Barça.

 

[6 Ballons for Messi]

Some of you have as special ability to forget what happened just 6 months ago, let alone last season.

Mate, neymar is 3 years now in barca and he hasn't being the main man in an important game not even a single time.
Great he played well during messi's absence, so what? In the only high profile win during that time, the 0-4 in bernaleo, the best players were iniesta, suarez and sergi roberto.
I think it's safe to assume now after 3 years that neymar is only playing well when the team is playing well, he can't lead in big games, he's like cristiano in that matter.

 

[Jefecito]

The Neymar/Hazard comparison One has 23 league goals this season, the other just scored his first 2 league goals yesterday. Genius.

A lot of players would want to "disappear" like Neymar does. Even when he's shit he's a lot better than the average left winger of top clubs. And that shows how good he can be when he's 100%.