Capabilities? He's incredible dribbler when he's on his stride, but when he's standing he has no ideas - particularly because he lacks the technique to use footwork to take on players like that. We need another winger with technique on one side and Dembele running at defenders on the other. We can't solely rely on him in the near future.
11 - Ousmane Dembélé - V1
- Thread starter Jair Ventura
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Capabilities? He's incredible dribbler when he's on his stride, but when he's standing he has no ideas - particularly because he lacks the technique to use footwork to take on players like that. We need another winger with technique on one side and Dembele running at defenders on the other. We can't solely rely on him in the near future.
FCB1987
Banned
we need Hazard badly
BBZ8800
Senior Member
What we learned in his 2 seasons here, imo, is that he is not extremely motivated player.
In his first season, he had problems with trainings, stretching, eating, learning Spanish etc.
Then in the 2nd season, media started to write bad about him and there was a lot of talk about him being sold.
Then we have finally seen some: "Fuck you, I will prove you wrong" attitude.
Then he got injured again, and his current body language and attitude is again closer to his attitude from his 1st season than to that "fuck you" period.
He has a lot of talent and he surely can produce magic out of nowhere.
But for now (it may change in the future), he is still giving me Balotelli/Brasilian striker Adriano vibes.
Talent is there, motivation is questionable and hot and cold.
His IQ and decision making is still questionable.
I didn't believe that he will improve in this season.
But there are still a lot of huge flaws in his game, mostly in a mental part.
People will reply: he has improved mentally, he is young. He is not late for trainings anymore.
I am not saying that he has zero motivation.
But for now, he doesn't strike me as a player who is 120% focused only on his job, on trainings, on tactics, on every match, on every action, trying to improve all the time.
I guess that his mental problems are a mix of:
1. his natural laid-back personality
2. getting filthy rich at the age of 20
3. media hype of a current internet era which turns you into a God among fans and that can get into your head easily, lowering your "need" for self improvement and working hard on yourself, since: you are a God already (remember how Halilovic said in Hamburg: I didn't come here to run or defend, lol)
Time will telly whether we will see consistent streaks of his good form for Months or will he always stay a laid back player who will play matches with 50% and offering 2-3 magical moments per match based on his talent alone (and who plays at 100% only when everyone are on his back and against him).
In his first season, he had problems with trainings, stretching, eating, learning Spanish etc.
Then in the 2nd season, media started to write bad about him and there was a lot of talk about him being sold.
Then we have finally seen some: "Fuck you, I will prove you wrong" attitude.
Then he got injured again, and his current body language and attitude is again closer to his attitude from his 1st season than to that "fuck you" period.
He has a lot of talent and he surely can produce magic out of nowhere.
But for now (it may change in the future), he is still giving me Balotelli/Brasilian striker Adriano vibes.
Talent is there, motivation is questionable and hot and cold.
His IQ and decision making is still questionable.
I didn't believe that he will improve in this season.
But there are still a lot of huge flaws in his game, mostly in a mental part.
People will reply: he has improved mentally, he is young. He is not late for trainings anymore.
I am not saying that he has zero motivation.
But for now, he doesn't strike me as a player who is 120% focused only on his job, on trainings, on tactics, on every match, on every action, trying to improve all the time.
I guess that his mental problems are a mix of:
1. his natural laid-back personality
2. getting filthy rich at the age of 20
3. media hype of a current internet era which turns you into a God among fans and that can get into your head easily, lowering your "need" for self improvement and working hard on yourself, since: you are a God already (remember how Halilovic said in Hamburg: I didn't come here to run or defend, lol)
Time will telly whether we will see consistent streaks of his good form for Months or will he always stay a laid back player who will play matches with 50% and offering 2-3 magical moments per match based on his talent alone (and who plays at 100% only when everyone are on his back and against him).
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FCBarca
Mike the Knife
Bothered me as well and can only assume this was the instruction from Valverde which boggles the mind tbh
MagIX
Senior Member
He's very talented, he has genial moments ... and others as an amateur player: which leaves me a little puzzled
The sad truth is that we spent 300mio but I don't see a proportional team improvement
The sad truth is that with 300 million spent, we should have done a HUGE leap forward... but that didn't happen.
Proportionally, Arthur and Lenglet have brought much more to the team.
The sad truth is that we spent 300mio but I don't see a proportional team improvement
The sad truth is that with 300 million spent, we should have done a HUGE leap forward... but that didn't happen.
Proportionally, Arthur and Lenglet have brought much more to the team.
I don't think Valverde wanted him to risk in the Madrid games and favoured possession, structure and a slower style. I think this is why his performances looked subdued at times and without trying to break forward. So that when the attackers did lose possession, there was ample Barcelona players in defensive positions.
Think of this, if Dembele bursts forward in a counter he would have to be supported by Suarez/Messi/Midfielder bursting forward aswell. Great if it pays off, but risky for the counter.
I could be wrong, but tactically, that was my impression of why he played the games that he did.
Think of this, if Dembele bursts forward in a counter he would have to be supported by Suarez/Messi/Midfielder bursting forward aswell. Great if it pays off, but risky for the counter.
I could be wrong, but tactically, that was my impression of why he played the games that he did.
Potroh
New member
No, maybe you didn't believe in his improvement but most importantly you HOPE he won't improve...
Huge difference...
He's very talented, he has genial moments ... and others as an amateur player: which leaves me a little puzzled
The sad truth is that we spent 300mio but I don't see a proportional team improvement
The sad truth is that with 300 million spent, we should have done a HUGE leap forward... but that didn't happen.
Proportionally, Arthur and Lenglet have brought much more to the team.
Why would we see a huge leap forward losing Neymar for 222m and Busi, Messi, Pique and Suarez all being older?
Yes, he desperately hopes he can say "I told you so", thats why he gets upset if he performs well and enters this thread as soon as he has a couple of below par games.
Dembele was really unlucky to get injured when his form was amazing, just like Arthur, but we shouldnt be surprised. These players humiliate and frustrate the hell out of the opposition when they're hitting form, meaning they'll get tons of dirty hacks and kicks as payback from frustrated opposition players.
MagIX
Senior Member
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
You make that sound like we just spent 300M of our own budget but 222M of that was for Neymar. Losing one of the best players of the world is no joke even if we got a lot of money.
Big let down here is Coutinho, not Dembele. Dembele is fine, we overpaid a bit because we were pressured to get him but overall he was a good signing and will be important for the future of our attack. Coutinho on the other hand was supposed to be Iniesta heir and immediately strengthen the team since he is "proven world class", now he is benched and we don't know what to do with him.
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Vilarrubi
New member
You're too focused on this "mentality" part with him. Let's stick to whats the most important which is how he performs on the pitch.
He's had 3 assists in his last 3 games (1 against Sevilla, 2 in the Copa) in both tough away games, while playing average by his standards. That's good enough for me. He can have an average/poor game but then change a game with one play, he's unpredictable and we need that.
BarçaBarça
New member
Who says that natural laid-back personality is a "mental problem"? I would say that 2 +3 (getting filthy rich + worshipped like a god) would make anyone insane and it takes a bit of chill personality not to turn into a half psychopath.
On point: This season he made a comeback from out-of-favour to decisive-when-it-mattered and that shows a lot of "character" or "mental strength", if anything.
We all know that Valverde is a pragmatic coach. He likes defensive stability more than coaching attacking structures or experimenting with team-led attack-surprises. Instead his style relies on Messi/Dembele "magic moments". Therefore, it is very harsh, unfair and cherrypicking to say that he only shows up with random magic here and there. If we had a more attackingminded coach who tried to coach Dembele into some welldefined attacking structure or rehearsed combinations/plays in attack and he couldn't deliver, then we could talk. But right now he actually delivers what is asked of him, imo.
FCBfan22
Senior Member
Dembele has earned us 7+ points in the league and won us the supercup. Add to that some performances where he didn't score or assist, but was a crucial player making the other team defend differently. I'd say, he paid back at least 100 million of our investment (the others were us being taken to cleaners by Borussia anyways)
As I understand (was working on Saturday), his performance against Madrid was underwhelming, but so was the whole attack. That is probably his first bad game since Sevilla, when he substituted injured Leo.
I'd say (in the words of Pedro), lets hope this is an exception and move on.
Coutinho on the other hand seems like a dead man walking this season.
As I understand (was working on Saturday), his performance against Madrid was underwhelming, but so was the whole attack. That is probably his first bad game since Sevilla, when he substituted injured Leo.
I'd say (in the words of Pedro), lets hope this is an exception and move on.
Coutinho on the other hand seems like a dead man walking this season.
MagIX
Senior Member
if you see it this way, then 147mio, not 222mio (222mio - 75mio (?) price we paid Naymar).
But I agree, big loss the departure of Neymar.
About Dembele: i did not say that he's not a good signing.
As you said, 160mio (coutinho) throw away! + as you said, Dembele overpaid and he will be important in the future: i agree, it's what i meant. At the moment, i do not see a team improvement for 300mio.
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