11 - Ousmane Dembélé - V1

[Horatio]

I find it odd how past coaches, including Tata Martino, managed to give the kids minutes in these dead games and somehow remain competitive. We don't even have to use hindsight, going into the match it was clear the kids should have played, during the match itself it was clear the kids should have played, and now looking back it's clear the kids should have played.

Tata didn't enter Barca under the assumption he had a lot of mess to clean up.

 

[God Serena]

Tata didn't enter Barca under the assumption he had a lot of mess to clean up.

He came in following Tito who got butchered so badly in the CL that he wanted to resign before his cancer resurgence forced him into it anyways. He also had a massive amount of pressure put on him by the Catalan press and fans who viewed him as an outsider and would not accept anything but perfection from him.

 

[Horatio]

He came in following Tito who got butchered so badly in the CL that he wanted to resign before his cancer resurgence forced him into it anyways. He also had a massive amount of pressure put on him by the Catalan press and fans who viewed him as an outsider and would not accept anything but perfection from him.

Can't see how you can compare the two honestly. Tito comfortably won the league with a record 100 points. The team still had a quality player on every spot. There was no talk of a crisis as there was this summer. The fans could justify the CL performance; Tito falling ill being substituted by assitant coach Roura, Bayern was a powerhouse and became the deserving CL champion, we were still outperforming Real Madrid.

The fact that there was pressure on Tata only proves my point. He was expected to perform with the quality team that he had. This pre-season things were so bad a lot of people here already wrote off Barca for La Liga and CL this year.

 

[God Serena]

Can't see how you can compare the two honestly. Tito comfortably won the league with a record 100 points. The team still had a quality player on every spot. There was no talk of a crisis as there was this summer. The fans could justify the CL performance; Tito falling ill being substituted by assitant coach Roura, Bayern was a powerhouse and became the deserving CL champion, we were still outperforming Real Madrid.

The fact that there was pressure on Tata only proves my point. He was expected to perform with the quality team that he had. This pre-season things were so bad a lot of people here already wrote off Barca for La Liga and CL this year.

But none of that has anything to do with refusing to use B team players with the first team. There is no scenario where our team is in such a terrible spot that we have to ignore our B team even when the game doesn't even matter. Unless you seriously believe we needed Rakitic to start that game over Alena because the kid would ruin the team's chemistry, which I don't actually think you truly believe.

 

[serghei]

I don't get this desire to have Barca B players play. We are lucky to have a functioning main XI.

Have you seen the market? Potentially having a gem going through Barca B to Barcelona and becoming a Busquets level player (or even close to his quality) is huge. But if Barca B players don't get chances, we have another Thiago waiting to happen, since youth players will start to doubt their future and look elsewere. People were in awe of Asensio, but this is the sort of quality we could get through Barca B, if we don't neglect it.

This is actually Valverde's last box he needs to check to be a very good Barca manager. I'm waiting to see a youth player from Barcelona introduced by him in the first team with great success. Even Lucho had Sergi Roberto, a Barca young player that was rarely used before his time. And let's not even talk about Pep (Busi, Pedro), or Rijkhaard (Iniesta, Messi).

If he gives chances to Alena and he makes it big, becoming a talent close to Iniesta, it could be a game changer. If he doesn't, then he's clearly not that interested in trusting youth talent from La Masia. And I don't care what he wins, that will be a big minus for him.

I have to tell you, not seeing Barca B talents have a go in CL, in a meaningless game for the club, but a huge game for them as young players, was a huge letdown. Was not expecting Valverde to disregard them to play some bench warmers who are never going to be anything big at the club. Was a bit of a slap in the face for Alena and Co.

 

[jamrock]

Every Barca manager who wants to leave legacy as to play the youth, while winning

The b team as 3 players that have potential and he should integrate them slowly to see what they have

 

[Xaviniesta]

It looks like Dembele is posing like Ronaldo did vs Atleti

 

[Sorin]

Have you seen the market? Potentially having a gem going through Barca B to Barcelona and becoming a Busquets level player (or even close to his quality) is huge. But if Barca B players don't get chances, we have another Thiago waiting to happen, since youth players will start to doubt their future and look elsewere. People were in awe of Asensio, but this is the sort of quality we could get through Barca B, if we don't neglect it.

This is actually Valverde's last box he needs to check to be a very good Barca manager. I'm waiting to see a youth player from Barcelona introduced by him in the first team with great success. Even Lucho had Sergi Roberto, a Barca young player that was rarely used before his time. And let's not even talk about Pep (Busi, Pedro), or Rijkhaard (Iniesta, Messi).

If he gives chances to Alena and he makes it big, becoming a talent close to Iniesta, it could be a game changer. If he doesn't, then he's clearly not that interested in trusting youth talent from La Masia. And I don't care what he wins, that will be a big minus for him.

I have to tell you, not seeing Barca B talents have a go in CL, in a meaningless game for the club, but a huge game for them as young players, was a huge letdown. Was not expecting Valverde to disregard them to play some bench warmers who are never going to be anything big at the club. Was a bit of a slap in the face for Alena and Co.

Overall, I agree with your point, however freaks like Messi and Iniesta or Busi don't come often. It's easy to say that Valverde should give chances to Alena(i absolutely want to see him more often in the easy games) so he should reach close to Iniesta level but only about 10 AM players ever have reached that level and even that is generous.

Not saying that he shouldn't play with Barca B players more often, just that you shouldn't be disappointed if they don't reach such a level.

 

[Ousmane Dembélé]

It looks like Dembele is posing like Ronaldo did vs Atleti

Sexiest GOAT alive.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Sexiest GOAT alive.

Who is the guy on Paulinhos right side?

 

[Ghostmaster]

Who is the guy on Paulinhos right side?

Arnaiz

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Arnaiz

Thanks!

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Who is the guy on Paulinhos right side?

A better dribbler and scorer than Deulofeu.

 

[DonAK]

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Arda running? is this for Real? 😃