20 - Dani Olmo
- Thread starter Barcaman
- Start date
Obviously, but the only attacker that would genuinely improve us comes down to his personal choice. We tried (and still try?). DM is the million dollar question, who even is there? If I am optimistic Bernal doesn’t look too bad. Very positional.
companyofcules
Well-known member
Casado in the favorite for DM
Maradona37
Well-known member
The issue with football is you can count on one hand the number of players who can genuinely elevate a team from average to good, or good to great, or great to legendary.
I call it 'moving the needle'. It's like how Man United seem happy to hold onto some of their garbage when they see them have a half-decent game for a change. They delude themselves that that player can then put a run together, rather than seeing it for what it was - a wank player who had his 1 good game in 50.
Players like that come absolutely nowhere close to moving the needle. Let's face it - Man United need a far better calibre of player across their squad (and coach) than they have to come anywhere near Man City. It won't happen for ages (if it ever does) as the job is monumental.
In a much smaller way, it's the same with Olmo at Barcelona in my opinion. I hate to say it, as I am a much bigger admirer of Barca than Real Madrid (I don't like Real), but Madrid are currently in the ascendancy in La Liga and hoovering up a lot of young talents. Barcelona are bringing through a lot from what you lads say, but there's still a lot of work for Barca to do to be able to beat Real to trophies.
The question is, does Olmo get Barca nearer to doing that? Does he make a significant difference? Some people would say that it's a team game, or a squad game, and it's about buying a number of players who can do their part to making you a better team. Olmo falls into that category for me. He can make Barcelona a better team if he plays in an attacking midfield position (he's wasted on LW).
But the only way he makes Barcelona a better team is if OTHER PLAYERS around him also improve and fulfil their potential. He's not a 'game breaker' or transformative signing in the sense that buying him and him alone automatically makes Barcelona significantly better based on his own ability. He's a very good player but just one of many good players in this world. Other teams have them too. So what he needs is the other players at Barcelona to - as I say - improve and work hard to make the team one that has good chemistry and stuff. That is where Olmo will come into his own.
I was very impressed by him in the Euros, and he impresses me every time I watch him. I have always rated him. But I know better than to rate players based on international tournaments, and I also know I haven't seen enough of him to give a proper evaluation of him. The jury is out in my opinion.
What I am essentially saying is that Olmo isn't transformative by himself - he isn't gonna come to Barca and be a one-man army, he isn't gonna do mad Suarez or Neymar type things of moments of genius, he's just not that type of player. But if Barcelona are signing him with a view to making him just one component in a team which has great chemistry, teamwork, has well-drilled patterns, then he fits in well because to me he seems very much a guy who comes into his own and is at his best when combining with other players rather than being an individual magic maker.
If you are having a bad night and looking for someone to do something magical or crazy to win you a game, I don't think Olmo is that player (on a consistent basis). He is very much a player who is about fitting into the team with his great passing, technical ability and team play. He's not gonna do mad things to win games out of nowhere after being shite. That's much more of a Bellingham type thing - to be wank most of the game then pop up with a moment of magic. Olmo isn't that sort of player.
But if you are asking him to be part of a cohesive team where he's not one of the top two or three players but makes players around him better through team play, he can do that.
I call it 'moving the needle'. It's like how Man United seem happy to hold onto some of their garbage when they see them have a half-decent game for a change. They delude themselves that that player can then put a run together, rather than seeing it for what it was - a wank player who had his 1 good game in 50.
Players like that come absolutely nowhere close to moving the needle. Let's face it - Man United need a far better calibre of player across their squad (and coach) than they have to come anywhere near Man City. It won't happen for ages (if it ever does) as the job is monumental.
In a much smaller way, it's the same with Olmo at Barcelona in my opinion. I hate to say it, as I am a much bigger admirer of Barca than Real Madrid (I don't like Real), but Madrid are currently in the ascendancy in La Liga and hoovering up a lot of young talents. Barcelona are bringing through a lot from what you lads say, but there's still a lot of work for Barca to do to be able to beat Real to trophies.
The question is, does Olmo get Barca nearer to doing that? Does he make a significant difference? Some people would say that it's a team game, or a squad game, and it's about buying a number of players who can do their part to making you a better team. Olmo falls into that category for me. He can make Barcelona a better team if he plays in an attacking midfield position (he's wasted on LW).
But the only way he makes Barcelona a better team is if OTHER PLAYERS around him also improve and fulfil their potential. He's not a 'game breaker' or transformative signing in the sense that buying him and him alone automatically makes Barcelona significantly better based on his own ability. He's a very good player but just one of many good players in this world. Other teams have them too. So what he needs is the other players at Barcelona to - as I say - improve and work hard to make the team one that has good chemistry and stuff. That is where Olmo will come into his own.
I was very impressed by him in the Euros, and he impresses me every time I watch him. I have always rated him. But I know better than to rate players based on international tournaments, and I also know I haven't seen enough of him to give a proper evaluation of him. The jury is out in my opinion.
What I am essentially saying is that Olmo isn't transformative by himself - he isn't gonna come to Barca and be a one-man army, he isn't gonna do mad Suarez or Neymar type things of moments of genius, he's just not that type of player. But if Barcelona are signing him with a view to making him just one component in a team which has great chemistry, teamwork, has well-drilled patterns, then he fits in well because to me he seems very much a guy who comes into his own and is at his best when combining with other players rather than being an individual magic maker.
If you are having a bad night and looking for someone to do something magical or crazy to win you a game, I don't think Olmo is that player (on a consistent basis). He is very much a player who is about fitting into the team with his great passing, technical ability and team play. He's not gonna do mad things to win games out of nowhere after being shite. That's much more of a Bellingham type thing - to be wank most of the game then pop up with a moment of magic. Olmo isn't that sort of player.
But if you are asking him to be part of a cohesive team where he's not one of the top two or three players but makes players around him better through team play, he can do that.
I don’t see it. He’s not at all what we need next to Gavi, Pedri, Gundogan or Frenkie. Bernal is more fitting, but also far too young. Unless La Masia strikes again.
This is a good post.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
De Jong is by far the best sitting DM Barca have.. when it is not his best position. Says more about the others as much as anything.
Position neglected far too long.
Position neglected far too long.
La Masia always strikes again. Unless Barca can get Rodri (unlikely) or Zubimendi (Not happening) who else fits the squad? Remember everyone asking for Onana. There is no way in hell Onana would have made it here.
We need to just develop our own star there and Bernal is the guy. Casado is just a soldier you need but he isn't the endgame. Sometimes you need soldiers instead of a team of stars
Maradona37
Well-known member
Thanks, glad you like it.
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Players who moves the needle aren't sold for 60M, not in any position. Unless they are prospects who might explode soon or simply older players.
Lewandowski was a "move the needle guy" for us, and cost us 45M +5M at the age of 34. That is 75% of Omlo transfer at minimum for 2 tears rental that was going to be paid for 4 years. Kane moved to Bayern for 100M at the age of 30, Bellingham for even more at 20.
Other cases like Mbappe or Halaand gets massive signing bonus if they are free or have buyout clause.
More importantly, those players want to move to a team that is already good/great. We aren't going to sign the difference makers then build around them, because they want to compete from day 1.
Let's say that hypothetically, Olmo is a success at LW, and some way we sort the CDM position. And by some miracle we are financially set and we can splash massive amount of money, our biggest issue is CF, Now if a guy like Halaand wants out, he can look at Barca and see a team built for him, were he is the missing pieces. OTOH in 2022, we were rebuilding team and the guy said that it was between City, Bayern and RM.
We weren't even in consideration.
This is why we go for Zubimendi, Olmo or Nico. We have some pull for Spanish players, and they aren't highly sought after from the best teams atm.
Maradona37
Well-known member
That's why I am saying it is best to target those type of players, based on finances and them being able to fit into a cohesive team. To be honest I prefer those type of players generally anyway to guys who are just magic moments type of players.
It might sound like I am insulting Olmo above but I am actually complimenting him as a player who is doing everything for the team rather than being selfish himself.
As for Lewandowski - personally I have always believed playing for an ultra-dominant Bayern in the Bundesliga made him look better than he truly is (yes I know he did well at Dortmund). He's not anywhere near guys like Romario or Van Basten for me. He was a great goalscorer and had a very good all-round game, but I don't consider him ever being a move the needle type player either. By game breaker or move the needle I mean guys like Messi, Neymar, Vini, De Bruyne - guys who are great team players BUT have the added on top of being able to win games regularly on their own without service, guys who can change games in the blink of an eye. I always thought of Lewa as a guy with a very good all-round game but needed help and was never an individual marvel in that sense.
That doesn't mean though that I think successful teams always need a game breaker. Like I say, brilliant teams can be composed fully of team players who create goals through brilliant combination play and without having one guy who needs to 'save' the team a lot.
Good point too about those VERY BEST players wanting to already join a club that is at the very top, and simply being surrounded by players near their level. That's not the situation Barca is in at the moment. But like I say, it isn't the only way to win, even if it is the most apparent.
Kul_z
Senior Member
One can see that you didnt watch him a lot. Olmo is not a trickster pr franchise type of player. Put him on whatever position and he would do his best to fulfill his job. Give him space to attack, and you get total powerhouse. His path is just right, without injuries(lets hope) a proper reinforcment.
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