23 - Jules Kounde

[Tackle]

I will wait to see how the team gels and the new arrivals perform before making grand proclamations about what we should and should not be winning. On paper most the squad looks great, but that is not always how things transpire on the pitch.

Remember when blokes were calling our squad top 3 in the world back in 2019 with likes of Coutinho, Griezmann, Arthur, Umtiti, Frenkie, Dembele, Puig, Malcom etc? All of them flopped/disappointed and the burden continued to be carried by veterans.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

This team we have at the moment is stronger than either of EV's 2 teams. That was a Barca in clear decline that was being carried by the last fumes of Messi. And even Messi was only enough for LL.

you forgot to praise EV for the great defence

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

I will wait to see how the team gels and the new arrivals perform before making grand proclamations about what we should and should not be winning. On paper most the squad looks great, but that is not always how things transpire on the pitch.

Remember when blokes were calling our squad top 3 in the world back in 2019 with likes of Coutinho, Griezmann, Arthur, Umtiti, Frenkie, Dembele, Puig, Malcom etc? All of them flopped/disappointed and the burden continued to be carried by veterans.

yeah true, people said 2019 squad can win cl if EV would not hold them back...let's see how this team perfoms this season

 

[Horatio]

This team we have at the moment is stronger than either of EV's 2 teams. That was a Barca in clear decline that was being carried by the last fumes of Messi. And even Messi was only enough for LL.

Interesting take. But this team is still missing chemistry. Going to take some time to develop it further to desired level between players.

 

[Joan]

Team looks great on paper but there are still weak spots and there's Xavi. By the end of the last season, people were fuming with him. He has a huge task in front of him. I hope all those players convinced by Xavi to come came for good reasons.

 

[Barcelona_Boy]

Team looks great on paper but there are still weak spots bad there's Xavi. By the end of the last season, people were fuming with him. He has a huge task in front of him. I hope all those players convinced by Xavi to come came for good reasons.

Just that... But now I have more confidence in defense. In last years it was like shit with Pique and random injured Lenglet and Umtiti. I feel now with Araujo and Counde and Christenen is like Puyol and Marquez or Thuram, more stable. Weak points are LB and RB with Alba and no one to jump in, and RB with??? What - Dest and Sergi? In the middle are Pedri, Kessie who I beleave and Gavi to prove himself and improve as a player. Basicaly we can now move on, and rebuild for the future. The last 10 years or more did't happend, Barca was like we have Bussi, Messi, Alba, Alves, Pique, Xavi, Iniesta but "suddenly" they got old and there was no proper player to replace them. Now on the paper we have good or like great squad, but there is work to do.

 

[jamrock]

We have to see how the team gels and how xavi's tactics will evolve.

Right now the team is very spread out with almost zero interplay, which is surprising for a student of pep, if he improves that next season & lewa gets us 25+ goals in la Liga, I think we'll win it.

CL that's a different story,we don't have any proven preformers in the CL outside of lewa and even then he's more of a bag the goals in the group stage type, he's not gonna change an entire game by himself at the very highest level, entire teams needs to be working for that to happen.

With out depth, If xavi gets his tactics right, I expect domestic double + CL QF

 

[khaled_a_d]

When you had guys like Alba Crying at HT at Anfield despite us still being in control of the tie you knew shit was fucked.

Guy should have gotten yanked at HT for that shit.

We went with no back up LB that season because the MIGHTY Abidal had 18 years old Miranda as ideal candidate. Even when coach tried desperately to get a back up LB.
At 22, Miranda is just a decent back up LB for Betis

 

[xXKonan]

 

[Horatio]

hairline not looking good...

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

hairline not looking good...

Ronaldo clinic will fix that for him

 

[Joan]

Just that... But now I have more confidence in defense. In last years it was like shit with Pique and random injured Lenglet and Umtiti. I feel now with Araujo and Counde and Christenen is like Puyol and Marquez or Thuram, more stable. Weak points are LB and RB with Alba and no one to jump in, and RB with??? What - Dest and Sergi? In the middle are Pedri, Kessie who I beleave and Gavi to prove himself and improve as a player. Basicaly we can now move on, and rebuild for the future. The last 10 years or more did't happend, Barca was like we have Bussi, Messi, Alba, Alves, Pique, Xavi, Iniesta but "suddenly" they got old and there was no proper player to replace them. Now on the paper we have good or like great squad, but there is work to do.

I think that LaLiga will be within the reach if Xavi doesn't mess up badly. Speaking of European glory though... we did improve our defense, our CB pairing is elite on paper. Remains to be seen how they click together and whether Kounde works on the left. But we have the weakest FB duo among top clubs. City, Liverpool, Real, Bayern are all ahead of us. All of them also have better keepers. Then there's the Busquets issue. I'm afraid our defense will let us down when it matters. I'm low key hoping Xavi will find a way to make the midfield work, maybe even a functioning trio without Busquets that might be fit for bigger matches. If Azpi comes (and it's likely), our FB situation won't be as dire. But I'm very hyped, can't wait for the season to start.

 

[Horatio]

CB pairing is elite

People keep iterating this but Araujo is still prone to mistakes and Kounde is going to have to adjust. I like the pairing but not in a million years would I call it elite. Maybe in 2 years?

I am very optimistic for La Liga though. I think our attack will find the net easy enough so we might be allowed to concede a goal here and there. You still win the game if you outscore your opponent.

 

[Joan]

People keep reiterating this but Araujo is still prone to mistakes and Kounde is going to have to adjust. I like the pairing but not in a million years would I call it elite. Maybe in 2 years?

I called it elite on paper. In terms of LaLiga at least. Think it's warranted since both Araujo and Kounde were among the best defenders in LaLiga last season. Doesn't mean it will work out though.

Yeah, agreed with the second part.

 

[Horatio]

I called it elite on paper. In terms of LaLiga at least. Think it's warranted since both Araujo and Kounde were among the best defenders in LaLiga last season. Doesn't mean it will work out though.

Yeah, agreed with the second part.

I think it will work out...for La Liga at least. CL will have to wait and see.