28 - Marc Bernal
- Thread starter Barcaman
- Start date
companyofcules
Well-known member
He should join MLS then where there is no pressure, like his model. Football is played by mean men that want to win while we balerine our way to gang rapes from time to time.
He should stop imitating Busquets, we don't want another 8-2 and Spain won the Euro without a Busquets. Also he is too young for watching prime Busquets and he is less talented.
There is no grit in him, watching a less talented FDJ is painful.
Messi983
Senior Member
Could swear I've read the same here about Nico Gonzalez few years ago.
Nothing wrong trying him out playing as lone DM in a friendly. He looks more comfortable in a double pivot and think we'll play that way most of the season but both of those DMs should be able to receive the ball outside the box under pressure. Although ofc Frenkie and Gundo will probably be the most responsible for that during the season unless we get a new DM (unlikely).
This was a good lesson for Bernal. He just didn't look prepared/focused. Inigo's pass was good enough and better/more experienced players would deal with it easy. As a midfielder in Barca system you always have to be aware where your closest opponents are before you receive the ball. He wasn't.
Total lack of spacial awareness. Just a lazy half turn of his head (in the wrong direction) at 4:02. He probably heard opponents footsteps before he saw him (you can see both Inigo and Big Dom signaling with their hands to pass to MATS and I would expect them both and Gundo also shouting him to watch out) but at that point it was already too late. You can possibly get away with this in Primera RFEF but not in La Liga and even less so against good European teams. And then replay from 4:20 makes him look even worse. He was half turned towards Camara just a split second before and must have saw him so it was even less understandable why he was so careless. Like he wasn't expecting to get pressured which is inexcusable on a top level. He looked to Inigo and saw the ball coming and then suddenly turned his head into other direction.
I don't want to be too harsh on the kid. He has shown some good things too this preseason and clearly has talent. I won't put this mistake down to a lack of talent but rather inexeperience in those type of situations. Not followed him that much in younger teams but didn't see him participating much in the build up phase in Barca B last season. That was mostly reponsibility of Casado or Moha. So it's clearly something that he has to work on in trainings if he wants to succeed here regardless if his future is at DM (this could be a long process but would probably give him better chances to stay longterm) or in a more advanced role (he also has some attributes to play there but probably not here). Either way I hope new BA coach is at least half as good at developing players as Rafa (I think several players improved under him) and he'll make a step up this season. But when all first team midfielders are back (which might never happen, lol) he should not be playing serious minutes for the first team.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Nah he shouldnt and the issue was more him not being aware of the player closing than unable to deal with the pressure.
Best chance Bernal has back there is with FDJ who offers for and takes the ball off the CBs more than any of them.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
Has Nico been so good for Porto lately?
JamDav1982
Senior Member
I had bet on him to score and them to win at HT/FT in their first league game as he has been AM in previous few games.
Didnt score but won two pens and trying to play like the white Bellingham.
Cant really say if noticed whether he was good or bad as on in background but in the box a lot and I think had scored the previous week v Sporting then two headers in the previous pre season game.
Appears the new coach likes him there for his size and physicality... if it works.. great for Barca either way.
Worth backing him to score in next few games.. they had him 5/1 in last game and still pricing up as if playing deeper.
Nico Gonzales would start for this team
Remember Nico having a few good episodes at the beginning and then just tapered off.
Not to mention the blatant defensive lapses kind of similar to what Bernal has been pulling at times presently.
Just young player things
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