5 - Carles Puyol

[zanela]

Seriously, do you watched them this season in Segunda? Muniesa was a walking desaster and Bartra wasn't capable of deffending against over 30 y.o. who have played in that league their whole life. We need to buy someone who can be a starter for Barca in a CL QF or SF..Puyol should be just a back-up CB from next season.

But isn't that what he's advocating? Masch as a CB is fine, as long as your pairing him with Piqué. So if you consider them as a starting CB pair for next season, then Puyol becomes your third reliable option who can fill in when needed (howver, the Masch-Puyol tandem won't cut it in the big games). I believe a natural experienced CB with/w.out puyol 'll prove useful.

And you're too harsh on Bartra and Muniesa. It's like one poor season, and you've almost written them off. Not many of our B-Teamers have flourished under Eusebio's coaching, and these players are no exception. Bartra's debut in V.Calderon, then the depo, malaga, BATE games with the first team have been promising. Although i do think Muniesa would do well, with another year in segunda, or a loan. But suggesting them players to be "promising back-ups" is hardly laughworthy. They could do with first team experience (achieved by introducing them towards the end of comfortable home wins, and lesser games), which could prepare them for the run-in in case of emergencies.
They could also flop altogether (so can our new CB signing), but can't judge without a trial.

 

[Ryan_Cule]

I would put everything on Eusebio. You are saying 'not many' , I would simply said not 'ONE' . The man is horrible , simply played flawed formations , benched valuable youngsters who actually has hope of playing in the first team , Dongou was used an average of after 77 mins . Few key players were totally ignored . And so many other things . this season is totally lost because of him . She is being too harsh on some of the young players from LM. Bartra, Muniesa , Montoya - Our big big hope.

 

[Maria]

And you're too harsh on Bartra and Muniesa. It's like one poor season, and you've almost written them off. Not many of our B-Teamers have flourished under Eusebio's coaching, and these players are no exception. Bartra's debut in V.Calderon, then the depo, malaga, BATE games with the first team have been promising. Although i do think Muniesa would do well, with another year in segunda, or a loan. But suggesting them players to be "promising back-ups" is hardly laughworthy. They could do with first team experience (achieved by introducing them towards the end of comfortable home wins, and lesser games), which could prepare them for the run-in in case of emergencies.
They could also flop altogether (so can our new CB signing), but can't judge without a trial.

I'm not judging them based on one poor year..until thiis season Muniesa was mostly injured and even now he didn't prove that he deserves to set foot in the first team. Bartra wasn't as good as Fontas last year and this one, when he should have been the leader, he didn't stepped up. You are judging them on their talent..I am judging them on their performances. And while I agree that Eusebio didn't helped, I don't think we can go from having Pique, Masche, a younger Puyol and the best version of Abidal in the center of deffence to Masche, a Pique who doesn't kow which are his priorities, a Puyol 2 surgeries later and 2 unexperienced youngsters who haven't exatly set the world on fire. Not if we want to fight for all the major titles next year.

I would put everything on Eusebio. You are saying 'not many' , I would simply said not 'ONE' . The man is horrible , simply played flawed formations , benched valuable youngsters who actually has hope of playing in the first team , Dongou was used an average of after 77 mins . Few key players were totally ignored . And so many other things . this season is totally lost because of him . She is being too harsh on some of the young players from LM. Bartra, Muniesa , Montoya - Our big big hope.

Montoya was the best defender this season and he proved every match played with the B team that he deserves to be promoted. Bartra and especially Muniesa didn't..even Fontas was better last year and the defence was the problem back then too. 3 games under no pressure with the first team are not enough to prove that they deserve the spot for the 4th CB.

 

[FCBarca]

Bartra over Muniesa, atm, for me...I believe Bartra shows some promise but no one in the cantera I've seen looks like a potentially elite defender outside of Grimaldo & Montoya...Even Sergi Gomez who has been touted looks capable but does not strike me as being an elite defender either...Balliu is intriguing but as far as centerbacks go, it's pretty thin, IMO

File it under I hope to hell not but rumours abound that Puyol is going to announce his retirement from the NT tomorrow

 

[Yugi]

no he can´t retire!
Pique said he will retire with him in 7 years when Puyi will be 40 so let´s not break this promise please!!

 

[joffess]

Bartra over Muniesa, atm, for me...I believe Bartra shows some promise but no one in the cantera I've seen looks like a potentially elite defender outside of Grimaldo & Montoya...Even Sergi Gomez who has been touted looks capable but does not strike me as being an elite defender either...Balliu is intriguing but as far as centerbacks go, it's pretty thin, IMO

File it under I hope to hell not but rumours abound that Puyol is going to announce his retirement from the NT tomorrow

Edit: Just saw that he was supposedly going to retire from the NT, which I feel is a good decision.

 

[Maria]

File it under I hope to hell not but rumours abound that Puyol is going to announce his retirement from the NT tomorrow

And he needed to play only one more game to reach 100 with the spanish NT.

 

[Galning]

Carles Puyol (34) could tomorrow at a press conference announce that he retires as player of the Spanish national team. [rac1]

 

[Aryagorn]

Carles Puyol (34) could tomorrow at a press conference announce that he retires as player of the Spanish national team. [rac1]

So should Xavi and Pique too!! Okay, Pique didn't win the Euros yet, at least Xavi please

 

[zanela]

I'm not judging them based on one poor year..until thiis season Muniesa was mostly injured and even now he didn't prove that he deserves to set foot in the first team. Bartra wasn't as good as Fontas last year and this one, when he should have been the leader, he didn't stepped up. You are judging them on their talent..I am judging them on their performances. And while I agree that Eusebio didn't helped, I don't think we can go from having Pique, Masche, a younger Puyol and the best version of Abidal in the center of deffence to Masche, a Pique who doesn't kow which are his priorities, a Puyol 2 surgeries later and 2 unexperienced youngsters who haven't exatly set the world on fire. Not if we want to fight for all the major titles next year.

I'm not judging them on talent, but on performances indeed. The First team appearances, Spain Youth sides (bartra had a solid fifa-u20) and Barca b (not many but i had watch more if i could find a working stream which is rare for B matches my side)..You say Fontas was better than Bartra last season, yet the latter was recognized by LFP.
Like i said another CB signing could certainly be used. But i won't be panicking if one of Bartra or Muniesa were to become our 4th choice.

 

[Flavia]

Carles Puyol (34) could tomorrow at a press conference announce that he retires as player of the Spanish national team. [rac1]

My heart skipped a bit at "he retires". I read the rest of the sentence half dead

 

[Galning]

My heart skipped a bit at "he retires". I read the rest of the sentence half dead

If he was retiring I wouldn't have posted it, I would be on my way to jump in front of a train.

 

[FCBarca]

When I first started reading the twitter rumours about retirement, I too freaked out - I feared he was retiring altogether

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Great news imo. He's already won EURO and WC with Spain, time to hang it up and focus on Club. He has at least 2-3 solid years ahead of him if used properly, and it sounds like he's getting proper advice. You can tell he prides himself on fitness/diet/lifestyle so there's no reason he shouldn't last like the Pupi's and Nesta's.

Xavi would do good to follow and bow out of Spain NT. We need Xavi to be at his best for club, and he's played a ridiculous amount of minutes over the last 4 years. He's also won everything so there's no reason he should hold on to it.

Or maybe the hope is to let Xavi do EURO and have Fabriago/Iniesta take more control in the first few games of next season?

TBH Iniesta could use some good solid rest this summer too. He was brilliant at the weekend, but before that had a few rough weeks, same with Xavi.

We will have our hands full next season winning back La Liga and chasing that 5th while hopefully retaining Copa, so I say let the madridistas and others shoulder the burden for Spain NT this time around. Our Barça stars deserve to be at their best next season!

 

[Barcaman]

Agreed. He really has nothing left to prove for Spain NT anyways.
Hoping for at least few more years from Puyol in Barca shirt even if some argue that he's on a decline. His influence and just being someone to look up to are an invaluable assets.