BarçaBarça
New member
And secured the league. From now on we can play him with no risk/pressure on him whatsoever.
Perfect circumstances for him to grow..
6 - Carles Alena
- Thread starter raki
- Start date
And secured the league. From now on we can play him with no risk/pressure on him whatsoever.
Perfect circumstances for him to grow..
gregorrin10
Senior Member
Valverde says ''What? Play Alena for more than a few minutes per game, even if after we win La Liga!? Are you crazy? My lover boy Raki needs to play every minute no matter what.''
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Valverde says ''What? Play Alena for more than a few minutes per game, even if after we win La Liga!? Are you crazy? My lover boy Raki needs to play every minute no matter what.''
Why are you not including Busquets in these Valverde-lover jokes?
Busquets has played 2171 minutes in La Liga.
Rakitic has played 2114 minutes in La Liga.
You DO realize that Busquets is equally "stealing" Alena's minutes as Rakitic?
Busquets can be benched, Arthur or Rakitic can play as a pivot in Rakitic-Arthur-Alena, the same as Busi-Arthur-Alena.
Anyway, I am waiting for Valverde-Busquets romance jokes from now on.
But I guess that they won't come.
Since hating/making jokes on Barca's Dna players is not that popular.
God Serena
New member
Busquets has been a crucial player for all managers to come here since he was promoted, basically. It's always been a rare sight to see Busi not starting. And even then, Rakitic would probably have more minutes than Busi if he hadn't have gotten injured.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Rakitic has been crucial for all Barca's managers too.
Anyway, imo, it all comes down (with fans) to a good old: who is more Barca's Dna player or who is better in terms of attacking or build up.
So, if Busquets and Rakitic played equal amount of minutes and if they have played equally as bad, ask an average Barca's fan: which one of those two should be subbed off in the 70th minute, to make room for Alena, young, domestic, Barca Dna player, who is quite attacking minded?
Let's be honest, majority of fans will say: Rakitic needs to come off.
Or, the same, if Rakitic, Busquets and Arthur would have played the same amount of minutes and if they would have played equally as good or bad, in the eyes of an average fan, out of those 3, who will be the first pick to get subbed so that Alena can step in?
Rakitic, of course.
Busquets is Barca's Dna player and domestic/club's legend.
Two points for him in hearts of a majority.
Arthur is Barca's Dna player and young.
Two points for him also.
Rakitic is neither young, domestic or Barca's Dna player.
0 points for Rakitic.
Alena and Puig=3 points.
So, let's be honest.
You can hide behind Rakitic's minutes, but he will always be the first pick.
Also, I can't imagine a situation where an average fan would pick Arthur in between these 3 to be subbed first.
Valverde has picked his subs 2 days before the match has even started.
But, so did our fans.
Last edited:
Potroh
New member
After mentioning 12 times and trying to base your notion on it:
would you kindly tell me what the heck is ACTUALLY that "Barca DNA" phenomenon?
George_Costanza
Active member
Busquets isn't a CM to steal minutes from Alena lol
Arizona Scott
New member
I don't hear any complaining about Arthur getting Alena's minutes either. Truth is Busquets, Rakitic and Arthur are a lot better than Alena.
You can start arguing should Vidal or Coutinho be giving up minutes to Alena in the advanced midfield or hybrid 3rd forward--that is a little bit more debatable scenario.
Of course now that La Liga is all but wrapped up Alena should be getting lots of minutes. However I do think Valverde doesn't share my "all but wrapped up" point of view--I am sure a little easier to say from the outside.
You can start arguing should Vidal or Coutinho be giving up minutes to Alena in the advanced midfield or hybrid 3rd forward--that is a little bit more debatable scenario.
Of course now that La Liga is all but wrapped up Alena should be getting lots of minutes. However I do think Valverde doesn't share my "all but wrapped up" point of view--I am sure a little easier to say from the outside.
Joan
Well-known member
Tons of combination to try. Of course it's not Alena for Busquets - nor did BBZ say that. Rakitić as a pivot while Busquets rests, in Arthur's place and so on... but you don't hear about it. You hear about Rakitić (a bad guy in the story) stealing Alena's minutes (a good guy, same story). Add a romance in the mix 
romance which explains it all. Some (un)deserved praise for the youngster... and you'll end up with this very thread.
Alena's a good guy, should be getting more minutes (some of Rakitić's, too) - but I can't say I feel safe in his hands. Might be worth a try since we've established a solid lead.
romance which explains it all. Some (un)deserved praise for the youngster... and you'll end up with this very thread.Alena's a good guy, should be getting more minutes (some of Rakitić's, too) - but I can't say I feel safe in his hands. Might be worth a try since we've established a solid lead.
George_Costanza
Active member
Tons of combination to try. Of course it's not Alena for Busquets - nor did BBZ say that. Rakitić as a pivot while Busquets rests, in Arthur's place and so on... but you don't hear about it. You hear about Rakitić (a bad guy in the story) stealing Alena's minutes (a good guy, same story). Add a romance in the mix
Alena's a good guy, should be getting more minutes (some of Rakitić's, too) - but I can't say I feel safe in his hands. Might be worth a try since we've established a solid lead.
You've got the story, the good guy and the bad guy, support cast and an idea of what the ending looks like.
This is my next Hollywood movie script. Thanks for tips.
Arizona Scott
New member
The only problem is what if the bad guy (Rakitic, and other bad guys like Coutinho, and Suarez and Roberto, and until half way through the season apparently Pique--though I guess he has redeemed himself like Anakin Skywalker) is part of a historic season with some good guys (Messi, Busi, youngins like Arthur) and some good guys (Alena) take no part in the big moments. And then of course we are managed by Darth Sidious. Oh real life is so complicated.
I prefer to have no good or bad guys on my team, in fact if they wear the bluegrana, give effort on the pitch, and clearly have one another's back-- they are all good guys to me. That is how I see it.
Players gifted with technical abilities, passing, often good close control, attacking-minded, good game readers. You just know it when you see it. Pique has barca dna, Sergio has it, arthur has is, alba, iniesta, xavi, stegen, messi, veratti, modric, roberto, silva, cazorla, felix, coutinho, Kun
Players who dont, semedo, suarez, ronaldo, lewa,
puyol, valdes,
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Joan and others answered.
A few possible lineups to rest players:
Busi - Rakitic, Arthur
Busi - Rakitic, Alena
Busi - Arthur, Alena
Rakitic pivot - Arthur, Alena
Arthur pivot - Rakitic, Alena
Roberto pivot - Rakitic, Alena
Roberto pivot - Arthur, Alena
So, you see, ALL: Rakitic, Busquets and Arthur are "stealing" Alena's minutes.
But as others also said, you will never hear:
Let's bench Arthur to give minutes to Alena.
Or a blasphemy like: let's play 442, bench Dembele and play a 4-men midfield with Alena.
EV has his own lineup and some favorites, true, like any of us.
And majority of people on this forum will be unhappy until EV will play one of these:
1. Mats - Alba, Umtiti/Lenglet, Semedo - Busi, Raki, Arthur - Dembele, Suarez, Messi.
Subs after 60 minutes:
Raki out, Alena in
Suarez out, Messi to false 9, Malcom on the left, Dembele on the right
Or
2. Mats - Alba, Umtiti/Lenglet, Pique, Semedo - Busi, Arthur, Coutinho - Dembe, Suarez, Messi
Alena in for Coutinho after 60 mins
Malcom in for Suarez
Or, the most attacking and with all young hopes in a team:
Mats - Alba, Umtiti/Lenglet, Pique, SEMEDO - Busi, ARTHUR, ALENA - MALCOM, Messi false 9, DEMBELE.
If we'll buy Frenkie and Jovic, people will whine until our lineup will be:
Busi, FRENKIE, ARTHUR - DEMBELE, JOVIC, Messi
ALENA in after 60 minutes.
I guess that people then will finally ask for Busi being subbed, since Arthur and Frenkie will get more love.
In attack: MALCOM in for someone after 60 minutes.
If we'll buy DeLight, the same:
EV will be an idiot until he'll play Alba, someone, De Light, Semedo - Busi, Frenkie, Arthur - Dembele, Jovic, Messi.
That is 5 kids in a team.
With kids Alena, Malcom and Puig being 3 subs.
Where will Rakitic, Vidal, Suarez, Roberto play?
Nobody cares.
Dembele, Frenkie, Arthur, Malcom, Alena, Puig (and De Light) are now the highest in the pecking order and Ev's formation, tactics, lineup and subs must be accomodated to suit these players.
More or less, paired with our not too brautiful football, Ernie not playing forum's young favorites is the biggest reason why he is hated here, inspite of good results.
Basically, that is also an answer why people are calling Rakitic as EV's lover and not Busi or Arthur, who have started all matches in the last 2-3 Months.
Forum's favorites in this order:
1-2. Young players, Barca's Dna, La Masia products (Alena, Puig)
1-2. Tied with world class foreign young players with Barca's Dna (Arthur, Frenkie, De Light)
3. Barca's Dna, La Masia, old players (Busi aged 30+)
4. Barca's Dna, old players (Frenkie and Arthur aged 30)
5. Nobody cares level: Rakitic, Vidal, Suarez, Paulinho, Gomes, Arda, Rafinha, Rabiot.
Last edited:
Potroh
New member
I thought those qualities may come good for any team, including 5 continents...
I also thought that "DNA" - being a fairly scientific entity - deserves a bit more pragmatic definition.
But in case the definition is simply based upon observing many different players with various characteristics, then I sadly give up, because there's no use to argue about highly subjective views related to a rather objective question.
Still, I'd be interested in BBZ's definition, specially that now he seems to write even more cryptic tohuva-bohu, compared to his usual stuff...
Home of Barca Fans
