6 - Carles Alena

JohnN

Senior Member
Flopped? No. Became all time great midfielders at another team? Doubt that very much, especially in Xavi's case.

Players who are brilliant in certain styles can and do struggle with other styles. Especially La Masia midfielders who have a certain football phylosophy ingrained in them since young kids. A player who has played all his life having possession and creating positional attacks going at some low table team who parks the bus and play quick counters? Far from a great idea imo. Often, the qualities you need to have to play a style are completely unnecessary for another style.

Besides, why would we sell or loan Alena when we put him on vs Sociedad and was much better than Rakitic was in 80 mins before that? What Alena needs is game time. He's proven his quality at least as a squad player who is counted on.

The real issue is that he doesn't get a fair shake from Valverde.



No chance. He will start Busi and Rakitic again.

Of course he will. He is just so thick.
 

raedkuwait

Senior Member
Already more forward passes than ivan has in 10 games at least he passes between the lines, 10 times better than ivan and we look better with him
 

mc_lovin

Senior Member
Behave, he was pretty invisible bar some nice, quick passes. What I actually absolutely hate about his playing style is that he seems to panick when he gets the ball in tight spaces and just wants to get rid of it. Maybe thats just me, but I dont think hes a top class talent.
 

BBZ8800

Senior Member
Reminds me again, how come someone said this guys was worst than Rakitic?

Started well.
Ran a lot.
Then turned chaotic.
After 45 minutes Vidal and Alena disappeared.
We started to lose control.
Since they don't hold their position and take risks, whenever we would lose a ball, they were nowhere to be seen in defense, and Busi was left alone vs 3 players.
Then at one counter, Alena didn't follow his player and HIS player scored for 2:1.
In the next few minutes, our midfield was losing balls left and right and didn't do anything in defense due to them being chaotic and not holding a specific position like Busi/Raki and they had a few counters for 2:2.
Then Messi pulled his magic and we won.

In short:
a lot of running
a lot of risks
some good passes
lots of lost balls
kinda chaotic midfield when he played
defensively questionable

If you are measuring football only in an attacking way, he is surely better than Raki, Arthur, Vidal, since he can dribble and runs vertically towards a goal.
If you add other aspects like positioning, defending, decisions, then a lot of red flags are raising around his name.
 

mc_lovin

Senior Member
I think he should leave and the next in line (Puig) should get a chance. Vidal as well, just a terrible footballer all around.
 

Sorin

Well-known member
He's not anything out of this world, he is just solid or thereabout. However there are some older players with big egos and high wages that are not anything special too that should leave before him.
 

mc_lovin

Senior Member
Some people develop slower but i don't see anything special in his game.


Thats why I really adore Puig. Hes pure technical brilliance and you can see that in every scene. He has other issues though, but Im much more hopeful for him.



Edit. At the guy above me: Rakitics positional game is miles better than Alenas.
 

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