6 - Carles Alena

[God Serena]

He has a long way to go, obviously, but he's barely 20 years old, and that's easily the biggest game of his career so far. Normally it'd make sense to try and play him in dead rubbers and easy games to help him adapt slowly, but Valverde is such a great forward thinker that neither of those happened. I knew Alena wouldn't impress much the moment I saw he was starting. I'm still fully convinced that if given the type of time every flop has had since Lucho took charge we'll have a very good player on our hands. I don't know what we have to gain by forcing Gomes and Denis into the lineup when we have Alena who is never any worse than them.

 

[serghei]

Thought the premier prospect Alena is better than every U23 Madrid player?

Well certainly not convincing anyone of that yet

We'll see.

 

[Ousmane Dembélé]

Some of you people are pathetic, all it takes is one game for you to turn on a player. Always talking about how more players from La Masia should be promoted, but have no patience when they don't start performing right away. It's like you want all the perks of promoting a player from the B team without being prepared to face any of the difficulties that come with it.

 

[MessiCam]

^ very harsh. Thiago playing at the Camp Nou alongside Iniesta Pedro and Fabregas, while Alena playing with Suarez Vidal and Paulinho.

Thiago still has not lived to his potential yet and soon he is going to be 27.

And against a team that were content to sit back. Espanyol actually pressed like crazy last night. It was a commendable performance from them.

 

[MessiCam]

Some of you people are pathetic, all it takes is one game for you to turn on a player. Always talking about how more players from La Masia should be promoted, but have no patience when they don't start performing right away. It's like you want all the perks of promoting a player from the B team without being prepared to face any of the difficulties that come with it.

This! I don't know if you guys remember how long it took Xavi and Iniesta, the latter in particular, to cement their places. It took Iniesta 4 years to earn his spot and learn his craft.

 

[khaled_a_d]

This! I don't know if you guys remember how long it took Xavi and Iniesta, the latter in particular, to cement their places. It took Iniesta 4 years to earn his spot and learn his craft.

tbf right now Xavi and Iniesta will struggle to have same path they had when they were younger, specially Xavi. We have way higher standards now and we can't afford players being mediocre early on
What helped Iniesta and Roberto to flourish is their versatility, people tend to forgot that Iniesta was very versatile for us ,playing as RW,LW,RWB (In 343) DM,CM & AM with the team. Alena is AM who can do okaish as CM or RW
Again, I am not doubting the talent, but he will have a lot of growing pains and people will need to expect that, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets & Thiago all had the ability to protect the ball way better than him in young age.
Alena has better physical tools (taller than any of them except Busquets and probably one of the fastest too) but to iron some of the needed skills in Barca it will take time, and surely next summer a loan will be on the table depending on pre-season and how he develop in the next few months

 

[MessiCam]

tbf right now Xavi and Iniesta will struggle to have same path they had when they were younger, specially Xavi. We have way higher standards now and we can't afford players being mediocre early on
What helped Iniesta and Roberto to flourish is their versatility, people tend to forgot that Iniesta was very versatile for us ,playing as RW,LW,RWB (In 343) DM,CM & AM with the team. Alena is AM who can do okaish as CM or RW
Again, I am not doubting the talent, but he will have a lot of growing pains and people will need to expect that, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets & Thiago all had the ability to protect the ball way better than him in young age.
Alena has better physical tools (taller than any of them except Busquets and probably one of the fastest too) but to iron some of the needed skills in Barca it will take time, and surely next summer a loan will be on the table depending on pre-season and how he develop in the next few months

I agree. Xavi and Iniesta were played in various positions in the beginning but they were given MANY more opportunities than Alena and Denis. Alena I feel has been given nowhere near enough opportunities whereas Denis was given a fair shake last year due to Iniesta's injuries but still feel that Gomes undeservedly got the better end of the stick under Lucho.

The problem, in my opinion, is not with the players but rather the last 2 managers. They just don't know the value of a big academy as they haven't come through or been involved in one like Cruijff, van Gaal, Rijkaard (Ajax) and Guardiola.

Also, Alena is far from an attacking midfielder. He is the definition of a Barca type central midfielder.

 

[Windhook]

I like what I saw, made mistakes, but also made some spectacular moves. Not going to judge whether he can make it or not (the kid's just turned 20), but definitely gets a lot more attention than Samper and the rest that didn't make it.

 

[messi1995]

What he needs to improve on:
- Shield the ball under pressure
- better close controll
- need to improve in defence

And guys he is only 20 years old and can with hard work improve. Don't come here and act like Xavi or Iniesta had it easy. Don't forget that Xavi was ready to leave in 2008 before Pep told him to stay. And Iniesta was just a backup player for Deco until he turned 24 years. And Pep was almost sold because he couldn't defend and was bad in the air, but Cruyff believed in him. Cruyff believed in him because he had the technical ability to play for Barca. His passing and understanding of the game was awesome just like Aleña's. My boy Aleña needs to improve like any youngsters, but he's technical very good. Just look at his vision, passes and movement. But ofc keep hating on a 20 years that still plays for Barca B and praise shitplayers like Paulinho and Gomes. What do you see in Paulinho? The man has zero technical abilities but because him scoring goals you are all praising him. Isn't it how you critizes Ronaldo? Shit the whole game and then scores a goal. And Gomes? The man is slower than my grandpa and some of you are praising him because he's good looking guy lmfao. Gomes is just a running merchant seriously. And Denis is also bang average. Both Gomes and Denis are 24 years old while Paulinho is 29, but keep hating on a 20 years old that is better than all of those I mentioned. Are you seriously expecting Aleña to play like peak Xavi? Critize him if he's average at 24 years old, not 20. Yesterday he was decent, broke the lines a few times. Good touches here and there. Solid 7/10. What I saw yesterday was a player that needs to improve, but looks easily more as a first team player than Denis, Gomes and Paulinho combined whether you like it or not. And don't forget that he still need more game time because none of your haters can mention atleast five games this season where he has played. One decent game and you are all hating on him like he is a 24 years old and bang average. Stupid fanbase that is crying for la masia players, but expect them to play like Peak Xavi. Don't forget that he also has a bang average coach in Barca B, so don't expect him to be guided there.

 

[Joan]

The man has zero technical abilities but because him scoring goals you are all praising him.

Should be said that Alenya also has quite a goalscoring ability. Just seems too shy to me.

 

[jamrock]

He needs the right coaching which he probably isn't getting

 

[BarcaJack]

I'm against loaning him out. What he needs is the technical ability in tight spaces, which he can only learn in Barca from Iniesta, Busquets etc. Playing in any other team may result in a mediocre midfielder who would do great in Villareal or Sevillla etc but no Barca.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I agree. Xavi and Iniesta were played in various positions in the beginning but they were given MANY more opportunities than Alena and Denis. Alena I feel has been given nowhere near enough opportunities whereas Denis was given a fair shake last year due to Iniesta's injuries but still feel that Gomes undeservedly got the better end of the stick under Lucho.

Denis is another argument, not going to get involved in it considering there is already big debate on him in his thread IIRC
For Alena, I honestly wanted him to play way more this season. But I understand where is EV coming from.
Barca right now is brutal for coaches, one bad season and you will be considered awful for rest of your career (Tata) and winning a treble will get you the overrated label but would at least give you a chance to continue coaching big clubs (I think, will see how it goes with Lucho)
For EV, coming into a season with his appointment being questioned (with fans wanting Sampaoli) , Barca losing 2nd best player, people trying to get Barto outside of the club, lots of drama in transfer window etc I can understand him sticking with the more experienced players.
Also, there is a part of it because of the team and standards we have as a team right now being way higher than it was under Rijkaard, LVG or even when Pep was 1st appointed.
I hope that once we win the league this season (or hopefully more) there will be less pressure on EV and he will start using youth more.
But if he opted to loan Alena I would get it, because he is clearly not that ready right now

The problem, in my opinion, is not with the players but rather the last 2 managers. They just don't know the value of a big academy as they haven't come through or been involved in one like Cruijff, van Gaal, Rijkaard (Ajax) and Guardiola.

Other than Grimaldo, Lucho has proven right with most of his youth players tbh. He was a bit unlucky with the youth players we had. Pep has promoted as much youth players as Lucho in his 1st 3 years and unlike Lucho all (along Thiago in his 4th season) were playing with him in Barca B. Pep proved later that he isn't really a coach who count on youth and god only knows how many he would have promoted if he wasn't a Barca B manager.
What Lucho was offered were a generation were the likes of Munir/Sandro/Samper/Halilovic/Adama/Gerard along Grimaldo was the best that Barca B could offer. He gave all fair chance (again, with exception of Alex)
The academy was fundamentally not working, Lucho has helped Rafinha & S.Roberto massively and gave fair chance to Munir & Sandro along with Samper (for Samper it is up for debate)

Also, Alena is far from an attacking midfielder. He is the definition of a Barca type central midfielder.

Depends on your definition of Barca CM, was Iniesta during his career an AM or CM? for me he was AM and that is how I see Alena. for me he is anything but Barca CM. He is always the most advanced player in receiving the ball and excels in creating things in the offensive end rather than controlling the tempo etc.

 

[khaled_a_d]

What he needs to improve on:
- Shield the ball under pressure
- better close controll
- need to improve in defence

And guys he is only 20 years old and can with hard work improve. Don't come here and act like Xavi or Iniesta had it easy. Don't forget that Xavi was ready to leave in 2008 before Pep told him to stay. And Iniesta was just a backup player for Deco until he turned 24 years. And Pep was almost sold because he couldn't defend and was bad in the air, but Cruyff believed in him. Cruyff believed in him because he had the technical ability to play for Barca. His passing and understanding of the game was awesome just like Aleña's. My boy Aleña needs to improve like any youngsters, but he's technical very good. Just look at his vision, passes and movement. But ofc keep hating on a 20 years that still plays for Barca B and praise shitplayers like Paulinho and Gomes. What do you see in Paulinho? The man has zero technical abilities but because him scoring goals you are all praising him. Isn't it how you critizes Ronaldo? Shit the whole game and then scores a goal. And Gomes? The man is slower than my grandpa and some of you are praising him because he's good looking guy lmfao. Gomes is just a running merchant seriously. And Denis is also bang average. Both Gomes and Denis are 24 years old while Paulinho is 29, but keep hating on a 20 years old that is better than all of those I mentioned. Are you seriously expecting Aleña to play like peak Xavi? Critize him if he's average at 24 years old, not 20. Yesterday he was decent, broke the lines a few times. Good touches here and there. Solid 7/10. What I saw yesterday was a player that needs to improve, but looks easily more as a first team player than Denis, Gomes and Paulinho combined whether you like it or not. And don't forget that he still need more game time because none of your haters can mention atleast five games this season where he has played. One decent game and you are all hating on him like he is a 24 years old and bang average. Stupid fanbase that is crying for la masia players, but expect them to play like Peak Xavi. Don't forget that he also has a bang average coach in Barca B, so don't expect him to be guided there.

You should seriously start using paragraphs

 

[Ursegor]

This! I don't know if you guys remember how long it took Xavi and Iniesta, the latter in particular, to cement their places. It took Iniesta 4 years to earn his spot and learn his craft.

lol What are you comparing? In 2006 Real Madrid were willing to pay € 60M for 21 year old Iniesta, at a time when the record transfer was still Zidane with 77 million Euros.

At 20 Iniesta had already participated in 37 out of 38 league games and this was with Ronaldinho, Deco, Xavi occupying his positions, not Gomes, Rakitic, Paulinho.

When he was 21, he came on in a CL final and changed the game completely for Barcelona.

Alena is not a special talent like Iniesta. Seriously, one can see that in a player in just 2 or 3 games.