khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Iniesta was 22 in CL final in 2006, and in his season aged 20 he played most of the games in place of Giuly as RW, and rotational for the likes of Deco and Xavi.
Although I don't think Alena is comparable to Iniesta
6 - Carles Alena
- Thread starter raki
- Start date
Iniesta was 22 in CL final in 2006, and in his season aged 20 he played most of the games in place of Giuly as RW, and rotational for the likes of Deco and Xavi.
Although I don't think Alena is comparable to Iniesta
Ghostmaster
Danger Ahead
I don't know we if should draw conclusions about him from this game. I mean this was one of the toughest matches we played this season with lots of fouls, bad pitch and bad weather. I remember I was quite impressed with him in preseason when we played against United. It would be interesting to see how he would perform at Camp Nou with first team players.
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MessiCam
Guest
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.
Nobody said he is as special as Iniesta. Whatever gave you that idea? And yes that was 2006... 4 years after making his debut after which he was played in various different positions as predominantly a substitute but the point is he was given regular game time and sufficient time to master his craft at the highest level.
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MessiCam
Guest
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
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)
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.
He predominantly plays RCM for Barca B and at times as a RW. By his own admission he has tried to model his game around Deco, Xavi and Iniesta and prefers to play as an interior on the right side so he can cut in.
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jamrock
Senior Member
He is no iniesta, he also probably is no thiago, but he doesn't need to be.
I've alswaya said even if the b players are only good enough to be squad players they should be given the opportunity.
I'd rather have a team with Alena and samper on the bench,than Gomes and Turan,it saves money on signings and salary that we can use to sign even better players.
I've alswaya said even if the b players are only good enough to be squad players they should be given the opportunity.
I'd rather have a team with Alena and samper on the bench,than Gomes and Turan,it saves money on signings and salary that we can use to sign even better players.
God Serena
New member
I've always found it odd how any and every Barca B player has to somehow prove themself as "Good enough" in just one or two games to just make it to squad player status or else they're too much of a risk, but we're willing to give players like Gomes and Denis and Vidal dozens of opportunities and if they have a shocker in each and every one of them it's "Give them time". It just seems incongruent to me. La Masia might not be spitting out gems like it used to but I think players like Munir, Samper, Alena, Grimaldo, Cucu, Arnaiz, etc. could easily be good enough to fill the roles of Vidal, Gomes, Denis, Digne, Paco etc.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
You are over rating the B team players a fair bit there.
Paco is a far better player than likes of Munir it is not even close.
Gomes is better than Samper.
Naming players like Cucu as being on par or better with Digne??!
The reasons those players get more chances is because usually they have performed better or played at a higher level.
serghei
Senior Member
He's 20, the kid is a talent. Can make it big. Need to give him games again. Against Espanyol it wasn't a great performance, but it was an above average one with some very nice moments. Kid has it.
You guys are overreacting with 'he's bad under pressure'. Held his own most of the times and didn't lose the ball often.
You guys are overreacting with 'he's bad under pressure'. Held his own most of the times and didn't lose the ball often.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
He wasnt above average last night. Had a couple good touches, quite a few bad ones and looked nervous.
serghei
Senior Member
Really? The players from our midfield who accelerated the game and found Messi and Paulinho in space in the first half, were firstly Busi and 2nd Alena.
He is technical, quick, thinks fast, and has a great eye for a pass. That's all I need. Develop all those with game time and confidence building up, and you have at least an Isco level player 2-3 years down the line. Minimum.
The only players who had a better game than Alena vs Espanyol were Vermaelen, Messi (first half) and Busquets.
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JamDav1982
Senior Member
He was overly safe, lost it in tight situations and had some decent touches.
The playere from midfield that found Messi and Paulinho the most was him and Busi? How many other midfielders were there?
serghei
Senior Member
Considering onyl Messi and Paulinho played in a more advanced position, everybody else except for the CBs (even they went up at times) was playing more or less in a midfield position.
And the players who found the best passes between the lines and accelerated the play the most, decongesting space and everything, was 1) Busi, clearly the best, and 2) Alena.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
He played CM and never really took any risks or accelerated the game. More or less gave obvious pass most time.
I like him but last night he was average at best.
Just watched his highlights again and exactly as I thought it was.
If Messi and Paulinho are forward then of course he and Busi would play it forwards the most. Would almost have to refuse to play the ball forward not to.
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