soul24rage
Senior Member
ughhh
I would like to see either puig or gavi in midfield, but we'll probably see Bob for Pedri there
I would like to see either puig or gavi in midfield, but we'll probably see Bob for Pedri there
8 - Pedri
- Thread starter FC433
- Start date
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
Alba will be out for 3-4 weeks. Pedri will likely be out for 2-3 weeks. [as]
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
That is a lie that we spoke into reality.
Barca identity was entertaining and attacking football, not possession one.
Rijkaard, LVG, Lucho has all adopted different Barca styles successfully (and during their times, popular too)
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
2015 team was super fun to watch and very direct.
Kubala
Member
Lucho, LVG & Rijkaard teams always dominated possession, not quite to the extent of Pep but still. 2006 CL final Barca enjoyed 64% against possession based Arsenal. 2015 final versus Juve, 61%. Pace is good and we've had it with Henry, Eto'o, Pedro etc but Barca DNA, particularly last 15 years or so, is named possession.
Last edited:
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Arsenal played with 10men since minute 20 or something like that.
Lucho's Barca tried to play counters whenever possible.
On the other hand, new gen of players raised on Pep's Barca, like Arthur (and Pedri isn't too far either) just play possession and never shoot.
About possession, if you ask Pep or Xavi, they'll say that 80% of possession is good.
On the other hand, if you ask Bayern, they often say: we had 70% of possession, that was too much, we need to play faster, risk more and shoot earlier.
Deep down, that is the point.
Some possession teams like Rijkaard's Barca, Lucho's Barca and Bayern = will play a possession game but also they will hit the counter or a shot whenever possible.
Pep and Xavi will play a different possession game, with less risks, less solo actions and shots = where you will always look for a teammate in a better position and shoot only from perfect positions.
I personally don't hate possession.
I hate Pep's type of too much possession and consequences on people, fans and young players where players started to play, learn and breathe Pep's too sterile midfield game from the early age.
And then you get Arthur, Frenkie and Pedri who combined have 15 shots on goal over 50 matches.
So, yes, possession game is our DNA.
But not every possession game is the same.
Pep has proven till now that his type of a possession game can't win a CL without prime Messi and Xavi, no matter how much he spends.
Bayern at least won several CLs and played lots of finals without Messi and Xavi.
Unlike Pep.
snowy
Well-known member
If Midfield excels at high press and fast transitions, then shooting at goals is a bonus and something the coach can encourage them to do
giving current squad fitness status, I like this 11:
Balde - Memphis - Yusuf
. . Pedri - Gavi - Puig
. . . . . . Frenkie
Araujo - Garcia - Mingu
Can switch to this in October:
Memphis - Aguero- Yusuf
. . . Frenkie - Pedri - Gavi/Kays
Balde - Araujo - Garcia - Dest/Ming
And this come Xmas time:
. . Memphis - Ansu - Dembouze/Yuzzz
. . . Pedri- Puig- Gavi/Kays
. . . . . . . . . . Frenkie
Balde - Araujo - Garcia - Dest/Ming
If Koe instructs them all to shoot at will whenever the desire tickles them
then surely we'd bang at least a few goals per game (even at 10% conversion rate)
giving current squad fitness status, I like this 11:
Balde - Memphis - Yusuf
. . Pedri - Gavi - Puig
. . . . . . Frenkie
Araujo - Garcia - Mingu
Can switch to this in October:
Memphis - Aguero- Yusuf
. . . Frenkie - Pedri - Gavi/Kays
Balde - Araujo - Garcia - Dest/Ming
And this come Xmas time:
. . Memphis - Ansu - Dembouze/Yuzzz
. . . Pedri- Puig- Gavi/Kays
. . . . . . . . . . Frenkie
Balde - Araujo - Garcia - Dest/Ming
If Koe instructs them all to shoot at will whenever the desire tickles them
then surely we'd bang at least a few goals per game (even at 10% conversion rate)
Kubala
Member
I agree in the main. It's good to have options and be able to change. We should always carry that threat, but to change to a direct, counter-attacking team is a massive switch. Against Bayern we had 48% possession at home and tried to counter but the inability to retain possession put pressure on a weak defence. Last season was similar, Pique screaming to Griezmann to keep the ball a little so we could move up the pitch as a team.
Winning the CL is incredibly difficult, depending on small things going your way, but Pep is always competing and reaching semi-finals or finals, even without Messi or Xavi.
Yes Bayern have won a few CL's, so have Madrid. We should copy these teams now? Our system and style are played at all levels from La Masia up, so that young players coming in to the side know exactly where to play and how to play.
Anyone can just try to copy other teams ways of playing, there is nothing innovative in that. It wasn't long ago every team in the world wanted to copy us. Just because we are in a bad moment doesn't mean we should abandon all our footballing beliefs - now is when we need to stay true to them more than ever. But of course, adapt, tweak and improve.
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
2006 Arsenal had a red card early on, we played very conservative games against both Chelsea and Milan.
2015 we lost possession against Bayern in both games with no problem.
Attacking football usually means you have more possession, but that is one big difference between possession based game that fans talk about and direct style.
Also, possession can be obtained by different measures, high press, get the ball back fast will mean more possession.
Pass aimlessly for long time, and you also get possession, we had the ball more when we lost 8-2 against Bayern
Kubala
Member
We had 49% possession when we lost 8-2, that is what Pique was complaining about. It's amazing how few chances you concede when you have 65-70% possession. Of course there are always exceptions, some teams will win with 30% (most Mourinho games
) but for that you also need a team that can defend. We can't, so the best way not to concede chances, corners, free kicks etc, is to have the ball.And I completely agree, there is no point having possession just for the sake of it. There has to be an end product.
Last edited:
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
We had 49% possession when we lost 8-2
I found many sites that said 51% actually, but yeah found that official site says 49%
Total-Football
Senior Member
The possession % doesn't tell the whole story.. If should be coupled with the "average position" of each player in the pitch to fully see the picture. Those rondos stegen keeps playing with pique and lenglet are long, boring, spineless, but counts as possession!
We had the ball last Tuesday more or less 50%.. Same when we trashed bayern 3 0 in 2015 (50%). But the average position of the players in 2015 would be at least 10 meters higher if not more for every single player!
We had the ball last Tuesday more or less 50%.. Same when we trashed bayern 3 0 in 2015 (50%). But the average position of the players in 2015 would be at least 10 meters higher if not more for every single player!
Bobo32
Senior Member
Since Koemans entrance we have seen a lot of this infamous U-passing, especially when they play 5 at the back.
Pedri and de Jong both have a tendency to get deep to get the ball with their back against the goal, with no connection to each other or to the attackers. Xavi, Iniesta, Puig, Gavi does this less, and makes the team able to play through the middle in a controlled but unpredictable way. Koeman so often gets a predictable but uncontrolled style, and Messi and some others made it work last year but I doubt Depay will do it well enough.
Pedri and de Jong both have a tendency to get deep to get the ball with their back against the goal, with no connection to each other or to the attackers. Xavi, Iniesta, Puig, Gavi does this less, and makes the team able to play through the middle in a controlled but unpredictable way. Koeman so often gets a predictable but uncontrolled style, and Messi and some others made it work last year but I doubt Depay will do it well enough.
Home of Barca Fans
