8 - Pedri

[serghei]

I don't mean he loses the ball more. But once he's gotten the ball forward, quick to release it and with no Busquets and Pedri there, we often fail to recycle possession. Hurts us a lot.

That said, he does well to progress the ball, plays a lot of passes in the middle to keep the ball. Has nice qualities, but to get the most out of it, Koeman needs to come up with a setup. Hasn't done that yet.

I agree. That's what happens when you have a fast mover and quick passer amongst players who need time to move their ass from position to position. There's a lack of sync which can cause disruptions.

But the solution is not to bench Puig and use Lenglet, Pique, Busi transversal ax. It is to integrate faster players, like Mingueza, Araujo (injured now I know), De Jong less advanced and more concerned with providing a proper quality build-up.

 

[Bobo32]

I can see in advance that I will go from "Puig-fanboy" to "Busquets-fanboy" in the eyes of this forums users, as Puigs reputation catch up with his ability.
Bizarre to me how you could criticize Busquets after todays game.

 

[serghei]

I can see in advance that I will go from "Puig-fanboy" to "Busquets-fanboy" in the eyes of this forums users, as Puigs reputation catch up with his ability.
Bizarre to me how you could criticize Busquets after todays game.

I don't thnk how you can defend him looking at his form over the last 2-3 years. Been terrible.

 

[Joan]

I agree. That's what happens when you have a fast mover and quick passer amongst players who need time to move their ass from position to position. There's a lack of sync which can cause disruptions.

But the solution is not to bench Puig and use Lenglet, Pique, Busi transversal ax. It is to integrate faster players, like Mingueza, Araujo (injured now I know), De Jong less advanced and more concerned with providing a proper quality build-up.

I agree completely. Said few days ago Koeman was in a prime position to try out something new. He's got some interesting players, even though they might not turn out world class. Experiment more, don't go back to this utterly slow build up prone to every counter.

Araujo should play (Mingueza if Ronald is injured) due to sheer physical presence and pace. Pair them with one of Pique/Lenglet. Experiment with the midfield, try to get them more involved.

In my opinion, we need Pedri because Puig lacks final touch. No big chances created and way fewer key passes per 90 minutes in the league.

But let's see what happens.

 

[serghei]

I agree completely. Said few days ago Koeman was in a prime position to try out something new. He's got some interesting players, even though they might not turn out world class. Experiment more, don't go back to this utterly slow build up prone to every counter.

Araujo should play (Mingueza if Ronald is injured) due to sheer physical presence and pace. Pair them with one of Pique/Lenglet. Experiment with the midfield, try to get them more involved.

In my opinion, we need Pedri because Puig lacks final touch. No big chances created and way fewer key passes per 90 minutes in the league.

But let's see what happens.

For the record, I'm not against a pragmatic approach. Hell, if this was 2017 and these guys weren't so finished (especially physically and mentally, not as much technically), go Valverde with it and get these veterans to provide some immediate results. But it's not, these guys are totally checked-out at this point. Any silver lining you may have got from trusting the old core is long gone.

Koeman should have realized it, but he fell in the same trap as the others before him, only he has even less excuses because the veteran quality is not what it was when EV was here, it's massively lower. Only Messi and Alba can still contribute from this lot. Messi because he still has a lot of quality, Alba because physically he is the best of them all.

 

[Bobo32]

I don't mean he loses the ball more. But once he's gotten the ball forward, quick to release it and with no Busquets and Pedri there, we often fail to recycle possession. Hurts us a lot.

That said, he does well to progress the ball, plays a lot of passes in the middle to keep the ball. Has nice qualities, but to get the most out of it, Koeman needs to come up with a setup. Hasn't done that yet.

So he is too good in advancing the ball quickly and safely, the rest of the team isn't fast enough to cover for the mistakes the player further up will inevitably make...
I can agree with this... Griezmann needs out, Dembele as well. Pjanic often play together with Puig, he is almost as useless as Griezmann.

I just want a midfield with Busquets-Puig-(Messi)
Pedri could be great from the LW, but firstly he needs to rest.

 

[Joan]

So he is too good in advancing the ball quickly and safely, the rest of the team isn't fast enough to cover for the mistakes the player further up will inevitably make...
I can agree with this... Griezmann needs out, Dembele as well. Pjanic often play together with Puig, he is almost as useless as Griezmann.

Sort of... yeah. He advances the ball really well. And does it against better opponents too. One of his strong suits.

But should be more aware of who he's playing with.

I don't trust his final ball, though.

 

[Bobo32]

Sort of... yeah. He advances the ball really well. And does it against better opponents too. One of his strong suits.

But should be more aware of who he's playing with.

I don't trust his final ball, though.

I think the player can only make the right play. I don't think his passes are hard to handle or anything, he must trust that there is meaning in ever passing it to Griezmann, even though there clearly is no meaning.

About his final ball, I think he has proved to make some great ones, but he's also missed a few. I think he should try them less, but it is good that his errors are mostly made trying these balls, and not simpler ones. So far, in Barcelona A, he has still had a decently good succes% on these balls, I think.
He has also regularly found these balls on the feet through the lines, as he did towards Braithwaite against PSG - those are great.

 

[Windhook]

What impressed me, again, is his ability to touch the ball with both feet.

 

[ItachiXXX]

I can see in advance that I will go from "Puig-fanboy" to "Busquets-fanboy" in the eyes of this forums users, as Puigs reputation catch up with his ability.
Bizarre to me how you could criticize Busquets after todays game.

Well there's no more Suarez and Rakitic to blame and Roberto is injure

 

[vegitot]

I can see in advance that I will go from "Puig-fanboy" to "Busquets-fanboy" in the eyes of this forums users, as Puigs reputation catch up with his ability.
Bizarre to me how you could criticize Busquets after todays game.

Crazy to think that Busquest creates more chance in last match than Puig in his entire domestic league this season.

 

[Porque]

Where would Pep play Pedri?

Either DMC or false 9.

 

[Kuchi]

He would pass even with an empty goal ahead of him...grow a pair, stop looking for Messi or some other pass and shoot from time to time..

 

[Bobo32]

Where would Pep play Pedri?

Either DMC or false 9.

I think he could use him as he did with Fabregas "false 10"
Or an inside winger, that's what I'd use him as, even though he didn't really impress me there before.

 

[Eshez]

Probably the way same as David Silva