9 - Robert Lewandowski

[iniestaGOAT]

That's why I said Eto is way better than Lewandowski

Not even up for discussion. Only these non Barca new posters thinking lewandowski is better most likely because they never watched eto. They just read statistics.

 

[JohnN]

Thanks.

The mystery is unwrapping.
He is a statpadder against weak teams (Bundesliga, weak La Liga teams, CL group stage).
Against big teams, he isn't any better than Zlatan.
In fact, he had way more CL shots than Zlatan in 8 years at Bayern.
Maybe it is not a coincidence that Bayern had 1 CL final in 8 years with him in attack.
Yet they played 3 finals in 5 years prior to him.

Also, as Te Amo mentioned: looked as his age tonight.
He will decline fast.
The only question is: whether it will be in 3 or 23 months.
I still don't believe he will stay on the top level that long.

Further, some cracks and questions are already showing:
1. He was fresh in the first matches. But now after 5-6-7 matches in a row, he is less fresh and fast, which is expected for his age
2. Struggles against big teams
3. What I don't like at all: why did he play for 90 minutes yesterday? He was off and tired. And in the minute 60, the match was lost. He should have been subbed for Ansu, keeping him fresh for La Liga minows.
This way we got nothing.
He earned another mental scar for losing against big team/Bayern.
He lost tons of his energy for nothing in the 2nd half.
Also, plying him for 90 minutes indicates:
1) that either Xavi overrates his physical condition and longterm stamina
2) or Lewa can't be benched (the same as Messi and Neymar) which will surely hurt him later in the season since, no matter what Temptation says, Lewa is already a semi-granny and his physical condition is declining each passing day.

All in all, about his fall and decline.
The question is not: whether it will happen, but WHEN will it happen.
This season or the next one?

But the issues he had yesterday weren't physical. Even if his age did show at some point, the main problem was he forgot his scoring boots.
No argument he will decline at some point in the future, as this is an easy bet really, but he is not a long term CF for us. He is here to lift us a level, especially in La Liga, in the short term, while we rebuild the rest of the team. But since he has been compared to all time greats like Messi and CR7 (considering he peaked way later too and was nowhere near that level when younger) and so on, this is a reality check for those who make those claims.

 

[Judoman]

Man, one bad game and here comes the doom and gloom and whining. Actually not so bad game, just ineffective.

Did Barca win @Munich even once at any time?

Manage your expectation ppl.

 

[Horatio]

Man, one bad game and the here comes the doom and gloom and whining. Actually not so bad game, just ineffective.

Did Barca win @Munich even once at any time?

Manage your expectation ppl.

this is how I felt after BBZ made his entrance.

 

[bastardo]

Barcaforum is so bipolar when it comes to opinions on our players. Other fan forums like redcafe, RAWK don?t swing to extremes as often as we do

 

[fergus90]

He still is.

Him having a stinker yesterday doesn't change the player he is. Just like him scoring a hattrick yesterday wouldn't change a thing. Not reactionary enough to change opinions based on a CL group stage Matchday 2 game....

But fair enough you had that write-up prepared for more than a month and were waiting for an appropriate game to post it. He deserves the criticism for those misses.

With Arnautovic, Barca wins that 0-4.

 

[Temptation]

With Arnautovic, Barca wins that 0-4.

Oh mate. Everything in life is better with Arnautovic.

 

[BBZ8800]

Man, one bad game and here comes the doom and gloom and whining. Actually not so bad game, just ineffective.

Did Barca win @Munich even once at any time?

Manage your expectation ppl.

People were talking about winning a CL because we have Lewa and Rapha.

Lewa is not bad and I hope he'll be a key factor in winning La Liga.
But also dreaming that we have realistic chances for CL or comparing Lewa to Messi and Cr7 is also a La la land.

Fine, everyone can win a CL with an easy draw and some luck, but realistically, we aren't there.

 

[Judoman]

People were talking about winning a CL because we have Lewa and Rapha.

Lewa is not bad and I hope he'll be a key factor in winning La Liga.
But also dreaming that we have realistic chances for CL or comparing Lewa to Messi and Cr7 is also a La la land.

Fine, everyone can win a CL with an easy draw and some luck, but realistically, we aren't there.

You know there is nothing new or controversial in what you said right?

Some people are optimists, so what? You are a pessimist, of course your opinions will clash.

 

[El Gato]

He doesn't statpad any more than any top guy in his position would
Statpadding is a pejorative that should only be reserved to practices like those of CR who wont rest for NT and play vs Andorra just to get a few more goals into his NT record

Also unfair to put the dude in same sentence as Zlatan. Zlatan is an insecure mug who actively avoided challenge of being on big stage

Relax and let Lewy settle in
Bit of help would also be nice. Mostly from Xavi by getting the midfield balanced correctly so he doesn't need to feel like he's playing for 2018 WC Poland again

 

[iniestaGOAT]

He doesn't statpad any more than any top guy in his position would
Statpadding is a pejorative that should only be reserved to practices like those of CR who wont rest for NT and play vs Andorra just to get a few more goals into his NT record

Also unfair to put the dude in same sentence as Zlatan. Zlatan is an insecure mug who actively avoided challenge of being on big stage

Relax and let Lewy settle in
Bit of help would also be nice. Mostly from Xavi by getting the midfield balanced correctly so he doesn't need to feel like he's playing for 2018 WC Poland again

Poland? It's like he is playing for Bayern right now crushing tomato cans and choking in crucial games

 

[Raketa10]

People were talking about winning a CL because we have Lewa and Rapha.

Lewa is not bad and I hope he'll be a key factor in winning La Liga.
But also dreaming that we have realistic chances for CL or comparing Lewa to Messi and Cr7 is also a La la land.

Fine, everyone can win a CL with an easy draw and some luck, but realistically, we aren't there.

I agree with you, we aren't there yet. However, we are far better than we were last season so the progress is visible and that's great. In contrast, the thing that worries me the most is mental state of our team. After few years of heavy loses in CL games we'll need time to regain our wining mentality. When we conceded the first goal our team went in a mental knockdown for 10 minutes. As a consequence we conceded that second goal. Something similar happened to us many times during the last couple of seasons in CL games. Furthermore, all that missed chances came from the lack of calmness. Therefore to be able to win anything we first need improve our mentality in big games. If there is something to learn from Madrid this is the thing. They for sure wouldn't be shocked with Bayern's first goal and wouldn't miss all of those chances. IMHO this is the biggest problem we currently have and probably the hardest one to solve.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

"It's not HOW MANY you score, it's WHEN you score." - INIESTAGOAT

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Problem is that he was bought to win us games like this one yesterday and not easy ones like Plzen or Cadiz. He needs to step up in big games.

In the end having a player that scores reliably against sides like Plzen or Cadiz is good for Barca because this way the club should be able to compete for La Liga until the end.

Don't see Barca competing with top teams in CL with or without Lewa this season. Been gone from the top for way too long and there is lots of work ahead of Xavi to make this team a strong side again.

 

[Alik]

I agree with you, we aren't there yet. However, we are far better than we were last season so the progress is visible and that's great. In contrast, the thing that worries me the most is mental state of our team. After few years of heavy loses in CL games we'll need time to regain our wining mentality. When we conceded the first goal our team went in a mental knockdown for 10 minutes. As a consequence we conceded that second goal. Something similar happened to us many times during the last couple of seasons in CL games. Furthermore, all that missed chances came from the lack of calmness. Therefore to be able to win anything we first need improve our mentality in big games. If there is something to learn from Madrid this is the thing. They for sure wouldn't be shocked with Bayern's first goal and wouldn't miss all of those chances. IMHO this is the biggest problem we currently have and probably the hardest one to solve.

Agreed, although only Busquets and MATS remain of the team that suffered numerous heavy CL losses.

The rest of the team is young and hungry.