Alen Halilović

[Gnidrologist]

He is not better than Rafinha. Quit fooling yourself. I'm not even a very big fan of Rafinha and I can tell the difference. Halilovic is barely even finding his feet on the B team. If he was a La Masia kid he'd almost certainly stay with the B team next season.

He is much more creative than Rafinha and can give astonishing passes at times. Also a much better dribbler. Rafa's predictable ''one foot side step'' dribble can't beat anyone, while Halilovic runs right through bunch of defenders much like Messi does. There is no contest on who has more raw talent. Rafa is mediocre and will never amount to more than a humble squad player if he stays, while Halil has a potential to be great. He needs to put up some muscle and a good tactical guidance.

 

[khaled_a_d]

He is not better than Rafinha. Quit fooling yourself. I'm not even a very big fan of Rafinha and I can tell the difference. Halilovic is barely even finding his feet on the B team. If he was a La Masia kid he'd almost certainly stay with the B team next season.

Halilovic played 28 games of the 40 games of Barca B ,out of the 12 games he missed 4 was due to NT call and 3 due to injuries while being youngest player in the team ,playing more of CM rather than a true AM (due to lack of a true CM beside him ,specially in the Gambua/Patric pair) .new to the league,country,language etc .and he developed through the year .
I won't call barely even finding his feet on the B team IMO

 

[Zangash]

Halilovic played 28 games of the 40 games of Barca B ,out of the 12 games he missed 4 was due to NT call and 3 due to injuries while being youngest player in the team ,playing more of CM rather than a true AM (due to lack of a true CM beside him ,specially in the Gambua/Patric pair) .new to the league,country,language etc .and he developed through the year .
I won't call barely even finding his feet on the B team IMO

The amount of games he played has nothing to do with his performances in said games. Even Gumbau played in a huge number of Barca B's games in a new team but that doesn't mean he's been particularly great or deserving of a spot on the first team.

 

[navidjaan]

The amount of games he played has nothing to do with his performances in said games. Even Gumbau played in a huge number of Barca B's games in a new team but that doesn't mean he's been particularly great or deserving of a spot on the first team.

Ridiculous comparison. Halilovic has been alright especially considering the fact that he's playing a position he has never played at before. He has always been behind the striker or on the wings. He needs to stop looking for constant Messi-runs through the middle and take the easy pass instead to add variety. Although for me, his first team future is on the wings or at false 9, if he makes it. I don't see him as a midfielder and it's obvious that he isn't very comfortable down there. The moment he came on for the first team vs Elche on the wing, he seemed much more confident and there was room for the Messi-ish dribbles. Same goes for Croatia where he's also a threat on the wings.

 

[Galning]

What? Halilovic hasn't played for the first team at all this season, aside from some cameos in pre-season, which hardly count.

So they hardly count to you is what you are trying to say. To me it counts. He looked a thousand times better when playing with the first team, so much more his style of play.

Point still stands that he is too good to go down. He has to be loaned out or integrated into the first team, where he doesn't have a spot yet imo.

 

[Zangash]

So they hardly count to you is what you are trying to say. To me it counts. He looked a thousand times better when playing with the first team, so much more his style of play.

Point still stands that he is too good to go down. He has to be loaned out or integrated into the first team, where he doesn't have a spot yet imo.

Every single player on that B team will look like a better player when playing with the first team. That's not an argument. Of course when he is surrounded by world class players he's going to look better, but he'd be a weak link if played next to those players.

Where would you loan him out to? He's not ready for top flight football.

 

[vukkapor]

Every single player on that B team will look like a better player when playing with the first team. That's not an argument. Of course when he is surrounded by world class players he's going to look better, but he'd be a weak link if played next to those players.

Where would you loan him out to? He's not ready for top flight football.

Rayo.

 

[Alik]

I'd loan him out to a Eredivisie level league.

 

[Bran the Greenseer]

Deulofeu looked worse as a first team player. Sergi Roberto up until this year too. Bojan looked worse.

 

[yahudi]

Deulofeu looked worse as a first team player. Sergi Roberto up until this year too. Bojan looked worse.

At this very age, Bojan put the ball past Neuer in the CL 1/4-finals vs Schalke to get Baca to the semifinals while being one of the very few bright spots in a increasingly bleak season.

At this very age, Deulofeu was voted the best player of Liga Adelante.And he played a total of whooping 61 minutes over the course of 4 games for the first team.

Sergi Roberto was never considered the biggest Masia talent. At least until Thiago went to Bayern and the media tried to hype up the "patient midfielder"

So where does the notion of Alen being the better guy for the first team right now come from?

 

[KingMessi]

At this very age, Deulofeu was voted the best player of Liga Adelante.And he played a total of whooping 61 minutes over the course of 4 games for the first team.

That such a player hasn't been given more of a chance is a travesty.

 

[Bran the Greenseer]

At this very age, Bojan put the ball past Neuer in the CL 1/4-finals vs Schalke to get Baca to the semifinals while being one of the very few bright spots in a increasingly bleak season.

At this very age, Deulofeu was voted the best player of Liga Adelante.And he played a total of whooping 61 minutes over the course of 4 games for the first team.

Sergi Roberto was never considered the biggest Masia talent. At least until Thiago went to Bayern and the media tried to hype up the "patient midfielder"

So where does the notion of Alen being the better guy for the first team right now come from?

Zangash said that players would always look better in the first team, the three players I called looked worse in the first team than the second team. Bojan played well but he wasn't Messi v 2 like in the youth academy. Deulofeu didn't play like he did in the segunda and Sergi Roberto didn't play better until he finally found himself this year in the DM role. Just a couple examples I think you misunderstood what I meant by them though.

 

[yahudi]

That such a player hasn't been given more of a chance is a travesty.

You have to remember that Barca was going through a difficult time with Tito's relapse. Roura and Altimira could not take the risks of playing B teamers at the expense of losing points. And even after Tito's return things never really returned to being normal. Even guys from the first team like Bartra and Thiago suffered from the lack of minutes.

@bran: I've indeed misunderstood you. My bad

 

[KingMessi]

You have to remember that Barca was going through a difficult time with Tito's relapse. Roura and Altimira could not take the risks of playing B teamers at the expense of losing points. And even after Tito's return things never really returned to being normal. Even guys from the first team like Bartra and Thiago suffered from the lack of minutes.

I know. I'm referring to the idea that a lot of the forum members would see him sent away before he even gets a proper shot with the senior side.

 

[yahudi]

I know. I'm referring to the idea that a lot of the forum members would see him sent away before he even gets a proper shot with the senior side.

Well, he did have two rough years and for various reasons did not make it at two different teams. So it's easy to see why one would have doubts about Deulofeu being useful to the first Barca team.

With the transfer ban, Pedro's possible departure and none of the B teamers being ready yet, I'd really like to see Gerard getting a shot at the frist team. But I don't see him getting along with Lucho after being shut out by a manager of similar nature in Sevilla.