Alex Song

[The Observer]

Very easy to express sarcastic comments in hindsight, sitting thousand miles away infront of a computer chair. Not so easy to coach a team like Barca in real life in a CL knockout game and make the decision to bench one of the most important players in Barca's history for a youngstar. If Sir Alex Ferguson loses Pogba because he won't play him at all in midfield and rather stick with 40 year old Giggs and out of position Phil Jones, who am I to blame Tito for not playing Thiago more when he can also choose between Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas?

Del Bosque must be another poor coach, convincing Xavi to play in the next World Cup instead of replacing him with GOAT Thiago, winning a European Cup final with biggest goal difference ever with Fabregas as false 9 etc. When he could have just as well asked Barca fans on the Internet what to do since they seem to know about the fitness levels of the players watching from a computer screen, more than the players themselves.

 

[Maria]

Very easy to express sarcastic comments in hindsight, sitting thousand miles away infront of a computer chair.

What hindsight? Song was never a CB and Xavi hasn't been the same since the CWC final against Santos and in the last 2 seasons he had problems with his knees in the 2nd half of the season.

If Sir Alex Ferguson loses Pogba because he won't play him at all in midfield and rather stick with 40 year old Giggs and out of position Phil Jones, who am I to blame Tito for not playing Thiago more when he can also choose between Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas?

Tito played an injured Xavi over Thiago at the end of last season and Iniesta is not a CM and he will never be.

Del Bosque must be another poor coach, convincing Xavi to play in the next World Cup instead of replacing him with GOAT Thiago, winning a European Cup final with biggest goal difference ever with Fabregas as false 9 etc. When he could have just as well asked Barca fans on the Internet what to do since they seem to know about the fitness levels of the players watching from a computer screen, more than the players themselves.

If only I would support Spain and care about all this.

 

[Cule4life]

Very easy to express sarcastic comments in hindsight, sitting thousand miles away infront of a computer chair. Not so easy to coach a team like Barca in real life in a CL knockout game and make the decision to bench one of the most important players in Barca's history for a youngstar. If Sir Alex Ferguson loses Pogba because he won't play him at all in midfield and rather stick with 40 year old Giggs and out of position Phil Jones, who am I to blame Tito for not playing Thiago more when he can also choose between Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas?

Del Bosque must be another poor coach, convincing Xavi to play in the next World Cup instead of replacing him with GOAT Thiago, winning a European Cup final with biggest goal difference ever with Fabregas as false 9 etc. When he could have just as well asked Barca fans on the Internet what to do since they seem to know about the fitness levels of the players watching from a computer screen, more than the players themselves.

So much wrong in this statement where to begin

Thiago was benched in meaningless games when we already won the league and you are talking about CL knockout games? If Tito looked at "contracts" and not "performances" Thiago would still be here. We also want Xavi to rest more and play the most important games only. Seems you dont read the opinions of the fans just the first line which says "Xavi shoud be rested more"

Fergie and Pogba- Go to United forums. Everyone is mad at him for letting him go. And look at United's midfield. Overrun by any half decent team these days. Fergie was not perfect. So if a good manager makes mistakes we should copy that too?

Comparing world cup which has 7 games to a full season where all limits of your fitness is tested? Are you serious? Plus the competition at World cup is nowhere near the CL

 

[The Observer]

Philip Lahm was never a midfielder either. As if it so outlandish for Barca to try out combative midfielders in defense since it suits their style a lot more than traditional centerbacks. There is that guy, what was his name... Gap, Fap ... no, wait... Pep, who started this concept. And before he left he said "I'd never sell Mascherano". Now, in hindsight, after it didn't work out, the pitch forks are out and Mascherano needs to be sold, too.

What a decline by Xavi in that EC final 7 months after the CWC. Total passenger. Pirlo showed him how it's done.

 

[Maria]

Philip Lahm was never a midfielder either. As if it so outlandish for Barca to try out combative midfielders in defense since it suits their style a lot more than traditional centerbacks. There is that guy, what was his name... Gap, Fap ... no, wait... Pep, who started this concept. And before he left he said "I'd never sell Mascherano". Now, in hindsight, after it didn't work out, the pitch forks are out and Mascherano needs to be sold, too.

I honestly can't understand what Lahm has to do with our discussion about Song and Xavi..or Mascherano for that matter, who was bought to replace Yaya, not to play as a CB.

What a decline by Xavi in that EC final 7 months after the CWC. Total passenger. Pirlo showed him how it's done.

I was sure that you would bring up that game..his only world class performance after the game against Santos and it came with Spain and while playing as no. 10. But yeah, that it's enough to prove that Xavi is still the same as he was in 2011.
And by the way, Xavi couldn't train with the group today(again).

 

[The Observer]

Thiago wasn't benched in meaningless games. He was benched in "meaningful" games. His minute record on Transfermarkt.de clearly shows that he played more than Xavi and as much as Iniesta when fit, except for the CL knockout games and Clasicos where he wasn't considered as much.

 

[The Observer]

I was sure that you would bring up that game..his only world class performance after the game against Santos and it came with Spain and while playing as no. 10. But yeah, that it's enough to prove that Xavi is still the same as he was in 2011.
And by the way, Xavi couldn't train with the group today(again).

No one says Xavi is the same. He is clearly past it right now. In one off big games 9 out of 10 coaches would still trust Xavi though which is what happened under Tito in the CL and Clasicos. In other games, Thiago played.

 

[Maria]

Thiago wasn't benched in meaningless games. He was benched in "meaningful" games. His minute record on Transfermarkt.de clearly shows that he played more than Xavi and as much as Iniesta when fit, except for the CL knockout games and Clasicos where he wasn't considered as much.

But he was..after the games against Bayern in CL:

01/06 2013 Barcelona H- Malaga La Liga W 4-1 On 54 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26/05 2013 Barcelona A- Espanyol La Liga W 0-2 Started 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19/05 2013 Barcelona H- Valladolid La Liga W 2-1 On 63 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
12/05 2013 Barcelona A- Atletico La Liga W 1-2 Unused Substitute
05/05 2013 Barcelona H- Betis La Liga W 4-2 On 78 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

And all this with Xavi playing through pain. But it's a good thing that this year we have Sergi to play Thiago's minutes.

 

[The Observer]

Fss, why pick 5 games. Pick the whole second half of the season.

Xavi:

Thiago:

12 starts in 19 games and he didn't play? What in the...?!

 

[Cule4life]

But he was..after the games against Bayern in CL:

01/06 2013 Barcelona H- Malaga La Liga W 4-1 On 54 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26/05 2013 Barcelona A- Espanyol La Liga W 0-2 Started 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19/05 2013 Barcelona H- Valladolid La Liga W 2-1 On 63 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
12/05 2013 Barcelona A- Atletico La Liga W 1-2 Unused Substitute
05/05 2013 Barcelona H- Betis La Liga W 4-2 On 78 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

And all this with Xavi playing through pain. But it's a good thing that this year we have Sergi to play Thiago's minutes.

Dont argue with facts Maria. Because opinions>facts for many members here

 

[Cule4life]

Fss, why pick 5 games. Pick the whole second half of the season.

Because playing in those games would have meant his buyout clause would be 90m. Plus many of his appearances were under 60 minutes which concerned "contracts" not "performances".

 

[The Observer]

Because playing in those games would have meant his buyout clause would be 90m. Plus many of his appearances were under 60 minutes which concerned "contracts" not "performances".

What if Fabregas and Iniesta ask for the same kind of guarantee of playing time in their contracts when renewing and everyone else coming up the ranks asks for the same clause as well after setting such a precedence? Do we play everyone according to contracts then? 12 starts in 19 games is a fair share of game time for a youngstar when competing with Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas for 2 spots. He didn't have a pre-season and had 2 serious injuries in the first half of the season. Those minutes would have risen easily this season and by next season, at 23 - 24, he'd be a definite starter for Barcelona if he wanted to stay and fight for a spot. Which he didn't. He wanted immediate glory. So good luck to him.

 

[barca1899]

Song played with Busquets' boots (1,5 size too large) vs Ajax because he gave away all his boots after CAM qualified for World Cup. [sport]

 

[Cule4life]

Song played with Busquets' boots (1,5 size too large) vs Ajax because he gave away all his boots after CAM qualified for World Cup. [sport]

He should have worn his swag shoes

 

[Maria]

Thiago wasn't benched in meaningless games. He was benched in "meaningful" games. His minute record on Transfermarkt.de clearly shows that he played more than Xavi and as much as Iniesta when fit, except for the CL knockout games and Clasicos where he wasn't considered as much.

Fss, why pick 5 games. Pick the whole second half of the season.

I've picked those 5 specific games because you said that Thiago wasn't benched in meaningless games, when in fact in the most meaningless games of the season an injured Xavi played before him.

What if Fabregas and Iniesta ask for the same kind of guarantee of playing time in their contracts when renewing and everyone else coming up the ranks asks for the same clause as well after setting such a precedence? Do we play everyone according to contracts then? 12 starts in 19 games is a fair share of game time for a youngstar when competing with Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas for 2 spots.

This is a whole other discussion and I've already said my opinion on that.

He didn't have a pre-season and had 2 serious injuries in the first half of the season. Those minutes would have risen easily this season and by next season, at 23 - 24, he'd be a definite starter for Barcelona if he wanted to stay and fight for a spot. Which he didn't. He wanted immediate glory. So good luck to him.

Nothing, but absolutely nothing from what I've seen so far makes me believe that Xavi wouldn't still play everything this season and especially that next year Thiago would be a definite starter for Barca. So if others aren't allowed "to express sarcastic comments in hindsight, sitting thousand miles away infront of a computer chair", then you shouldn't act like you can predict the future..especially when just today you said this:

Not so easy to coach a team like Barca in real life in a CL knockout game and make the decision to bench one of the most important players in Barca's history for a youngstar. If Sir Alex Ferguson loses Pogba because he won't play him at all in midfield and rather stick with 40 year old Giggs and out of position Phil Jones, who am I to blame Tito for not playing Thiago more when he can also choose between Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas?

Del Bosque must be another poor coach, convincing Xavi to play in the next World Cup instead of replacing him with GOAT Thiago, winning a European Cup final with biggest goal difference ever with Fabregas as false 9 etc. When he could have just as well asked Barca fans on the Internet what to do since they seem to know about the fitness levels of the players watching from a computer screen, more than the players themselves.

He wanted immediate glory. So good luck to him.

He wanted immediate glory so he chose a team that has Schweinsteiger and Kroos in midfield..that is unless you believe that Pep promissed him more minutes than what he could have got at Barca in front of Xavi and Cesc.

But there's no point to continue with this discussion, especially when it looks like you know everything about Thiago, Xavi and what is going to happend at Barca from now on and all I wanted was to make a joke in answer at DerKaiser's post.