Alex Song

[ZenI]

Oh. He can "bring the ball out well from the back". Ok, then. That's enough to be a centreback for Barcelona. Why not play Messi there? He can bring the ball out from the back even better and he likes to drop deep anyway. False 9, false 10 and the next evolution: false defense.

5:45 Song's "defending" skills. Run towards the striker, do nothing and watch him run past you. 6:45 even better. He's dragged so much out of position, crossing the halfway line.

Exactly! Those 2 situations are just some awful defending.

 

[Yugi]

he shouldnt play as defenders...ever

 

[abual3bed1]

he shouldnt play as defenders...ever

+1

 

[Barcilliant]

We played russian roulette today and survived but I sure hope Tito isn't thinking about throwing Song out there as a CB for the next 3 weeks.

Just play a double-pivot of Busquets and Song... Alba (Adriano), Bartra, Mascherano, Alves... Xavi and Iniesta pull the strings for the likes of Messi, Villa, and Pedro.

^^^^ I was just typing all that and had to question it but Tito is going to have to get creative with his lineups.

+1000. If we are to win games our midfield has to dominate and the oppositions lines of supply have to be cut off before they enter our final third. Our guys are too slow and lacking height to stop any decent attack. Song's errors were poor and he is not good enough for CB ditto Busquets. Masch can play CB but needs a proper CB to partner him.

 

[zanela]

thats a crap excuse, he was just afraid, and as pep said thier is not good and bad managers, just those that are brave and those who arent.
its either that are bartra is not good enough in his eyes in which case he shouldnt be in the squad. he was reportedly more impressed by muni in pre season training, so maybe if he were fit he would have played.

If he was fit, wouldn't he be at Ajax? I get the feeling Tito doesn't really rate any of our current youngster CBs. And like you say, he should've just let them all move on (except in Fontas's case where the player refused to), rather have them stagnate on our bench if he's not gonna show any faith in them. And neither Muni or Bartra will 've any dearth of suitors. If i remember correctly the latter had a que of top clubs lining up for him a year or so ago. Just cash in on them, and buy an experienced CB (or one that Tito is comfortable having in the team) in the winter. Bartra is at a age where he should be playing as much as possible, not watch a positionally suspect CM take over his natural position.

 

[Ursegor]

not watch a positionally suspect CM take over his natural position.

Still saddens me. Maybe we need to sell him to Arsenal for € 1 million and buy him back after 3 years for € 30 million.

 

[zanela]

Still saddens me. Maybe we need to sell him to Arsenal for € 1 million and buy him back after 3 years for € 30 million.

I feared this is exactly whats gonna happen when we bought Song. He'll just come in the way of our youngster's progress, and the worst part is he isn't even anything special.


Has to be said Pep did a tremendous job with Piqué, who if i recall wasn't a hit from the get go (he was pants at The Bridge). But he continued to show faith in him, and that faith was eventually rewarded. I wish (and hope) Tito can work the same with Bartra.

 

[Tomchin]

Anyone remember how many games it took Mascherano to become wordclass at CB? I remember his first game at CB was in April 2011, but i can't remember anymore if he was a success right from the start.

 

[hellsangel1]

Oh. He can "bring the ball out well from the back". Ok, then. That's enough to be a centreback for Barcelona.

I always thought that was one of the reasons why we turned Masch into a CB. Because 'he could bring the ball out and initiate offense well from the back'. That seems to be a priority for Barca defenders, we even want our defenders to be creative with the ball as well.

That nearly cost us against Milan in the CL (Masch was responsible for the goal they scored at the Nou Camp) and against Chelsea as well. The fact of the matter is with Puyol's advanced age + injuries and with Pique being shown to not be the steady defender that people thought he was, without a world-class defender like Puyol to partner him. It was quite clear that we needed a CB and with Abidal's career seemingly over, our defense looks really vulnerable and quite frankly not one that you expect from a team expected to win the Champions League.

 

[jamrock]

whats all this pique talk, at the back end of last season, the euros and the start of this, he has been returning to his best form and as i keep saying no team as 3/4 WC cb. its always two, plus a good 3rd choice and a kid as the forth. thats what we have when everyone is fit. if we bought a defender based on what if we pick up injuries, then we also have to say what if we dont get any major injuries. we would have 4 defenders expecting to start alot of games and if their is one place you dont want to over

 

[jamrock]

rotate its at the center of the defense, tito just needs to throw bartra in, like pep did with pique,fontas and caceres and jose did with varane and see if he sinks are swim. its that are sell one of pique/masch or retire puyol

 

[Ursegor]

Talking about Abidal ... I still don't understand why the club is acting as if a return of him would be possible (including him in the CL squad list, talking about "we'll wait for you, no matter how long it will take" etc.). Look at Villa's return. He's still not able to start a game. Abidal had a far more serious and life threatening operation than a simple leg break, is out of football longer than Villa was and is 3 years older than Villa. It would be a miracle if he could return and start for Barcelona at a proper level ever again, let alone this season in the Champions League. Why is the club acting otherwise?

 

[xaviniesta]

Talking about Abidal ... I still don't understand why the club is acting as if a return of him would be possible (including him in the CL squad list, talking about "we'll wait for you, no matter how long it will take" etc.). Look at Villa's return. He's still not able to start a game. Abidal had a far more serious and life threatening operation than a simple leg break, is out of football longer than Villa was and is 3 years older than Villa. It would be a miracle if he could return and start for Barcelona at a proper level ever again, let alone this season in the Champions League. Why is the club acting otherwise?

you just remembered me how much i miss

 

[Flavia]

Talking about Abidal ... I still don't understand why the club is acting as if a return of him would be possible (including him in the CL squad list, talking about "we'll wait for you, no matter how long it will take" etc.). Look at Villa's return. He's still not able to start a game. Abidal had a far more serious and life threatening operation than a simple leg break, is out of football longer than Villa was and is 3 years older than Villa. It would be a miracle if he could return and start for Barcelona at a proper level ever again, let alone this season in the Champions League. Why is the club acting otherwise?

Well, for one I think it was very nice from the club to do that. I dont think he will ever be able to play at high level again, but he does, and having that kind of backup from the club is really good for Abidal's recovery.

 

[Arachnid]

Anyone remember how many games it took Mascherano to become wordclass at CB? I remember his first game at CB was in April 2011, but i can't remember anymore if he was a success right from the start.

He wasn't. Yet Mascherano was a defensive midfielder, a classic sweeper, not a box-to-box attacking midfielder like Song, so it wasn't such a big jump.