Alex Song

[Poor_Sunyol]

+1 but he did help out in attack

Which makes him a perfect DM.

 

[Povikas]

Still have no clue why we spent money on him given that he is a DM and we have Masch and Busi to play as DM. Why didn't we spend money on a legit CB instead?

Because it's easier to convert a ball-playing DM to a CB, than a legit CB to a ball-playing CB who understands our game.

 

[Tomchin]

Because it's easier to convert a ball-playing DM to a CB, than a legit CB to a ball-playing CB who understands our game.

Good point. Caceres, Chygrinski, Henrique, they all didn't fulfil the expectations indeed. Maybe that's where Pep's idea of putting a DM at CB (Mascherano) came from indeed.

 

[Arachnid]

Good point. Caceres, Chygrinski, Henrique, they all didn't fulfil the expectations indeed. Maybe that's where Pep's idea of putting a DM at CB (Mascherano) came from indeed.

Maybe, you know, any of the many, many CB's in the world who can actually play with a ball instead of them would have sufficed?

 

[Tomchin]

Maybe, you know, any of the many, many CB's in the world who can actually play with a ball instead of them would have sufficed?

Guys like Chygrinski etc. were huge talents when we signed them.

Thiago Silva was way too expensive this summer (both transfer-fee and wages), and apart from him, there weren't that many quality-CBs on the market. Guys like Hummels etc. are still a big gamble, similar to Chygrinski and co some years ago.

 

[Arachnid]

Guys like Chygrinski etc. were huge talents when we signed them.

Were they? Not Chygro, he wasn't the best defender neither at Shaktar nor in the Ukranian NT. I remember watching a couple Shaktar games back when we were about to sing him and thinking... "Is Pep sure he didn't mean the Srna guy instead?"- Sure, some defenders are slow, and some are unsteady when having to do a pass instead of just clearing it... but not all defenders are the same. There are plenty of CB's faster than Chygro and more comfortable with the ball than Caceres aside from Thiago Silva or Hummels. There's about one or two on every team in the world.

We just tend to sign square pegs and then be surprised when they happen to be unable to fit into round holes. Let me get back to Agger, the guy's good with the ball and not the Flash but fast enough to do the job... but for some unexplainable reason, should we go to Anfield to sign a defender, we would end up with Skrtl, who is completely wrong for us. And then you would come and say "but of course we can only sign midfielders! Look at how Skrtl, a highly rated CB failed with us!"

How about we sign a CB, but this time we get somebody with half a brain to watch a couple of matches with the intended target and then decide if he will fit, instead of whatever arcane, nonsensical system they've been using up until now?

 

[King Leo]

Chygrinski was a disaster! what are you talking about?

 

[Tomchin]

You honestly believe that guys like chygrinski and caceres etc weren't extensively scouted? We're not amateurs.

Agger was one of our transfer-targets this summer (according to sport/emd), so i don t understand your skrtel example.

 

[Barcaman]

Imho. Caceres was scouted. And he wasn't a choice of any coach. We just sacked Frank.
Chygo was Pep's "feeling" signing.

 

[Arachnid]

You honestly believe that guys like chygrinski and caceres etc weren't extensively scouted? We're not amateurs.

Agger was one of our transfer-targets this summer (according to sport/emd), so i don t understand your skrtel example.

Chygro didn't change. He was exactly as slow in here as he was in Donetsk. So either he was not properly scouted or he was scouted by incompetents. Take your pick.

About Agger and Skrtl, let's see if we agree on this: a player can be brilliant in one system. lousy on another. Right? The fact that a player is good doesn't mean he'll be good anywhere.

Agger fits well in the tiki-taka style. Skrtl, a very physical defender who's great at tackling and clearing the ball but not so much when having to take good passing choices, doesn't. So one would be successful, while the other would be a disaster. The signings we've done up until now are similar to us signing Skrtl. The fact that signing the wrong type of CB's makes them unsuccessful doesn't mean we should give up on signing CB's at all.

 

[KluivertsBoots]

I have no problems at all with Song so far. He is meeting my expectations. He is a very tidy footballer. He has instantly adapted to the Spanish game, and has shown great intelligence in the way he tackles. Very clean.

I still believe Barca is one CB away from having a complete roster at the "back." Adriano's been good so far this year, but he might have to move due to his injury problems. If so, Barca needs an LB also.

Song is very functional in a pinch, and that's what he was signed for. Still need another quality body though. Hummels and Dede are my top two targets.

 

[Henry_IB]

Apparently this is Song a few seconds after Xavi scored, holding his ground.

And in true HBA spirit, Leo is racist and hates song, that is why he doesn't dare to go celebrate.

 

[Ursegor]

Thiago: "Song at first had some problems to adapt to the training level, the speed of the ball. He joked it was just like a game of tennis."

 

[mitkoa7x]

Apparently this is Song a few seconds after Xavi scored, holding his ground.

And in true HBA spirit, Leo is racist and hates song, that is why he doesn't dare to go celebrate.

He's working so hard, its bound to pay off.

 

[Doobs]

Koscielny is a damn good ball playing CB, we have to go for him in the winter if possible, he's a beast. He'll complete the team. Song is best as DM.

Yes he plays for Arsenal