Alexis Sanchez

[Richard.H]

I have my own personal feelings on Messi that are extremely unpopular on here so I won't even go there because the Messi brigade will come in here crying in no time so I'll leave it at that. Pedro sucks now. He hasn't been the same for a long time and I want him and Alexis sold. It's not that Alexis and Pedro weren't providing numbers to some extent this season, that's not the issue. It's the staleness and recycled profile that has to change. The cycle has ENDED guys, and guys like Pedro and Alexis are sticking out as the deadwood as one of my personal favorite player Dani Alves. It's making the tough decisions and keeping emotions and nostalgia out of it. Pedro and Alexis have had a good run, but it's time for them to go if you ask me.

You can't compare Alexis's situation to Pedro's. Pedro has been quite horrible since 11-12, no improvements in his game what so ever. It's so bad that as a fan I'm really starting to think that he was a two season wonder.

With Alexis, at least he has improved somewhat this season, which is why I'm not so keen on letting him go. I don't even know how a player could go from being so great to so crap in just a season (speaking of Pedro). Really a tragedy.

 

[Kerrybai]

But why was this his best season so far, even if we as a team played our worst season in many years? Messi was also totally owned this season, and don't even get me started on Pedro.

Sanchez had 19 goals this season, Pedro had 18 yet Sanchez is some jugadorazo and Pedro is a scrub???

You really let yourself down with the Messi comment. The guy finished 2nd in the Pichichi race, scored more than a goal a game in Europe and had the second best dribbling in La Liga. Meanwhile Sanchez couldn't score a single CL goal and spent all season dribbling in circles with his shoes tied together.

 

[darthvader7888]

Pedro had 18 yet Pedro is some jugadorazo and Pedro is a scrub???

Pedro >>>>>>>>>> Pedro

 

[Sumlit]

You can't compare Alexis's situation to Pedro's. Pedro has been quite horrible since 11-12, no improvements in his game what so ever. It's so bad that as a fan I'm really starting to think that he was a two season wonder.

With Alexis, at least he has improved somewhat this season, which is why I'm not so keen on letting him go. I don't even know how a player could go from being so great to so crap in just a season (speaking of Pedro). Really a tragedy.

Stats would say otherwise. Stats would tell you that Pedro, while not being an undisputed starter, had his best season since Barca's last UCL season.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

In no sport are stats, especially offensive ones, so misleading than they are in futbol. NFL and MLB stats are EVERYTHING. In footie, you go by stats and you are completely missing the mark. Iniesta would be worth peanuts. Saying all that, Alexis has completely disguised his flaws by scoring and assisting in La Liga this season. His incompetencies are there for all who are not turning a blind eye.

 

[darthvader7888]

Everyone clamoring for us to sell Alexis, who do you want us to replace him with? Cuadrado?

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Everyone clamoring for us to sell Alexis, who do you want us to replace him with? Cuadrado?

No. An unproven player like Pedro, Busquets and Thiago once were or perhaps a high end transfer. Sometimes in order to get ahead you have to take risks, and this is a risk worth taking seeing as we are 3+ seasons deep and face a lot of the same problems with this player.

 

[Kerrybai]

Pedro >>>>>>>>>> Pedro

Lol damn you and your quoting ! :beer2:

 

[Sumlit]

I don't care if Alexis is sold or not, I just want scoring forward on the team. Whether they keep Alexis as well, keep Pedro as well, keep one, or sell both, I care not. I just want a superior scoring option. The team IMHO is in desperate need of it.

 

[Ursegor]

Pedro's not a dribbler. He is a cut and shoot or cut and pass type of player. He is effective doing that.

Alexis dribbles are a bunch of wasted motion that almost never give positive result and end up plenty of times with him tripping on his own feet and/or getting dispossessed.

Yes, but that's not Alexis' fault. See, with Messi, Iniesta and Neymar Barca already have arguably the 3 best dribblers in the world upfront. Alves is arguably the best dribbling wingback in the world. Even Busquets beats markers with his little feints and dragbacks all the time to create space. When it comes to dribbling Barca have the best first XI in the world. Compare with Real Madrid. Di Maria ... aaaaand that's it.

Alexis actually complements the frontline very well. Messi, Neymar, Iniesta all ball-dominant creators who carry the ball forward, Alexis providing the movement and tap-ins. But there is no team structure anymore. Alexis receives the ball somewhere around the touchline 40 yards away from goal and the team is waiting for him to create something. That's not how we played 2 years ago. I recommend everyone to go to ieraHDTV's YouTube channel, he has about 50 full Barca games including countless Clasicos. Go and watch Alexis' role in 11/12 in the Bernabeu, both La Liga and Copa del Rey. Not a single time was he asked to dribble from wide positions.

First of all, this team needs to relearn the concept of ball retention again. If a frontline of Neymar-Messi-Alexis with Iniesta linking midfield and attack seems not enough then something is going horribly wrong tactically. I imagine the football pitch in 6 sections (section 1 the first 1/6 in our half , ...., section 6 the final 1/6 in the opponent's half). Nowadays we can't keep and move the ball around in section 5 and 6 anymore. Under Martino we have rushed the play for "verticalidad" and it only resulted in losing the ball in advanced areas. If we concentrate on moving the ball around in the final third again purposefully and not lumping balls out wide then Alexis can concentrate on making runs and dragging defenders away. Not trying to beat 3 defenders on his ass somewhere around the touchline.

The only major improvement over Alexis would be a physical, dedicated goalscorer like Cavani who can also play wide. Or Suarez. But neither is coming because they would cost € 60M+ minimum. Reus would be a sideway move. Alexis for Chile and Udinese is / was as good as Reus. For Dortmund Alexis would be about as good where he gets oceans of space on the break.

 

[Kerrybai]

You can't compare Alexis's situation to Pedro's. Pedro has been quite horrible since 11-12, no improvements in his game what so ever. It's so bad that as a fan I'm really starting to think that he was a two season wonder.

With Alexis, at least he has improved somewhat this season, which is why I'm not so keen on letting him go. I don't even know how a player could go from being so great to so crap in just a season (speaking of Pedro). Really a tragedy.

Again 1 goal less than Sanchez yet he's worth keeping while Pedro is utterly useless?

In no sport are stats, especially offensive ones, so misleading than they are in futbol. NFL and MLB stats are EVERYTHING. In footie, you go by stats and you are completely missing the mark. Iniesta would be worth peanuts. Saying all that, Alexis has completely disguised his flaws by scoring and assisting in La Liga this season. His incompetencies are there for all who are not turning a blind eye.

Some stats are useful though in seeing how a player is doing in new systems etc. For example the dribbling stats I posted the page before show how inefective Sanchez is at Barcelona compared to Udinese. He's a good player who just doesn't suit us and will never reach his full potential with us.

 

[Sumlit]

Yes, but that's not Alexis' fault. See, with Messi, Iniesta and Neymar Barca already have arguably the 3 best dribblers in the world upfront. Alves is arguably the best dribbling wingback in the world. Even Busquets beats markers with his little feints and dragbacks all the time to create space. When it comes to dribbling Barca have the best first XI in the world. Compare with Real Madrid. Di Maria ... aaaaand that's it.

Alexis actually complements the frontline very well. Messi, Neymar, Iniesta all ball-dominant creators who carry the ball forward, Alexis providing the movement and tap-ins. But there is no team structure anymore. Alexis receives the ball somewhere around the touchline 40 yards away from goal and the team is waiting for him to create something. That's not how we played 2 years ago. I recommend everyone to go to ieraHDTV's YouTube channel, he has about 50 full Barca games including countless Clasicos. Go and watch Alexis' role in 11/12 in the Bernabeu, both La Liga and Copa del Rey. Not a single time was he asked to dribble from wide positions.

First of all, this team needs to relearn the concept of ball retention again. If a frontline of Neymar-Messi-Alexis with Iniesta linking midfield and attack seems not enough then something is going horribly wrong tactically. I imagine the football pitch in 6 sections (section 1 the first 1/6 in our half , ...., section 6 the final 1/6 in the opponent's half). Nowadays we can't keep and move the ball around in section 5 and 6 anymore. Under Martino we have rushed the play for "verticalidad" and it only resulted in losing the ball in advanced areas. If we concentrate on moving the ball around in the final third again purposefully and not lumping balls out wide then Alexis can concentrate on making runs and dragging defenders away. Not trying to beat 3 defenders on his ass somewhere around the touchline.

The only major improvement over Alexis would be a physical, dedicated goalscorer like Cavani who can also play wide. Or Suarez. But neither is coming because they would cost € 60M+ minimum. Reus would be a sideway move. Alexis for Chile and Udinese is / was as good as Reus. For Dortmund Alexis would be about as good where he gets oceans of space on the break.

I agree with everything you just said, but the problem is, of all the players you mentioned only Messi is a reliable scorer. If Neymar was a more reliable scorer, and who know, he might be next season, then Alexis could do as you say provide the movement, work rate and tap ins. As it stands, the team NEEDS a 2nd reliable scorer, and Alexis has assumed that mantle be default, and that's the problem.

I understand with the team playing better scoring will come easier, however even while Barca might very well play a lot better, there will be games where the opponents defense will stifle and snuff the fluid play. In such games, this team needs more offensive threat from the wings because Messi is going to have a monumental task of carrying the scoring.

One of two things need to happen. Either Neymar gets better at scoring and gives you a consistent 25 goal season (and not scoring in bunches, followed by dry spells), or Barcelona needs to find another secondary reliable scorer to help out.

 

[DonAndres]

Yes, but that's not Alexis' fault. See, with Messi, Iniesta and Neymar Barca already have arguably the 3 best dribblers in the world upfront. Alves is arguably the best dribbling wingback in the world. Even Busquets beats markers with his little feints and dragbacks all the time to create space. When it comes to dribbling Barca have the best first XI in the world. Compare with Real Madrid. Di Maria ... aaaaand that's it.

Alexis actually complements the frontline very well. Messi, Neymar, Iniesta all ball-dominant creators who carry the ball forward, Alexis providing the movement and tap-ins. But there is no team structure anymore. Alexis receives the ball somewhere around the touchline 40 yards away from goal and the team is waiting for him to create something. That's not how we played 2 years ago. I recommend everyone to go to ieraHDTV's YouTube channel, he has about 50 full Barca games including countless Clasicos. Go and watch Alexis' role in 11/12 in the Bernabeu, both La Liga and Copa del Rey. Not a single time was he asked to dribble from wide positions.

First of all, this team needs to relearn the concept of ball retention again. If a frontline of Neymar-Messi-Alexis with Iniesta linking midfield and attack seems not enough then something is going horribly wrong tactically. I imagine the football pitch in 6 sections (section 1 the first 1/6 in our half , ...., section 6 the final 1/6 in the opponent's half). Nowadays we can't keep and move the ball around in section 5 and 6 anymore. Under Martino we have rushed the play for "verticalidad" and it only resulted in losing the ball in advanced areas. If we concentrate on moving the ball around in the final third again purposefully and not lumping balls out wide then Alexis can concentrate on making runs and dragging defenders away. Not trying to beat 3 defenders on his ass somewhere around the touchline.

The only major improvement over Alexis would be a physical, dedicated goalscorer like Cavani who can also play wide. Or Suarez. But neither is coming because they would cost € 60M+ minimum. Reus would be a sideway move. Alexis for Chile and Udinese is / was as good as Reus. For Dortmund Alexis would be about as good where he gets oceans of space on the break.

I agree with everything but there is one glaring weakness that Alexis has and that is composure on the ball. We don't need him to be dribbling 3-4 players with every action he takes but it's easier to unite a group of players with the philosophy of technical ball play if they're all composed on the ball. Alexis's runs and movement are unparalleled and complement our attack very well, but it'd be so much more effective if he could do that but not trip over every time he receives the ball in attacking situations under pressure.

When he is on the ball, his balance is poor and his technique awkward. That weakness inhibits him from playing well in tighter situations while attacking. That being said, even if he's not perfect he's sure as hell useful for us. He's not exactly what everyone wants him to be but he provides a lot and should be appreciated for that.

 

[Hamzah]

He is a crack and jugadorazo. You guys are mad because you're not as sexy as he is.

 

[La Furia]

He is a crack and jugadorazo. You guys are mad because you're not as sexy as he is.

Truth bomb from Hamzah.