André Gomes

[serghei]

Yes, most teams aren't sitting deep. They're using high pressure, which is this current Barça biggest weakness. The best games Barça had this season were against the teams that sat deep and waited. In the games that were a loss or a draw, or even a narrow win, the other team applied pressure in the midfield, that is this Barça's biggest weakness. This also make few balls get to MSN.

You're missing the home games. Malaga didn't sit deep? Alaves didn't sit deep? Atletico didn't sit deep?

 

[JasonVon]

I'll agree on something that has been said on this some pages before, the lack of results against teams that sit deep is related to the fact that the 3 forwards aren't only a piece of the puzzle but the key of the puzzle. It's easier to nullify a team when it's three best players are also the team's best creators, scorers and assist-makers, in comparison to a time when the CM duo could create too, as it's the case with the team's DD at the time. Barcelona seems to have more firepower at the front, but that goal-threat is focused on 3 players instead of the (almost) whole team as it used to.

 

[FlaFCB]

You're missing the home games. Malaga didn't sit deep? Alaves didn't sit deep? Atletico didn't sit deep?

Alaves in the game they won? No, they didn't. Atletico in the cdr didn't either. I guess you're mixing up playing defensively while pressuring with sitting deep. It's not the same thing.

 

[serghei]

Alaves in the game they won? No, they didn't. Atletico in the cdr didn't either. I guess you're mixing up playing defensively while pressuring with sitting deep. It's not the same thing.

Not at all. You can sit deep and still apply pressure. This is what Atletico does. Not in the Copa del Rey obviously, since they needed to score two and had to attack.

 

[FlaFCB]

Not at all. You can sit deep and still apply pressure. This is what Atletico does. Not in the Copa del Rey obviously, since they needed to score two and had to attack.

No, parking the bus it's what alaves did today. Playing with high pressure is different. You can't sit 2 lines of 4 close to the box and still press the opponent's half.

 

[serghei]

No, parking the bus it's what alaves did today. Playing with high pressure is different. You can't sit 2 lines of 4 close to the box and still press the opponent's half.

Atletico didn't press us in our half except for rare periods in the game. Speaking about La Liga. Alaves the same. Malaga even less so. What you say is certainly the case for Sevilla, Celta, Bilbao, Sociedad games. But less so for our home games in La Liga. Teams play us differently on Camp Nou, and are much less courageous.

 

[BBZ8800]

Man, it's as if Gomes is better than any La Masia failure we've ever had, the way you see serghei defending him. I don't even think he's much better here than JDS was, honestly.

There is a difference between Roberto/Denis/Rafinha and Gomes.

Gomes:
Barca: not a Barca fit (let's say)
Juventus or some other teams: he can be a starter

Rafinha/Denis/Roberto:
Barca: squad level players
Juventus: squad level players, or more likely, other top teams will never buy them

So, In Barca's system Gomes may seem as equal to Rafinha/Roberto, since he is not a good fit YET.
But move these players to other big teams, and Gomes will be the only one who will play in some big teams.
Imagine Rafinha being starter for Bayern/Juventus or Real...

That's the difference between them.
Gomes has the potential to be a world class midfielder in some big teams.
Other guys can be only squad players here or starters in Celta, Villareal and similar.

 

[xavi_the_Boss]

I´m pretty sure Alaves didn´t press us when we lost to them.They had 5 at the back for the most part.

 

[serghei]

There is a difference between Roberto/Denis/Rafinha and Gomes.

Gomes:
Barca: not a Barca fit (let's say)
Juventus or some other teams: he can be a starter

Rafinha/Denis/Roberto:
Barca: squad level players
Juventus: squad level players, or more likely, other top teams will never buy them

So, In Barca's system Gomes may seem as equal to Rafinha/Roberto, since he is not a good fit YET.
But move these players to other big teams, and Gomes will be the only one who will play in some big teams.
Imagine Rafinha being starter for Bayern/Juventus or Real...

That's the difference between them.
Gomes has the potential to be a world class midfielder in some big teams.
Other guys can be only squad players here or starters in Celta, Villareal and similar.

True. It ties to what I said about players stylistically being right for Barca style (from Pep days, because I don't think that was our style in every season), but not quality wise.

 

[FlaFCB]

Atletico didn't press us in our half except for rare periods in the game. Speaking about La Liga. Alaves the same. Malaga even less so.

Atletico did in the cdr. And in all games Barça lost, that's how the opponent played. Celta, City, Bilbao and Alaves at home. Most of the draws too. Sociedad, Villarreal, Betis.

In some matches the players got tired and Barça scrapped a win, but it's this team's biggest weakness. They can't deal with a team that pressure well, and Barça is often dominated.

 

[serghei]

Atletico did in the cdr. And in all games Barça lost, that's how the opponent played. Celta, City, Bilbao and Alaves at home. Most of the draws too. Sociedad, Villarreal, Betis.

In some matches the players got tired and Barça scrapped a win, but it's this team's biggest weakness. They can't deal with a team that pressure well, and Barça is often dominated.

I agree it's our biggest weakness, and that we need to find a way to get past that pressing. A lot of the time there is space to be found behind that line of pressing for the opponent, and long balls should be seen as an option imo., either from Stegen or any of the back 4. I noticed Mascherano has a great long ball, that we can use to our advantage, to penalize teams that are too daring.

 

[Co0ter]

It worked very well in 2014-15. Style was different, and worked like a charm. Also worked last season overall, since a double and some other trophies, including a CWC is a great achievement. This season looks like it will be the worst of the 3, but Lucho at Barcelona is a sucess, and quite a big one so far.

I don't think success had much to do with Lucho, honestly. Give some random semi pro coach Messi, Suarez and Neymar and a ton of money and I think he'd do quite well also.

I'm not exaggerating either. Lucho's tactics were never brilliant and never adjusted according to game progression. He's also terrible at making subs. Not to mention the majority of his signings not only didn't work out...but he bought players that dont even have the best traits for the style of football he's been trying to play in the first place.

I almost entirely base our success on our players.

 

[Potroh]

He's known for being something we in Portugal call a " falso lento" or a " fake slow", because indeed he's not fast without the ball but seems faster with it with it's ball control.

A "fake slow"? Wow, that's a good invention!
I'm curious what folks would find for him if he was a swimmer...

 

[FlaFCB]

I agree it's our biggest weakness, and that we need to find a way to get past that pressing. A lot of the time there is space to be found behind that line of pressing for the opponent, and long balls should be seen as an option imo., either from Stegen or any of the back 4. I noticed Mascherano has a great long ball, that we can use to our advantage, to penalize teams that are too daring.

We need to stop bypassing the midfield. To go back to controlling the game there, not giving up the ball, or using too many long balls. Sometimes long balls can be useful, but not all the time. This team lack balance.

 

[DonAK]

Oh great. This guy is back again. Thought he was gone for good.