Antoine Griezmann

[DonAK]

God forbid anyone criticizes Suarez when he doesn't press like he used to do, covers less distance and walks more, cannot control the ball and wastes more chances than ever.

I guess we should bury our heads in the sand and forget everything after he played well tonight.

Go and join a cult.

 

[Givenchy]

we should pass on this one. don't get me wrong he'd improve us instantly but Suarez is going nowhere and if Griezmann means we loan Dembele, Barto can go fuck himself

 

[DonAK]

Offer Atletico Dembele in exchange for Griezmann and sign a couple of midfielders.

Difficult to see Dembele having an impact here while Griezmann would as he won't need any developing or a manager to put him in a position to succeed like Klopp has done with Mane, Firmino and Pep with Sane, Jesus, Sterling + Zidane with Isco, Asensio, Vasquez, etc.

Not ideal, but I don't see Dembele succeeding unless you have a manager good with young talent like the aforementioned. So might as well do something good with a strange situation. Not paying 100m for Griezmann and use that money + that from sales on two midfielders or a WC MF + a CB.

 

[Felipetonelo]

Why does Dembele needs to leave if Griezmann comes? Barca could rotate Messi, Suarez, Griezmann and Dembele and have them fresh to play CL/La Liga.

 

[Dan1983]

Offer Atletico Dembele in exchange for Griezmann and sign a couple of midfielders.

Difficult to see Dembele having an impact here while Griezmann would as he won't need any developing or a manager to put him in a position to succeed like Klopp has done with Mane, Firmino and Pep with Sane, Jesus, Sterling + Zidane with Isco, Asensio, Vasquez, etc.

Not ideal, but I don't see Dembele succeeding unless you have a manager good with young talent like the aforementioned. So might as well do something good with a strange situation. Not paying 100m for Griezmann and use that money + that from sales on two midfielders or a WC MF + a CB.

Why?

 

[DonAK]

Why does Dembele needs to leave if Griezmann comes? Barca could rotate Messi, Suarez, Griezmann and Dembele and have them fresh to play CL/La Liga.

Because Messi and Suarez won't get rotated as you need someone like Zidane at Real Madrid, a legendary figure that every player respects and knows they cannot fuck with, to make that happen. With all due respect to Valverde, he barely featured for Barca so not in that position. Also with Griezmann joining and even Coutinho able to function in the attack, Dembele will be limited to fodder minutes and the likelihood of him making an impact without proper guidance or talent developing is close to zero.

So might as well keep those 100 millions if possible(prob unlikely) and spend that on a WC MF or two or a WC MF + a CB.

Won't lose more value on Dembele and we'll be able to strengthen some positions we really need to improve.

Obviously it would suck if it comes back to bite us in the ass if he goes on to De Bruyne or Salah us in the future which could well happen, but there's nothing we can do about that. Have to play with the cards dealt to you.

Why?

Answer here.

 

[Felipetonelo]

Because Messi and Suarez won't get rotated as you need someone like Zidane at Real Madrid, a legendary figure that every player respects and knows they cannot fuck with, to make that happen. With all due respect to Valverde, he barely featured for Barca so not in that position. Also with Griezmann joining and even Coutinho able to function in the attack, Dembele will be limited to fodder minutes and the likelihood of him making an impact without proper guidance or talent developing is close to zero.

So might as well keep those 100 millions if possible(prob unlikely) and spend that on a WC MF or two or a WC MF + a CB.

Won't lose more value on Dembele and we'll be able to strengthen some positions we really need to improve.

Obviously it would suck if it comes back to bite us in the ass if he goes on to De Bruyne or Salah us in the future which could well happen, but there's nothing we can do about that. Have to play with the cards dealt to you.

I agree with you in many things, but wouldn't be easier if Barca tell Valverde to go play Football Manager and bring a new coach who can rotate the squad, rest before CL games, develop youth players?

I mean, we keep thinking about bringing new world class players but then we have a coach who doesn't like these players and will keep them warming the bench most of the season, or this same coach who plays some guys out of their best position.

But yeah, you have really good thoughts, it wouldn't be bad to spend this 100m on a MF or CB, or both.

 

[DonAK]

I agree with you in many things, but wouldn't be easier if Barca tell Valverde to go play Football Manager and bring a new coach who can rotate the squad, rest before CL games, develop youth players?

I mean, we keep thinking about bringing new world class players but then we have a coach who doesn't like these players and will keep them warming the bench most of the season, or this same coach who plays some guys out of their best position.

But yeah, you have really good thoughts, it wouldn't be bad to spend this 100m on a MF or CB, or both.

It's not easy to get managers like that. Even the ones available are kinda unproven and Valverde has won a domestic double and will likely win the league unbeaten. He'll get another season, possibly even two.

I tend to believe you need people with vision and a plan for both the present and future, and you do that by sticking to your guns, to your traditions. You can obviously have some alterations to it depending on the era you are in. Like Barca could play with a tall striker as a Plan B option or play faster and more on the counter if the situation calls for it, or play with some physical players as long as they're good technically, no problem, but sticking to what made this club so great is how it should be done, but this club strayed far away from that.

You don't just need the manager, but also your President, Directors, Board, Sport Management, all of them to share a similar vision and plan.

The squad planning have been piss poor for years.

I would really like Valverde to have a long-term plan too and play players in their position, rest some players when needed and more, but the truth is that he's battling for his job every week and will keep to the safe approach. He's just not that type of a manager that will try to shape a team, and he's most likely not backed properly either.

We just have to accept what we got and try to improve this squad even if it costs us long-term.

At least we can improve the team right now and short-term the next 2-3 years instead of losing out on both.

All our competitors will improve and we should do the same. The squad have some holes to fill in.

 

[Felipetonelo]

It's not easy to get managers like that. Even the ones available are kinda unproven and Valverde has won a domestic double and will likely win the league unbeaten. He'll get another season, possibly even two.

I tend to believe you need people with vision and a plan for both the present and future, and you do that by sticking to your guns, to your traditions. You can obviously have some alterations to it depending on the era you are in. Like Barca could play with a tall striker as a Plan B option or play faster and more on the counter if the situation calls for it, or play with some physical players as long as they're good technically, no problem, but sticking to what made this club so great is how it should be done, but this club strayed far away from that.

You don't just need the manager, but also your President, Directors, Board, Sport Management, all of them to share a similar vision and plan.

The squad planning have been piss poor for years.

I would really like Valverde to have a long-term plan too and play players in their position, rest some players when needed and more, but the truth is that he's battling for his job every week and will keep to the safe approach. He's just not that type of a manager that will try to shape a team, and he's most likely not backed properly either.

We just have to accept what we got and try to improve this squad even if it costs us long-term.

At least we can improve the team right now and short-term the next 2-3 years instead of losing out on both.

All our competitors will improve and we should do the same. The squad have some holes to fill in.

Not criticizing Valverde considering what he has done, his results are great no doubt. But I don't think is that hard to think about future because we do that everyday. He could do things to improve the team now, and it would improve the team in long term.

Playing Coutinho in his best position would massive improve Barca in the present and maybe would slowly prepare him to take Messi's position in the future. The same for Dembele. We could develop him in a good squad player in 3/4 months so he can help the team next season and at the same time develop him to be a WC in the future. I know this isn't easy to just go and do it. But if Valverde was at least trying nobody would complain.

I don't want to talk about new guys coming because I don't know if Valverde has the power to choose someone or he just plays what he receives.
As you said, Valverde is playing safe and thinking about the team now, to keep his job. However, thinking a step ahead would make his job easier in my opinion plus he would get more support from everyone.

Now I think we're leaving Griezmann's chat But it was good to see your point of view, Don.

 

[kollegah]

Our attack should be:

Messi: false 9
Griezmann: inverted right forward
Coutinho: inverted left wing

Busquets-Rakitic-Pleasesignsomewcmidfielder

 

[Neymessi]

Loaning dembo is defnitely a bad idea. All 4 can play together and suarez will be benched not all the time half the time and considering his age it wouldn't be a bad idea and even suarez would understand that.

 

[ebieymjunior]

Rakitic/Arthur - Busquets - Countinho
Dembélé - Messi - Griezmann

 

[Porque]

It is a bit like the signing of Henry where we had Henry, Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi in 2007/2008. It's an opportunity of the market but perhaps not a market in the opportunity.

Remember that season Rijkaard struggled to fit the Quartet into the 11 and Barcelona ultimately finished 3rd and went out in CDR and CL in the Semi. A year later Pep cast off Ronaldinho and Deco (Keita for depth) without first 11 replacements giving us more balance.

If Valverde doesn't have a strong and clear squad management plan (and this season gave no suggestion that he did) I can see him trying to play Messi-Suarez-Griezmann-Countinho all season, marginalising Dembele and us ending with a completely unbalanced 11 and no success.

Obviously Suarez is much more disciplined than Ronaldinho and will be an effective squad option up until his mid thirties. A Griezmann transfer can make sense as it gives a natural succession plan for Suarez who is 31 and phasing him out over the next few seasons. Think Larsson until China comes calling.

Basically, what I am saying is that we need the right chef. Is that guy Valverde?

 

[Barcilliant]

It is a bit like the signing of Henry where we had Henry, Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi in 2007/2008. It's an opportunity of the market but perhaps not a market in the opportunity.

Remember that season Rijkaard struggled to fit the Quartet into the 11 and Barcelona ultimately finished 3rd and went out in CDR and CL in the Semi. A year later Pep cast off Ronaldinho and Deco (Keita for depth) without first 11 replacements giving us more balance.

If Valverde doesn't have a strong and clear squad management plan (and this season gave no suggestion that he did) I can see him trying to play Messi-Suarez-Griezmann-Countinho all season, marginalising Dembele and us ending with a completely unbalanced 11 and no success.

Obviously Suarez is much more disciplined than Ronaldinho and will be an effective squad option up until his mid thirties. A Griezmann transfer can make sense as it gives a natural succession plan for Suarez who is 31 and phasing him out over the next few seasons. Think Larsson until China comes calling.

Basically, what I am saying is that we need the right chef. Is that guy Valverde?

No way is Valverde the right man for Barca. Trying to shoe horn all that offensive talent would be a headache for the best of managers.

 

[George_Costanza]

It is a bit like the signing of Henry where we had Henry, Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi in 2007/2008. It's an opportunity of the market but perhaps not a market in the opportunity.

Remember that season Rijkaard struggled to fit the Quartet into the 11 and Barcelona ultimately finished 3rd and went out in CDR and CL in the Semi. A year later Pep cast off Ronaldinho and Deco (Keita for depth) without first 11 replacements giving us more balance.

If Valverde doesn't have a strong and clear squad management plan (and this season gave no suggestion that he did) I can see him trying to play Messi-Suarez-Griezmann-Countinho all season, marginalising Dembele and us ending with a completely unbalanced 11 and no success.

Obviously Suarez is much more disciplined than Ronaldinho and will be an effective squad option up until his mid thirties. A Griezmann transfer can make sense as it gives a natural succession plan for Suarez who is 31 and phasing him out over the next few seasons. Think Larsson until China comes calling.

Basically, what I am saying is that we need the right chef. Is that guy Valverde?

A film studio is hiring actors before even talking to the movie director and screenplay writer.

The director they choose for this epic blockbuster movie has made only documentaries before, so he has no experience on how to handle mega-budget movie and megastars.