Arturo Vidal

[messi2140]

We will have an actual bench now, I don't see what is here to complain about.

Maybe there is the issue on who will sit on the bench

 

[DonAndres]

Think the point is more geared toward the idea that Real are set for years and have fantastic youngsters ready to replace established stars in squad.

They dont to anywhere near the extent as some make out.

If they get top class attackers or the prospects they have right now (Asensio and Vinicius) make it then I don't see why they wouldn't be a top team. There is 0 debate that the attack needs to rebuild over at least a few years to make up for the loss of Ronaldo.

The established youngsters (the ones in midfield and the backline) are thoroughly proven though and it makes little sense to assume they won't be class anymore.

 

[serghei]

We've played bad (didn't score) in away CL quarter/semifinal games when we were eliminated in 6 of the last 7 seasons with only exception being treble season.

2011/12 - 1/2 final Chelsea 1-0 (coach: Pep)
2012/13 - 1/2 final Bayern 3-0 (Tito)
2013/14 - 1/4 final Atletico 1-0 (Tata)
2015/16 - 1/4 final Atletico 2-0 (Lucho)
2016/17 - 1/4 final Juve 3-0 (Lucho)
2017/18 - 1/4 final Roma 3-0 (EV)

We've had 5 different coaches in those games. Yes, they've made their own share of mistakes and we've played better in some games than the others but I think it's fair to say our senior players who have been part of the team in most if not all of those games (Messi, Busi, Pique, Alba,...) should also take their responsibility for that. (But people will continue to blame stupid coaches or fringe players like Gomes or Paulinho who have played 10 or 15 minutes in those games instead of saying something bad about fan favourites). And it's clear they don't lack quality or experience to win the CL so it has to be their mentality.

For sure. It's both the managers and the senior players who have been utterly unprofessional. Last season and the season before that they embarassed the club in CL.

 

[Icarium]

We've played bad (didn't score) in away CL quarter/semifinal games when we were eliminated in 6 of the last 7 seasons with only exception being treble season.

2011/12 - 1/2 final Chelsea 1-0 (coach: Pep)
2012/13 - 1/2 final Bayern 3-0 (Tito)
2013/14 - 1/4 final Atletico 1-0 (Tata)
2015/16 - 1/4 final Atletico 2-0 (Lucho)
2016/17 - 1/4 final Juve 3-0 (Lucho)
2017/18 - 1/4 final Roma 3-0 (EV)

We've had 5 different coaches in those games. Yes, they've made their own share of mistakes and we've played better in some games than the others but I think it's fair to say our senior players who have been part of the team in most if not all of those games (Messi, Busi, Pique, Alba,...) should also take their responsibility for that. (But people will continue to blame stupid coaches or fringe players like Gomes or Paulinho who have played 10 or 15 minutes in those games instead of saying something bad about fan favourites). And it's clear they don't lack quality or experience to win the CL so it has to be their mentality.

Calling them mentally weak is still harsh imo, lot of factors come in picture in winning a CL. Madrid were able to do it last 3 seasons because they played it smartly and had a much better midfield. I agree that players also need to share the blame and need to improve on, but these are the same guys who have put in lot of fight and won everything.

 

[Donauwelle]

Vidal has played for Pep. He has drastically improved his tactical IQ under him. I have no worries that he will adapt to Barca easily given that he's played for Pep's Bayern with more or less the same principles. He is good technically, certainly better than Paulinho. His downsides are poor discipline and injury proneness.

He is not injury prone. He had an injury in April that took him out of the last weeks of the season. Before he did not miss more than 1 or 2 matches in a row since years. And Bayern was already overcrowded in midfield last season so any little bugger was an "injury"...

Ancelotti had Martinez in defense and Müller + James ideally in an Xmastree-formation. Heynckes had them all in midfield - often playing this 3 together...
Right now Bayern has Tolisso (who developed great), Sanches (who seems to have his self confidence back and is Kovac's project), Goretzka (I do not understand this transfer but he was for free), Rudy, Martinez, Thiago, Vidal, James and Müller for three positions in midfield.

Vidal is the greatest of the more box-to-box-players for his fighting spirit - he is the guy you want to go into war with. But ability wise the others have great potential, too.

With a strong coach Vidal's discipline is not a problem. There was one or two things that happened in Chile during his time at Bayern and a story in which one of his friends did not "behave" in a disco in Munich.

Right now Bayern has to get rid of atleast 2 of the midfield players - Vidal is 31 and his contract runs out next season, there is similar players...

He was great for us. Some of us critizised him for his lack of concentration in some of the smaller matches but that is it. If there would not be the problem with the overcrowded midfield I would not understand that they let him go.

 

[Icarium]

Think the point is more geared toward the idea that Real are set for years and have fantastic youngsters ready to replace established stars in squad.

They dont to anywhere near the extent as some make out.

I don't see this as popular opinion actually, everyone is expecting Madrid to splash some big money next season. Their main targets (Hazard, Kane, Neymar and Mbappe) are not coming cheap so they are waiting.

 

[JamDav1982]

If they get top class attackers or the prospects they have right now (Asensio and Vinicius) make it then I don't see why they wouldn't be a top team. There is 0 debate that the attack needs to rebuild over at least a few years to make up for the loss of Ronaldo.

The established youngsters (the ones in midfield and the backline) are thoroughly proven though and it makes little sense to assume they won't be class anymore.

Asensio is decent but still up in air how good he will be as with Vinicius.

Varane and to lesser extent Carvajal are proven as top players. The rest of them not really.

 

[Devils]

We got outplayed with Paulinho on the pitch too. In fact our best CL performance came with Dembele on the pitch in the home leg vs Chelsea. We might lack some physicality from time to time, but what Barca ultimately lack is competence. Ball movement forward, creativity, mobility. Vidal might bring mobility, but not much creativity or ball movement forward. So the same problems exist. Coutinho in place of Iniesta will probably help a lot, but we need Rakitic to step up or vacate his starting spot. I get that people were in awe of him playing his DM role last season, but we have little creativity when he does that. We need more from our midfielders. Cannot rely on Messi and Coutinho to do everything, especially when Suarez is a bum in the CL having scored 4 times in his last 20 games. Guy went from being a fighter to strolling around and doing dumb shit like playing a dummy with no one behind him.

We've been losing because of the lack of competence, creativity and mobility.

In Rome? Paulinho didn't play in Rome.

We're going to add more creativity and movement into the team, might not be exactly through midfield but also on the wings with Malcom, Dembele and Semedo on the flanks and also having Coutinho, Arthur and if the rumors are true Roberto in the midfield.

That's a lot more creativity and movement in our team than last season or even the season before when our midfield was Rakitic/Busi/Iniesta while some of the creative play came from Neymar as well. Last season it was all Messi which was a joke.

 

[BBZ8800]

Reddit Madridistas are adamant that Kovacic will step up.

Kovacic will never step up since he doesn't have that personality, he is a supportive midfielder and not a leader.

Tell those guys that they are newbs.

 

[DonAndres]

Asensio is decent but still up in air how good he will be as with Vinicius.

Varane and to lesser extent Carvajal are proven as top players. The rest of them not really.

If Asensio and/or Vinicius (and Rodrygo) don't succeed they'll end up splashing on high profile guys like Mbappe/Neymar/Hazard or a cheaper guy like Werner.

Casemiro and Isco have had significant impact on their CL success. Kovacic has shown very good potential too but yet to prove it as a starter.

 

[Joan]

In all honesty, wouldn't mind Madrid building a team around Kovačić, Isco and Asensio. They do have promising youngsters, but they'll need to splash big. I believe they would if it wasn't for their targets being unavailable.

 

[BarçaBarça]

I would be fine with this signing. We need depth, and it was clear what Paulinho brought last year - Vidal can do the same.

 

[BBZ8800]

[tw]1025054832292495361[/tw]

If true, 20M is an awesome deal even for haters.

 

[JamDav1982]

If Asensio and/or Vinicius (and Rodrygo) don't succeed they'll end up splashing on high profile guys like Mbappe/Neymar/Hazard or a cheaper guy like Werner.

Casemiro and Isco have had significant impact on their CL success. Kovacic has shown very good potential too but yet to prove it as a starter.

Clearly they will spend if those players dont succeed.

Pushing it really if considering Isco is a youngster. Same with Carvajal and Varane.

They are already part of the team that won those CLs so not really one of those that are being spoken of as needing replaced in coming years anyway.

Kovacic not anywhere near good enough to be starting midfielder at Real for me.

 

[Givenchy]

our board have stepped up this summer, gotta admit..