Barca Transfers and Rumors

[Vilarrubi]

It was. But we still need to fix the midfield. Especially now, with Iniesta departing. As I said before, Messi dropping deep should be a luxury, not a rule. Right now, we only have one creative outlet in the midfield for the next season, Coutinho. We need another, in case of injury.

+1

Agree with everything especially the Messi part. We need a midfield which is dynamic and can take those risky passes forward. Glad we’ve got Coutinho to do that but we need more.

 

[serghei]

What does that have to do with not planing for the future in regards to fixing our midfield?

Just that planning for the future should be an universal theme, that doesn't end with signing some young players.

 

[Trickykid]

It was. But we still need to fix the midfield. Especially now, with Iniesta departing. As I said before, Messi dropping deep should be a luxury, not a rule. Right now, we only have one creative outlet in the midfield for the next season, Coutinho. We need another, in case of injury.

Considering EV doesn't rate Gomes and Denis and Iniesta is leaving, I think he's bound to sign for the midfield in any case.

 

[Trickykid]

Just that planning for the future should be an universal theme, that doesn't end with signing some young players.

Well yeah, of course.

 

[Joan]

I agree. Planning for the future should be a universal theme.

But I used to be much more pessimistic regarding post-Messi era before. The team will be much different then, of course, good planning is a must (which we don't really have now), same as quality scouting. Messi brings many great things to the table but at the same time, makes this team his own. Which has its benefits (coming from the fact that he's the best) but disables us to play like every other team. I think it won't be too rough.

 

[BBZ8800]

Way too much doom and gloom here. Barca post-Messi will be a different club, no question. But PSG won't be better, with higher chances of winning something?
La Liga Trophy > Ligue 1 for the next 2 decades at least. That leaves us with CL - and there we have NO IDEA whatsoever who are going to be better in 5 years.
Hell, before this season everyone thought Real would rule for the next 2-3 years - flashforward, we win the league undefeated - such predictions are very risky and will most likely be wrong.

We have a history only matched by few others, Real included of course, and therefore we will always have a pull in players, also after Messi retires.

My point is that in Pep's era: we were a NO1 team in the world.
But, times have changed since then, but in Barca's world, people still think that we are a NO1 club in the world.

No1 in the world is Real.
Bayern and Barca are behind.
Then teams like City, Juve, Psg are close.

But then, the thing is: Real is smarter in planning than us.
Bayern is smarter than us.
City is way richer.
Psg is way richer.

So, post Messi, we won't end as the new Milan, but we will drop from a No1 club in the world (Pep's era) and from a current Top3 spot to: Top 6-7-8 teams in Europe.

About La Liga Trophy, we had Messi for the past 10 years.
Before Messi (2006'), we won only 3 La Ligas in 10 years, and 0 Cls.
So, realistically, we will probably return to that level post Messi. La liga will turn into a 3 horse race.
About La Liga, Messi was 50% of our team.
Imagine our team in this season, do you think that Coutinho-Luis-Dembele, Iniesta-Raki-Busi would have won La Liga?
I have no idea.
We could have ended 1st, but also 4th. You never know.

So, my point was also: 2-3 years ago, we had the right to laugh at Verratti and say: he chosed money over trophies and football.
But today, well, it is not true anymore.
In the future, if we won't win CLs (which we can't do lately even with Messi in our team) and if a number of trophies in La liga will drop also, what exactly will you get with playing for Barca?
So, imo, we will drop to a 2nd tier of European teams.

People on our forum won't accept that for years, but look at some other examples:
Fans of Man Utd think that Man Utd is still a top3 team in the world, right? They are deluded.
Liverpool's fans think that Liverpool is always one of top3-5 teams in Europe due to their history, right? They are deluded.
Milan's fans probably think that Milan is still a European powerhouse, due to 90's. What do we think of Milan? We laugh at them, right?

My point is that our fans, the same as other fans, are overrating their club's importance in the world.
We still look at ourselves as the most famous team in the world.
And yet, we reached CL semis once in 5 years, even with Messi, lol.
Juve, AM, Bayern are all more successful than us lately.

I know, people will jump and say: BUT WE WON LA LIGA!
Again, we won't win it anymore without Messi.
It is not as if we won't win it ever again.
But with Messi in his prime, we have won it 7 times in 10 years.
Pre-Messi we won it 3 times in 10 years.

So, when we'll go back to that level: 3 La ligas in 10 years and CL quarters each season, we won't be able to laugh at Verratti anymore, who's team will win 10 ligas in 10 years and will be equally as good or better than us in a CL.

So, that sentence: he chosed money over career is not working anymore, as it used to work a few years ago.

I don't find my post as doom as gloom.
I think that we will be EXACTLY where we were before Messi.
That's 1 out of top5 or top8 teams in the world.

 

[henias]

You'd think we would have got past Chelsea without Messi? Or have a headstart in La Liga and the continuing of the glorified "unbeaten run"? Think again.

 

[Givenchy]

My point is that in Pep's era: we were a NO1 team in the world.
But, times have changed since then, but in Barca's world, people still think that we are a NO1 club in the world.

No1 in the world is Real.
Bayern and Barca are behind.
Then teams like City, Juve, Psg are close.

But then, the thing is: Real is smarter in planning than us.
Bayern is smarter than us.
City is way richer.
Psg is way richer.

So, post Messi, we won't end as the new Milan, but we will drop from a No1 club in the world (Pep's era) and from a current Top3 spot to: Top 6-7-8 teams in Europe.

About La Liga Trophy, we had Messi for the past 10 years.
Before Messi (2006'), we won only 3 La Ligas in 10 years, and 0 Cls.
So, realistically, we will probably return to that level post Messi. La liga will turn into a 3 horse race.
About La Liga, Messi was 50% of our team.
Imagine our team in this season, do you think that Coutinho-Luis-Dembele, Iniesta-Raki-Busi would have won La Liga?
I have no idea.
We could have ended 1st, but also 4th. You never know.

So, my point was also: 2-3 years ago, we had the right to laugh at Verratti and say: he chosed money over trophies and football.
But today, well, it is not true anymore.
In the future, if we won't win CLs (which we can't do lately even with Messi in our team) and if a number of trophies in La liga will drop also, what exactly will you get with playing for Barca?
So, imo, we will drop to a 2nd tier of European teams.

People on our forum won't accept that for years, but look at some other examples:
Fans of Man Utd think that Man Utd is still a top3 team in the world, right? They are deluded.
Liverpool's fans think that Liverpool is always one of top3-5 teams in Europe due to their history, right? They are deluded.
Milan's fans probably think that Milan is still a European powerhouse, due to 90's. What do we think of Milan? We laugh at them, right?

My point is that our fans, the same as other fans, are overrating their club's importance in the world.
We still look at ourselves as the most famous team in the world.
And yet, we reached CL semis once in 5 years, even with Messi, lol.
Juve, AM, Bayern are all more successful than us lately.

I know, people will jump and say: BUT WE WON LA LIGA!
Again, we won't win it anymore without Messi.
It is not as if we won't win it ever again.
But with Messi in his prime, we have won it 7 times in 10 years.
Pre-Messi we won it 3 times in 10 years.

So, when we'll go back to that level: 3 La ligas in 10 years and CL quarters each season, we won't be able to laugh at Verratti anymore, who's team will win 10 ligas in 10 years and will be equally as good or better than us in a CL.

So, that sentence: he chosed money over career is not working anymore, as it used to work a few years ago.

I don't find my post as doom as gloom.
I think that we will be EXACTLY where we were before Messi.
That's 1 out of top5 or top8 teams in the world.

not many here think were the #1 club in the world, i'd say its Madrid but all top teams right now look weaker than they did a few years ago. under Pep we had our golden generation at its peak. rarely do you have the 2 greatest midfielders of all time accompanied by the greatest player of all time. Barca will always have a huge pull for south american players and spanish players. we've seen PL fans go on and on about their teams overtaking the Spanish yet how many proven world class players are there in the PL?

the one positive of many negatives when Messi does retire is we'll have HUGE wages free'd up

 

[gregorrin10]

+1

Agree with everything especially the Messi part. We need a midfield which is dynamic and can take those risky passes forward. Glad we’ve got Coutinho to do that but we need more.

Eriksen and Arthur+Alena would do that. Talking only about the 4-3-3 formation, because it's the only way to go in my opinion. We would FINALLY sort out our midfield, possibly for years, if Arthur and Alena succeed as well. In our best lineup, Coutinho could play LW, when Eriksen would play CM/AM and Arthur/Rakitić CM/DM. While when Suarez would play, we could even play Coutinho and Eriksen together in midfield, which would be as close to Xaviesta as we'd come ever since Xavi left. Eriksen is more than capable of playing deep lying CM instead of Rakitić in that formation as well. While Alena could be rotation for CM/AM and possibly for Dembele on RW as well, since Vidal will probably (hopefully!) be sold, and we don't really have anyone else there.

This would be the perfect summer for me, even though that would mean no Griezmann (and also kinda want him to stay in Atletico to prove that loyalty is still possible and to keep La Liga as competitive as possible). And at least one (in our best formation maybe even both) Suarez and Rakitić would be benched, which they honestly deserve. They can stay as great rotation options, being one of the few class bench players, while other spots can be filled by our young guns like Alena and possibly Arnaiz even, if he were to get promoted as well. It would be the perfect balanced squad, similar to what we had under Pep or under Lucho in 2015, when Xavi and Pedro were, what Raki and Suarez would be now.

 

[Joan]

Can't sleep so watched some 2015 highlights. I can't believe this club didn't try to get proper Alves replacement. How important thazt man was, dear mine... he gave Rakitić sense, really beautiful to watch.

 

[henias]

Can't sleep so watched some 2015 highlights. I can't believe this club didn't try to get proper Alves replacement. How important thazt man was, dear mine... he gave Rakitić sense, really beautiful to watch.

Same man. Always came across some 2015 highlights and made me wonder why we took the success during that year for granted. No solid replacements, no learning from mistakes or even try to utilise space like what we did that year. That year was magical to watch, Enrique really utilise each of them to their best potential. Perfect use of Rakitic and Xavi.

 

[Ronaldinho10]

Can't sleep so watched some 2015 highlights. I can't believe this club didn't try to get proper Alves replacement. How important thazt man was, dear mine... he gave Rakitić sense, really beautiful to watch.

Very difficult to replace a player of his caliber.. He was so good for us offensivly however defensively he left a lot of gaps.. Roberto and Alba leave less.

 

[Joan]

Same man. Always came across some 2015 highlights and made me wonder why we took the success during that year for granted. No solid replacements, no learning from mistakes or even try to utilise space like what we did that year. That year was magical to watch, Enrique really utilise each of them to their best potential. Perfect use of Rakitic and Xavi.

Rakitić's long balls and his offensive contribution. Just can't use any of it here anymore. Alves was covering the wing all by himself, our main problem last season and the one before. True, Messi did his part that season but Alves was HUGE. Too bad we didn't build on that.

I often think that Raki would look much better in almost any other team.

 

[Joan]

Very difficult to replace a player of his caliber.. He was so good for us offensivly however defensively he left a lot of gaps.. Roberto and Alba leave less.

No, of course not, he's for sure one of the best RB ever, but we didn't even try to replace him. Alba, he's a FB, you can see it. His only problem is he's one-dimensional. But it's hard not to be in a team in which you can't cross.

Roberto on the other hand, he's not. And that's the side we truly need an attacking FB, a winger almost because of Messi playing it in the middle of the pitch. It could've given sense to our right side again.

 

[BarçaBarça]

I have a hard time imagining a more entitled fan base than this forum.

Having been a fan for the past 30 odd years, you get to accept the fact there will be highs and lows, and losing Messi will most definitely see us entering a slump of some sort. We won't do an AC Milan, though, despite plenty morons in here having predicted that ever since Pep left.

And no, we won't lose much pull when Messi retires. Hell, people have been crying about us not being able to attract attackers exactly because of Messi's dominating presence
The notion that the footballing world suddenly believes you can't make a career here anymore is god damned moronic, to put it mildly.

Sometimes you get the feeling that 2 years in a row with 3rd place would lose half of our fanbase here on this forum, because people would be too embarrassed to support a team who could perform like that. I know a lot is very level-headed as well, but the extremes on the spectrum surely are loud.