Barça's Transfers and Rumors

[KhaledBarca]

So now md is saying we'll offer 15m + Afellay to Valencia for Mathieu?

better than paying 20m! I like Afellay and he wasn't lucky with injuries but I don't think we can get 5m for him now! so not the worst deal!

 

[darthvader7888]

15m + Afellay? It's md, so it's probably BS, but it'd be a lot better than 20m + tax.

 

[Barcilliant]

Montoya is good. Heard reports about him slacking in training though.

Mentioned it before but Mascherano could be a decent rb.

 

[Barcilliant]

The actual cb isn't even the main issue. We won the CL with Masch back there. It's about the pressing in front which is non existent recently and leaves our back line exposed to the counter attack.

EXACTLY!

And Suarez is the only one of the front 3 who will consistently press. Neymar and Messi are lazy in this aspect.

 

[Barcilliant]

If Mathieu's our only CB signing, we'll only have 1 world class CB (and only 3 CBs overall). Madrid, as a comparison, have 3.

Who is world class? Pique used to be but not anymore.

 

[DonAK]

Gerard Piqué i Bernabeu.

 

[jackraiden15]

Piquebauer is not WC anymore with this shiet form

 

[DonAK]

If recent form is the deciding factor of judging whether a player is World Class or not then many players who were adjudged to be WC, are not anymore.

 

[Androutsos]

No one can be a WC CB if the system lets them down. We all think that Thiago Silva is WC but he looked average in the WC bar one game.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

^
^^ Fair statements.

 

[sabby]

Why is Hummels is being touted as an alternative ? He is just 25 yrs old which means he has at least 7-8 good years unless he has a major injury. The only reason could be that the board knows he is unavailable and just throwing his name so that they can say they tried other options when Marcos was not available and couldn't get him at the end.


I think the reason Lucho wants (if he indeed does) Matheiu is that he is a CB/LB combo ala Abidal and so we can move to 3-4-1-2 as we used in pep's era. Only this time, we will have a proper CB instead of Bussquet covering. Maybe Something like this :

------Neymer/Pedro--------Suarez---------
---------------------Messi-----------------
---------Iniesta------------Rakitic----------
-----------------Bussquets----------------
---------------Mascherano----------------
-----Mathieu-----Pique/CB-------Bartra/CB--

Alba instead of mascherano when we need more width/attack. Against avg/lower team, the back line would be Alba - two of Pique/Mathieu/Bartra/CB - Montoya/Alves with Bossquets/Mascherano rotating at DM.

This actually looks rather good. With a solid 3 line defense and Mascherano as defensive screen, Bossquets at his typical creative DM role, opponents gonna have tough time penetrating our box. Meanwhile with the Ney/Messi/Suarez/Iniesta/Rakitic will keep their defenders/wingback/midfielders very very busy wrecking havoc.

The only scenario where this needs to change is against Real who had the best attack after Barca. Then Montoya/Alves instead of Rakitic for more depth in defense and to contain Ronaldo/Bale.

 

[Ini8]

Barcelona plan to sign three more players this summer. Mathieu, Marquinhos and Cuadrado are the main options. [sport]

Just forget about Cuadrado already!

 

[Egert]

Tottenham have told Jan Vertonghen (27) he will not be sold to Barcelona this summer. They will offer him an improved contract. [mirror]
Barcelona offer 15M plus attacker Ibrahim Afellay (28) for Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu (30). [md]
Nuno (coach Valencia): "Barça-Mathieu? He told me you get such chance at 22, he's getting it at 31. If Barça offer 20M, we'll decide" [cope]

We even can't get Mathieu They don't need Afellay I think, they just want 20M.

 

[zanela]

Barcelona offer 15M plus attacker Ibrahim Afellay (28) for Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu (30). [md]

I'm glad the board is taking my proposal from few days ago seriously.

The above offer should benefit all parties concerned.

 

[Lomar1o]

please don't buy cuadrado, please