Neymessi
Active member
Whatever dude.Some of you barca fans are hard too satisfy.Cesc has the highest assists I think in Europe.He is a brilliant player.Would pick cesc over gundogan any day.
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Whatever dude.Some of you barca fans are hard too satisfy.Cesc has the highest assists I think in Europe.He is a brilliant player.Would pick cesc over gundogan any day.
Trickykid
Active member
No need to get your panties in a knot, dude. I never said I was one of them, did I?
Sumlit
San Claudio Bravo
Why does one have to leave for the other to come?
Cesc is a talented footballer but he is not without flaws, and if there is something he has proven beyond a doubt since arriving at Barca, is that he is an inconsistent performer from game to game, and from first half of seasons to second.
Furthermore, Cesc's most efficient position is of attacking mid, yet people would rather pigeonhole him to a less efficient role, rather than bring a new player who is a better fit for that particular role? Makes no sense.
Keep Cesc, rotate with Iniesta in the advance midfield role. Get Gundogan, rotate with Xavi in the deep lying playmaker role. It isn't rocket science.
ceefoo
New member
Mascherano despite all the abuse he gets (myself included) has been a good servant to the club and certainly been a more effective signing than Song. It's not Mascherano's fault he is being played out of position and he tries his best, but one of them HAS to leave this summer and if it turns out to be Masche at least that takes away the option of him at CB.
True, Porto will shaft us something chronic for Mangala.
Midfield is one of our strongest areas of the field, I am more than comfortable with our depth here.
It's disconcerting to lose so many leaders as you point out. True leadership cannot be underestimated, especially when the going gets tough.
Whichever CB(s) we sign, he surely has to be an improvement on what we currently have. I don't include David Luiz btw.
raskolnikov
Well-known member
Barcelona will hold renewal talks with Jose Manuel Pinto (38) after cup final. Everything indicates he'll continue for another year. [sport]
This is one of Barca's problems, they never make necesary changes and cling too long on players that are past their best.
Sure Pinto is a capable guy and the players like him but is it smart to have a 39 year old next season as a back up for new goalie Ter Stegen, current situation is bad enough as it is. Atleast make him third goalie or keeper trainer.
You just know we will be playing Xavi at amf till he is 42 stubbornly refusing to make needed changes out of loyalty and nostalgia.
This is one of Barca's problems, they never make necesary changes and cling too long on players that are past their best.
Sure Pinto is a capable guy and the players like him but is it smart to have a 39 year old next season as a back up for new goalie Ter Stegen, current situation is bad enough as it is. Atleast make him third goalie or keeper trainer.
You just know we will be playing Xavi at amf till he is 42 stubbornly refusing to make needed changes out of loyalty and nostalgia.
Sumlit
San Claudio Bravo
It puzzles me how people can continue to say this. This statement is no longer true. Might have been true two seasons ago, but no longer. The midfield has deteriorated significantly. The proof is in the pudding. Big games requires the sacrifice of a forward for a midfielder to retain superiority and efficiency.
What makes this midfield strong and deep? It has an old Xavi, an inconsistent Cesc, an Iniesta who is awesome but lets face it, a little injury prone, and Busquets. Where is the depth? Song? Roberto?
Barca's midfield has lost a step (mainly Xavi, and the man to supposedly replace him, Cesc, is very inconsistent) and has terrible depth.
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beautifulgame
Guest
WRONG.
forward line is strongest. midfield is bad need of repair along with CB position.
but continue being backwards and thinking our forward line is a problem barcaforums.
forward line is strongest. midfield is bad need of repair along with CB position.
but continue being backwards and thinking our forward line is a problem barcaforums.
Sumlit
San Claudio Bravo
For all those who think Gundogan, if healthy, cannot fill that Xavi role, they should take a look at this video. Gundogan playing the CM role and spraying nasty passes all over the place.
I like the play at minute 1:52, Gundogan picking the pocket of Yaya and dribbling forward, passing, and keeps running to make himself available to receive service back. That play is very, very reminiscent of a younger Xavi at the Bernabeu for Barca's 6-2 win over Madrid, when he picks the pocket of Lass Diarra, passes to Messi, and keeps running to make himself available for Messi to pass. Messi converts the goal on his own, but those plays are very similar.
I like the play at minute 1:52, Gundogan picking the pocket of Yaya and dribbling forward, passing, and keeps running to make himself available to receive service back. That play is very, very reminiscent of a younger Xavi at the Bernabeu for Barca's 6-2 win over Madrid, when he picks the pocket of Lass Diarra, passes to Messi, and keeps running to make himself available for Messi to pass. Messi converts the goal on his own, but those plays are very similar.
This video convinces me on gundogan, but it also has convinced me that we should've bought gotze. Proven in europe, is similar to iniesta/messi and we see how well they play on the wings, and cheap as hell at 37 mill.
ceefoo
New member
Chel$ki have 41 year old Mark Schwarzer as their No.2.
Admittedly, Pinto IS past his best, however he knows the clubs style and it would probably be a bonus for the new recruit ter Stegen, to have someone here with his experience to help guide through his first season.
When I said depth, I really meant numbers. I prefer a small squad. The only position we have real depth in are on the Wings, and possibly Defensive Midfield if you include Song & Mascherano.
But regarding your take on our "midfield deterioration" -which I don't believe is due to the personnel, but rather the tactics Tata has imposed on the team to the detriment of our midfielders. The instruction whenever we recover the ball in our half to immediately look to hit the point man is what's caused us so many problems this season, and it's only now (fingers-crossed) that Tata is starting to realise this tactic is not playing to our strengths. Xavi, nor Iniesta, nor Fabregas are box-to-box midfielders, yet they are being asked to play as such. It's one of the main reasons why the possession stats are so low and we have not had the control in midfield we are used to seeing.
Xavi - Even at 34 years old is STILL one of the best orchestrators of a Midfield around.
Iniesta - Would get into ANY teams starting XI. I include Bayern.
Fabregas - He would get into MOST teams in the world. One of the best attacking/creative Midfielders around.
Busquets - A World-Class Defensive Midfielder.
Song - He's not Barca regular starter material, but still a capable back-up and was a key player in the Arsenal Midfield that saw them finish Top Four every season.
Roberto - Not everyones cup-of-tea, but he's still young and developing. Definitely good enough to play against 60% of La Liga teams with 2 of the other first-choice Midfield alongside him.
Okay, so we don't have huge depth throughout our squad like Real Madrid and Chel$ki. I'll ask you a rhetorical question: :question: Who out of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chel$ki & Man City has the Strongest Squad?
The answer is Barcelona. That's because WE have the strongest team, and that First XI counts towards your squad. So when you say "Our Midfield has deteriorated significantly", bear in mind where our team sits right now and all with a leaky defence.
Barcilliant
Senior Member
Chel$ki have 41 year old Mark Schwarzer as their No.2.
Admittedly, Pinto IS past his best, however he knows the clubs style and it would probably be a bonus for the new recruit ter Stegen, to have someone here with his experience to help guide through his first season.
When I said depth, I really meant numbers. I prefer a small squad. The only position we have real depth in are on the Wings, and possibly Defensive Midfield if you include Song & Mascherano.
But regarding your take on our "midfield deterioration" -which I don't believe is due to the personnel, but rather the tactics Tata has imposed on the team to the detriment of our midfielders. The instruction whenever we recover the ball in our half to immediately look to hit the point man is what's caused us so many problems this season, and it's only now (fingers-crossed) that Tata is starting to realise this tactic is not playing to our strengths. Xavi, nor Iniesta, nor Fabregas are box-to-box midfielders, yet they are being asked to play as such. It's one of the main reasons why the possession stats are so low and we have not had the control in midfield we are used to seeing.
Xavi - Even at 34 years old is STILL one of the best orchestrators of a Midfield around.
Iniesta - Would get into ANY teams starting XI. I include Bayern.
Fabregas - He would get into MOST teams in the world. One of the best attacking/creative Midfielders around.
Busquets - A World-Class Defensive Midfielder.
Song - He's not Barca regular starter material, but still a capable back-up and was a key player in the Arsenal Midfield that saw them finish Top Four every season.
Roberto - Not everyones cup-of-tea, but he's still young and developing. Definitely good enough to play against 60% of La Liga teams with 2 of the other first-choice Midfield alongside him.
Okay, so we don't have huge depth throughout our squad like Real Madrid and Chel$ki. I'll ask you a rhetorical question: :question: Who out of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chel$ki & Man City has the Strongest Squad?
The answer is Barcelona. That's because WE have the strongest team, and that First XI counts towards your squad. So when you say "Our Midfield has deteriorated significantly", bear in mind where our team sits right now and all with a leaky defence.
If your first 11 stay injury free the whole season it is a freak season. Most clubs have to deal with injuries and that's why a club like Bayern have no problems being consistent. They have a strong bench and there is no real drop off in quality if someone is injured. That is why a team like Dortmund cant keep up. Dortmund's first team can hang with Bayern but as soon as injuries kick in Dortmund have virtually no chance. Contrast that with Barca. If we have an injury to Busquets Song or Roberto will come in. A few forwards are injured Tello comes in.
The midfield needs to be strengthened and I would prefer a stronger, more physical midfielder like Vidal or Kross. Gundogan is terrific but his injury looks like its chronic. No use buying a dud. We've done that too much in the past.
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linetty
Guest
Besides Gundogan, Barcelona are also again interested in Dortmund defender Hummels and winger Reus ahead of the summer transfer window. [md]
Egert
Estonian Culé
Alarcón
New member
If stats are anything to go by then Xavi wouldn't play a single game and Iniesta would lose his starting spot as well
Although , Iniesta made some killing through balls to Messi the other night . He looks to be back to near his best which is a relief .
Messi's looking good again so we just need Neymar and Biscuits to get their top form back and we're good to go .
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