Barça's Transfers and Rumors

[Luftstalag14]

I think a good 2nd keeper is vital. This season showed it. Valdes got injured, Barça season was over. Willy would be cheaper than reina, smaller wages as well. And knows the liga, the players. Would help MAtS integrate.
Masip is promising, but it's too risk to rely on him.

And if zubi is smart, he'll spend this year's and next year's budget. There is the possibility the ban will return. Better safe than sorry.

This.

 

[Sumlit]

I think a good 2nd keeper is vital. This season showed it. Valdes got injured, Barça season was over. Willy would be cheaper than reina, smaller wages as well. And knows the liga, the players. Would help MAtS integrate.
Masip is promising, but it's too risk to rely on him.

And if zubi is smart, he'll spend this year's and next year's budget. There is the possibility the ban will return. Better safe than sorry.

I agree a quality 2nd keeper is vital, but like I said, there are higher priorities and limited resources.

I disagree Barcelona's season was over after Valdes was injured. Pinto was not the reason Barcelona crashed. He was part of the crash, but not the main reason, nor the biggest.

There are bigger fish to fry than 2nd keeper.

 

[JamDav1982]

Most top teams are not in the dire situation personnel wise that Barcelona find themselves currently. In any other circumstance, this would not even be a debate, however Barcelona need to revitalize the team big time, and 2nd keeper should be deep in their priority list.
Barcelona have gone years with Pinto as back-up, and they have won titles with Pinto between the posts. I agree he is not ideal, however Barcelona did not get eliminate by Altetico and did not lose the Copa final because of Pinto. There are other deeper issues that need higher priority and would require the resources.

But don't get me wrong though, If they address the other priorities and/or find a cheap, quality option, then I'm all for it. I just don't think significant time and resources should be invested on this.

A good standard second keeper is fairly high on the list of priorities after this season I would have thought.

Valdes injury derailed the season as Pinto just isnt good enough.

No one is saying break the bank but a few million on a good back up keeper could be some of the smartest money spent in terms of hos big a difference it could make.

It is like someone saying they have more important things to spend money on than their home insurance.

 

[Flavia]

I agree a quality 2nd keeper is vital, but like I said, there are higher priorities and limited resources.

I disagree Barcelona's season was over after Valdes was injured. Pinto was not the reason Barcelona crashed. He was part of the crash, but not the main reason, nor the biggest.

There are bigger fish to fry than 2nd keeper.

Caballero wouldn't be that expensive, anyway. If not him, someone else. Pinto let easy goals in against rm and atleti. He was not at fault for the team playing poorly, but he didn't really help with those goals he conceded.

 

[Sumlit]

A good standard second keeper is fairly high on the list of priorities after this season I would have thought.

Valdes injury derailed the season as Pinto just isnt good enough.

No one is saying break the bank but a few million on a good back up keeper could be some of the smartest money spent in terms of hos big a difference it could make.

It is like someone saying they have more important things to spend money on than their home insurance.

Valdes injury did not derail Barca's season. Pinto is not a great player, but he is not the reason Barcelona failed. A better Barcelona team would have been able to win with Pinto between posts.

Scoring only 2 goals in 4 crucial games was what killed Barcelona.

 

[Sumlit]

Caballero wouldn't be that expensive, anyway. If not him, someone else. Pinto let easy goals in against rm and atleti. He was not at fault for the team playing poorly, but he didn't really help with those goals he conceded.

Valdes has allowed plenty of easy goal in important matches before. The difference now is Barcelona is just not as good to recuperate from mistakes. The team scored only twice in the 4 matches that decided their season, that's not Pinto's fault.

I'm not against getting a quality 2nd keeper, I can't stress this enough, however I don't feel significant time and resources should be spent on this. There are many more pressing a dire needs to be filled.

 

[JamDav1982]

Valdes injury did not derail Barca's season. Pinto is not a great player, but he is not the reason Barcelona failed. A better Barcelona team would have been able to win with Pinto between posts.

Scoring only 2 goals in 4 crucial games was what killed Barcelona.

Pinto is not the sole reason Barca failed but he is part of it. He was poor against Atletico and Real and in all honesty looked his age.

Of course scoring two in four games plays a part but say Pinto doesnt concede that goal against Atletico and Barca win 1-0 Atletico it changes the tie.

Another reason why a back up keeper is needed probably more than any time during the last ten years is that a young player untested with the pressures of playing at Barca will be in the nets. A good alternative is needed, someone much better than Pinto.

It is vital that a better back up is brought in.

 

[Sumlit]

Pinto is not the sole reason Barca failed but he is part of it. He was poor against Atletico and Real and in all honesty looked his age.

Of course scoring two in four games plays a part but say Pinto doesnt concede that goal against Atletico and Barca win 1-0 Atletico it changes the tie.

Another reason why a back up keeper is needed probably more than any time during the last ten years is that a young player untested with the pressures of playing at Barca will be in the nets. A good alternative is needed, someone much better than Pinto.

It is vital that a better back up is brought in.

What goal are you talking about? The Diego goal in the 1-1 Camp Nou tie? There was very little Pinto could have done there, that was just a great strike.

I agree with your second point, but again, there plenty more vital needs on the team and they're going to be hard pressed to get the resources to fill them as it is. Other needs should very much precede getting a 2nd keeper, specially when you have serviceable option in Pinto and Masip.

 

[JamDav1982]

What goal are you talking about? The Diego goal in the 1-1 Camp Nou tie? There was very little Pinto could have done there, that was just a great strike.

I agree with your second point, but again, there plenty more vital needs on the team and they're going to be hard pressed to get the resources to fill them as it is. Other needs should very much precede getting a 2nd keeper, specially when you have serviceable option in Pinto and Masip.

Yes the Diego goal at the Nou Camp he was slow in moving his feet and I think a better keeper would have saved it.

All about opinions I suppose but Pinto to me is too old, doesnt move his feet well, makes bad decisions and is poor with ball at feet. All of which causes panic in the defence already struggling.

Pinto isnt good enough and Masip is unproven. Masip is untested but Pinto would barely get a game for any other La Liga team.

 

[Chainsaw]

Sumlit, a second GK is the least costly purchase Barca could make in this summer. Why is it bothering you so much?! Any of these named veteran GKs in the rumors are all available for probably less than 10m and I don't even believe it's anything close to that amount. I'm all for going for a veteran second GK who has enough quality for a club like Barca. Promoting Masip is sweet and all yeah. But if by any chance ter Stegen get injured or suspended do you relaly trust Masip between the posts?!

 

[Sumlit]

Yes the Diego goal at the Nou Camp he was slow in moving his feet and I think a better keeper would have saved it.

All about opinions I suppose but Pinto to me is too old, doesnt move his feet well, makes bad decisions and is poor with ball at feet. All of which causes panic in the defence already struggling.

Pinto isnt good enough and Masip is unproven. Masip is untested but Pinto would barely get a game for any other La Liga team.

I don't think Pinto is that bad, but I do agree he is not great and a less than ideal option. Masip might be unproven, but he has shown talent.

We'll see though. A good backup gives peace of mind, but I just can't help but dread Barcelona doing what Barcelona does and forking too much money for a backup keeper. The looming ban and the condition of the squad requires smart resource management.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don't think Pinto is that bad, but I do agree he is not great and a less than ideal option. Masip might be unproven, but he has shown talent.

We'll see though. A good backup gives peace of mind, but I just can't help but dread Barcelona doing what Barcelona does and forking too much money for a backup keeper. The looming ban and the condition of the squad requires smart resource management.

The looming ban heightens case for back up keeper. Imagine Pinto at 40!

 

[Sumlit]

Sumlit, a second GK is the least costly purchase Barca could make in this summer. Why is it bothering you so much?! Any of these named veteran GKs in the rumors are all available for probably less than 10m and I don't even believe it's anything close to that amount. I'm all for going for a veteran second GK who has enough quality for a club like Barca. Promoting Masip is sweet and all yeah. But if by any chance ter Stegen get injured or suspended do you relaly trust Masip between the posts?!

10M is at least 5M too many for a backup GK, specially under Barcelona's current circumstances. If Madrid can get Diego Lopez for 3.5M, then Barcelona should not spend a single penny more. Which is why I am concerned. I can see the team spending a lot for this signing, in a moment when they must, must make smart decisions.

Getting a backup GK is not what is bothering me. I agree the peace of mind a quality backup brings is a huge plus. However Barcelona is looking at a significant investment in players this season in order to regain their edge. That cannot be overstated enough. The team needs so serious influx of talent. Spending 10M for a backup player who will likely see very, very limited minutes is not smart resource management. These kind of transactions add up and take away from others.

 

[Sumlit]

The looming ban heightens case for back up keeper. Imagine Pinto at 40!

That's a good point, but I still like Masip for backup. He is certainly good enough to be a backup, even with the lack of experience.

Anyway, I guess in the end we will see what happens. I hope they prove me wrong. I hope I don't see a Reina deal where they eat his salary and fork over a significant transfer fee.

 

[Kohe321]

Zubi needs to work hard this summer and spend our money WELL, because if he doesn't manage to sign players of high enough quality in the positions that need reinforcing (like another Song), or he simply fails in signing enough players to fill the holes in our squad, we would be in a really bad situation IF the transferban does come into effect in january 2015 and stays in effect during the summer of 2015, leaving us with a weak squad until january 2016. That said, I'm hopeful that we will be able to, if not remove, then at least reduce the punishment of a two-window ban in the end.

So in other words, let's all cross our fingers that we don't sign any flops this summer! We need to sign players who are world class in their respective positions, and no more "jack of all trades master of none" type of hybrid players, like a half-good CB who can also double as a DM. For example, signing David Luiz as a CB would be just the type of risk we can't afford to take right now in my opinion. He MIGHT turn out to be great in our system, but he could also be a complete disaster as we're already disorganized enough as it is in our defence.