CL Round 5: FC Barcelona - Bayern Munchen 0-3

[Barcilliant]

Madrid is an international team now. Their midfield are all non-Spanish. And it's winning them matches. Barca is more of a virtue signaling political club once it comes to nationality and players. You see how that works out for Bilbao and Chivas

Truth.

Barca has become a woke club with alot of virtue signalling but no substance. Fuck Xavi and Laporta.

 

[Barcilliant]

There are holes in the squad but the overall quality of the squad is good. The manager and the philosophy of the club are the main issues.

 

[Sooke]

Well that was exactly what was expected.

Lots of buzz in the Summer, excitement and unfortunately excess expectation.
We sold large amounts of club equity to get the players Xavi wanted and now the bubble has burst.

We can clearly no longer play this 2009-2012 style of slow, telegraphed possesion football with reliance on wide players to do something magic in a 1v1 against organised low blocks.
We don't have the magic nor the manager we used to but more importantly, the game has evolved. It is up to the club in it's best interests to evolve with it and the club has failed, dramatically.
I never thought I'd say it but a large portion of ''blame'' comes to Xavi. I can't trust a man that will continously watch a holding midfielder (Busquets) be useless in every key match he plays and yet still put his name first on the team sheet.
That is just one example of Xavi stubborness and tactic immaturity that's cost us our CL status. You can add Eric Garcia, Pique, Marcus Alonso and now after tonight, Hector Bellerin to that list.

We need to evolve and for the first time since Guardiola/Messi made us a superpower, we need to ditch Tiki Taka and recruit a coach who will take the club in a new direction.
We need someone with a personality profile who will not be 'friends' with everyone, will make tough decisions without hestitation and who will motivate players in a new way, psychologically.

For me, this should be Xavi's last season with the club at this point which hurts to say because I absolutely adored him as a player.

Very well sad bro. Very well. Barca needs new coach with totally different vision of the game.

Are you serious? Of course they are good enough for those teams, they will probably thrive there because they all have a more competent coach.

If the likes of Sabitzer, Gundogan, Gravenberch are good enough and thrive in those teams, Pedri and Gavi are definitely good enough.

I am with you on this. You have brought very good points here. Barca needs changes and that has to start with Xavi.

Recruiting players like Bellerin, E.Garcia, M.Alonso and F.Torres, just because they are all Spanish was Xavi's biggest mistake. Besides his technical and tactical incompetentness he has made a very bad selection of new players. Of all the newcomers, only Lewa and Kounde have that quality to play for a team like Barcelona. We have thrown down the sink hundreds of millions. Xavi's time is over.

 

[topt]

Who is a star-level of talent in the attacking line?

We only have midfield potentials.
Yet, Pedri, Gavi and co surely wouldn't be good enough for Real, Bayern or City.

not according to France football; Pedri and Gavi were supposed to be the best young players in the world

 

[topt]

Are you serious? Of course they are good enough for those teams, they will probably thrive there because they all have a more competent coach.

If the likes of Sabitzer, Gundogan, Gravenberch are good enough and thrive in those teams, Pedri and Gavi are definitely good enough.

There is no way Gavi would see any playing time at Bayern, Gravenberch is better; Pedri is a different story but still a rotation option against weaker opposition

 

[topt]

Pedri and Gavi always start for Spain. Rodri not so much.

Pedri and Gavi are top level players for sure.

Werner always starts for Germany, its more lack of quality that anything else

 

[Luftstalag14]

There is no way Gavi would see any playing time at Bayern, Gravenberch is better; Pedri is a different story but still a rotation option against weaker opposition

OK, I get it. Everybody here is crap compared to the glorious Bayern players, the greatest in the universe.

 

[topt]

OK, I get it. Everybody here is crap compared to the glorious Bayern players, the greatest in the universe.

Christ, everything is an attack for you; I gave you my honest opinion what would happen. You honestly think Gavi would play for Bayern ? Pedri is just a poor version (cause of age) of prime Thiago right now and Thiago wasnt a starter for Bayern.
As far as your new signings, I stand what i said on the other thread, your results reflect that.

 

[Gaudi]

Pedri: "We have to be more calm with the ball. Sometimes we rush and lose a lot of balls."

This is everything there is to know: our DNA is slow football, or at least this is how Xavi and players understand oru football. We even rush apparently, we need to slow down even more.

We can change all our 11 players and bring all Bayern 11 players and force them to play like us - they would loose as well. As long there is no change in our core problem we can add players, rotate players, sell, buy...nothing will change.

 

[topt]

Pedri: "We have to be more calm with the ball. Sometimes we rush and lose a lot of balls."

This is everything there is to know: our DNA is slow football, or at least this is how Xavi and players understand oru football. We even rush apparently, we need to slow down even more.

We can change all our 11 players and bring all Bayern 11 players and force them to play like us - they would loose as well. As long there is no change in our core problem we can add players, rotate players, sell, buy...nothing will change.

I dont agree with this; if you had scoring wingers you would be much more dangerous

 

[Gaudi]

I dont agree with this; if you had scoring wingers you would be much more dangerous

Look at our team couple of years back, it was almost completely differentand we debd as well are they good or bad...so yes, Dembele lacks IQ for example and so on, but our static game (that somehow become our DNA) is the one thing that remains.

All those changes remaind me on that great Breaking Bad episode: half measures, no more half measures.

 

[Calidad]

I actually think the team and squad has a lot of promise. I just think defensively reinforcements are needed, particularly a RB.

With Araujo, Kounde, Christensen the club have three good CB?s, with the former two potentially being top tier. Wasn?t Kounde?s best game yesterday, but he?ll be an excellent acquisition.

I didn?t agree with bringing in Alonso or Bellerin in the summer and I didn?t see what they offered. Haven?t changed my opinion on that. What does Alonso offer that Alba doesn?t? It?s more of the same and a waste of a wage.

But with Balde looking promising, a RB needs to be the priority. Someone athletic and competent defensively and going forward. Going forward neither Kounde/Araujo should play there on a regular basis. Can?t say I can think of many candidates, however, that are either affordable/gettable and good enough.

Can?t say I?m Raphina?s biggest fan, as he appears to be a winger who can?t go past a defender, but overall the forward line is decent enough on paper for now and funds should be used on defence (first choice RB) and maybe a defensive midfielder to replace Busquets.

 

[JohnN]

Pique, Alonso, Bellerin, Garcia, Kessie, Ferran, Raphinha, Busquets, Alba, Roberto, Depay

These guys should not be playing for Barca, even as subs. They are either too old, too broken, too mediocre or all of the above.

Then we have teenagers Pedri, Balde, Gavi and Fati. They should be getting playing time, alongside players on peak age. Not leading the team.

Finally we have players on their peak with: Mats, Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, FDJ, Dembele and a star player, Lewa. Not all are the best we could have, but are surely decent enough at least (e.x. Christensen is a good backup.)

People keep saying we spent money to build a top squad, but this really isn't the case. We have about half a squad on the required level and this is not enough. We would need at least 11 players on that level to actually have a chance against the best teams.

Since this is the case, why the hell did we go on a spending spree using levers etc, instead of trying to buy young and cheap. The current result wouldn't be much different, but our future would be brighter.

 

[BBZ8800]

Madrid is an international team now. Their midfield are all non-Spanish. And it's winning them matches. Barca is more of a virtue signaling political club once it comes to nationality and players. You see how that works out for Bilbao and Chivas

Are you serious? Of course they are good enough for those teams, they will probably thrive there because they all have a more competent coach.

If the likes of Sabitzer, Gundogan, Gravenberch are good enough and thrive in those teams, Pedri and Gavi are definitely good enough.

You have a perfect answer from Jaden.

If there are no good Spanish midfielders (and there aren't), then a team who wants to win = moves to foreign players. You buy the best players available, regardless of their DNA or nationality.

But, we are fucking Barca. We need to have our identity, we need to play with domestic players, no one can dwell on the ball like short, domestic players etc.

With RM, if something is not working, they just move to the next option = and win again.
With Barca, it is like this = we need to play like in 2009'.
The answer: but there are no Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pep.
Barca = who cares, we don't have other options. We can't play in any other way, we don't know to play in any other way, we don't want to play in any other way. So, we'll just try to buy some players who resemble players from the days when we were winning and hope for the best.
The rest of the world replies = but the world and football has moved on and evolved. It is way harder to win today with style, philosophy and with that type of players.
Barca replies = but we don't know to play in any other way and our fans don't want to see any other way. So, our hands are tied. Arthurs, Puigs, Pedris, Gavis, Ferrans are our only option. A mix of memories, domestic players, our DNA and close your eyes and pray for the best.

For the end, I don't believe that Pedri would play at Bayern once when they would see him on training grounds and when they would figure him out.
He is another one of those players (like Busquets) who can't play for any team in the world, except Barca.
And yet he is miles behind those players from the past (who are suitable only for Barcaslowball).

 

[Devils]

People can argue about the squad quality all they want.

The point: The squad is more than good enough to get past the group stages of the CL, even with the injuries we have.

The cause:
1) Defensively shambolic tactics.
2) New signing being played out of position - another tactical nightmare
3) Zero intensity to our play
4) Trash players i.e. Busi, Alonso, Bellerin etc...somehow constantly starting big matches

Conclusion: 99% of the blame is on Xavi