Daniel Alves

[FinBarcelonafan]

This is just bizarre. It is backward looking and definitely doesn't help get rid of the senior players and amigo culture.

People forget that the last couple of seasons of Alves in Barca was frustrating as hell. He was always caught up and had 1 move - pass to Messi (and NOBODY else) and then fall down and hold his ankle if he loses the ball. He was truly terrible.

The quarter inch pipe of continuous liquid feaces that we then saw in the RB position post Alves made a lot of people talk about how we should have never sold Alves, etc. It was the right decision to sell him (just like Suarez), it's just what we did to replace him that was the issue. He was frustrating on the pitch back then, can't imagine what him at 38 yo now is going to give us.

Not to mention, what exactly is he going to solve? We're really not competing for much and this is the BEST time to get some young talent from somewhere and develop them, if you don't believe in Dest. Even is Alves provides more than some kid from France, this pressure free season can be used to do a lot of good. It's not like we're one RB away for competing for a treble, and even if we were, Alves wouldn't be what we need.

This transfer is just really disappointing.

Pretty much this. Its much better to develop talents than waste the spot for a 38 years old.

 

[serghei]

Finally starting to see some sensible posts in here. This transfer needs to be looked at in a different perspective as it isn't a traditional one. I honestly don't expect to see him on the pitch too much.


Some general points:
1. Alves won't play a lot. He's pretty much a finished player. Although if Xavi somehow during these 1.5 months sees that he can contribute on the pitch, then tough luck for Dest, Mingueza and Roberto. They should logically be better than him. I'd be surprised if he even manages to start a match.

2. [MENTION=4451]Birdy[/MENTION] mentioned amigo culture coming back. The amigos had the coach by their finger. Amigos then were the core of the team. I highly doubt Xavi, with all the rules he introduced, will start sucking the +33 year olds' dicks like Valverde and Setien did. Absolutely 0 risk of this, and if there is, it's not due to Alves' 6 months here.

3. 6 months contract, zero cost. Absolutely nothing to lose like [MENTION=15376]DonAK[/MENTION] mentioned. Nothing. He comes as a humble warrior ready to help during the last stretch of his career.


What he's supposed to bring:
4. Winning mentality. When playing a superior opponent, the minds of 80-90% of the current squad is "let's hope we don't get smashed" or "let's hope we can snatch a draw". Alves is a winner, and if somebody has those thoughts he'll be there to show that you can have a winner's mentality even if you're an underdog. It might not make us win that exact game, but hopefully it'll instill some fucking balls into the youngsters heads for the future.

5. He'll basically be a player-coach. Training and competing in the day to day. And helping the others grow. His own words were "to help reconstruct the best club in the world", and it's not by scoring goal or assisting. The world's most decorated player who loves the club and is extremely motivated can help in other ways as well.

6. Like I mentioned, if Xavi deems him good enough to play, then I fully trust that Xavi knows what he's doing, because logically he shouldn't play. If he does, he'll contribute with what he's still good at. Might not even play RB. So there's a small small chance that we get some direct help on the pitch footballing wise as well, even if I doubt this.

Don't sweat it, most posts are considering Alves to be an Amigo which has nothing to do with reality. This is not the player that you struggle to move out, but a proud serial winner that left the club on his own because he felt he wasn't given a fair shake.

Night and day personality compared with our other veterans. If we had more alphas like Alves at the time, matches like 0-4 vs Liverpool would've never happened probaby.

 

[JamDav1982]

He left the club as he thought it was an insult they bought another right back.

Nothing to do with not being given a fair shake unless he thinks being fair is no competition.

As said I think this is much more about playing time than the idea he will come in to mentor or aid players to progress with him there. Although that will definitely be part of the narrative.

Has a big personality but difference in that to being a great leader.

If nothing else going to be interesting to see how works out and for me Dest hasnt done enough to lock down position or feel miffed by this and Mingueza has been beyond fucking shite since latter half of last season.

Will be interesting to see what the plans are for Roberto also.

What dont want to see is more of team given up to allow old players to be protected and perform. Have enough of that in recent years.

 

[Gari]

Alves left because he was given a year of contract, and he demanded more. 33 years old. Bartomeu disagreed.

 

[mc_lovin]

Leadership is not what I expect from this signing.

 

[Andresito]

Leadership is not what I expect from this signing.

Probably not for the likes of ter Stegen and Roberto. But definitely for the teenagers.

Put Alves in this Liverpool side and he'll have close to zero effect. Put him in this Barca side and hopefully something will catch on to the kids.

 

[jamrock]

The Goatback has returned.

I don't get it but let's see how this plays out

 

[khaled_a_d]

Some general points:
1. Alves won't play a lot. He's pretty much a finished player. Although if Xavi somehow during these 1.5 months sees that he can contribute on the pitch, then tough luck for Dest, Mingueza and Roberto. They should logically be better than him. I'd be surprised if he even manages to start a match.

3. 6 months contract, zero cost. Absolutely nothing to lose like [MENTION=15376]DonAK[/MENTION] mentioned. Nothing. He comes as a humble warrior ready to help during the last stretch of his career.

What he's supposed to bring:
4. Winning mentality. When playing a superior opponent, the minds of 80-90% of the current squad is "let's hope we don't get smashed" or "let's hope we can snatch a draw". Alves is a winner, and if somebody has those thoughts he'll be there to show that you can have a winner's mentality even if you're an underdog. It might not make us win that exact game, but hopefully it'll instill some fucking balls into the youngsters heads for the future.

5. He'll basically be a player-coach. Training and competing in the day to day. And helping the others grow. His own words were "to help reconstruct the best club in the world", and it's not by scoring goal or assisting. The world's most decorated player who loves the club and is extremely motivated can help in other ways as well.

I think you are missing the point here, it isn't about what he brings but what he doesn't.

-This squad is terrible, there is no way around that, and we have so many holes that we need to fill just to be able to compete with well oiled machines like Sociedad and Seville for CL spot. A DM, an athletic experienced CB, a quick wingers, a goal scorers and a GK are all areas of immediate need.

-No one is expecting us to address half of those issues in winter, but at least trying to fix couple of those will help massively.

-We have 23 squad players before Alves, all whom under contract and unlikely to accept to be phased out in January. Alves is player 24.

-Alves simply doesn't fix any of this, he isn't quick, he isn't a true winger and unable to play as RB anymore either. More of RWB. He isn't a CB, DM, GK, goal scorer.
-His signings follows the same logic of Luuk, we were only capable of getting a player in last minute of transfer window, we got Luuk for free, only for less than a season, we aren't even paying his full wages. Low risk signing because we are beggars

-Unlike Luuk we have time to think about our possibilities in the winter, and we came in with Alves.

-I doubt anyone would have defended Alves if his history was tied to another club, let's say he was playing for a Juve/Milan/Liverpool/Manu side in his prime and had same success, would anyone defend the signing? I honestly doubt it. There is a lot of PR/Nostalgia/nepotism in the deal.

-Alves is not really a leader and was never one of the team captains anywhere he played iirc, a winner maybe but not a leader. There is a distinction here.

The Alves deal simply says our ambitions and planning for this season is on Luuk de Jong level and give us no hope it would improve to Braithwaite one

 

[Porque]

Also once ate a banana thrown at him. Jordi Alba would have cried and dived clutching his face.

 

[El Gato]

Forum De Amigo optimists trying to be positive about a 38 year old diver coming back. This is about an old man Xavi trusts returning to try and teach same things Xavi was used to 10-12 years ago.

Won't make much difference anyway

Just funny to see fans bending over backwards to make excuses like he's a reliable player

 

[Bobo32]

-I doubt anyone would have defended Alves if his history was tied to another club, let's say he was playing for a Juve/Milan/Liverpool/Manu side in his prime and had same success, would anyone defend the signing? I honestly doubt it. There is a lot of PR/Nostalgia/nepotism in the deal.

-Alves is not really a leader and was never one of the team captains anywhere he played iirc, a winner maybe but not a leader. There is a distinction here.

A very pessimistic post, and I don't agree with a lot, but I single out these two things to respond to.

- Part of the reason the signing is good is that he proved himself AT Barcelona already. It isn't as the terrible Zambrotta signing, which I was very sceptical about from the start, but it is a rare opportunity to sign a player that the coach knows extremely well and believe will be useful in his system, which will have similarities to the system where Alves already was the GOAT.

- Alves was the captain at the olympics, but nevermind, it isn't about being a captain or a leader - you shouldn't have a 38 year old who isn't even sure starter material to be a captain or a "leader". He is a winner and an experienced professional who will probably have a positive effect mentally on the squad. Busquets is the captain.

 

[DonAK]

We have couple of free roster spots and Alves is taking one of them, and considering our contract situations we are unlikely to succeed in offloading players on January although it is a possibility.
If Alves is one of our reinforcements, after Luuk being last one before him, it leaves bad taste and put doubts about our ambitions
The Alves signing feels like throwing the towel tbh

Our ambition right now is to get to the R16 and get top four in the league, and we're not getting an impact player who would considerably help us achieve those goals in January. We don't have the money or salary cap for it.

I expect Luuk to leave in January.

 

[mc_lovin]

Forum De Amigo optimists trying to be positive about a 38 year old diver coming back. This is about an old man Xavi trusts returning to try and teach same things Xavi was used to 10-12 years ago.

Won't make much difference anyway

Just funny to see fans bending over backwards to make excuses like he's a reliable player

True ;D

 

[Andresito]

I think you are missing the point here, it isn't about what he brings but what he doesn't.

-This squad is terrible, there is no way around that, and we have so many holes that we need to fill just to be able to compete with well oiled machines like Sociedad and Seville for CL spot. A DM, an athletic experienced CB, a quick wingers, a goal scorers and a GK are all areas of immediate need.

-No one is expecting us to address half of those issues in winter, but at least trying to fix couple of those will help massively.

-We have 23 squad players before Alves, all whom under contract and unlikely to accept to be phased out in January. Alves is player 24.

-Alves simply doesn't fix any of this, he isn't quick, he isn't a true winger and unable to play as RB anymore either. More of RWB. He isn't a CB, DM, GK, goal scorer.
-His signings follows the same logic of Luuk, we were only capable of getting a player in last minute of transfer window, we got Luuk for free, only for less than a season, we aren't even paying his full wages. Low risk signing because we are beggars

-Unlike Luuk we have time to think about our possibilities in the winter, and we came in with Alves.

-I doubt anyone would have defended Alves if his history was tied to another club, let's say he was playing for a Juve/Milan/Liverpool/Manu side in his prime and had same success, would anyone defend the signing? I honestly doubt it. There is a lot of PR/Nostalgia/nepotism in the deal.

-Alves is not really a leader and was never one of the team captains anywhere he played iirc, a winner maybe but not a leader. There is a distinction here.

The Alves deal simply says our ambitions and planning for this season is on Luuk de Jong level and give us no hope it would improve to Braithwaite one

He's not coming as a solution to our lack of quality. He's simply coming as a good market opportunity to hopefully help the team's mental weaknesses.

And of course he's more accepted having played for the club. He needs no adaptation, knows the club inside out, is a club legend and is highly motivated to provide the best way he can. Had it been, idk, say Buffon coming in I'd have been more doubtful about the effects.

Like I said in my first post, this is a different transfer. Not a reinforcement because our RB's suck.

 

[khaled_a_d]

He's not coming as a solution to our lack of quality. He's simply coming as a good market opportunity to hopefully help the team's mental weaknesses.

Like I said in my first post, this is a different transfer. Not a reinforcement because our RB's suck.

Then everyone has the right to be mad about the signing, not sure why anyone should be surprised then.