Defender for next season?

[barcelonista]

I can't recall the matches where Tito coached for a suspended/injured Guardiola, does anyone remember which matches they were?...Curious about how he used subs

Valencia 3-0 victory in Camp Nou, 2009 / 2010 season. He brought on Henry in the second half when it was still 0-0 and that changed the game. 2 assists to Messi who scored a hattrick. And then Tito subbed Messi off in the 90th minute like a boss.

 

[Aryagorn]

Valencia 3-0 victory in Camp Nou, 2009 / 2010 season. He brought on Henry in the second half when it was still 0-0 and that changed the game. 2 assists to Messi who scored a hattrick. And then Tito subbed Messi off in the 90th minute like a boss.

yeah that was an awesome move... He played henry in the center like a focal point. Master stroke.

I knew we'd be linked with a CF as soon as Tito was announced as Pep's successor

 

[Doobs]

Ya maybe we could expect a few Messi subs under Tito...

 

[Maria]

You are right Maria but can you tell me a player better than what we have in defense who comes at a good price that we can afford and can play football like the ones we have now.

First off all, there are persons who are paid to find good players who could help us in the future. I would say there are quite a few deffenders that could improve our deffense this year or the next one(if we want a project like RM has in Varane)..and I could only hope that the one who will come won't play like Pique did this season.

And second..what do you mean with a good price? Rosell accepted a sponsor for situations like this, didn't he? If we bought Cesc despite having Xavi for the present and Thiago for the future, I think we can find someone to substitute Puyol(who is a lot older then Xavi and doesn't have an apparent heir in La Masia who is as talented as Thiago).

yeah that was an awesome move... He played henry in the center like a focal point. Master stroke.

I knew we'd be linked with a CF as soon as Tito was announced as Pep's successor

Tito is also the first person who used Messi as a false 9...

 

[mitkoa7x]

Maybe Pep called him during the half time break. I also remember Cruyff being there as well, was he or is my memory deceiving me?

 

[Puyol the wall]

First off all, there are persons who are paid to find good players who could help us in the future. I would say there are quite a few deffenders that could improve our deffense this year or the next one(if we want a project like RM has in Varane)..and I could only hope that the one who will come won't play like Pique did this season.

And second..what do you mean with a good price? Rosell accepted a sponsor for situations like this, didn't he? If we bought Cesc despite having Xavi for the present and Thiago for the future, I think we can find someone to substitute Puyol(who is a lot older then Xavi and doesn't have an apparent heir in La Masia who is as talented as Thiago).

I mean a price the player is worth,imagine us paying 40m for Thiago Silva i don't think there are proper defenders out there at a reasonable price who will make us better but like you say a project like Varane a player who could do great in the future and also cover for Puyol will be good.

 

[Aryagorn]

Tito is also the first person who used Messi as a false 9...

yes. And he did start that way, but then brought in the CF when we were finding it difficult to get past Valencia defense wall. So...

Maybe Pep called him during the half time break. I also remember Cruyff being there as well, was he or is my memory deceiving me?

I don't know man. Henry was not used so close to the goal by Pep.

Have a look at average position of players in the gamecast

 

[mitkoa7x]

I don't know man. Henry was not used so close to the goal by Pep.

Have a look at average position of players in the gamecast

Titi is in the center, there is no doubt about that, but maybe Cruyff gave that idea who knows

 

[Maria]

yes. And he did start that way, but then brought in the CF when we were finding it difficult to get past Valencia defense wall. So...

I meant in La Masia..Tito is the first to use Messi as a false 9. And Pep didn't always used Messi in that position in the last 2 years..he used him as a winger with Villa in the center or as a true no 10 with Alexis as a no 9. The problem isn't Messi's position, but having someone next to him who can score consistently(like Eto'o, Villa or Pedro until this year). After all, we won a CL with Messi on the wing and one with Messi in the middle. So..

 

[Aryagorn]

I meant in La Masia..Tito is the first to use Messi as a false 9.

yeah I know about that. It gives me confidence about Tito too. I mean people give so much credit to Pep for playing Messi in the middle(Rjikaard did that too actually) but that idea was actually from Tito, whom no body ever noticed till now!!
Also, so much is said about the batch of 1987 and their achievements with the youth team... but who was their manager again!?

And Pep didn't always used Messi in that position in the last 2 years..he used him as a winger with Villa in the center or as a true no 10 with Alexis as a no 9. The problem isn't Messi's position, but having someone next to him who can score consistently(like Eto'o, Villa or Pedro until this year). After all, we won a CL with Messi on the wing and one with Messi in the middle. So..

Messi playing as false 9 and the other two wing forwards stretching the field... That tactic would triumph against 95% of the opponents. When it is the buses of Chelsea, Milan, Inter etc. that they encounter, it becomes incredibly difficult. The opponents won't get out of their area and there's only so much any one can do about it.

Messi playing as 10 and Alexis or Villa in front of him... That not reduces our width but also makes the one playing 9 almost ineffective. All the defenders gotta do is block Messi's passing arena which is to cut down the supply to the #9. Even if the marauding full backs are feeded the diagonal balls, there's not much they can do about it because the one standing in the box can never reach their crosses!!



That is why I think it is important to have a CF in the squad... It doesn't mean we'd become a team who only keep on feeding long balls to the tall CF ala Stoke. No!!
A CF playing as a focal point would only need to raise a doubt into the minds of the opponent full backs, albeit for a split second! They should find it important to leave their area, go on and try to prevent our attacking full back from making crosses... That would open space for Messi to exploit!!


Drogba, if he didn't win the damn CL, would have been so perfect... He even plays in wide areas!! Stupid Bayern players had to choke again

 

[Metaphysical]

Messi playing as 10 and Alexis or Villa in front of him... That not reduces our width but also makes the one playing 9 almost ineffective. All the defenders gotta do is block Messi's passing arena which is to cut down the supply to the #9. Even if the marauding full backs are feeded the diagonal balls, there's not much they can do about it because the one standing in the box can never reach their crosses!!

That is why I think it is important to have a CF in the squad... It doesn't mean we'd become a team who only keep on feeding long balls to the tall CF ala Stoke. No!!
A CF playing as a focal point would only need to raise a doubt into the minds of the opponent full backs, albeit for a split second! They should find it important to leave their area, go on and try to prevent our attacking full back from making crosses... That would open space for Messi to exploit!!

we've shown this season that we can score from crosses if the crosses themselves are good enough. having Drogba (for example) in the middle won't improve the quality of the cross and thus won't really effect defenders. yes he'd win more aerial duels but we rarely cross the ball to go like that anyway.

the best way for us to use a #9 is like Henry in that Valencia game.

and both Alexis and Villa can play the #9 in the same way Henry did in that Valencia game.

Alexis did it in the 1-3 in the Bernabeu where he was superb in creating space for Leo by stretching the field (and I'm sure Tito was a driving force behind the 3142). and as for buses; he was doing it well against Chelsea too, but then after the penalty miss we stopped really pushing it in to him and using the quick one-twos we had used in the first half to create space and chances. Villa did it in the Copa Final and helped create the space for Leo to find Pedro for his disallowed goal.

but that shouldn't be our primary formation or tactic, so worries about reducing width are erroneous as we'd likely use such a set-up in a 4231 or 3142, so width would always be retained as we'd be removing a player from somewhere else to insert a #9.

and yeah, there's no need to buy a specialist for that position given Alexis and Villa and DONGOU can play there.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I agree It’s going to be hard it may cost a lot but this team is the greatest in history it will be a hard task to improve it.
we don’t need Chygrynskiy saga all over again
I think we have the money especially if we sell a couple of players like Keita and Afellay to add to our summer transfer money
my biggest worry is Rosell going to spend most of it on Neymar great player but we don’t need ATM
we need a top CB and LB (gareth bale I’m salivating over the idea of having him over our left side)
If we have around 70 ME to spend in the summer IMO we should divide it for the CB and LB position
30-35 ME may bring us Silva or Martinez

I really think Javi is overrated CB tbh ,paying so much for him won't be a wise decision to do IMHO

 

[woobie]

Good. Then leave him at Athletic where the team can grow as a unit. I'd rather see that team left undisturbed anyway.

 

[Maria]

Good. Then leave him at Athletic where the team can grow as a unit. I'd rather see that team left undisturbed anyway.

It's not like we have a say in this matter anyway.

Besides I don't think Athletic will ever sell to RM or Barca(and if those 2 want to pay the clause, it will cost them over 50 million euros)..so if Javi decides to leave Bilbao, it will most likely be for a PL club.

 

[Metaphysical]

Good. Then leave him at Athletic where the team can grow as a unit. I'd rather see that team left undisturbed anyway.

me three.

I don't understand these people who want us to buy the likes of Martinez, Llorente & Muniain. don't they have any heart? Athletic is a magic team on the rise, they must be left to grow!