It’s quite simple. At the time he has some good performances (like the one against Sevilla) and he deservedly got praise for it. Even you lauded him. He’s been terrible since his second season with us though, hence people do not want to see him playing for us anymore. It’s simple. You play, if you suck, people turn their backs on you. The same case was with Arda and Gomes.
I always laughed at Denise from the day 1 saying that (s)he has a physique of a 13 years old girl and that (s)he is a turnover machine.
I was one of the rare who actually had more faith in Gomes.
They both turned as a crap for us, but I think that Gomes will have a better career outside of Barca because he is a better allround footballer than Denis.
My point is, the same usual suspects were hyping Denis and his "technical ability, passing, creativity, movement" the same as how they are hyping today Alena, Puig, Frenkie and similar.
Read this post, some guys see (way too much) magic and creativity in everything:
It's a lack of attention if you really thought he was that quiet today. Started like 3 quick sequences/counters and won the ball in advanced positions high up the pitch a few times as well. He was involved and stimulating a lot of quick attacking play around/in the box and moved the ball really well. Really good creative input in our midfield.
This is the second game where Denis really made his impact felt I feel. In the first Supercup leg his sub made us more direct and dynamic. Lots of forward direction in our play while we were extremely slow and static before he got on. Now today we were sending wave after wave of attacks with him in midfield, often with his involvement both on and off the ball. He was at the nucleus of a lot of dangerous moves and supported other ones. As Jamdav mentioned in the chat, his runs away from the ball into space really help stimulating our attacking impetus. After he was subbed off and Arda moved into midfield, the game slowed down very significantly on our end. Our only source of energy and directness came from an inspired Messi.
If we're playing slow (which has often been our issue in deadlock games), Denis is the guy I want to sub on without a single doubt. He can change the energy and tempo of a game with his style of play. His influence in adding something we sometimes lack is very pronounced.
I know, I am too negative and too cautious towards 95% of young players.
On the other hand, usual suspects are too romantic and too naive about the equal number of young players.
The 2nd thing is, I don't like how the "whole forum" changed an opinion about him.
I do have a theory about that.
2 years ago, Denis was a shiny new toy, compared to older toys like Arda, Rakitic, Busi, Rafinha, Roberto.
And a new toy always looks better than the old toys, right?
Especially if a new toy clicks the most beloved Bforum's boxes like: technical, creative, good passer, good off the ball movement.
Denis on paper was a perfect romance/hype object for majority of users here.
What is happening in 2018?
Well, true, Denis sucks. But he sucked equally in 2014, 2015 and in Barca in 16/17.
But today people have new shiny toys knocking on our doors (Alena, Puig, Oriol), so it is time to sell old toys or guys who failed and give chances to new toys.
My bet, 1 or 2 out of Alena, Puig, Oriol will in 2-3 years get the treatment of a current Denis.
And in 2022, some new Oriols will be knocking on our doors, so Oriol Busquets and other guys will need to be sold (and will get hate from a forum) like Denis today, so that we could test new toys with shiny passing and technique.
People are too emotional about new guys/young guys/new prospects.