Denis Suarez

[Cruyff-Total Football]

Yeah, that's it, more or less. But for him to shine (can that type of player shine?), you need a strong midfield behind him.

Casemiro can shine. If Paulinho is good in Brazil he can improve in Barca too. But at a cost. As you said, I don't want him to be a starter. From the bench when his functioning is fundamental.

 

[raki]

D. Suarez should get more chances. He was outstanding last night.

Agree.

 

[BBZ8800]

You might be correct. I just am willing to know what is the specific difference Paulinho make in Valverde's tactic. So that, it might not be so unpleasant for me to watch barca play when he's in midfield.

Compared to whom?

Compared to Denis: results
Compared to Coutinho-Iniesta duo: results

He isn't better than weak+strong player combination (for example, Iniesta-Rakitic).
He is (paired with a technical player), though, better than any combination consisted of 2 light Cms (Iniesta, Coutinho, Denis, Alena etc).

2 light Cms equals horror show longterm, especially against CL teams.

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

Compared to whom?

Compared to Denis: results
Compared to Coutinho-Iniesta duo: results

He isn't better than weak+strong player combination (for example, Iniesta-Rakitic).
He is (paired with a technical player), though, better than any combination consisted of 2 light Cms (Iniesta, Coutinho, Denis, Alena etc).

2 light Cms equals horror show longterm, especially against CL teams.

How about Alcacer instead of him. Since, paulinho doesn't contribute in the build up play anyway and his significant functioning seems to be a shadow striker.

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

Compared to whom?

Compared to Denis: results
Compared to Coutinho-Iniesta duo: results

He isn't better than weak+strong player combination (for example, Iniesta-Rakitic).
He is (paired with a technical player), though, better than any combination consisted of 2 light Cms (Iniesta, Coutinho, Denis, Alena etc).

2 light Cms equals horror show longterm, especially against CL teams.

Casemiro and Nzonzi are the players who could play the role which you mention. They are like Physical Rakitic.

 

[BBZ8800]

How about Alcacer instead of him. Since, paulinho doesn't contribute in the build up play anyway and his significant functioning seems to be a shadow striker.

Paco wouldn't contribute in defense and in some sort of midfield's stability.

About Paulinho, ask yourself this:
1. Paulinho plays for Barca.
There are lots of technically better midfielders at Barca than him.
Yet, he plays more than those guys.
2. Paulinho plays for a Brasilian NT.
There are probably 100-200 midfielders with better technical skills, passing and dribbling than him.
Yet, he is a starter.

If he is as bad at passing, build up, defending, applying pressure, positioning and everything, then it is an insane mystery why both coaches (Tite and EV) are picking him instead of technical guys.
What is worse, both teams are playing quite good (in terms of results) with him in the team.

Guys here often write how Paulinho contributes in absolutely nothing, in none aspect of a game.
Maybe those guys should write an Email to Tite and Valverde and explain to those 2 how actually horrible Paulinho is.
I mean, you guys could save jobs from those two coaches, they will be thankful

 

[ASordidGod]

Compared to whom?

Compared to Denis: results
Compared to Coutinho-Iniesta duo: results

He isn't better than weak+strong player combination (for example, Iniesta-Rakitic).
He is (paired with a technical player), though, better than any combination consisted of 2 light Cms (Iniesta, Coutinho, Denis, Alena etc).

2 light Cms equals horror show longterm, especially against CL teams.

Disagree with the light cms comment. The problem with those players you've mentioned as a combination is that none of them are the controlling mid. Iniesta controls games to an extent of course with his ball retention and intelligent passing, but even he's not a natural metronome. At least, he's never really been used that way, and it's too late to start now. And absolutely none of the other three mentioned are. (That's admittedly based on only a fleeting glimpse of Alena.)

 

[MessiCam]

Paco wouldn't contribute in defense and in some sort of midfield's stability.

About Paulinho, ask yourself this:
1. Paulinho plays for Barca.
There are lots of technically better midfielders at Barca than him.
Yet, he plays more than those guys.
2. Paulinho plays for a Brasilian NT.
There are probably 100-200 midfielders with better technical skills, passing and dribbling than him.
Yet, he is a starter.

If he is as bad at passing, build up, defending, applying pressure, positioning and everything, then it is an insane mystery why both coaches (Tite and EV) are picking him instead of technical guys.
What is worse, both teams are playing quite good (in terms of results) with him in the team.

Guys here often write how Paulinho contributes in absolutely nothing, in none aspect of a game.
Maybe those guys should write an Email to Tite and Valverde and explain to those 2 how actually horrible Paulinho is.
I mean, you guys could save jobs from those two coaches, they will be thankful

What’s your point? Gomes is a rotation piece for Barcelona but starts for Portugal. So was Arda... They’re not mutually exclusive.

Paulinho has a very specific skill set which is utilised when he plays for Brazil. Not so much here. Apart from a good performance here and there Paulinho has been very average since the new year. I don’t think that is debatable.

So instead of making these types of statements why don’t you detail what Paulinho actually brings to the table other than physical presence so we can debate it.

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

So instead of making these types of statements why don’t you detail what Paulinho actually brings to the table other than physical presence so we can debate it.

This is the actual question of my original post, asking what he exactly does that makes him a starter. No one other than Joan Laporta has answered it.

 

[BBZ8800]

So instead of making these types of statements why don’t you detail what Paulinho actually brings to the table other than physical presence so we can debate it.

He brings physical presence and okish performance in other areas.
But in a team with a zero physical presence in general (Barcelona) a guy like him is sometimes worth more than 5 other light players, since the whole team is consisted of light players.

Disagree with the light cms comment. The problem with those players you've mentioned as a combination is that none of them are the controlling mid. Iniesta controls games to an extent of course with his ball retention and intelligent passing, but even he's not a natural metronome. At least, he's never really been used that way, and it's too late to start now. And absolutely none of the other three mentioned are. (That's admittedly based on only a fleeting glimpse of Alena.)

Oh, I see, this will be "a new thing" on Barca's forum.
When 3 light midfielders sucked in the past, we had alibis like: it is not about 433 or about light midfielders, it is about Lucho, Rakitic babysitting for Alves/Messi, a lack of pressure, insert any random excuse.

I feel the new excuse will be: the problem is not about light midfielders, but because of a lack of a controlling midfielder (and Arthur will be our savior, lol).

A question for you:
In years before Xavi, who was a controlling midfielder at Barca?
Who are controlling midfielders at Real, Bayern, City?

I see that a controlling midfielder will be an alibi and a solution for all problems in upcoming years here on a forum.

Then please, explain your theory on one of 10s of examples when we were outplayed year after year in a CL by thugs physical teams.
For example 2005', a midfield consisted of Xavi, Deco, Gerard and even Iniesta was a RW.
You have Xavi, you have 4 light and technical midfielders in total.
On paper and in theory, we should be dominating that game like crazy, since... we have 4 technical midfielders and Chelsea have a crappy physical teams full of workhorses who are light years behind our technical wizzards.
And do you know what happens in reality with 4 light midfielders?
= they are all over the place whenever we lose the ball and more or less, they can't stop a single counterattack due to their horrible physique, weak speed, week strength, weak marking and tackling (due to weak physique again).

Sit and enjoy:

I can post tons of similar matches, but I "love" this match so much, because I was so sad that night and remember saying to myself: oh my God, we are such an idiots and such a fucking naive team. We will never win a CL with our stupid way of playing.
Luckily, next year Rijkaard gave up from light midfielders and played with Edmilson-Deco-Van Bommel and we luckily got Messi from our youth academy, so we won a CL and we started to dominate a world football.

Anyway, in a world after Messi, you can have 4 midfield controllers if you want, and we will suck hard, as always as long as we will play with ONLY light midfielders.

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

He brings physical presence and okish performance in other areas.
But in a team with a zero physical presence in general (Barcelona) a guy like him is sometimes worth more than 5 other light players.

The concern is not about Physical players. All your posts are insisting the contribution of physical players. The original post of mine and Messi CAM is not about Physical players. It's about Paulinho. What does he exactly does apart from those 8 liga goals? Most of those who criticize Paulinho would be happy if we sign Kante or Nzonzi.

I asked for what Paulinho exactly contributes to be a starter. Not what some players during Rijkaards era contributed.

I'm sure they wouldn't have made a grand total of 1 tackle for 10 games. I'm sure they could actually tackle the ball without fouling the player. I'm sure they didn't have a total of 3 interceptions in 10 games.

 

[ASordidGod]

He brings physical presence and okish performance in other areas.
But in a team with a zero physical presence in general (Barcelona) a guy like him is sometimes worth more than 5 other light players, since the whole team is consisted of light players.



Oh, I see, this will be "a new thing" on Barca's forum.
When 3 light midfielders sucked in the past, we had alibis like: it is not about 433 or about light midfielders, it is about Lucho, Rakitic babysitting for Alves/Messi, a lack of pressure, insert any random excuse.

I feel the new excuse will be: the problem is not about light midfielders, but because of a lack of a controlling midfielder (and Arthur will be our savior, lol).

A question for you:
In years before Xavi, who was a controlling midfielder at Barca?
Who are controlling midfielders at Real, Bayern, City?

I see that a controlling midfielder will be an alibi and a solution for all problems in upcoming years here on a forum.

Then please, explain your theory on one of 10s of examples when we were outplayed year after year in a CL by thugs physical teams.
For example 2005', a midfield consisted of Xavi, Deco, Gerard and even Iniesta was a RW.
You have Xavi, you have 4 light and technical midfielders in total.
On paper and in theory, we should be dominating that game like crazy, since... we have 4 technical midfielders and Chelsea have a crappy physical teams full of workhorses who are light years behind our technical wizzards.
And do you know what happens in reality with 4 light midfielders?
= they are all over the place whenever we lose the ball and more or less, they can't stop a single counterattack due to their horrible physique, weak speed, week strength, weak marking and tackling (due to weak physique again).

Sit and enjoy:

I can post tons of similar matches, but I "love" this match so much, because I was so sad that night and remember saying to myself: oh my God, we are such an idiots and such a fucking naive team. We will never win a CL with our stupid way of playing.
Luckily, next year Rijkaard gave up from light midfielders and played with Edmilson-Deco-Van Bommel and we luckily got Messi from our youth academy, so we won a CL and we started to dominate a world football.

Anyway, in a world after Messi, you can have 4 midfield controllers if you want, and we will suck hard, as always as long as we will play with ONLY light midfielders.

Real have Kroos, Bayern have Thiago, and City, well you're right there in that they don't have a conventional controlling mid, but what they DO have is Guardiola. Because it's not ONLY about having a controlling mid - I never claimed that. You need the right manager too, one who knows how to implement a system that works for that type of player. Which Rijkaard didn't. And this is why Arthur even if he turns out to be the player we need him to be is no guarantee. Because I'm not convinced Valverde even if he wanted to could implement such a system either.

 

[MessiCam]

Real have Kroos, Bayern have Thiago, and City, well you're right there in that they don't have a conventional controlling mid, but what they DO have is Guardiola. Because it's not ONLY about having a controlling mid - I never claimed that. You need the right manager too, one who knows how to implement a system that works for that type of player. Which Rijkaard didn't. And this is why Arthur even if he turns out to be the player we need him to be is no guarantee. Because I'm not convinced Valverde even if he wanted to could implement such a system either.

Barcelona didn’t need one then because Guardiola was all of that wrapped into a single player. He was that good.

But there was Enrique (who could play anywhere) and Cocu.

 

[El Flaco]

Made a positive impact as soon as he subbed on against Roma tonight.

 

[CatalinR10]

had some nice dribblings at the end , shame he lost the ball