Emerson

[Messi983]

Firpo doesn't look like a world class player, that's the problem. He is ok for a sub, but we have to start getting some real high profile talents.
Currently we only have Alba, who is past his prime, as the only real WC fullback. All our other options are average. It's hard enough for players to break through with EV at the helm, much more so if they don't look so promising.

We can't have world class players (or world class talents who would be willing to wait for their opportunity behind an established longterm starter) at every position, especially not at a position which is very deficiary in current world football. How many LBs would you consider world class rn? How many of them are young enough to be worth investing in them? And how many of them are realistically available (so they don't already play for a big club who wouldn't want to sell them)?

Look at a LB situation in other top clubs:

RM: F. Mendy/Marcelo - don't know who is a starter "on paper" since they've both been injured this season - Marcelo is old and I'm not sure Mendy would really be a big improvement over Firpo and he would cost twice as much
AM: Renan Lodi - looks like a good signing for them so far, but how would he develop here by not playing much? They don't have a clear backup.
City: B. Mendy - injury prone, Zinchenko - somehow their version of Roberto, he's done well but far from a world class LB
Liverpool: Robertson - very good but not available. Don't know who is his backup because he is almost always playing.
Bayern: Alaba (too expensive and they won't sell, he'll also be 28 this year so not exactly young anymore), Lucas Hernandez (he's good but not 80M worth and also currently injured)
Juve: Alex Sandro (they wouldn't sell him and he'll also be 29 this month)

Now if we look at some other potential targets:

- Grimaldo: He left the club because he wanted to play. Alba is still here (and will be for a few years at least) so why would Grimaldo return? Also, if he's as good as some people think then why he's still at Benfica at age 24?
- Gaya: I think he's stagnating at Valencia, he wouldn't want to come until he's a guaranteed starter and would cost more than 60-70M probably.
- Chilwell: very good for Leicester from what I've seen but he again wouldn't accept a backup role, would cost a lot and British players can have problems adapting to La Liga

I've surely missed someone and there are 19-20 yo kids who we could gamble on (I've really liked Diego Palacios when he was rumoured to sign for Barça B last summer and I'm still sorry we didn't get him though I also like Akieme) like we did with Wague/Emerson and see how they'll develop, but none of them is ready for even a backup role at Barça right now.

So all things considered I'm ok with our current LB situation and I don't think we'll change anything before 2021. Hopefully Firpo will improve with time and get more minutes by next season once he's fully adapted to the team. We have other more urgent positions we need to improve/spend money on this year. Obviously we should still look for LB alternatives in the market and maybe make a similar deal we did with Emerson - buy a young relatively cheap LB and send him on loan to see how he'll develop. I also think the club didn't totally give up on Miranda yet. After finally given a chance he played quite well so hopefully he'll get more minutes for Schalke in second half of the season and next year if he stays there.

 

[xXKonan]

I believe with proper coaching Firpo can show a lot more than what he has. He thrived in a possession-based system for Spain U-21 and Betis under Setién.

What Emerson has on Firpo though is probably reliability so far at least when it came to Betis. Firpo had struggled a bit with his fair share of muscle problems during his time there, While Emerson is getting praised quite a bit for his Stamina and Fitness levels and good mentality by the Betis fans.

 

[Ernesto GOATverde Tejedor]

Rumours doing the rounds that Pep wants to steal him from Barca. Real have Hakimi to come back next seadon and we have Emerson. Should be a good battle

 

[El Gato]

RM: F. Mendy/Marcelo - don't know who is a starter "on paper" since they've both been injured this season - Marcelo is old and I'm not sure Mendy would really be a big improvement over Firpo and he would cost twice as much

Mendy played all of the big games bar the meaningless fixture vs PSG. It kind of depends on the game at this point, but Marcelo is useful when he doesn't have to suffer the physical grind and when we're playing a team who doesn't threaten the wings all that much.

And Robertson doesn't have a backup really. They use Milner at LB otherwise.

I've surely missed someone and there are 19-20 yo kids who we could gamble on (I've really liked Diego Palacios when he was rumoured to sign for Barça B last summer and I'm still sorry we didn't get him though I also like Akieme) like we did with Wague/Emerson and see how they'll develop, but none of them is ready for even a backup role at Barça right now.

Not exactly a kid, but Alex Telles could agree to being rotated if it means he gets a fat paycheck and a Spanish trophy or two in his cabinet, but it might cost you up to 40-50 for the privelege.

 

[Messi983]

Not exactly a kid, but Alex Telles could agree to being rotated if it means he gets a fat paycheck and a Spanish trophy or two in his cabinet, but it might cost you up to 40-50 for the privelege.

Telles is 27 and not someone who could be a possible longterm starter after Alba in 2-3 years so not worth to invest that much in him imo.

 

[Messi983]

Setien's appointment probably not a good news for Emerson.

 

[DonAK]

Setien's appointment probably not a good news for Emerson.

He doesn't rate Emerson?

 

[Messi983]

He doesn't rate Emerson?

I've got that impression last year when he was a 3rd RB behind a veteran Barragan and Francis who most Betis fans considered as a Segunda A level player but Setien liked him a lot for some reason. But maybe it was just Emerson coming in January as a 20 yo kid and need to adapt to European football and he would play more this season for Betis had Setien stayed there. I guess we'll see what QS thinks about Emerson if/when we'll bring him back.

 

[raki]

 

[mc_lovin]

Cashing in on Semedo, loaning Wague and getting Emerson back sounds reasonable to me. He looks decent enough. If Emerson is not all that repeat the cycle with Couto ;D

 

[Luftstalag14]

I think Emerson has the problems of many fullbacks, offensively OK but defensively quite shaky and clumsy. Not better than Semedo right now in my opinion despite his offensive stats.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

I think Emerson has the problems of many fullbacks, offensively OK but defensively quite shaky and clumsy. Not better than Semedo right now in my opinion despite his offensive stats.

He could be better option in games where we need offense.

 

[Luftstalag14]

He could be better option in games where we need offense.

Yes but as a RB his No.1 job is defense. I don’t want us to get a rich man’s Alexi Vidal type of player. So far Emerson has not convinced me.

 

[FC433]

Keep him there. He is not good enough just yet and he is still very young. He must stay at R. Betis for one more season 100% if not two.

 

[Messi983]

Betis SD said there is no way we can get Emerson back before 2021.