IbraFTW
Bazinga!
I'd prefer something less experimental, but this might work too. Regardless of his competence to play CB, If he moves to CB, he'll be benched. Not good for him, and I can't tell if it's good for the club.
Eric Abidal
- Thread starter Barcaman
- Start date
I'd prefer something less experimental, but this might work too. Regardless of his competence to play CB, If he moves to CB, he'll be benched. Not good for him, and I can't tell if it's good for the club.
Fontas is turning 21 this Autumn and we know that´s the age Pep likes. So I wouldn´t worry much about Abidal as CB as we have options.
He looked great as our LB last season so i expect him to be No1 choice despite Adriano´s arrival and solid performances of Maxwell. Hopefully he won´t be out injured as much this term.
He looked great as our LB last season so i expect him to be No1 choice despite Adriano´s arrival and solid performances of Maxwell. Hopefully he won´t be out injured as much this term.
Barcafan 2304
New member
Does seem to be quite a few players coming through at the moment in that position
Metaphysical
Bomb Dropper
Abidal as always being very funny
errr, that's an evra quote.
barca96
New member
is it? thanks...
didn't know evra had a humorous side to him.
i really wanted to believe that it was abidal who gave that rant hehe
ViolentLogic
New member
Abidal is a wall of a left back. Hope he can do awesome things this season.
Barcafan 2304
New member
Did well mate. I still hope he is not over tinkered with and stays predominately as a LB but in the advent of injuries to others etc, he is good to have in reserve for the CB position
antimadritista
A masterpiece of DNA
He was good at CB
FC Barcelona defender Eric Abidal recently sat down with Catalan sports paper Sport to talk about the World Cup, Ibra and the upcoming season.
This past Thursday was the three year anniversary of your debut in La Liga…
Really? I didn’t realize. I’ve been so happy with the team, the city, and the level of football that the time has flown by.
How is your conversion to central defender going?
It’s going well. I’ve played there for two years with France. I like the position but I’ve got to be more aware because mistakes lead to goals. The coach knows I prefer to play on the outside.
You’re the only fullback that isn’t Brazilian…
They are the most technically proficient players out there.
Three and half months without La Liga..
It’s seemed like a long time. I look forward to playing again. The most important [games start] now and it is best to start off with a win.
Can the 99 points from last season be topped?
Winning is more important than the number of points. It’d be great to obtain 99 again but I don’t care how many we gain as long as we win.
With the past two seasons as precedent, is the bar set too high?
We’ve won everything but the mentality of the team is to keep winning. We have to prolong this streak for as long as possible because when football is over the only thing left are the trophies.
It’s hard for things to be as good as they have been over the past two years…
It’s difficult because we’ve done it once and we’ve seen how concentrated you have to be. Football is decided by small details, like Iniesta’s goal in Stamford Bridge. Andres never shoots and that day he did it at the last minute…
How has the team dealt with the whole Ibra saga?
It’d be better had he stayed with us because he is talented. But when you sign a world champion (Villa) you start to wonder if you’ll play or not.
He said that Pep only talked with him twice in six months…
The reality is that Pep doesn’t talk much. He’s got his way of thinking and talking but it is better that he doesn’t talk because if he does it’s to tell you that you’re doing something wrong.
Do you think Pep is a good communicator?
He talks a lot during practices but there isn’t a whole lot of one on one time. He tells you things and if you understand them he doesn’t repeat them…
Was Zlatan able to integrate into the team?
He’s got a lot of character but Barca knew that before signing him. He’s a happy person and I’ve got a good relationship with him because we were always joking with each other.
It’s a different scenario with France…
Everyone was at fault there. The team, the coach, the journalists…..
How has it made you feel that Blanc doesn’t count on you?
Fine, because I’m working with my team. Maybe it means I should work harder.
You said it’d take a while to forget about that bad experience…
Yes and I still think about it because I worked for a long time for that moment to come and it’ll take a while to forget it.
Leo Messi had a bad World Cup too….
People expect a lot out of him because he’s the best in the world and everyone knows that he can decide a game in an instant. I hope he wins the Balon d’Or again this year and if not him then Xavi.
What do you think of the changes that Madrid has made?
We know the mentality of Mourinho. But we’ve made three good signings too and the coach knows what the group needs. We need to be mentally strong and win both of the games against Real Madrid.
This past Thursday was the three year anniversary of your debut in La Liga…
Really? I didn’t realize. I’ve been so happy with the team, the city, and the level of football that the time has flown by.
How is your conversion to central defender going?
It’s going well. I’ve played there for two years with France. I like the position but I’ve got to be more aware because mistakes lead to goals. The coach knows I prefer to play on the outside.
You’re the only fullback that isn’t Brazilian…
They are the most technically proficient players out there.
Three and half months without La Liga..
It’s seemed like a long time. I look forward to playing again. The most important [games start] now and it is best to start off with a win.
Can the 99 points from last season be topped?
Winning is more important than the number of points. It’d be great to obtain 99 again but I don’t care how many we gain as long as we win.
With the past two seasons as precedent, is the bar set too high?
We’ve won everything but the mentality of the team is to keep winning. We have to prolong this streak for as long as possible because when football is over the only thing left are the trophies.
It’s hard for things to be as good as they have been over the past two years…
It’s difficult because we’ve done it once and we’ve seen how concentrated you have to be. Football is decided by small details, like Iniesta’s goal in Stamford Bridge. Andres never shoots and that day he did it at the last minute…
How has the team dealt with the whole Ibra saga?
It’d be better had he stayed with us because he is talented. But when you sign a world champion (Villa) you start to wonder if you’ll play or not.
He said that Pep only talked with him twice in six months…
The reality is that Pep doesn’t talk much. He’s got his way of thinking and talking but it is better that he doesn’t talk because if he does it’s to tell you that you’re doing something wrong.
Do you think Pep is a good communicator?
He talks a lot during practices but there isn’t a whole lot of one on one time. He tells you things and if you understand them he doesn’t repeat them…
Was Zlatan able to integrate into the team?
He’s got a lot of character but Barca knew that before signing him. He’s a happy person and I’ve got a good relationship with him because we were always joking with each other.
It’s a different scenario with France…
Everyone was at fault there. The team, the coach, the journalists…..
How has it made you feel that Blanc doesn’t count on you?
Fine, because I’m working with my team. Maybe it means I should work harder.
You said it’d take a while to forget about that bad experience…
Yes and I still think about it because I worked for a long time for that moment to come and it’ll take a while to forget it.
Leo Messi had a bad World Cup too….
People expect a lot out of him because he’s the best in the world and everyone knows that he can decide a game in an instant. I hope he wins the Balon d’Or again this year and if not him then Xavi.
What do you think of the changes that Madrid has made?
We know the mentality of Mourinho. But we’ve made three good signings too and the coach knows what the group needs. We need to be mentally strong and win both of the games against Real Madrid.
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