Ernesto Valverde - V1

[Horatio]

The fans this season have not been great and we can see the disappointment in Valverde and Pique's interviews.

What fans?

 

[FC433]

What interviews?

En este sentido, Valverde ha explicado que se espera un Camp Nou como el día del Celta, que empuje al equipo y le ayude a remontar".

https://www.fcbarcelona.es/futbol/p...-han-tenido-mas-acierto-pero-queda-la-vuelta-

[tw]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Gerard Piqué: “Para el partido de vuelta le pido a la afición del Barça que no insulte y que no tire cosas a los jugadores, que sean señores”.</p>— Som i Serem FCB (@somhiserem) <a href="https://twitter.com/somhiserem/status/953758927832961026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
[/tw]

 

[FC433]

What fans?

Our fans.

 

[Nothanks]

https://www.fcbarcelona.es/futbol/p...-han-tenido-mas-acierto-pero-queda-la-vuelta-

[tw]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Gerard Piqué: “Para el partido de vuelta le pido a la afición del Barça que no insulte y que no tire cosas a los jugadores, que sean señores”.</p>— Som i Serem FCB (@somhiserem) <a href="https://twitter.com/somhiserem/status/953758927832961026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
[/tw]

you're talking about other teams fans not being nice to use? because all pique is asking for us that barca fans don't throw crap at espanyol players... because he is upset they threw stuff at jasper and he is scared barca fans will retaliate
nothing to do with valverde

 

[khaled_a_d]

I have a bad feeling that Busi, Raki, Messi and Luis will be dead tired in the worst moment of a season, CL's 1/8 and potentially 1/4.

I don't like how we are losing energy for CDR each year in January and February.

For a few seasons in a row, we are losing too much energy in January and February, then get knocked out in a CL, and then we recover our energy in May, where we don't need it anymore.
Messi plays Wednesday-Sunday-Wednesday-Sunday all the time.

And he is 30+.

You are right, but tbf what options did we have?
We have many injuries right now, and we can't just throw bunch of bench player against city rival in 1/4 CDR game.
Busquets, Pique and Messi along Roberto were the only sure starters that played the game (Paulinho is starter due to Dembele not being used at all this season)
Who should have played instead of them from the bench? Probably Gomes? but after that you will find yourself with Mascherano who has his mind in China, B teamers or end of the bench like Gerard & Arnaiz
I don't like that, but this is what injuries has cost us tbh. You need to have some core players in such games and those were the ones available. I've rarely if ever seen a game were coach rest the whole team except against 3rd division CDR opponent

 

[Alik]

https://www.fcbarcelona.es/futbol/p...-han-tenido-mas-acierto-pero-queda-la-vuelta-

[tw]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Gerard Piqué: “Para el partido de vuelta le pido a la afición del Barça que no insulte y que no tire cosas a los jugadores, que sean señores”.</p>— Som i Serem FCB (@somhiserem) <a href="https://twitter.com/somhiserem/status/953758927832961026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
[/tw]

He is criticizing Espanyol's fans, not our fans.

 

[Barcaman]

He is criticizing Espanyol's fans, not our fans.

Exactly.

 

[MessiCam]

You are right, but tbf what options did we have?
We have many injuries right now, and we can't just throw bunch of bench player against city rival in 1/4 CDR game.
Busquets, Pique and Messi along Roberto were the only sure starters that played the game (Paulinho is starter due to Dembele not being used at all this season)
Who should have played instead of them from the bench? Probably Gomes? but after that you will find yourself with Mascherano who has his mind in China, B teamers or end of the bench like Gerard & Arnaiz
I don't like that, but this is what injuries has cost us tbh. You need to have some core players in such games and those were the ones available. I've rarely if ever seen a game were coach rest the whole team except against 3rd division CDR opponent

Barca had this game under complete control until the penalty miss. What impressed me most was that we pressed as a team even with the bench players but what we lacked was ball circulation. Espanyol made it very tough for us to play our usual passing game with a high press of their own. It was a very good game to be honest and a nice lesson for the likes of Alena/Denis. Paulinho was very good in midfield I thought but Espanyol need some serious props for the way they approached this game.

 

[henias]

Barca had this game under complete control until the penalty miss. What impressed me most was that we pressed as a team even with the bench players but what we lacked was ball circulation. Espanyol made it very tough for us to play our usual passing game with a high press of their own. It was a very good game to be honest and a nice lesson for the likes of Alena/Denis. Paulinho was very good in midfield I thought but Espanyol need some serious props for the way they approached this game.

What I dont like is the 451, I would go for a 442 or 433. Vidal is not good in the midfield area, and would need Roberto plus Semedo to lay balls for him. Denis was decent, could have been better if he made that shot on target. Plus he was paired with Digne who was very slow and rigid in plays. All in all, we dont have strong connection on the flanks and playing a 451 would hardly create anything near the final third. Espanyol was happy to absorb the pressure and then surprise us in the last minute attack.

 

[Windhook]

Ernesto Valverde applauding in Daniel Jarque memory in 21st minute of the match was a great moment.

Players lost focus after the missed penalty. Pique telling his teammates to concentrate couple of times is not something we see every game.

 

[MessiCam]

What I dont like is the 451, I would go for a 442 or 433. Vidal is not good in the midfield area, and would need Roberto plus Semedo to lay balls for him. Denis was decent, could have been better if he made that shot on target. Plus he was paired with Digne who was very slow and rigid in plays. All in all, we dont have strong connection on the flanks and playing a 451 would hardly create anything near the final third. Espanyol was happy to absorb the pressure and then surprise us in the last minute attack.

It looked a 4-2-3-1 to me with Alena playing in the hole. That said, and I've been saying it from the start, even with a full strength squad we're a deep lying playmaker short of making it work.

Signing Griezmann doesn't address our issues now that we've got more versatility with Coutinho. We're a midfielder short of making both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 work seamlessly.

We could make it work with Iniesta in that role but it's still a hard sell for me.

 

[BBZ8800]

You are right, but tbf what options did we have?
We have many injuries right now, and we can't just throw bunch of bench player against city rival in 1/4 CDR game.
Busquets, Pique and Messi along Roberto were the only sure starters that played the game (Paulinho is starter due to Dembele not being used at all this season)
Who should have played instead of them from the bench? Probably Gomes? but after that you will find yourself with Mascherano who has his mind in China, B teamers or end of the bench like Gerard & Arnaiz
I don't like that, but this is what injuries has cost us tbh. You need to have some core players in such games and those were the ones available. I've rarely if ever seen a game were coach rest the whole team except against 3rd division CDR opponent

I don't rate CDR at all.
If I were a coach, I would play with 11 reserves until a final.

But a lot of fans have emotional and historical connections towards CDR and we can't do anything.
I can't shake a feeling that even in Lucho's era, if we didn't play CDR, that we would won or played in one more CL final.

Each time in this time of the year, we are laughing at RM, because they are losing at CDR against crappy teams and then in May, they are laughing at us when they are winning CL trophies and we are winning CDR against Alaves.

I have a feeling for years that Barca is the only club who thinks that CDR is still important.
Some will reply: no, no, smaller teams play CDR with full strength. Well, yes. But none top team except Barca plays in CDR with such passion.

Messi played in January:
Levante, Celta, Sociedad, Espanyol.
Now he'll play:
21 Jan Betis liga
25 Jan Espanyol Cdr
28 Jan Alaves liga
31 Jan CDR semis
4 Feb Espanyol liga
7 Feb CDR Semis
11 Feb Getafe Liga
18 Feb Eibar liga
= 20 Feb Chelsea CL
Then:
25 Feb Girona liga
28 Feb Las Palmas liga
4 Mar Atletico liga
11 Mar Malaga liga
= Chelsea 14 March

Messi has 13 matches before Chelsea's 2nd leg.
Lol.

Who wanna bet that Messi, Busi and Rakitic will be dead tired RIGHT in that moment?

What is my solution?
= well, play CDR with Gomes, Denis, Deulofeu, Alena, Rafinha, Vidal, Digne, Mina

I really don't understand what are we getting with winning these CDR trophies in 2018, when absolutely no one cares about them.

Someone mentioned yesterday that Chelsea will get tired with cup matches:
Well, Chelsea played yesterday with:

Ampadu
Luiz
Azpilicueta

Zappacosta
Drinkwater
Bakayoko
Kenedy

Willian
Batshuayi
Pedro

I again have a feeling that even Conte is laughing at us.
He will play with subs and rotate players while we will probably play Messi and Busi both in La Liga with +19 advantage and in every single CDR match.
A horrible, horrible management.

I am not from Spain, maybe people in Barcelona have some political connection with CDR and maybe our board and coaches and fans see CDR as a slap in the face to RM in a political way.
Because I just don't get why are we wasting energy on this trophy other than some political reasons.

No one in the world cares anymore about national cup and supercup matches.

 

[Neymessi]

Criticism where its due. There was no need to rest so many players in a 2 legged tie that too against asspanayol who are a first division side.

He had the league for all the experiments and rests.

 

[jamrock]

I agree we should be playing the kids & reserve in the copa & see how far they can take us.

I don't care if we lose, I never understood why big teams play there best players in the cup.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I don't rate CDR at all.
If I were a coach, I would play with 11 reserves until a final.

And you are wrong, have a look on cup winners since 2008 in top 4 leagues and you will find that vast majority is big clubs, and non play with all bench players, almost zero.
See if this is where you are basing your argument from, well you are wrong