Ernesto Valverde - V1

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

Those of you defending Valverde, I ask again, how do you justify:

-Playing Pique through injury

-Playing Paulinho/Gomes/Vidal over Dembele

-Valverde’s treatment of Semedo

-Running Iniesta into the ground when we have Coutinho, who is not available in the CL, meaning we sorely need a fresh Iniesta against Chelsea.

 

[serghei]

The forum is talking out of its ass about 4-4-2 like it's the devil. You're playing that way, because you've lost a world class winger and because you've lost out on Champions League because you weren't balanced in the 4-3-3 since you lost world class performers in Xavi and Alves. It's a logical step to take and leaves your options open to get back to something more comfortable as soon as your new guys come in, settle down and are no longer frowned upon when they fuck up. It's both protecting the new and fixing the old. What could possibly be wrong with it? People have zero patience and never let things play out on a month-year basis.

In many ways people are as fickle as the Madrid supporters are about the BBC comeback. Having the old washed up BBC return that is old, washed up, but can still be effective is a transition as much as the 4-4-2. Who in their right mind would keep BBC permanently when you have a world class playmaker in Isco and ready to explode Asensio just waiting to be released and cause havoc? Why would Barca keep 4-4-2 with Coutinho, Dembele and possibly Griezmann coming in? This is all serving the long term goals while being a surprising and successful strategy for the short-term that prioritises results over style.

And people need to realise that so bad.

There are many ways to play 4-4-2. It's not an automatically defensive setup beyond redemption. Madrid played 4-4-2 in CL with good attacking output. United did too plenty of times creating loads of chances (the old United, not today's junk).

But you can also play 4-4-2 like Atletico, and Juventus do, creating at most 2-3 chances the whole game, or not even that (like vs Chelsea). So it's not that much the formation he's playing in, but rather his way of approaching games that is quite defensive in my opinion. Thinking more about not conceding than creating chances, because Messi might get you off the hook with some piece of magic.

I think we're playing a lot like Sabella's Argentina actually. They were also good in defense, but lousy at creating chances if Messi was marked out.

 

[JamDav1982]

Those of you defending Valverde, I ask again, how do you justify:

-Playing Pique through injury

-Playing Paulinho/Gomes/Vidal over Dembele

-Valverde’s treatment of Semedo

-Running Iniesta into the ground when we have Coutinho, who is not available in the CL, meaning we sorely need a fresh Iniesta against Chelsea.

Again.... he never ran Iniesta into the ground.

 

[Raketa10]

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Just listen to the nonsense he's spewing about Pique's injury.

Well he will end up like Iniesta and than Valverde won’t have any excuses.

 

[Joan]

Nobody is really calling for his sacking. People just don't want to see Barca playing defensive on Camp Nou and parking the bus against teams we can beat by playing good football. That's what it is and nothing else.

Look below.

there's nothing wrong with criticism, I agree up to a point
but there's nothing wrong with a healthy dose of pragmatism

 

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

Again.... he never ran Iniesta into the ground.

Yes he did. But good job only singling out one of my points and ignoring the others

 

[JamDav1982]

Yes he did. But good job only singling out one of my points and ignoring the others

He hasnt.

Your other points have been done to death if you want to go and look for the debates on them.

Just you keep predicting Barca will get beat every week and will be right eventually.

 

[Raketa10]

What's funny is that, the day EV probably sealed the league, many are calling for his sacking...

Nobody is calling for sacking, some of us just don’t like the way we play and his way of picking the players (Vidal or Gomes over Dembele) but of course we are not for sacking him. If he wins La Liga he has to stay for another season but I sincerely hope he will change his approach soon.

He is having a great season so far but hell will open on him if he goes out against Chelse. You’ll see! People are tolerating his tactics only because we have good results so far but that can change with ONE bad game in CL.

 

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

He hasnt.

Your other points have been done to death if you want to go and look for the debates on them.

Just you keep predicting Barca will get beat every week and will be right eventually.

Let’s see what your excuse will be when Chelsea knock us out on Wednesday. Unless, of course, Valverde finally grows a pair and starts Dembele.

 

[Hamzah]

Why are you so sure that Chelsea will knock out Barca? Chelsea aren't that great and this time the game is at camp nou, not stamford bridge

Away ties in champions league are always tough, even prime Barca lost away matches to the likes of arsenal

 

[JamDav1982]

Let’s see what your excuse will be when Chelsea knock us out on Wednesday. Unless, of course, Valverde finally grows a pair and starts Dembele.

Lets see what your is when Barca go through.

You are the type that predict the worst all the time as dont care if you are wrong.

Seen it all before.

 

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

Lets see what your is when Barca go through.

If we go through, it will be because he finally grew a pair and started Dembele. Like I just said. Then I will be all and glad he has learned his lesson.

We’re not going through with 2 of Paulinho/Gomes/Vidal playing.

 

[JamDav1982]

If we go through, it will be because he finally grew a pair and started Dembele. Like I just said.

We’re not going through with 2 of Paulinho/Gomes/Vidal playing.

You just sound angry about being wrong that Barca will fall behind Atletico and get knocked out by Chelsea.

Predict the worst and be smug if happens. Thats all you are about.

 

[El Gato]

There are many ways to play 4-4-2. It's not an automatically defensive setup beyond redemption. Madrid played 4-4-2 in CL with good chances of creation. United did too plenty of times creating loads of chances.

But you can also play 4-4-2 like Atletico, and Juventus do, creating at most 2-3 chances the whole game, or not even that (like vs Chelsea). So it's not that much the formation he's playing in, but rather his way of approaching games that is quite defensive in my opinion. Thinking more about not conceding than creating chances, because Messi might get you off the hook with some piece of magic.

.... which is absolutely what you need to do? You've conceded 13 goals. It's March. I can't think of the stat off the top of my head, but it seems to be your team's best defensive record since Pep era when organisation and personnel from back to front was at its all time high. Since Puyol left you inserted Mascherano as the organiser next to Pique to keep him in check and it wasn't entirely successful. Only Atleti conceded less goals out of Europe's top 5 leagues. Defense wins trophies. Not one, but multiple ones. Balanced defense-offense makes you undefeated and takes you to where Valverde took you from imminent crisis and first legit beatdown you've received at the hands of Madrid since 2008.

You may not like it, but if in June you finish as invincibles with a treble (which this squad is absolutely capable of) I guarantee you, none of the shit stirring that is currently occurring because "muh, we only scored 70 when we should have scored 90!" will ever take place.

 

[mssarm]

Let’s see what your excuse will be when Chelsea knock us out on Wednesday. Unless, of course, Valverde finally grows a pair and starts Dembele.

Let's see what is going to be yours. Let me guess:" Messi saved us" As if Messi never saved us under Pep, Tito, Tata or Lucho.