Ernesto Valverde - V1

[Don Andrésº8]

We need a new coach im saying this for more than a year

 

[Maxim4]

We need a new coach im saying this for more than a year

he played Vermaelen Lateral. It's horrible!

 

[xXKonan]

Valverde Gala 4-3-3 this season seems like a weird zombie version of what we did in the past with Lucho.

Dembele-Suarez-Messi being Valverde's "MSN"

Coutinho-Busi-Rakitic with Coutinho being the creative attacking outlet while Rakitic has some god damn weird Xavi/Workhorse role in the 4-3-3 tasked with controlling possession with Busi and trying to cover ground on the right side defensively.

On paper, the 4-3-3 is simple to look at like Valverde's but without all the things that made Lucho's treble season/Pep's Barca actually good. As in Pressing, Triangles, Off the ball movement, quick passing, Midfield combinations, good ball retention etc.

With Valverde's 4-3-3 we have. Bad off the ball movement, triangles not really consistent, non-existent pressing, Slow Build up, lack of control in the Midfield, quick passing is not really consistent and we are cut open so easily and overall just fucking slow and uncreative.

The lack of control the Midfield comes down to Valverde trying to use Rakitic in some weird pseudo controller/defensive RCM role. Rakitic is intelligent in terms of tactical positioning and has a good long ball in him and every now and then scores some goals. and while he's improved during his time here with the ball he still has a number of flaws.

Rakitic can be fine in games that the other team doesn't press the hell out of the Midfield and is willing to give up the ball. But if the other team starts to press the Midfield he really struggles under pressure with the ball.

Rakitic can work well if he's paired up with a Real controller like let's say Arthur. Arthur has things to work on but he's more of a natural at that role as a CM than anyone else in the squad.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

One of the biggest things he's ignoring is how certain players cannot play together anymore.

Pique-Roberto

Rakitic-Busi

And even Suarez-Messi it seems.

Like Valverde raises concerns after the match talking about how we struggled to create chances or how defensively vulnerable we were in the said match as well. Has he really looked at the Gala XI for a minute and realize that some players cannot effectively play together as they use to anymore?

I mean fucking hell it happened with Xavi-Busi-Iniesta, they tore teams to shreds during the pep era but as time went on the Midfield became weaker as Xavi was losing his legs and Iniesta was struggling for form as well in a number of occasions we became more defensively vulnerable.

Hell Lucho even saw this and decided to phase out Xavi and brought in Rakitic to help add Steel to the Midfield and make use of Iniesta who still had legs and Busi and we won the treble that same season and the double the following year.

Pique-Roberto is another big weak point. If you had the 2014/15 and 2015/16 Pique that duo could work but with Pique's problems and Roberto's is a terrible defender we are going to struggle on the right side with teams putting numbers there and targeting the both of them.

It's 2018 and it's painfully obvious now what worked a couple of seasons ago no longer works. If you want to play Busi you cannot play Rakitic and vice versa. If you want to play Pique you need to pair him up with a RB who has the pace and energy to help mask his problems and if you want to play Roberto you need a CB who is good in 1v1 duels and is comfortable defending wide spaces.

This crap isn't rocket science anyone could spot this from a mile away.

Excellent post. I agree. Some combinations are not effective anymore and needs strengthening or changing.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

it's not just creativity, but the lack of intensity was astonishing. One thing I liked about Lucho's team was that there was intensity in most of the games, a bit of urgency. EV is not the man who can inject that passion and fighting spirit. He's too calm for me as a Barca coach.

Good post. I agree, the lack of fighting spirit is so obvious. Just compare one game from Liverpool and you notice how proper pressure looks like. We look like bunch of grannies playing football compared to Liverpool. That's why we won't have any chance vs Liverpool either. They would murder us with counters.

 

[Maxim4]

 

[serghei]

Coutinho will regress going from Klopp to Valverde.

 

[Xaviniesta]

the sad thing is that the leganes game was supposed to be our easiest game....this is what's next for valverde:

 

[jairzinho]

I think he could be exposed this season. I hope he’s not, but I’m afraid it might happen.

 

[Aryagorn]

I hope he gets his ass exposed ala Raga Benitez in 2015 and we get our own voodoo merchant!

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

the sad thing is that the leganes game was supposed to be our easiest game....this is what's next for valverde:

Brutal month.

 

[Vilarrubi]

I hope he gets his ass exposed ala Raga Benitez in 2015 and we get our own voodoo merchant!

Even if he did i can’t see him getting sacked.. were too nice as a club to sack mid season and that domestic double has got him a sort of free pass. Not ruthless enough like Madrid.

 

[Tekkers]

what exact system is he trying to implement? it's apparent when watching the likes of klopp at liverpool or sarri at chelsea, but what is this guy doing? how is barcas attack so putrid with the likes of messi, cou, dembele, suarez and malcom at his disposal?

 

[George_Costanza]

 

[ini4ever]

what exact system is he trying to implement? it's apparent when watching the likes of klopp at liverpool or sarri at chelsea, but what is this guy doing? how is barcas attack so putrid with the likes of messi, cou, dembele, suarez and malcom at his disposal?

He isn't, in other words in he simply lacks knowledge to do that hence relying on individual brilliance to score goals. Lucho wasn't a tactical genius manager either but he could motivate players enough to lead the team beating top teams and get us CL just like Zidane, Barca & Real have top quality players sometimes you just need to keep them motivated and its done.