Ernesto Valverde - V1

[soul24rage]

The thing that baffles me about EV is that he doesn't seem to know his players' best position. Some examples:

- vs Sociedad. Putting Rafinha on as a left interior when he's more comfortable on the right. Bob doesn't have the skills to be play as an interior and he should play as a DM since he does have some skills to play there.
- vs Leganes. Putting Vermaelen as a LB when he is a CB and considering Legane's pacier attackers, I would have even put Bob as LB if we were gonna rest Alba and didn't trust Miranda (I think miranda should have played)
- vs Bilbao. Putting Rakitic as a left interior when he plays better as a right interior. Arthur usually played more on the left side with Gremio (even it's as a double pivot), why don't you play him there instead of Rakitic? Fk me I would even play Denis there as he's more suited to that left side than Rakitic.

Decisions like these is like playing Messi as a left winger or even last season with Coutinho as a right midfielder when he should be played on the left. Just play your players where they play most comfortable.

 

[BBZ8800]

The thing that baffles me about EV is that he doesn't seem to know his players' best position. Some examples:

- vs Sociedad. Putting Rafinha on as a left interior when he's more comfortable on the right. Bob doesn't have the skills to be play as an interior and he should play as a DM since he does have some skills to play there.
- vs Leganes. Putting Vermaelen as a LB when he is a CB and considering Legane's pacier attackers, I would have even put Bob as LB if we were gonna rest Alba and didn't trust Miranda (I think miranda should have played)
- vs Bilbao. Putting Rakitic as a left interior when he plays better as a right interior. Arthur usually played more on the left side with Gremio (even it's as a double pivot), why don't you play him there instead of Rakitic? Fk me I would even play Denis there as he's more suited to that left side than Rakitic.

Decisions like these is like playing Messi as a left winger or even last season with Coutinho as a right midfielder when he should be played on the left. Just play your players where they play most comfortable.

About Vermaelen as a LB, it isn't that illogical.
We had Oleguer under Rijkaard as a RB, even though he is a CB, to strengthen our defense.
We had Matthieu also.

So, it is not THAT crazy to play Vermaelen there in a few games.

About Rakitic, he played on a left side of midfield trio Rakitic-Brozovic-Modric on a world cup, so it is not as if he is totally unfamiliar with that position.
I think that this one is about Vidal and that EV sees him as more suited to the right side, from whatever reasons.

 

[Andrew M]

About Vermaelen as a LB, it isn't that illogical.
We had Oleguer under Rijkaard as a RB, even though he is a CB, to strengthen our defense.
We had Matthieu also.

So, it is not THAT crazy to play Vermaelen there in a few games.

About Rakitic, he played on a left side of midfield trio Rakitic-Brozovic-Modric on a world cup, so it is not as if he is totally unfamiliar with that position.
I think that this one is about Vidal and that EV sees him as more suited to the right side, from whatever reasons.

But Oleguer was over a decade ago. Football has changed and requires athletes at full back. EV took liberties and it cost us

 

[FC B]

Been watching Chelsea lately, man if only we'd signed Sarri instead of EV.

So do I and was amazed how he turned Chelsea's play that fast almost beating Klopp twice in a week...

Watching Chelski-Liverpool and I almost have tears in my eyes. Both of those two play beautiful football and meanwhile we are playing with 0 intensity, just passing the ball around.

GTFO. NOW.

+1

 

[fergus90]

Having Valverde in charge just represents the current state Barca is in bar Messi. We have no direction or clear style anymore, and despite the board distancing themselves from Laporta and Guardiola's era, their foundations and sporting model are still relying on it. Bar Messi and Busquets, there is nothing of that left. Pique is shot, and the la Masia graduate being shoehorned into the starting 11 every week is just a good squad player.

We've become so obsessed with Barca DNA that it's crippling the chance of evolving and adapting, and to be honest the Barca DNA has become more of a distant cousin, as Valverde literally played for a couple seasons. Like the equivalent of Aleix Vidal being manager in 20 years time.

Having a manager who has his own clear style,character and personality I think is crucial for Barca to be the best again. Valverde has won much less in his whole career, than most of the these players have in 2 seasons and that has made certain players undroppable despite form or opponent. Everything is so painfully slow and predictable at this club, but having the greatest player of all time in your starting 11 continues to mask the same serious issues of the last 3 years.

 

[khaled_a_d]

About Vermaelen as a LB, it isn't that illogical.
We had Oleguer under Rijkaard as a RB, even though he is a CB, to strengthen our defense.
We had Matthieu also.

So, it is not THAT crazy to play Vermaelen there in a few games.

About Rakitic, he played on a left side of midfield trio Rakitic-Brozovic-Modric on a world cup, so it is not as if he is totally unfamiliar with that position.
I think that this one is about Vidal and that EV sees him as more suited to the right side, from whatever reasons.

Wasn't LB always Vermaelen 2nd position? I think he played there before joining us several times. I think he was capable of doing the job there but age has got him

 

[xXKonan]

Wasn't LB always Vermaelen 2nd position? I think he played there before joining us several times. I think he was capable of doing the job there but age has got him

Going by Transfermarkt he only played at LB a total of 41 times.

He mentioned once he didn't like playing there before the 2014 WC if I remember correctly.

 

[George_Costanza]

"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion". Alexander the Great

We are an army of lions led by a sheep.

 

[Raketa10]

Name me a big manager that’s readily available. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Zidane and Conte.

 

[Barcaman]

"Big manager"...

As if Frank, Lucho or Pep were big managers. Key is to have someone with personality, players can look up to to get motivated.

 

[Raketa10]

About Vermaelen as a LB, it isn't that illogical.
We had Oleguer under Rijkaard as a RB, even though he is a CB, to strengthen our defense.
We had Matthieu also.

So, it is not THAT crazy to play Vermaelen there in a few games.

About Rakitic, he played on a left side of midfield trio Rakitic-Brozovic-Modric on a world cup, so it is not as if he is totally unfamiliar with that position.
I think that this one is about Vidal and that EV sees him as more suited to the right side, from whatever reasons.

Vermaelen didn't have speed and technique to play as a LB five years ago and not today after 20 injuries in the last 3 years. Valverde should have realized during our training sessions that he can not play there. The position Rakitic played during the WC for Croatia isn't even similar to the one he played yesterday. I honestly can't understand how can anyone defend Valverde anymore?!?! When will this end? After we get knocked out of CL in a group stage?

"Big manager"...

As if Frank, Lucho or Pep were big managers. Key is to have someone with personality, players can look up to to get motivated.

Exactly, something Real had with Zidane on the bench.

 

[TrueCule]

EV is a good couch and I hope that he will prove all the doubters wrong on Wednesday. It's not his fault if Barcelona were denied by the woodwork eight times in seven games. If those shots went it it would have been a different story.

The curve will go upwards from this team. I hope that we peak in Spring just like Real did in the previous seasons. Everything is good so far. We're tied with Real on points, everything is under control. We usually step up when there is a derby against Sevilla, Valencia, etc. That's why I'm not worried if Real already played them and we didn't. The dream of the treble is still alive.

 

[Raketa10]

ev is a good couch and i hope that he will prove all the doubters wrong on wednesday. It's not his fault if barcelona were denied by the woodwork eight times in seven games. If those shots went it it would have been a different story.

The curve will go upwards from this team. I hope that we peak in spring just like real did in the previous seasons. Everything is good so far. We're tied with real on points, everything is under control. We usually step up when there is a derby against sevilla, valencia, etc. That's why i'm not worried if real already played them and we didn't. The dream of the treble is still alive.

Ernesto stop posting bullshit and please resign!

 

[khaled_a_d]

Zidane and Conte.

Zidane isn't available, free agent doesn't mean available. He will never consider coaching us.
Conte is the only "big name" coach available in reality but considering Spanish is mandatory for any coach we will need to approach him months earlier in order that he start learning the langauge (and the langauge stuff is something that isn't exclusive to us btw)
So if we want him we will need to agree with him now to take over us in Summer.
And while he is a good coach, expect most fans to even get more frusterated with him more than EV especially once he start playing his own 3 man defense

Exactly, something Real had with Zidane on the bench.

Zidane was widely considered a top 2 player of his generation and an all time great. He took baby steps for coaching and took over when he was ready for it too.
Frank and Pep was picked by Crujif who was their own coach and knew exactly what type of players they ar, Lucho was picked by his former team mate Zubi and al 3 was start players and sort of legends. Same with Zidane with RM
Those guys are easier to have much more authority and demands, they won't destroy their coaching career before it starts due to bad markets etc, they knew how to deal with stars because they played with them and was their stars themselves.
Currently who would you think that resembles any of those guys? The truth is that Unzue/Abelardo/Eusebio are the closest ones for us in that regard, not sur if Puyol has finished his 1st team coaching license or not but then again he has no experience whatsoever and was a close teammate to some of our players

 

[BBZ8800]

Vermaelen didn't have speed and technique to play as a LB five years ago and not today after 20 injuries in the last 3 years. Valverde should have realized during our training sessions that he can not play there. The position Rakitic played during the WC for Croatia isn't even similar to the one he played yesterday. I honestly can't understand how can anyone defend Valverde anymore?!?! When will this end? After we get knocked out of CL in a group stage?

I am not defending him but now it sounds as if everything he touches is wrong:
1. Dembele plays on a left: wrong
2. Malcom plays on a left: wrong
3. Malcom doesn't play: wrong
4. Munir plays: wrong
5. Rakitic plays on a left: wrong

My point, if you or me were managers. Or if our forum TOGETHER would have been a manager (if we would vote for a starting 11 and everything), even then people could still found some weird things, if you get me.

Pep also rotated players and tried them on different positions.
When results are good, those tests looks as= an awesome decision.
When results are bad, those tests and attempts look as= a horrible manager with stupid decisions.

You and me, any of us would also try some tests and experiments if we were managers.

To some extent, we could say: well, at least he is trying some new things, to shake up a team and things.