Ernesto Valverde - V1

[khaled_a_d]

It's not about tonight. It's about the whole season. Rotate 2 starters each game and we will be fine in March. But no, he has no intention of smartly preserving the squad.

He needs to rest some players more for sure
For me the most determining part will be during March and April, that when rotation is needed most. If he doesn't in it it will be problem

 

[Leo_Messi]

He needs to rest some players more for sure
For me the most determining part will be during March and April, that when rotation is needed most. If he doesn't in it it will be problem

Wrong. Rotations are necessary in January, February and March as well. The team needs to peak in the middle of March and onwards when the later stages of the CL begin and the league title gets decided. Not now. January in particular is the perfect month for rotations considering our quite easy league schedule (on paper that is) and the team likely playing at least 4 CdR games if not more.

Valverde did well rotating half of the old guard and although the team played very badly, the result was a good one. However if the reserves will get another chance in the return leg it will be a clear message of how little Valverde values the CdR this season.

 

[Barcaman]

Balls on this guy to insert denis in, who was largely impotent in previous year or so, and give everyone a happy ending.

 

[YodaMaster]

Imo, that is one of the problems, but not THE ONLY problem.

In some matches, like against Roma away, true, we couldn't create anything and someone like Arthur might have helped.
But even in matches where we CAN create chances, our chances on a CL level are so sterile and predictable.

So:
1. sometimes we struggle under pressure and can't create anything
2. but even if we avoid a pressure (let's say: having 3 Arthurs on a field): what then?
Our attacking plan is a total shit:
1) pass the ball around the box till death and waiting for a hole to open, which rarely happens against Juve, since they are NOT Getafe
2) passing the ball to Messi in every single action, which big teams like Juve/Atletico/Bayern can neutralize quite easily
3) and our other random, chaotic solo actions are:
= pass the ball to Messi and hope that he will dribble past 3 players and score
= (when we had Neymar): pass the ball to Neymar and hope that he will dribble past 3 players and score
= Messi passing to Alba, and Alba crossing into a box or sending a hard, low cross in the middle and hoping for the best

Basically, that's the whole Barca's gameplan.
It works in La Liga against Mickey Mouse teams like Getafe, Girona, Leganes and similar.
In a CL, we are knocked out in the same way since 2013'.

Now, after reading my post from above, where our only attacking ideas are:
1. passing the ball around the box and waiting for a hole to open
2. waiting for Messi's solo action
3. waiting for Neymar's solo action (insert Dembele now)
4. Messi's pass to Alba

Regarding 1, 2 and 3:
1) Juve and Atletico will park a huge bus and we won't be able to create good chances
2) Messi will be man marked by 2-3 players every time he gets the ball, and those guys will be EXTREMELY close to him whenever he gets the ball (unlike La Liga defenders who give him more space and time).
And Messi will be pushed, fouled or tackles in almost every action and he will be out of play. And then, he'll sulk and get sad, as always.
3) Neymar/Dembele, the same story

Now, watch these videos against Juve 2017 and Atletico 2016.
And try to find more than 2-3 actions over 180 minutes where we tried something different and unpredictable.
You can't.
We are doing the same slow, predictable shit over and over, and all big clubs/their coaches/coaching team/scouts know our 3-4 main moves and they are neutralizing us easily.

Now, enjoy the videos and watch the most predictable big team (attacking wise) on a CL level, Fc Barcelona in the last few years.
Btw, people are calling for more "controlling", off the ball movement, triangles.
Fine, that will bring more control.
But that is only a part of a problem.
1. we have problems in avoiding pressure from the opponents
2. once when we achieve that, we have problems in controlling the match
3. once when we achieve even that, we don't have any attacking ideas. So, Arthur won't help too much. Removing Rakitic won't help either. We still won't score shit in attack:
Juve 2017: Doesn't this look like a deja vu, and like watching any quarters of a CL over again? It does to me. We are always neutralized and sterile in the exactly the same way:

Atletico 2016:

Good post. I agree with majority. And to be fair, since Lucho left, our attacking game got even worse under Valverde. Some will say Lucho had MSN, but it doesn't explain everything. MSN or no MSN (eg: 2-3 Clasico in Bernabeu) Lucho's team in its prime always knew how to create chances. Since he left, our attack plan is to pass the ball to Messi. Lucho at least managed to break that Messi dependance.

And to be fair, Barça created good chances against Juventus in 2017 as you can see in the video. That tie was lost in Italy (3-0), remontada stuff won't work against that legendary Juve defense. Either way Barça sucked that year I agree.

[MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] but honestly do you think that we'll create chances and have great attacking game with a Vidal-Busquets-Rakitic midfield ? Impossible. It will be even worse. I think in a 433 midfield, you need a good DM (Busquets is the perfect Barça DM even if he gets old), you need a controller (Arthur) and you need a more offensive minded third midfielder (Coutinho?), but above all those 3 have to execute perfect pressing and work hard (press) when the ball is lost. Bernardo or De Bruyne would have been perfect as the third offensive mid.

Pressing is actually super imporant, we created tons of chances under Pep and Lucho thanks to pressing. When the team recovers the ball in opponent's last third, it's a deadly weapon with guys like Messi and co.

Valverde's team first reaction when the ball is lost is to run back towards Ter Stegen and sit deep.
This coach's tactics simply don't match with big club ambitions and with our main players style. The only guy that suits perfectly EV's pathetic tactics is Rakitic.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Wrong. Rotations are necessary in January, February and March as well. The team needs to peak in the middle of March and onwards when the later stages of the CL begin and the league title gets decided. Not now. January in particular is the perfect month for rotations considering our quite easy league schedule (on paper that is) and the team likely playing at least 4 CdR games if not more.

Valverde did well rotating half of the old guard and although the team played very badly, the result was a good one. However if the reserves will get another chance in the return leg it will be a clear message of how little Valverde values the CdR this season.

What I meant that al the rest in the world right now won't mean anything if players don't get rest during March & April, not that we don't need some rotations now.

 

[Respekt_III]

How was this fraud ever selected as our coach, It's absolutely frustrating that he's making making barca worse and people are all for it. The WORST thing is his fascination with garbage players like Willian (he's been so shit that chelsea fans are begging for this to go through). Decent sources from the chelsea side have confirmed that bids were made and we are apparently making another one.

Im convinced our scouts/board/coach base their decisions on youtube highlights and maybe a couple of games.

 

[putogusiluz8]

Yawn

 

[omidferoz]

Watching betis right now... Holy cow they play good football. Remains me of barca 2009-11. Setien has to be first priority next season to replace Valverde.

 

[DonAK]

Setien is not going to bench Busquets, Rakitic or Pique so you guys will be complaining about the same issues a few months in.

 

[Givenchy]

Setien is not going to bench Busquets, Rakitic or Pique so you guys will be complaining about the same issues a few months in.

the only manager who would bench them is Mourinho but we all know where that leads..

i fear whoever we do hire next, we'll just have to wait until the seniors decline to a point even they know they have no right to be starting

 

[kadeng]

Setien is not going to bench Busquets, Rakitic or Pique so you guys will be complaining about the same issues a few months in.

we are able to play sexy football with them.. players are not the problem. well, not mainly. we do not have a fu***** system! every la liga team seems more organized than we are..

 

[George_Costanza]

Does EV know that he is playing boring football? I genuinely think he thinks he is playing attractive football, and no one is telling him he is boring. I don't see the Catalan media complaining about his style or at least not that much.

We should start a twitter hashtag telling him how boring his football is.

 

[Raketa10]

Does EV know that he is playing boring football? I genuinely think he thinks he is playing attractive football, and no one is telling him he is boring. I don't see the Catalan media complaining about his style or at least not that much.

We should start a twitter hashtag telling him how boring his football is.

Don't think he cares about that.

 

[Joan]

That's subjective.

 

[messi2140]