Due to various reasons we have had different playing styles in the first 2 years. First year due to the loss of Neymar and old strikers, we played 4-4-2 crowding the midfield and with paulinho as a kinda third strikker creating the space with his runs up and down. A gameplan which secured to play Messi in kinda a hybrid role and play to his strenghts and we basically won the leauge before Christmas break. That was really good work from valverde. Then 21 y.o. 150mDembele returned from 4+1 month injury half way through the season who was a New addition to our team, and didnt suit our playing style that well surrounded by slow players all around, while also coutinho was bought for 150m, and both players were expected to be fielded. It wasnt possible, Coutinho just wasnt an option with Rakitic and Sergio as our Best midfielders. The Guy needs hardworking running players to compensate for his flaws add to that messi-walking. So we still changed to 4-3-3 halfway through the season because it's Barca and fans needed to be pleased. Dembele got injuried again. Coutinho did barely contribute - we won the double by cruising it home. All things considered and the circumstances valverde had to work under, the season was a bug succes despite rome. Players did have definer roles such as paulinho, Suarez, Rakitic, Sergio, alba, Messi... Paulinho ran, made 1-2s with Messi, Messi had freedom to create and find good spots, alba was introduced as a 4th strikker / Messi alba connection, raki-Sergio were the glue (shitty glue tho) in midfield and so on.
Second season we got Arthur as a New addition, who in fact wasnt ready to play a whole season as a starter. So with the options in midfield avaiæable it did make sense to play raki-sergio-arthur/vidal, because No fucking better players were avaiæable. And with Rakitic, Sergio and on top of that Messi+Suarez+coutinho+Dembele, it made sense to play a more reactive type of football. Our squad was old and slow, and especially the core players of our team were old and slow. So yes, valverde prioritized routine, a reactive pose and a midfield and attack which focussed on the mistakes of other teams. It's style and it gave us a decent shot in all 3 competions. The progress of the team didnt stagnate more than it would have anyway?
The fault isnt valverdes, but Neymar, the sporting sector's for buying not-compatible players and the natural end of an era. Because this team has been undergoing a serious transistion face especially because of our socalled Messi successor turned his back on us.
Now we finally have a midfield which does give us the option, to work on some more advanced tactical facets.
Edit: we Will have a decent shot in all 3 competions, our general gameplan Will improve a lot and our style Will be more defined.
Also do note, that valverde clearly doesn't get the player/profiles he actual think would improve our team, but gets Them thrown i to his face: griezmann, Coutinho, Dembele... The player he really wanted which we actually bought, paulinho, was a huge success. And the Guys contribution has been way underrated. Valverde has been screaming for actual winger (Willian) and now somwhow with a poormans Pedro version and a 16 year old tradional winger, we actually create some width and space and dynamics. Hola.
People need to get, that the player profiles need to be compatible, and they havent been for a long time. Pep and klopp get every thing they point their finger on. Players who fit their system. Valverde doesn't. Valverde gets galactiocs. Which basically was Madrids downfall in 00's.
Second season we got Arthur as a New addition, who in fact wasnt ready to play a whole season as a starter. So with the options in midfield avaiæable it did make sense to play raki-sergio-arthur/vidal, because No fucking better players were avaiæable. And with Rakitic, Sergio and on top of that Messi+Suarez+coutinho+Dembele, it made sense to play a more reactive type of football. Our squad was old and slow, and especially the core players of our team were old and slow. So yes, valverde prioritized routine, a reactive pose and a midfield and attack which focussed on the mistakes of other teams. It's style and it gave us a decent shot in all 3 competions. The progress of the team didnt stagnate more than it would have anyway?
The fault isnt valverdes, but Neymar, the sporting sector's for buying not-compatible players and the natural end of an era. Because this team has been undergoing a serious transistion face especially because of our socalled Messi successor turned his back on us.
Now we finally have a midfield which does give us the option, to work on some more advanced tactical facets.
Edit: we Will have a decent shot in all 3 competions, our general gameplan Will improve a lot and our style Will be more defined.
Also do note, that valverde clearly doesn't get the player/profiles he actual think would improve our team, but gets Them thrown i to his face: griezmann, Coutinho, Dembele... The player he really wanted which we actually bought, paulinho, was a huge success. And the Guys contribution has been way underrated. Valverde has been screaming for actual winger (Willian) and now somwhow with a poormans Pedro version and a 16 year old tradional winger, we actually create some width and space and dynamics. Hola.
People need to get, that the player profiles need to be compatible, and they havent been for a long time. Pep and klopp get every thing they point their finger on. Players who fit their system. Valverde doesn't. Valverde gets galactiocs. Which basically was Madrids downfall in 00's.
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