FC Barcelona B (Barça Atlètic)

[Porque]

Thanks!
Yes, Ilaix is the type to take the ball and dribble until the solution appears, often it's just the backpass in the end. He roams around and finds some opportunities here and there though!

It would be nice to see the same analysis on Barcelona A (both of today and previous years). Especially this "style on the ball" seems a bit telling...
Konrad with some extreme graphs as well!

What is your opinion of the left back Balde? Some put a lot of hope on him as Albas successor I understand...

Yeah, I am impressed that they managed to get that data considering this is the Segunda B level. If you look at the similar players suggestion it compares to other Segunda B players. It is why I really like things like StatBomb as we can see how much the actual performances correlate with the eye-test and potential, or if a logical fallacy exists like what the stats seem to suggest with Pedro in the other thread (in regards to him being burnt out).

I think Konrad's stats are also skewed by how much we use him for direct attacks. He is probably receiving 7/10 of the wide attacks and has the trust to not worry about failing. Those things just won't exist in the first team where a few fails and he might cower and proceed to backpass and defer responsibility. A bit like what happened with Deloufeu.

Alejandro Balde looks to have everything that we want in a Barcelona fullback. Good technically and finds solutions in small spaces, fast, accurate passing. Defensive can switch off mainly because of age and his defensive work is currently mostly based off of his speed and timing, but I guess that is how it is for most fullbacks. But I do not see big problems given how young he is and how much he has improved since the beginning of the season.

He does not complete a lot of games so Pimienta is taking it easy with him, which is good. I think he is a level above all of the fullbacks that have come through LaMasia over the past decade (I'm not counting Roberto since he come through as a midfielder) bar Mateu Morey. I don't know how he compares to Morey as we never got to see him at the B team meanwhile Dortmund emphasise showing the players positives and hiding their weaknesses, rather than playing for results. So I don't want to judge him from there yet although I'm not too impressed.

I think he has strong possibilities to eventually make it given Alba's age and that we do not really have the finances to find another solution. Alba, like Alves, can physically play at the top level until 34/35 so that gives us a few seasons yet.

Over the last 20 years we have never really had the best fullbacks (bar the time with Alves/Alba) but always system fullbacks so given that he fits to atleast get a chance as even Martin Montoya had that.

 

[Bobo32]

Nobody watching?
3-0 HT, 2nd just starting

Oriol Busquets with one goal, Matheus with two. I missed the first half myself...

 

[Porque]

Very good first half, much like the first half in the reverse fixture.

Villarreal like the first game haven't pressured us at all. And when you don't pressure this group, they are excellent on the ball. Even Oriol Busquets who usually struggles in possession was showing great verticality.

 

[Bobo32]

Btw nice post Porque, very high hopes on Balde then, Grimaldo, Cucurella and Miranda had some hype as well...

Konrad is looking to have pretty fun today, and did the commentator just compare Riera to Dani Alves!? His run looked more like Damia, for those who remember...

 

[Porque]

Ha, I think I'm watching on a different feed (Esport3) so didn't hear the reference. No idea how you could compare Riera to Alves though. Even left footed Marsa was better at right back.

Not a big deal given the nature of the match and score, but I don't think we needed to make half time subs. Hiroki and Oriol were playing well, and they have not played much since returning from injuries.

Just as I say that, Rey Manaj scores a rocket. Is this the Villarreal B goalkeeper we were linked with? If so, we should avoid that signing. All 3 of our goalkeepers are better. The usual B team goalkeeper from the first game is just 18, and much more interesting.

Konrad having a fantastic match. He has hardly lost the ball this match. Great to see a game at his highest level.

 

[Bobo32]

I think the comparison was more to the specific run he made, but it made me chuckle a bit, he just advanced into free space...

Yeah Manaj look pretty OK today overall I must say...

 

[Bobo32]

This Hassan guy really having fun with Gomes there... Pretty spectacular player.

But I'd be pretty pissed if he played for my team and tried to chip from there....

 

[Porque]

4-3 win.

This team struggles with playing for 90 minutes. Also odd how both times against Villarreal they pressed only in the second halves, and scored 5 goals across two games. They sat back in both first halves and conceded 5.

Villarreal paid 2m for Hassan, looks older but only 19. One of those players who is incredible on the ball but too individualistic at this stage. If they manage to develop him properly then yet another player who can reach their first team. Comparatively we paid 4.5m on Gustavo Maia ...

Don't want to read too much into the first half as it was too easy, but dare I say the midfield was better without Collado.

 

[Bobo32]

4-3 win.

This team struggles with playing for 90 minutes. Also odd how both times against Villarreal they pressed only in the second halves, and scored 5 goals across two games. They sat back in both first halves and conceded 5.

Villarreal paid 2m for Hassan, looks older but only 19. One of those players who is incredible on the ball but too individualistic at this stage. If they manage to develop him properly then yet another player who can reach their first team.

Don't want to read too much into the first half as it was too easy, but dare I say the midfield was better without Collado.

Collado could be described the same way as you did with Hassan and it wouldn't be completely out of place...
I like to watch him though, he's got style! Pretty good attempt in the end, and a joke yellow he recieved, that attack would probably end in a goal otherwise, I thought
But he is a player that needs to be compensated for by the rest of the team in order to get the right balance...

Is it very hot in Vila-Real now? I thought the tempo sometimes looked as if it was a 40-degree game...
Orellana didn't impress me as much as usual tbh. And what happened with Comas, I missed it?

 

[Porque]

It was about 21 degrees in Villarreal. But breezy. Good game conditions.

I think Comas sprained his hand when he got the yellow. They probably decided not to risk him further. You could see how the defence suffered once he went out though.

I'm curious to check the rules if the yellow cards get rescinded from rbthe knockout stage. Jandro was on a yellow to miss the knockout game, so that is probably why he was more passive off the ball.

Tomorrow at 12.30 CET is the draw for the Semi finals. Im not too sure who to avoid as I haven't watched any other zones games.

Traditionally the Valencia/Catalan groups have the stronger teams so competing with Ibiza and Andorra suggests we can make a strong promotion push.

We can only play teams who finished second and third so no first places like Badajoz who are statistically strong.

 

[Bobo32]

Maybe I suffer from some form of delusion from having watched this Barcelona B team for a few games (and not having watched potential opponents), but I'd say they must be favourites whatever the draw. I am very impressed by the standard of the players, although they seem to lose a bit of concentration late in games a lot, not really looking to play for results as much as they perhaps should. Guess they are young.

Will Moriba be available as well?

Thanks for the clarification regarding the weather, Comas and Orellana Comas looked great again to me, and it was mainly the passiveness of Orellana that I was questioning, although he made a few errors with the ball that I wasn't expecting as well. Nice pass to Collado before the yellow card though. I wonder if the low tempo may have been because of the clear result from first half then rather than the weather...

 

[Porque]

We got good chances but we're conceeding late in almost every game and are second best in the second halves. Last year we got to the playoff final and lost narrowly (and no Puig, although Araujo played).

I think Ilaix can play.

 

[Messi983]

We'll play UCAM Murcia on Sunday.

 

[Messi983]

We got good chances but we're conceeding late in almost every game and are second best in the second halves. Last year we got to the playoff final and lost narrowly (and no Puig, although Araujo played).

I think Ilaix can play.

Koeman said Ilaix won't return to Barca B as the first team is more important.

 

[DonAK]

Koeman said Ilaix won't return to Barca B as the first team is more important.

Ilaix would be better off playing these games for Barca B. Koeman is putting him in a difficult position because he's being asked to do something he's not very great at, not yet at least.

He's not a creator.