Frenkie de Jong

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

I was just re-watching some clips of his from Ajax. While I understand some of the criticism, I really do think he is a top player. Once we sort our system (or lack thereof), I am hoping to see the best of him.

Also, his strength at Ajax, aside from driving with the ball from deep was quick transitions, releasing balls to runners and overlaps, neat 1-2's to get the ball to the final third and then of course, great physical attributes to be positioned well to receive the ball and mitigate pressure when needed.

At Barca, he is not effective going forward since we play a static 'thread the needle' game, where all 21 players are basically compressed in the opponents half and we need inch perfect precision balls, which very few people in this team, and the world, are good at. That's just not his game.

The good thing is, we can't complain of changing our system for one player because our current system (if I can even call it a system) is garbage anyway. We need to change things up completely irrespective, and I think when we eventually get to making that change, his quality will show up.

+1

 

[serghei]

I was just re-watching some clips of his from Ajax. While I understand some of the criticism, I really do think he is a top player. Once we sort our system (or lack thereof), I am hoping to see the best of him.

Also, his strength at Ajax, aside from driving with the ball from deep was quick transitions, releasing balls to runners and overlaps, neat 1-2's to get the ball to the final third and then of course, great physical attributes to be positioned well to receive the ball and mitigate pressure when needed.

At Barca, he is not effective going forward since we play a static 'thread the needle' game, where all 21 players are basically compressed in the opponents half and we need inch perfect precision balls, which very few people in this team, and the world, are good at. That's just not his game.

The good thing is, we can't complain of changing our system for one player because our current system (if I can even call it a system) is garbage anyway. We need to change things up completely irrespective, and I think when we eventually get to making that change, his quality will show up.

Agreed, but we won't change our system because of De Jong. It's important to have good quick transitions and to implement a good counter attacking game in this team. It's not something you need to implement because of De Jong, but because that's what modern football means currently. Pressing, quickness, counter-attacking as well as quick moving positional football.

Young fit players benefit from high-energy football. That's what Ajax played and that's why De Jong was class for them. That's the opposite what current slow-ass old Barca play.

 

[Neeraj]

Agreed, but we won't change our system because of De Jong. It's important to have good quick transitions and to implement a good counter attacking game in this team. It's not something you need to implement because of De Jong, but because that's what modern football means currently. Pressing, quickness, counter-attacking as well as quick moving positional football.

Young fit players benefit from high-energy football. That's what Ajax played and that's why De Jong was class for them. That's the opposite what current slow-ass old Barca play.

Yup, that's what I meant. There's no need for us to change just because of him per say, since there's a need to change to that kind of high energy football irrespective.

Having said that, if Xavi is the next manager, which could well be the case even if Font loses, I don't see us making the required change. Xavi has always seemed a bit obsessed with possession based football, and we may only a shift to an adjacency - so maybe something like what we have had of late but with more focus on pressing and certain tweaks to make this work. Sure, that would be better than whatever we currently have, but it's still not the change I want to see.

I am not suggesting we move from a possession based team to an Atletico or Liverpool style, that's not going to happen. But I think there are various kinds of 'possession' teams in world football now - all that are more effective than our style. Bayern, Real Madrid, etc. all regularly have 60%+ possession - but they aren't necessarily seen as 'possession' teams like City and Barcelona, and I would love to see us moving away to a fresher tactic for a change.

 

[serghei]

Yup, that's what I meant. There's no need for us to change just because of him per say, since there's a need to change to that kind of high energy football irrespective.

Having said that, if Xavi is the next manager, which could well be the case even if Font loses, I don't see us making the required change. Xavi has always seemed a bit obsessed with possession based football, and we may only a shift to an adjacency - so maybe something like what we have had of late but with more focus on pressing and certain tweaks to make this work. Sure, that would be better than whatever we currently have, but it's still not the change I want to see.

I am not suggesting we move from a possession based team to an Atletico or Liverpool style, that's not going to happen. But I think there are various kinds of 'possession' teams in world football now - all that are more effective than our style. Bayern, Real Madrid, etc. all regularly have 60%+ possession - but they aren't necessarily seen as 'possession' teams like City and Barcelona, and I would love to see us moving away to a fresher tactic for a change.

I don't know about Xavi tbh, he was part of many different managers and seen more direct football as well as Pep's tiki-taka. I think he could mix it up more than people would expect of him.

As you say, we'll always be a possession-first team, we were like that even with Rijkaard, but it doesn't mean that we should slow the game down on purpose and allow teams to park the bus.

I think normally we'd have more possession than the likes of Bayern or Madrid. Madrid in particular are only a possession side when they meet a defensive team. Most of the time they are happy to play counter-attacking football when they meet a technical big team.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Agreed, but we won't change our system because of De Jong. It's important to have good quick transitions and to implement a good counter attacking game in this team. It's not something you need to implement because of De Jong, but because that's what modern football means currently. Pressing, quickness, counter-attacking as well as quick moving positional football.

Young fit players benefit from high-energy football. That's what Ajax played and that's why De Jong was class for them. That's the opposite what current slow-ass old Barca play.

This. I would love to see us play like Ajax. So exciting football and fun to watch.

 

[manuel blassi]

29nth minute of todays game... He is making good fast Counter attack and nobody even follows him. Just highlighting all his problems here. He is good but our system just cant follow his game

 

[vuji_31]

50 meter run, and nobody in counter attack. Jesus , this team need to be separated and never connected together like Voldermorts soul in Harry Potter

 

[messi2140]

Sums up this pathetic team.

 

[te amo barca]

50 meter run, and nobody in counter attack. Jesus , this team need to be separated and never connected together like Voldermorts soul in Harry Potter

They just did not believe he could retain the ball there. Absolute phoneys

 

[Joan]

Very happy to see him play well today. Shows he cares. Also, the team doesn't follow, lets him down.. but it shows he CAN perform even in an unorganized team. This is where the bar must be set.

 

[Andresito]

Next level is that the idiots around him actually follow his work ethic. Frenkie doesn't have that aura yet unfortunately, or the players around him are done.

 

[messi2140]

Good performance tonight.

 

[hardyboy]

He was brilliant tonight.

 

[Devils]

Finally.

Sheesh!

 

[feggydinho]

Most likely our best player today