Frenkie de Jong

[JamDav1982]

Lets play a game BBZ...

What should Barca do with FDJ and what is realistic midfield and approach for next season?

You always seem to shy away when asked for suggestions and just love to claim all players for Barca are shite. From Messi to FDJ but to be fair you did claim Braithwaite was best attacker, Coutinho is still class and Mingueza is better prospect than Pedri etc.

Go on. Instead of asking questions and giving opinions on the current players not good enough. Tell us how Barca should aim to line up after next summer for once.

 

[Windhook]

Building a team around Frenkie is not worth any discussion. The guy is a DM/CM Ajax system player and against bigger clubs Ajax play defensive football meaning a lot of spaces to pass to in counter attacks. Frenkie was brilliant in finding those spaces, but at Barca you can notice his struggle with parked buses. He plays safe - pass to Alba, Busi and formerly the best option, Messi. Basically a job any player can do.

 

[mc_lovin]

Okay, we don't build the team around Frenkie... what then? Clinging on Busquets? We don't get an elite mid 20's CM (or DM for that matter). And even if we did one is hardly enough.

And why the heck do people reduce him to running? He's so much more individually.

 

[JamDav1982]

Building a team around Frenkie is not worth any discussion. The guy is a DM/CM Ajax system player and against bigger clubs Ajax play defensive football meaning a lot of spaces to pass to in counter attacks. Frenkie was brilliant in finding those spaces, but at Barca you can notice his struggle with parked buses. He plays safe - pass to Alba, Busi and formerly the best option, Messi. Basically a job any player can do.

Ajax were not some counter attacking side that played defensive football in 2019.

Most of the time in 2019 they went toe to toe with teams playing attacking football in CL.

About one time they seemed to try and sit and invite team on they were dumped out by Spurs.

The top teams are not sitting back v Barca anyway. They are pressuring high and leaving that space as no real threat. IF can get a midfield based on likes of FDJ being a threat on break it would be a huge positive.

 

[mc_lovin]

Ajax were not some counter attacking side that played defensive football in 2019.

Most of the time in 2019 they went toe to toe with teams playing attacking football in CL.

Some people seriously need to rewatch the game vs Juventus and Frenkie in particular.

Anyway, I predict Dembele coming back resulting in some resemblance of a functioning front line and suddenly half the team looks better. And that with questionable talent upfront (opposed to Suarez, Neymar, Messi, Ronaldinho, Etoo...).

 

[fergus90]

I don't think building a team around him is a good idea and i also don't think the pressure would be good for him, especially with Barca being in the state they are currently in.

What we need though is to buy players that compliment his game and a coach that will help him develop his understanding of what positions to take, make use of space etc.

I think the ability is there but needs to be unlocked effectively.

 

[jamrock]

Building a team around Frankie is a bad idea, he isn't a generational talent, for us to he going that far.

 

[JohnN]

I can't see anything special in him anymore. Perhaps I am blinded by the absolute trash of a team we have. But a world class player would manage to shine somehow even in this team. Not a goat level player, but a world class one.
He does nothing that inspires the others. No initiative on the attacking side. Not much in the defensive side apart from a lot of jogging to cover. I kind of lost faith in Frankie lately.

 

[mc_lovin]

I can't see anything special in him anymore. Perhaps I am blinded by the absolute trash of a team we have. But a world class player would manage to shine somehow even in this team. Not a goat level player, but a world class one.
He does nothing that inspires the others. No initiative on the attacking side. Not much in the defensive side apart from a lot of jogging to cover. I kind of lost faith in Frankie lately.

Just imagine Xavi in this team. He won't do shit. Somehow people think we already transitioned when we have a bunch of kids, some veterans and two (!!!) players in their mid 20's. The expectations for a team like that are ridiculous, not even considering we barely manage to put three forwards in the starting line-up (since 2 years...). Add Koeman in there to round things up, who - and I think most agree here - is rather average.

But we are going in circles.

 

[Rory]

Maybe he just moved too soon. Needed further development at Ajax? We signed him and have played him out of position or out of his system the entire time. And this isn't about excuses, the same could be said for many other players, he's not been good enough even in basic ways sometimes like losing the ball or idling on it. But generally in his first two seasons he was one of our best players (not a high mark to reach) but that was despite being out of position/system.

As a club we're not in any position to get the best out of him in the next 2 years due to finances and current crop of players. Pedri is seen as the future of the midfield (maybe rightfully so), is there a midfield combination that works with Frenkie and Pedri getting the best out of both? I'm not so sure

 

[JohnN]

Just imagine Xavi in this team. He won't do shit. Somehow people think we already transitioned when we have a bunch of kids, some veterans and two (!!!) players in their mid 20's. The expectations for a team like that are ridiculous, not even considering we barely manage to put three forwards in the starting line-up (since 2 years...). Add Koeman in there to round things up, who - and I think most agree here - is rather average.

But we are going in circles.

I know our whole team (the whole organization actually) is shambolic, so my judgement is obscured by this. But I expected even a glimpse of something great from FDJ.
He isn't a flamboyant player of course, so I am not sure what exactly he should do, but something more for sure, even under these conditions.

 

[clemente]

Played with injury apparently, makes sense now

 

[Mateka]

Manchester City and Bayern Munich are both interested in trying to sign Barcelona's 24-year-old Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

 

[Andresito]

Manchester City and Bayern Munich are both interested in trying to sign Barcelona's 24-year-old Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Why would an Italian source be reliable when it's about an English and German club being interested in a Dutch player who plays in Spain?

 

[Mateka]

Why would an Italian source be reliable when it's about an English and German club being interested in a Dutch player who plays in Spain?

The report was good enough for ESPN to repeat it:
Bayern Munich and Manchester City are interested in Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to Calciomercato. The report claims that the two respective league champions are tracking the 24-year-old, whose contract at Camp Nou runs until 2026.

Manchester Evening News reported 19 September 21:
Frenkie de Jong is among the names that Barcelona could offer to secure Raheem Sterling in a swap deal, according to reports.

Though I take your point with all the nations mentioned.

City have a surplus in Sterling position and need a replacement for Fernandinho, to compete with or play alongside Rodri.