Gerardo "Tata" Martino

[Maria]

Tata has not been given the opportunity to bring in his own players, he may say the squad is fine but he is just covering for the board who will not give him what he needs. Pep spent 100 million in the summer of 2008 and got to clear out who he did not want, we have to give Tata the chance to do that before we right him off. Ancellotti at Madrid, Pellegrini at City both got the players they wanted this summer so they have no excuses, Martino has had to deal with what he has got. It is no excuse for the bad form we are in now though but that happens to all teams at some point in a season. I still think we can win all the titles this season but we need to improve.

88M to be exact, 2M less than what we paid for Neymar. And as much as I like Tata, that is no excuse for the fact that he is just uncapable of changing the course of a game..and he was supposed to be someone much better than our previous coaches , who aparently only had a plan A.

Barça still had enough tall players then. Just put Abidal and Keita and the team was more muscular and tall. It was a balanced squad, unlike now.

In 2010-2011, when we wanted to rest Messi, Pedro or Villa we had Bojan and Jeffren on the bench..when we wanted to rest Xavi or Iniesta we had Keita or a 19 y.o. Thiago. One of Pep's subs in the CL SF at the Bernabeu was Sergi Roberto and the other was Afellay. And Pique had to play EVERY SINGLE game because Abidal got sick and Puyol was having problem with injuries. And in the summer of 2010 most of the cules were shaking their heads when Pep played Abidal at the CB for the first time..so in now way that squad was more balanced than the current one balanced. The one in Pep's first season maybe..but don't forget just how criticized Txiki was at that time. Fortunatelly we have Zubi now, who is much better.

 

[Flavia]

In 2010-2011, when we wanted to rest Messi, Pedro or Villa we had Bojan and Jeffren on the bench..when we wanted to rest Xavi or Iniesta we had Keita or a 19 y.o. Thiago. One of Pep's subs in the CL SF at the Bernabeu was Sergi Roberto and the other was Afellay. And Pique had to play EVERY SINGLE game because Abidal got sick and Puyol was having problem with injuries. And in the summer of 2010 most of the cules were shaking their heads when Pep played Abidal at the CB for the first time..so in now way that squad was more balanced than the current one balanced. The one in Pep's first season maybe..but don't forget just how criticized Txiki was at that time. Fortunatelly we have Zubi now, who is much better.

I think it was, or it wouldn't had been the best team of all time. We had Keita, now we have Song. Abidal, and now Alba. Bojan was good back then, better than Tello now. Not to mention Xavi was younger, so was Puyol. All of these makes a big difference to the balance we don't have now.

 

[Maria]

I think it was, or it wouldn't had been the best team of all time. We had Keita, now we have Song. Abidal, and now Alba. Bojan was good back then, better than Tello now. Not to mention Xavi was younger, so was Puyol. All of these makes a big difference to the balance we don't have now.

Best team ever is not the same with having the best squad. And like I said, Puyol had a lot of injuries, Abi got cancer and no way Bojan was better back then than Tello or Alexis..and now insted of Keita we have Cesc and Song. Sorry, but I'm not going to be convinced that we don't have a better squad right now, especially when back then we were also using Mascherano in midfield and now Tata doesn't even try to play with Pique, Bartra, Mascherano & Busi at the same time.

 

[Flavia]

Best team ever is not the same with having the best squad. And like I said, Puyol had a lot of injuries, Abi got cancer and no way Bojan was better back then than Tello or Alexis..and now insted of Keita we have Cesc and Song. Sorry, but I'm not going to be convinced that we have a better squad right now, especially when back then we were also using Mascherano in midfield and now Tata doesn't even try to play with Pique, Bartra, Mascherano & Busi at the same time.

I don't follow... I was saying we don't.


Just realized Barça lost 7 points in 2014. Too much, for barely over a month.

 

[KingMessi]

I don't follow... I was saying we don't.


Just realized Barça lost 7 points in 2014. Too much, for barely over a month.

I think there's a "don't" missing in the "I'm not going to be convinced that we have a better squad right now."

 

[serghei]

In 2010-2011, when we wanted to rest Messi, Pedro or Villa we had Bojan and Jeffren on the bench..when we wanted to rest Xavi or Iniesta we had Keita or a 19 y.o. Thiago. One of Pep's subs in the CL SF at the Bernabeu was Sergi Roberto and the other was Afellay. And Pique had to play EVERY SINGLE game because Abidal got sick and Puyol was having problem with injuries. And in the summer of 2010 most of the cules were shaking their heads when Pep played Abidal at the CB for the first time..so in now way that squad was more balanced than the current one balanced.

I think this is correct. The squad is better now on paper, but the players are:

1. not as motivated as they were.
2. not willing to work as hard as they did.

Those are key factors you absolutely need to have to win titles. We don't have them anymore, not in same degree we had them under Pep. Guardiola sensed that a major change was needed in the team after 2012, when our lack of concentration and motivation showed in many matches that season, Getafe away (1-0), Osasuna away (3-2), Villareal away (0-0), Sociedad away (from 0-2 to 2-2).

Right now, with teams like Atletico, Barcelona and Real - which all have world class players -, the one thing that will decide the winner is the pure desire to win and give 100% everytime, against any team you meet. Out of the three, we are last at this chapter.

 

[serghei]

I don't follow... I was saying we don't.


Just realized Barça lost 7 points in 2014. Too much, for barely over a month.

It's about time a team other than Barca or Real wins the title. If Atletico beat RM, than they deserve to win the title more than any other team in the league.

 

[serghei]

If the desire to win does not come back - for whatever reason, it is a team's duty to find players that can work hard and commit 100% to the team. But we'll see what happens. At the end of the season we'll draw the line and see where we stand. If the results are bad then major changes are needed for the team. Not one or two player should, but several. And high-profile ones.

 

[footyfan]

What a pointless article. It essentially articulates everything that Barca fans have been saying, except in an annoying holier-than-thou attitude.

 

[DinhoR10]

I agree with serghei, Iniesta especially seems to have suffered with a major lack of motivation especially earlier in the season, he didnt play awful but he played well for a normal midfielder and then would turn it on against Madrid. This sort of thing would be good for the cl and world cup but not good for a league good thing we have a consistent fabregas to make up for it.

 

[footyfan]

I'm not knocking your opinion, you may even be right, but I never thought I would see the day when Fabregas is the consistent one and Iniesta the inconsistent one

 

[DinhoR10]

I'm not knocking your opinion, you may even be right, but I never thought I would see the day when Fabregas is the consistent one and Iniesta the inconsistent one

Sad aint it.

 

[Cule4life]

Nice article, but it doesn't take one thing into consideration. If the desire to win does not come back - for whatever reason, it is a team's duty to find players that can work hard and commit 100% to the team. But we'll see what happens. At the end of the season we'll draw the line and see where we stand. If the results are bad then major changes are needed for the team. Not one or two player should, but several. And high-profile ones.

Stupid article. Contradicts itself. On the hands it says that some players are suffering from lack of motivation and gives examples of other coaches who continuously around the world who rein in fresh blood. But then it says transfers are not a solution for our team

 

[DinhoR10]

Stupid article. Contradicts itself. On the hands it says that some players are suffering from lack of motivation and gives examples of other coaches who continuously around the world who rein in fresh blood. But then it says transfers are not a solution for our team

A proper captain is what we need, 2010-2011 was able to keep up the intensity because of Puyol according to the players testimonials, no offense to him but xavi is too quiet I think they need a general to corral them. Bartra seems to do it when he's on the field I'm not saying give him the arm band but having a general-type player on the team is needed to keep the intensity up I believe (Maybe have Puyol stand next to Tata and shout?)

 

[serghei]

Stupid article. Contradicts itself. On the hands it says that some players are suffering from lack of motivation and gives examples of other coaches who continuously around the world who rein in fresh blood. But then it says transfers are not a solution for our team

That's the part I don't agree with. I'm for major changes in the summer, transfer wise.