Haaland or Complete Squad Overhaul?

[jamrock]

Would you consider Haaland less of a superstar and face compared to say prime Zlatan? Similar personalities, similar nationality.

If he gets to zlatan levels in terms of impact off the bitch, that's decent but not all that great, zlatan was much bigger in his own mind than in reality. Lo

 

[mc_lovin]

Yeah, Zlatan wasn't on the necessary sporting level, Haaland might.

But it's rare to combine both,we got spoilt in that regard with the Messi/Ronaldo era.

 

[fergus90]

I'd even argue and say Haaland is a superstar already. Always spoken about, linked to Europe's best clubs all the time. It's going to take a significant downturn in his performances over a sustained period of time for him to disappear out of conversations. He will be the face of Nike/Adidas/Puma for sure for the next generation.

Plus he's and all-out striker, those type of players are always fashionable.

 

[gasgas]

You got 250m lying around?

Yeah i do.
You?

 

[FC B]

Though I see a slight chance Halaand would underperform or even flop in such a system that Barca plays and with such teammates I remain fairly confident he'll do just fine here if he'll come but I doubt it atm.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Ansu has a bigger chance of that. I don't see Haaland being particularly marketable, but maybe I am out of touch with the youth.

I think you are kind out of touch with youth
Haaland is a physical beast, which is one of the most appreciated skills now in football and social media era. With great agent that knows how exactly to market him, and then a big club to help him to achieve that.
He will do fine in that regard, maybe not on Messi/Neymar/CR7 level but well enough.
Fati? Well maybe if he gets 100% healthy finally he can make a case, need to see him first. Buy Mendes could do wonders to him in such case (along Spain NT)

 

[gasgas]

Looks great

Thanks masalagician

 

[BarcaOG]

We got MSN, the greatest trio ever because of gambling.

Sadly we also got Dembele, Coutinho and Griezmann. The worst trio in the history.

Neymar was definitely a gamble but suarez wasnt. he was a proven entity.

we also paid a lot less for them than for griez/cou/demb

 

[BarcaOG]

and if we get haaland itll be for way more than we got suarez for

 

[serghei]

Haaland. Players of Antony or Lisandro Martinez's quality are always popping up, Luiz Diaz just recently blew up this season and he was basically invisible from the media hype machine this time last year. Players of his quality are always there.


There's a scarcity for strikers right now, and even greater scarcity for young world class strikers. Just how many U25 can you name capable of scoring 50 goals a year? Exactly. Haaland is the way to go.

Well said.

 

[Birdy]

Option 1 is a lot more possible money wise. Option 2 seems rather unrealistic tbf.

It's not a fair poll, and quite obvious Birdy is pushing for option 2.

Money wise it's the same more or less, that's the point of the poll.
People in option 2 will NOT be getting exorbitant wages, or else they will be discarded (read about Hernandez rumor today?), but still significant more money than the free agents in option 1

Now, time to present my view:
You are right, I voted for option 2, and I might be the minority in the reason why

There are 2 reasons behind it:
1) I hate the 'superstar model' that Laporta is so obsessed with.
He is living in the past in so many different respects.
Whatever worked in 2003 is not guaranteed to work now and in the future as well
He wanted to find his 'new Rijkaard' (which supposedly now is Xavi), something that goes totally against rational deliberation and selection of a top coach, especially for the football of 2022 when coaching has become no1 ingredient of success.
Now he wants to find his new 'Ronaldinho', and is looking only at Haaland, through horse blinders. Fixated and obsessed.
Without even realizing that Ronni was bought by accident, only because he failed to land his primary target Becham, and in the end he proved to be much better than Becham.
Imagine him going for Haaland, Haaland goin to Madrid, and then the guy we buy turns out to be better fit than Haaland?
Yeah that

In short:
Why is it so necessary for Barca to have a superstar?
Why is it necessary to build a 'rivalry of superstars' with RM?
Because it happened with the CR vs MEssi? But it became so toxic from some point onwards
Is this in line with the club's philosophy?
I don't think so

2) More importantly, I have my SERIOUS DOUBTS that Haaland fits the football we play and want to play, especially under Xavi.
Both Mbape and Haaland are super-hyped sporting-wise IMO and are in fact worse than what their fanboys make them out to be (without denying they are WC potential, but have to realize that yet)

In particular, Haaland is a beast in the open space and in the air, but is not so good in small space.
Traditionally, and now with Xavi, Barca will face opponents that will sit really deep and deny space.
To break those low blocks we need penetration from out wide, and strikers that are super-mobile but also very good technically and in small space.
Haaland ain't that.
Unless we turn into a cross and in-salah team (which I would hate), which I don't think it will happen especially under Xavi...

Traditionally as well, the strikers that succeeded here were the Romarios, the Ronaldos, and the Etoos, and the Suarezs -> people very good at small space and with exceptional technique, able to pull out crazy finishings with little room to maneuver.
Haaland ain't that!
Remember Ibra also? Well, he wasn't as fast as Haaland, but had much better technique, exceptional technique, and he still failed.
Besides, I would like the team to be on Ansu and Ferran to score the goals, who both have traits that fit the traditional profile I described above.

In short: I see his transfer as RISKY to say the least, given the exorbitant wage we will pay and the 'obligation' for him to succeed.
It's something that can destroy us IF it goes wrong!
We can't afford the 'experiment'

 

[Laplacian]

Ansu has a bigger chance of that. I don't see Haaland being particularly marketable, but maybe I am out of touch with the youth.

No way. Amongst my mates no one really cares about Ansu Fati except for Barcelona fans. Literally everyone simply thinks of him as the "guy that's injured a lot." Haaland is by FAR the bigger public figure, not just because of his performances but also because of his media personality ("weird", "funny", and direct). He has a fucking rap video ffs. In comparison, no one really knows anything about Ansu Fati in regards to his character...that includes me a Barcelona fan.

 

[Joan]

I trust Haalanda to be a success more than I trust our non-existing sporting department to make a bunch of right decisions. Sort of an easy choice although the first option is more realistic than the second one.

 

[serghei]

I trust Haalanda to be a success more than I trust our non-existing sporting department to make a bunch of right decisions. Sort of an easy choice although the first option is more realistic than the second one.

Harsh. This new board and staff are here for a short while, we're talking months. Their only "real" money signing that is not made with cost as the main factor is Ferran Torres. I take it you think he will flop?

 

[Joan]

Harsh. This new board and staff are here for a short while, we're talking months. Their only "real" money signing that is not made with cost as the main factor is Ferran Torres. I take it you think he will flop?

I don't, actually. But he's a Xavi signing 1/1. With Planes gone, we lack a true sporting director with Alemany handling the administrative side of the job. Something, for instance, Overmars did at Ajax.

And I think it is generally tough to get things right no matter the administration. Especially to make a few correct signings in one window.