How Optimistic are you about the future of the Club?

[Dan1983]

After Messi we´re doomed

No we're not.

 

[Ursegor]

5/10

Messi(30)
Suarez(30)
Busquets(29)
Iniesta(33)
Pique(30)
Rakitic(29)

6 out of 10 outfield starting players will be way past their prime within 3 seasons.

Umtiti, Dembélé and Coutinho is a promising start to replace what we have but nowhere near enough.

 

[Albo]

5/10

Messi(30)
Suarez(30)
Busquets(29)
Iniesta(33)
Pique(30)
Rakitic(29)

6 out of 10 outfield starting players will be way past their prime within 3 seasons.

Umtiti, Dembélé and Coutinho is a promising start to replace what we have but nowhere near enough.

Alba is the one I'm most worried about, once he loses his speed he won't be nearly as effective as he is now. Busquets is already a turtle and was never quick to begin with, he could play well till he is 35. Messi can be moved to midfield eventually if we get the right players for defensive cover.

 

[Ursegor]

Alba is the one I'm most worried about, once he loses his speed he won't be nearly as effective as he is now. Busquets is already a turtle and was never quick to begin with, he could play well till he is 35. Messi can be moved to midfield eventually if we get the right players for defensive cover.

In my opinion players all decline around 33, irrespective if they were reliant on physicality or not. Xavi was also never strong or fast or athletic but couldn't keep up physically at that age. Now imagine Busquets AND Messi in a midfield role. Will never work, not even if you put 23 year old Vieira alongside them.

Messi playing in midfield until he's 40 just because he can pass well is a pipe dream, football is a lot more physical than that, only few exceptions like Zanetti could do it (unbelievable for a fullback no less).

 

[Windhook]

Messi playing in midfield until he's 40 just because he can pass well is a pipe dream, football is a lot more physical than that, only few exceptions like Zanetti could do it (unbelievable for a fullback no less).

I'm somehow convinced Messi will play football until 2022 World Cup, no matter what. He shouldn't pass on the opportunity of breaking few World Cup records the least. Only three players have managed to appear in 5 World Cups - Antonio Carbajal (Mexico), Lothar Matthäus (Germany) and Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, actually he didn't play a single minute in any of the matches in France 1998). Also there is the overall appearances record held by Lothar Matthäus - 25 matches. Messi has played in 15 World Cup matches so far.

 

[Messi983]

5/10

Messi(30)
Suarez(30)
Busquets(29)
Iniesta(33)
Pique(30)
Rakitic(29)

6 out of 10 outfield starting players will be way past their prime within 3 seasons.

Umtiti, Dembélé and Coutinho is a promising start to replace what we have but nowhere near enough.

We just bought replacement for Iniesta (Cou) and hopefully Mina will prove to be good enough to eventually replace Pique down the road but even if he won't we still have some time to find his replacement. I feel confident in Robert when it comes to finding CBs.

If we'll really bring Grieizmann in summer then we'll have Suarez replacement for the next 4-5 years and in the meantime we can find someone younger, maybe even Abel Ruiz will develop good enough.

Rakitic is done anyway and shouldn't be that hard to replace him (just using barcaforum narrative, not my personal opinion about him ). Most people think Roberto should easily take over him (I don't). But overall I still believe he'll be the easiest to replace from the players you mentioned.

Messi can't be replaced by a single player so we shouldn't look for his direct replacement but rather try to make strong enough team until he's still here at his best and hopefully build our next core around MATS, Umtiti, Roberto, Cou, Dembele,... to take over in that transition period when he'll leave/retire.

So I think Busi will be the hardest one to replace but we still have some time to find his longterm successor.

Overall I feel much better for our midterm future than I did 2-3 years ago after we've signed Umtiti, Semedo, Cou, Dembele (though the later three will still have to prove themselves) and after seeing how MATS and Roberto have developed during that time.

 

[khaled_a_d]

What is future we are talking about? next 2 years? next 5? next 10?
I believe we are in good shape for next couple of year, probably has good foundation for few years after if we continue to do the good work. LA Masia will need to rebound from its slump, we have been producing good talents but always fail to develop them at the final stage.
I think we will continue to be top team in post Messi era, but Barca fans already witnessed the greatest time of there club, things won't be better in post Messi era fir sure

 

[aaron101]

The hardest thing to do and accept is to replace Messi. Once he's gone, the whole system will have to change. No one will drop back to midfield anymore and create chances for others and no one's gonna dribble from right flank to the penalty box and release a pass to the left flank. Everything will go back to normal, maybe no more false 9.

 

[LeeRomeno]

Current squad is good to go for 1, maybe 2 seasons. Iniesta most probably will be more of supersub to Coutinho next season, depending on injuries maybe next 2. Messi will for sure lose his acceleration and speed in 2 years, perhaps he can play in more deeper though, Suarez same, don't think he has more than 1 top season left. Busi, Rakitic and Pique will probably not decline so visibly and should give 3 seasons if motivation is there as their strength has never been speed.

 

[dakt]

Future, as in post-Messi era?
Can't tell. I just hope we can get some real values from la masia. I think it's imperative, especially after the oil clubs entered the market with practically infinite amount of money.