Joan Laporta

[JamDav1982]

Basically stripped the squad of any player would receive bids for bar Pedri and FDJ and signed players already in pipeline.

Not great or bad but just done what was available at the time.

No real plan in place since day one and going week to week but hands are tied.

 

[serghei]

One thing is for sure. If Laporta clears all the high earners by 2023, and somehow we have Fati, Haaaland, Depay, Pedri, De Jong in the team, I hope he remains president for a long time.

That's like ideal scenario if you could ever thing of one.

 

[Richard.H]

A lot of work needs to be done for how bad Barto left this club. All the bad signings, all the bad wages, so much craziness. Laporta is doing what's good for the long term, which is what he was hired for. I hope he remains president for a long time.

 

[Joan]

On Wijnaldum, we should be glad PSG took him off from us. Looks like my theory about him was true: Liverpool doesn't really need its midfielders to be creative because they funnel it through their fullbacks, so the midfielders can get away for being rather unremarkable technically and in terms of forward play; place them any other team (with the exception of Fabinho) and they'll be below average. Wijnaldum scores a goal or two during a big match occasionally, but he is mostly just used for retaining and recycling possession.

At PSG he's basically anonymous/borderline awful and the fans are already meme'ing him.

Wijnaldum is just a very average player regarding most (if not all) important aspects. A funny moment of his saga was his biggest advocate on here posting an article describing him which began with 'he's got no distinguished qualities'. But as such, he still might've been useful for us.

 

[serghei]

Wijnaldum is a good free transfer for a team needing offensive contribution from a midfielder. That's Barca. PSG is the opposite. They just got the wrong player, and Wijnaldum just chose the money. Hard to blame him at his age that we went for the most lucrative offer.

 

[Joan]

One thing is for sure. If Laporta clears all the high earners by 2023, and somehow we have Fati, Haaaland, Depay, Pedri, De Jong in the team, I hope he remains president for a long time.

That's like ideal scenario if you could ever thing of one.

If we're not competitive in the market before summer 2023, then there's no way we'll have Haaland in the squad.

 

[JamDav1982]

This summer he has done what anyone coming in had to do and signed players more or less already in place.

Next summer and onw after will be ones to judge him on.

 

[serghei]

If we're not competitive in the market before summer 2023, then there's no way we'll have Haaland in the squad.

No problem. I'm prepared for 3-4 years with even 0 titles, with the condition that we'll be seeing plenty of game time for the talents, not for Busi, Alba, Pique & Co.

I'm only pissed these days when I see Koeman trying to somehow still live the illusion that these oldies that struggle to even run can contribute and bring good things for the club. He should be convinced by now.

Last season went to shit when the oldies got back in the team and he started to put them in the first 11 just like that.

 

[JamDav1982]

No problem. I'm prepared for 3-4 years with even 0 titles, with the condition that we'll be seeing plenty of game time for the talents, not for Busi, Alba, Pique & Co.

I'm only pissed these days when I see Koeman trying to somehow still live the illusion that these oldies that struggle to even run can contribute and bring good things for the club. He should be convinced by now.

Last season went to shit when the oldies got back in the team and he started to put them in the first 11 just like that.

Again that wont be some huge achievement but just doing what is available and the youngsters coming through he is lucky they are there when he arrived or had long agreed to join like Demir.

Expecting Busi, Alba and Pique to be out in four years time should be a given.

Laporta is in charge of club that also trusts and values those older players. If Koeman gets sacked it will never be because he played them. They will then start under the next coach.

 

[Birdy]

Wijnaldum is a good free transfer for a team needing offensive contribution from a midfielder. That's Barca. PSG is the opposite. They just got the wrong player, and Wijnaldum just chose the money. Hard to blame him at his age that we went for the most lucrative offer.

There is so much ignorance on this forum about players that play for other clubs. I am not sure you have watched more of Wijni than the Anfield game.

He is the opposite of what you describe. That he scores some goals occasionally does not make this an offensive force.
On the contrary, he is most of the time preoccupied with defensive tasks, like regaining possession at transitions and recycling possession with the ball on the feet.
If he excels at something, it's the above and his stamina, his relentless running across the pitch.

At PSG he's basically anonymous/borderline awful and the fans are already meme'ing him.

No, he is just needed there to do the defensive work that the others in front of him are not doing

 

[serghei]

There is so much ignorance on this forum about players that play for other clubs. I am not sure you have watched more of Wijni than the Anfield game.

He is the opposite of what you describe. That he scores some goals occasionally does not make this an offensive force.
On the contrary, he is most of the time preoccupied with defensive tasks, like regaining possession at transitions and recycling possession with the ball on the feet.
If he excels at something, it's the above and his stamina, his relentless running across the pitch.



No, he is just needed there to do the defensive work that the others in front of him are not doing

No midfielder is an offensive force per se. But when a midfielder has like 3 goals in the CL semifinals in the last 3-4 years, that makes him a certified scorer in big games.

Ability to score goals on pressure moments is a big deal, because it relieves pressure from front 3 or front 2, attackers tend to play better when they feel support from midfield in the form of key goals. Wijnaldum has that, or at least had since we don't know how much he declined.

The problem is PSG are so top heavy that the only midfielders they need are Kante/Makelele/Casemiro/Gatusso types.

 

[Kul_z]

He's doing a gods work. I dont understand why are people bashing him that much for having no plan or whatsoever, barto and co ruined this club to the ground, we are at the verge of bankruptcy and guy really didnt have a clue like we didnt know in what a mess club actually is.
We still have couple of great players that have potential to become world class instantly with couple of right signings in near future. Clean the closet first, trust the process and accept that we are not a tier 1 side in europe anymore. 20 years ago we were knocked out of cl semifinal against valencia, Valencia! Next thing you know puyol is lifting a cl throphy. Point is, in that era we were able to transform in couple of years, in this era is much easier with right people in the right place in the right time. Laporta is a gambler, but not with the club. Whoever comes after laporta would have a 'clean' page to build on.

This HAS to be done, and i cant wait for january to see how many of spoiled fuckers we would get rid of. Turbulent but exciting times dawgs

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

He's doing a gods work. I dont understand why are people bashing him that much for having no plan or whatsoever, barto and co ruined this club to the ground, we are at the verge of bankruptcy and guy really didnt have a clue like we didnt know in what a mess club actually is.
We still have couple of great players that have potential to become world class instantly with couple of right signings in near future. Clean the closet first, trust the process and accept that we are not a tier 1 side in europe anymore. 20 years ago we were knocked out of cl semifinal against valencia, Valencia! Next thing you know puyol is lifting a cl throphy. Point is, in that era we were able to transform in couple of years, in this era is much easier with right people in the right place in the right time. Laporta is a gambler, but not with the club. Whoever comes after laporta would have a 'clean' page to build on.

This HAS to be done, and i cant wait for january to see how many of spoiled fuckers we would get rid of. Turbulent but exciting times dawgs

Great post. People are bit delusional about our situation. We have no other choice, but to cut salary and not make any big signings. It is what it is.

 

[Birdy]

No midfielder is an offensive force per se. But when a midfielder has like 3 goals in the CL semifinals in the last 3-4 years, that makes him a certified scorer in big games.

Ability to score goals on pressure moments is a big deal, because it relieves pressure from front 3 or front 2, attackers tend to play better when they feel support from midfield in the form of key goals. Wijnaldum has that, or at least had since we don't know how much he declined.

The problem is PSG are so top heavy that the only midfielders they need are Kante/Makelele/Casemiro/Gatusso types.

Being a big game player does not alter his traits.
He is not the scorer coming from md. Look at his stats over the last 5 years, and you will see that.

The type of midfielders you list is what Geye and Winaldum do

 

[Messigician]

Breaking news! Bartoemu speaks! Private conversation leaked expressing his displeasure with the squad! Translated from Catalan so excuse the translation errors

" We need to rapidly expand our revenue, have you seen what Neymar is asking? He demanded a low buyout clause in his renewal the purpose is clear but for what club?... the MSN trident is strangling our finances we need to shop for bargains in the market, it is important we find the right sporting director the transfers of Vidal, Turan and Gomes were a calamity ... Letting Alves go was a disaster, but we had no option he has been influencing Neymar and Messi turning their heads elsewhere during this difficult period of contract renewals. There has been a disagreement with Qatar we will need to find a new sponsor and to prepare to compete with PSG in the market. My hands are tied financially and we are at breaking point, Jorge Messi will demand Messi becomes the highest payed footballer in history we need to focus on continuity and being successful we don't have the finances to invest in youth and LaMasia has become dry. I will do what I can to continue our success but the dressing room dynamic is a problem I have no solution to. The priority is the same continue the success on and off the pitch"

Apparently another leak will arrive focusing on Abidal and their disagreements