Joan Laporta

[serghei]

Marcos Alonso would be good for Alba's backup option.

This is a pretty tasty squad to be honest, with proper management.

If the attack is: Lewa, Rapinha, Fati, Torres, Auba

Midfield is: Pedri, Gavi, FDJ, Kessie, Busquets (super sub in LL; no CL for this guy)

Defense is: Alba (no other LB options), Araujo, Christensen, Kounde/Koulibaly, Dest/Azipilicueta, Pique (super sub in LL)

Should make a strong challenge for LL and QF to SF of CL if we don't get a hard R of 16 tie.

Attack would be most improved. From Luuk, Adama to Lewandowski, Raphinha, plus Dembele as squad option is ideal.

 

[JamDav1982]

Marcos Alonso would be good for Alba's backup option.

Depends on fee and salary really but it allows likes of Balde to go off on loan.

They need to fire of the likes of him, Tenas, Pena etc into real world. Too many young players have easy life of B team for too long and left not knowing what level that are at.

 

[serghei]

Depends on fee and salary really but it allows likes of Balde to go off on loan.

They need to fire of the likes of him, Tenas, Pena etc into real world. Too many young players have easy life of B team for too long and left not knowing what level that are at.

I think also Alonso has been executing set pieces at Chelsea. We also need better set-piece takers.

 

[JamDav1982]

I think also Alonso has been executing set pieces at Chelsea. We also need better set-piece takers.

He is on them at time at Chelsea but also Raphinha and to lesser extent Torre when given minutes can do that.

Torre set pieces look absolutely lethal but obviously cant rely on him to play that part yet.

But same with Alonso he would be back up to Alba so signing him for set pieces when on bench majority of time wont be a huge factor.

 

[soul24rage]

This is a pretty tasty squad to be honest, with proper management.

If the attack is: Lewa, Rapinha, Fati, Torres, Auba

Midfield is: Pedri, Gavi, FDJ, Kessie, Busquets (super sub in LL; no CL for this guy)

Defense is: Alba (no other LB options), Araujo, Christensen, Kounde/Koulibaly, Dest/Azipilicueta, Pique (super sub in LL)

Should make a strong challenge for LL and QF to SF of CL if we don't get a hard R of 16 tie.

Hope we get this squad by the end of this window.

We should be really competitive in all competitions this upcoming season with that squad.

 

[serghei]

For me the keys are Raphinha and Kounde. 2 starter quality players at the perfect age. Hungry, athletic, just right.

 

[JamDav1982]

Still reckon Xavi could have Kounde in mind for the RB/DM role that he uses to try and cover Busi pressing for ball.

Particularly against weaker sides.

Alves was hopeless trying that towards end of season and too many players lacked pace to defend 1v1.

Kounde in for Alves and Christensen in for Pique is huge mark up on pace for both.

 

[soul24rage]

For me the keys are Raphinha and Kounde. 2 starter quality players at the perfect age. Hungry, athletic, just right.

My only concern is that Kounde, Araujo and Christensen (from the little I've seen) all prefer the RCB position rather than the LCB.

Hope Xavi can help one of them be just as good as a LCB.

 

[jamrock]

If we get those two, it would be epic.

The man just keeps doing right by us and gets so much hate its crazy.

Doing or at least trying to do exactly what he said he would, can't ask for anything more.

If everything works out the rest is on Xavi.

 

[JamDav1982]

My only concern is that Kounde, Araujo and Christensen (from the little I've seen) all prefer the RCB position rather than the LCB.

Hope Xavi can help one of them be just as good as a LCB.

Araujo will be RCB.

He is by far worst on the ball and it is easier for him to play on right.

A lot of his performances of how bad he was on ball got washed under carpet a bit as his 1v1 defending was so good.

He will need to improve on it but he will be the RCB as such a weakness compared to others.

 

[jamrock]

If we do a Liverpool and win 1 league title & 1 CL in the next 4-5 years, the socios should vote to build him a statute.

Since 1 & 1 is now seen as a great achievement.

This would be the 2nd time he's saving us from the abyss.

My president.

 

[JamDav1982]

Never close to the abyss and they have to be competitive now when club will be paying for 25 years to spend the money they will be this summer.

 

[jamrock]

1.5b in debt, getting our ass handed to us In Europe, salary margins messed up.

Yea okay then.

 

[JamDav1982]

1.5b in debt, getting our ass handed to us In Europe, salary margins messed up.

Yea okay then.

The debt issue was a problem but never Barca on edge of abyss as every president would have done the same thing and went out and got loans on back of the value the club holds.

Salary margins were fucked and were to be worked through.. again something anyone coming in would have had to adress and would have. They virtually had no option but to address the salaries anyway it was not a decision really. They wanted to pay Messi 50m a season and for years would not be at club etc but couldnt due to league rules.

Barca squad was old and amigos too much power with poor signings compounding it and this past few seasons season has been about first real chance to remedy that with older players like Suarez/Messi/Rakitic/Vidal etc going and about first time had any real chance to get rid of Coutinho, Griezmann and Dembele amortised costs.

And now have pulled financial levers to spend big money in summer that club will pay for over 25 years.

Nothing miraculous and what most would have been forced to do... other than maybe the decisions on levers to spend now.

Club were never on abyss or in danger. Were just in bad situation that for most part other then whether to pull levers or not had one way out of it.

 

[serghei]

1.5b in debt, getting our ass handed to us In Europe, salary margins messed up.

Yea okay then.

Jammie hates Laporta and Xavi so I wouldn't pay attention to him in this particular subject. Ever since his Madrid and Barca are close in quality I gave up on him making sense in this subject.