Josep Maria Bartomeu

[te amo barca]

What fruits would you expect at this stage if you were an RM fan? Or last season?

Last season we found at least one replacement at LB, this season we found another. We continued to wind down contracts of players who are past it, but can't be kicked out because they still have something to give provided they don't play in exactly the same setup all the time (i.e. slot in Mendy, Valverde, Hazard and Asensio at different times). These vets stop being seen as a problem if a manager and the board treat them with merit, meaning they don't get played when they're a reason for us losing (Marcelo) and they don't get unwarranted extensions (Modric). You think they're a problem because we're not winning? Fair enough. How do you explain most literate fans being happy with how we're being run and the opposite being the case at Barca?

Talent is always a gamble, but it's better than barely anything like Barca are. And when you're doing it responsibly, you can't help but be optimistic. It's understanding of a strategic gamble. If it's just Messi's titles that reassure of a being level with us, then I don't understand how you can be more certain things will be OK going forward when you take that away.



Why do these ties matter so much? Raul, a club legend, got binned when it got ridiculous. Iker did as well, as he should have. SAF binned Keane. Inter fell on their own sword by keeping the people who delivered their CL after Mou left. These are difficult decisions, but it's in everyone else's interest to make them. Messi is 33 and people really want to believe he is worth sacrificing another 3 years of recruitment by buying players who must at least be able to be shoehorned into positions around him as he gets older and older? While also staying behind the status of other vets?



Theo is doing great at Milan, Llorente is currently immense at Atleti, Kovacic great at Chelsea, Ceballos is up in the air in a shit Arsenal side. Vallejo is still 23 and already experienced quite a bit, while also playing well vs the likes of Juve, his problem is being a glass boy so it's as stupid to call him a failure as it is to say Hazard is a flop. None are failures, only never been better than their seniors at Real. Easy to jump to these words.

Isco isn't dead as he showed vs City. He's just a squad guy who never reached the level he was slated to get to.

Didn?t say they were bad players. Meant that they failed at Madrid.

6 of them playing in the same position? What do you mean? There are two LBs, two RBs and three FW/AMs in that group.

That?s right, two LBs, two RBs, two LWs. Only one of every pair makes it as a starter, and the Brazilians have Hazard playing in their main position (LW).

 

[Luftstalag14]

Winning nothing for 2 years is a problem, yes. I would rather take our current roster and compete than a bunch of talents and finishing 3rd. And yes, thats a rather extreme example (as we bought our fair share of talents as well/La Masia).

I would have been happy with your approach when we were top of the world, but right now I would rather see us go for immediate impact (like Frenkie - which is harder though).

I think our board wants immediate impact to make the best out of the last couple of years of Messi's career and I can certainly understand where they are coming from, however I'd rather buy more younger players and start rebuilding and transitioning while Messi is still here and start building the team up (I think in some aspects one can argue we are doing that, it is just that we are still extremely dependent on Messi and without him we don't know how to play) and get them into a groove and go trophyless for a couple of seasons than going for immediate impact and only start thinking about replenishing the squad after Messi is officially gone. I think having Messi right now is both a blessing and a curse (certainly a real blessing if we look at his whole tenure with us) and we are just kicking the can down the road.

 

[mc_lovin]

I haven't watched Emerson lately, certainly not after the restart of football but last season and earlier this season when I was following Real Betis pretty closely he didn't strike me as that good at all. He is tall, physical and has the ability to drive the ball forward but he wasn't good at making those crosses and inward passes when he was in an advanced position and he was bumbling defensively. Not too promising in my opinion. Of course he could improve later.

He looks more exciting than Reguilon and Odriozola thats for sure. Hakimi is the best of the bunch, but if Emerson gets more refined (as hes very raw) he could be good. Hes already very decisive in the final 3rd.

I think our board wants immediate impact to make the best out of the last couple of years of Messi's career and I can certainly understand where they are coming from, however I'd rather buy more younger players and start rebuilding and transitioning while Messi is still here and start building the team up (I think in some aspects one can argue we are doing that, it is just that we are still extremely dependent on Messi and without him we don't know how to play) and get them into a groove and go trophyless for a couple of seasons than going for immediate impact and only start thinking about replenishing the squad after Messi is officially gone. I think having Messi right now is both a blessing and a curse (certainly a real blessing if we look at his whole tenure with us) and we are just kicking the can down the road.

I dont think our idea was that wrong, we just identified the two worst possible top targets (Griezmann and Coutinho). Apart from those two I completely stand behind our transfer policy.

 

[te amo barca]

Yh I'm doing this off the top of my head and no loanees stood out that I can remember. Todibo was slow AF against Dortmund and that's all I remember. Trincao played well in the one game I've watched last week, but nothing anyone would rave about. Does he play U20s? Don't know what warrants Vini or Rodrygo being equated to him or Pedri.

Damn, didn't even know Emerson was yours. He's good from what I've seen. I'd bin Semedo and play him for sure.

Bit unfair to compare Trincao to Vinicius (who still can?t score to save his life) and Rodrygo because the latter two play for Madrid and Trincao for Braga. Comparisons will be more apt next season. Fati has shown more promise than both of the Brazilians while playing less anyway.

 

[te amo barca]

I forgot about Jovic & Militao as well. For all their planning, Madrid?s signings have been meh. As have ours. The problem is we keep splashing 100m+ on one player that flops every year while Madrid spent only on Hazard (who also does not look that good so far.

 

[mc_lovin]

I think our board wants immediate impact to make the best out of the last couple of years of Messi's career and I can certainly understand where they are coming from, however I'd rather buy more younger players and start rebuilding and transitioning while Messi is still here and start building the team up (I think in some aspects one can argue we are doing that, it is just that we are still extremely dependent on Messi and without him we don't know how to play) and get them into a groove and go trophyless for a couple of seasons than going for immediate impact and only start thinking about replenishing the squad after Messi is officially gone. I think having Messi right now is both a blessing and a curse (certainly a real blessing if we look at his whole tenure with us) and we are just kicking the can down the road.

One last thing: we cant just play talents for two years and after that they are magically worldclass. Thats not how this stuff usually works.

 

[Luftstalag14]

He looks more exciting than Reguilon and Odriozola thats for sure. Hakimi is the best of the bunch, but if Emerson gets more refined (as hes very raw) he could be good. Hes already very decisive in the final 3rd.

My impression of him is quite the opposite, I think one of Emerson's biggest problems offensively is not making the right decision with regard to what to do with the ball when he is in an advanced position. Either that or his ability to pass is just not good enough. That said, my impression of him could be a bit outdated.

 

[Luftstalag14]

One last thing: we cant just play talents for two years and after that they are magically worldclass. Thats not how this stuff usually works.

True. However, what do we do when Messi is all of sudden gone and we don't know how to play anymore? Nobody knows what to do offensively as they don't have Messi to pass the ball to. More importantly, do we have the players to sustain the top level (not necessarily wining the league but at least maintaining the top three spot in La Liga)? Nearly all of the established players we bought, including Griezmann will be quite old by then.

My point is, let's not buy players because they are deemed the best helpers of Messi to help us win trophies right now, let's buy players with the mindset that they have the potential to help us reinvigorate ourselves once Messi is gone.

 

[El Gato]

I forgot about Jovic & Militao as well. For all their planning, Madrid?s signings have been meh.

What is there to forget? Both played successfully in CL and EL, unlike many of the others.

Signings have not been meh if they haven't played much and several are in their 1st or 2nd season.

Didn?t say they were bad players. Meant that they failed at Madrid.

That?s right, two LBs, two RBs, two LWs. Only one of every pair makes it as a starter, and the Brazilians have Hazard playing in their main position (LW).

You have a funny definition of failure my man.

It is not a failure to be 2nd fiddle to GOAT caliber players.

 

[te amo barca]

What is there to forget? Both played successfully in CL and EL, unlike many of the others.

Signings have not been meh if they haven't played much and several are in their 1st or 2nd season.



You have a funny definition of failure my man.

It is not a failure to be 2nd fiddle to GOAT caliber players.

I meant that they failed to impress for Madrid and were consequently sold. Just as Paco or Alexis did for Barca and later bossed it for Dortmund and Arsenal respectively, for example. Different calibers. Of course they are still very good players that are fun to watch too.

 

[serghei]

Alexis was twice the player Jovic is.

 

[KingLeo10]

Global pandemic - Luft is barely fazed.

RM buys ANYONE - Luft ?Barca is doomed and RM future is filled with CLs.?

I?ve not seen a more predictable/tiresome pattern

 

[Vilarrubi]

 

[khaled_a_d]

Global pandemic - Luft is barely fazed.

RM buys ANYONE - Luft ?Barca is doomed and RM future is filled with CLs.?

I?ve not seen a more predictable/tiresome pattern

 

[Luftstalag14]

Global pandemic - Luft is barely fazed.

RM buys ANYONE - Luft ?Barca is doomed and RM future is filled with CLs.?

I?ve not seen a more predictable/tiresome pattern

Global pandemic, not much we can do and discuss more than what we have done already.

Real Madrid buying anyone? If you don't see that they have a clear vision and plan to invest in and stock up young players in multiple positions, I don't know if there is anything anyone can do to help you realize that. Never said their future is filled with CL's, just saying it does appear much brighter than ours at least on paper.

We can keep burying our heads in the sands and pretend everything is just fine. Whatever makes you guys happy, I envy you.