La Liga | Round 20: Elche - FC Barcelona 0-2

[Birdy]

When was the last time we played at home?

Against Eibar at the end of December. And the next home game is vs Bilbao next weekend.

If you include also Copa and Supercopa games, we will complete 8 (!!!!) away games in a row within a month.

It must be a record!

 

[serghei]

Against Eibar at the end of December. And the next home game is vs Bilbao next weekend.

If you include also Copa and Supercopa games, we will complete 8 (!!!!) away games in a row within a month.

It must be a record!

Considering our home record under Koeman is quite poor, maybe it's not that bad.

 

[Joan]

At least breaking some records

 

[fergus90]

I think we have players who can score, but Messi didn't play (funny I'm saying this now, but he improved his shooting lately), and the team is not fresh. Koeman needs to do better at rotating, imo this is key in order to do better at achieving the objectives we still have.

People saying we have no options are wrong imo.

Yeah I agree about the freshness, it's about being proactive to ensure we have the best possible XI available fit and fresh for PSG and for the final stretch in the league. Some of the players looked pretty lethargic last week in the normal 90, let alone all the extra time we've played.

So many fixtures since June really and a lack of a proper pre-season, means extra caution is probably needed compared to normal circumstances.

 

[fergus90]

Easy to say should rotate more but doesnt have many options to do it when trying to win games.

Anyone he takes in is quite a drop off and probably rotated as much as could with players available.

I think a large part of the problem is, many of the games with the supposed first XI have been hanging in the balance or still chasing a result in the last 20 minutes. So there hasn't been the luxury to rest players when cruising which would probably happen in normal circumstances. Can only really think of Valladolid and Granada in the last couple months where that's been the case.

 

[JamDav1982]

I think a large part of the problem is, many of the games with the supposed first XI have been hanging in the balance or still chasing a result in the last 20 minutes. So there hasn't been the luxury to rest players when cruising which would probably happen in normal circumstances. Can only really think of Valladolid and Granada in the last couple months where that's been the case.

That is the point. The last game Barca had well won against Granada Messi, FDJ, Pedri and Dembele all came off.

None of those 4 started all three cup games in last week and half and bar FDJ none of them played the full 120 min in both supercopa games and was then rested v Cornella.

It has been difficult to rotate any more than has recently if trying to win the supercopa.

 

[serghei]

Yeah I agree about the freshness, it's about being proactive to ensure we have the best possible XI available fit and fresh for PSG and for the final stretch in the league. Some of the players looked pretty lethargic last week in the normal 90, let alone all the extra time we've played.

So many fixtures since June really and a lack of a proper pre-season, means extra caution is probably needed compared to normal circumstances.

Yea, exactly, at big clubs, a manager needs to show that they don't think a game at a time. It's useless if you play great in January, but burn out the starters so that in March you can barely assemble a team that can carry on playing at a high pace for 90 mins.

Koeman seems pretty ignorant about this part. Or maybe he's very confident that the fitness of the team is pretty high level and this is just a small dip. I'm not as optimistic as him...

 

[soul24rage]

Yea, exactly, at big clubs, a manager needs to show that they don't think a game at a time. It's useless if you play great in January, but burn out the starters so that in March you can barely assemble a team that can carry on playing at a high pace for 90 mins.

Koeman seems pretty ignorant about this part. Or maybe he's very confident that the fitness of the team is pretty high level and this is just a small dip.

I very much doubt this part. There was a time in which you could obviously tell that Pedri was tired and we needed fresh legs vs Bilbao in the Supercup final. Koeman kept him on almost the 90 minutes.

 

[serghei]

I very much doubt this part. There was a time in which you could obviously tell that Pedri was tired and we needed fresh legs vs Bilbao in the Supercup final. Koeman kept him on almost the 90 minutes.

I doubt it too. Which is why this approach, for me, is shortsighted and unsustainable.

 

[Horatio]

I don't know if you're serious or just doing it to provoke reactions, serghei.

Weren't you from a developing country? Romania, if I recall?

 

[serghei]

I don't know if you're serious or just doing it to provoke reactions, serghei.

What part? I'm usually clear when I'm trolling and when I'm serious. Only Wolfe doesn't seem to tell the difference .

 

[JamDav1982]

I very much doubt this part. There was a time in which you could obviously tell that Pedri was tired and we needed fresh legs vs Bilbao in the Supercup final. Koeman kept him on almost the 90 minutes.

Then took him off before ET in both supercopa games and took him off early in last league game and didnt start him in Copa.

Pedri has not been flogged for every minute.

 

[soul24rage]

Then took him off before ET in both supercopa games and took him off early in last league game and didnt start him in Copa.

Pedri has not been flogged for every minute.

I'm aware that he has not played every single minute. My point was that he was played more than he should have in terms of freshness.

Even having been taken off early in the last league game, Pedri still looked tired and should have been taken off much sooner vs Bilbao final game.

 

[JamDav1982]

I'm aware that he has not played every single minute. My point was that he was played more than he should have in terms of freshness.

Even having been taken off early in the last league game, Pedri still looked tired and should have been taken off much sooner vs Bilbao final game.

Difficult to rotate him consistently when no real alternative.

Looked fresh enough in last game.

 

[soul24rage]

Difficult to rotate him consistently when no real alternative.

Looked fresh enough in last game.

In the last game, Pedri should be fresh enough against a team that already played 70 minutes-ish.

They are not the same profile, but Puig is the closest in terms of profile to Pedri in this current squad, and I think Puig should come on more often as a sub in difficult games (Pedri should definitely start in difficult games)

Whether people like him or not, Puig does inject energy to the team as a sub.

In the easy games, maybe Puig can start and Pedri can come on.

I just don't want players to start all the time and be burned out around Feb or March.