Lionel Messi - v7

[Riordon]

Pep or Klopp would still win the CL with this version of Messi. We just need someone who isn't a COMPLETE and UTTER cuck like EV to the veterans.

Griez centrally, Messi on the wing, Dembele/Fati on the left. FDJ, Arthur, Vidal midfield.

No they would not. Pep can’t even get to CL finals with a team superior to ours. Hasn’t been there for last 8 years. Even after having spent a shit ton just on fullbacks!!!! Klopp also needed 3 seasons to buy his team.

Stop this overrating of Pep and Klopp.

Players >>>> tactics.

Let’s realize ours players really isn’t that good anymore.

 

[serghei]

Lol, City's team is not superior to ours. From their team, De Bruyne, Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Laporte would start for us. 4 players.

 

[xXKonan]

Do we have players that aren't as good as they should be sure?

But then again people plop up that argument to try and make it look like Valverde is somehow the victim in all of this even though he plays the biggest role in why we aren't doing very well. You need a good coach and a good philosophy to put that stuff together and we do not have that.

We have a manager who is afraid of his own shadow and has been ignoring some of the biggest problems this team has because he either doesn't understand how to fix it or he is definitely afraid to rock the boat.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Lol, City's team is not superior to ours. From their team, De Bruyne, Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Laporte would start for us. 4 players.

Lol, City's team is vastly more talented and deeper than barça's team and has been for the last couple of seasons.

Pep always has had top 2, top 3 teams in the world but he's yet to return to a CL final since 2011 or even a SF with City.

 

[Riordon]

Lol, City's team is not superior to ours. From their team, De Bruyne, Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Laporte would start for us. 4 players.

Looking at their options of the bench, it’s superior. For me Aguero starts too. Sane is in there. Cancelo and Mendy aswell. Fernandinho, Rodri could have a shout too.

 

[Riordon]

Lol, City's team is vastly more talented and deeper than barça's team and has been for the last couple of seasons.

Pep always has had top 2, top 3 teams in the world but he's yet to return to a CL final since 2011 or even a SF with City.

Agree. Generally I think cules overrate our players and underrate other teams, probably because they don’t watch that much football outside Barca

 

[serghei]

Looking at their options of the bench, it’s superior. For me Aguero starts too. Sane is in there. Cancelo and Mendy aswell.

How does Aguero start if you have Bernardo and Sterling on the wings? Instead of Messi?

Messi False 9, Sterling left wing, Bernardo right wing. De Jong DM, Arthur CM, De Bruyne AM. Back 4 of Alba LB, Laporte LCB, New signing at RCB, Semedo RB. Ter Stegen in goal.

That would be the best 11 from City and Barca combined.

 

[serghei]

Lol, City's team is vastly more talented and deeper than barça's team and has been for the last couple of seasons.

Pep always has had top 2, top 3 teams in the world but he's yet to return to a CL final since 2011 or even a SF with City.

Lol. Pep would've won the treble last season with our team. Hell, clueless Valverde almost did it.

 

[Riordon]

How does Aguero start if you have Bernardo and Sterling on the wings? Instead of Messi?

Messi False 9, Sterling left wing, Bernardo right wing. De Jong DM, Arthur CM, De Bruyne AM. Back 4 of Alba LB, Laporte LCB, New signing at RCB, Semedo RB. Ter Stegen in goal.

That would be the best 11 from City and Barca combined.

A team is not 11 players. Its not whatever Sane starts or not. Or if Bernardo Silva or Sterling does. These guys are unlike Dembele or Griezmann in the equation depending on how a manager wants to start. Highlights how insane their bench is, without even mentioning guys like Jesus and Mahrez who are both great.

No way Arthur starts in that team. Old David Silva is still better than him. Bernardo Silva at CM is better than him. Its better to have Rodri/Fernandinho as the DM and Jong as CM than Arthur.

Now try to count the number of City players who all COULD be starters. Semedo is not better than Cancelo, heck Walker is better than Semedo.

 

[xXKonan]

Rodri is overrated as hell.

And Riodon back to his anti Arthur agenda I see.

 

[khaled_a_d]

How does Aguero start if you have Bernardo and Sterling on the wings? Instead of Messi?

Messi False 9, Sterling left wing, Bernardo right wing. De Jong DM, Arthur CM, De Bruyne AM. Back 4 of Alba LB, Laporte LCB, New signing at RCB, Semedo RB. Ter Stegen in goal.

That would be the best 11 from City and Barca combined.

Semedo won't start for a Pep team tbh. He is like an Anti-Pep type of RB.
And look at 2nd team after that.
Rodri/Fernandinho are probably superior than Busquets/Vidal in midfield. Aguero/Sane are better than Suarez/Griezmann combination (though that is debatable) etc
I think they have more depth than us.
Anyway, regarding 1st point. Pep struggled in CL. And current team doesn't have players who would press the same way he would want, there will be also lack of movements to play his football.
Same for Klopp, the current team isn't his type at all.
We will be stronger with them for sure, but I doubt an a miracle would happen if they coached current team.

 

[serghei]

A team is not 11 players. Its not whatever Sane starts or not. Or if Bernardo Silva or Sterling does. These guys are unlike Dembele or Griezmann in the equation depending on how a manager wants to start. Highlights how insane their bench is, without even mentioning guys like Jesus and Mahrez who are both great.

No way Arthur starts in that team. Old David Silva is still better than him. Bernardo Silva at CM is better than him. Its better to have Rodri/Fernandinho as the DM and Jong as CM than Arthur.

Now try to count the number of City players who all COULD be starters. Semedo is not better than Cancelo, heck Walker is better than Semedo.

Yea, ok. From the guy who said players >>>>>>> tactics. Got it.

 

[Riordon]

Yea, ok. From the guy who said players >>>>>>> tactics. Got it.

Yes, and I still stand by that. You could have all tactics right but if your players don't have the quality you go nowhere. Why is it that Pep had to spent 250m on fullbacks? Why did Kloop have to buy a whole new team for himself?

According to you, they could just have the right tactics and I'm sure their bosses would have loved that since it would have kept close to 500m in their pockets.

 

[serghei]

Semedo won't start for a Pep team tbh. He is like an Anti-Pep type of RB.
And look at 2nd team after that.
Rodri/Fernandinho are probably superior than Busquets/Vidal in midfield. Aguero/Sane are better than Suarez/Griezmann combination (though that is debatable) etc
I think they have more depth than us.
Anyway, regarding 1st point. Pep struggled in CL. And current team doesn't have players who would press the same way he would want, there will be also lack of movements to play his football.
Same for Klopp, the current team isn't his type at all.

He would. In a similar role to Abidal. Made for it actually. He's the Abidal of RBs. I wouldn't even be surprised to see him flourish offensively with Pep too. For me there is no doubt Semedo is the starter at RB under Pep. Athletic, hard worker, better dribbling than Walker, strong, hard to beat in 1 vs 1.

Pep struggled in CL. But we have a big advantage over a team like City. It's the Camp Nou, which is the biggest European fortress out there. Ettihad had nowhere near the same charm to it. Every team can go there and play their best football. At Camp Nou the venue, the massive audience, Barcelona's performance on this stadium, it's not comparable.

Our results with poor Valverde on Camp Nou are 3-0 Chelsea, 4-1 Roma, 5-1 Lyon, 3-0 United, 3-0 Liverpool.

I already said City have the edge in terms of speed up front. We have the edge in terms of controlling possession with Arthur and De Jong. We also have the edge in defense considering City are abysmal there.

Only question mark is Alba at LB. That could be another position that would need another transfer, since City are weak there too.

 

[serghei]

Yes, and I still stand by that. You could have all tactics right but if your players don't have the quality you go nowhere. Why is it that Pep had to spent 250m on fullbacks? Why did Kloop have to buy a whole new team for himself?

According to you, they could just have the right tactics and I'm sure their bosses would have loved that since it would have kept close to 500m in their pockets.

You said near 34 years old David Silva would start for Guardiola instead of Arthur Melo. You expect me to take you seriously after that? If you know what juego de posicion is and you know how Pep usually plays, then you know that Arthur and De Jong would be clear starters in the DM and CM roles.

De Bruyne - De Jong - Arthur would be Pep's midfield without a doubt if he would have both squads to choose from. That midfield, with the defensive coverage of two extremely hard working and disciplined wingers like Sterling and Bernardo, would be the motor of his team.