Malcom

[Messi983]

I think people are too obsessed with "who will start/who will be dropped etc." questions. We are playing 55-60 games every season (and many players additional 8-10 games for their NTs) so there should be enough playing time for everyone. Now it's up to younger (new) players to give their everything and push for playing time against the veterans. Those will probably still play bigger/important games but against easier opponents I don't see why we couldn't play with Dembele-Messi/Suarez-Malcom. Our goal before the end of the season should be to have at least 15-16 players (preferably more but tough to do that) who can start every game without dropping the quality of the play and risking losing points. Newcomers will still have to prove themselves but I think our depth is improving with recent signings.

 

[MTL_Barca]

Guys, one question:
Till yesterday, people wrote: Willian will take Dembele's spot and hinder his development, the board are idiots.

What now:
1. what if Malcom will play better than Dembele, take his spot and hinder his development?
2. also, what if Dembele will hinder Malcom's development?

They are both 21.
Till now, fans were on "Dembele's side" against Willian.
On which side are fans now? Dembele's development or Malcom's development, or will they suddenly BOTH have enough of room to grow, unlike in Willian's case?

If we bought Willian Valverde would've probably played him no matter what because he has experience + defends. I guess this was more about how people see Valverde as a manager, cowardly, defense first, doesn't really trust young players etc and not that having Willian in a squad automatically means a player has no chance.

This will force Valverde to trust a young player and Dembele should have a better chance to come out on top if he performs. Dembele will never be a workhorse type of winger and he can't catch up in experience without getting big games so Malcom is another type of challenger than Willian because they aren't that different. If EV wants defense first there is nothing Dembele could do to change that because i don't think he can get on Willians level in that regard, in this case defense will be important too but its a more fair competition because both of them have their qualities mainly on offense and share weaknesses.

And as far as i've seen it here it wasn't mainly about Dembele. He should've been fine regardless unless he suddenly wants to go if he's not a regular starter. It was mostly about spending almost double of these 41M on a 30 years old player. If Malcom turns out to be better than Dembele, then either he is amazing or Dembele underperformed big time but no matter what in the end its still better than losing so much money with Willian because he isn't even world class himself.

Idk if its better for Barca for the next season, one could easily argue Willian would've been better to win CL but for Dembele its certainly way better and IMO its also overall better in the long run. With world class attackers costing 150-200M these days we just have to do our best to get Dembele up there because otherwise it would be hard to replace attackers in the future. Will be hard enough with Suarez alone and Messi will follow.

 

[Jombi]

Sorry what??? Provides goals unlike most other players in our team?

Yes, most players in our team do not provide goal threats, its Messi, Coutinho and slow and aging Suarez. Very few else chip in with plenty of goals. Its a problem and we need a squad with players that can offer goal threats. Paco will likely be sold.

 

[Devils]

It's incredible to me that every time we sign a new player people automatically go wild about trying figure out how we are going to fit him into a starting XI like he will automatically just walk into it and then go on about how it will cause imbalance in the team.

Meanwhile when other teams make these types of signing, it's incredible depth and variety for them.

Edit: [MENTION=20930]Messi983[/MENTION] go away mate, first you accuse me of trolling now you are stealing my logic. FFSsss! Like a thorn in my side.

 

[El Flaco]

 

[cro-man]

If anything this transfer is a prove that we dont trust fully dembele and right so. I think dembele is special and has talent but his attitude sucks. Both club and nt coaches dont like him and dont trust him and are even using subs who are even worse than him instead of him. He needs to improve and change his attitude fully if he wants succeed here or this malcom guy will bench him or someone else....

 

[Tekkers]

Get a grip. Forwards press. That IS defending.

seriously. these guys think if you aren't putting in the work of a sanchez or mandzukic then you aren't defending. as long as an attackers pressing then there is no problem, they're not paid to win back the ball

 

[Donatello]

I will repeat that he is average and I'd rather we signed Pulisic, instead of Dembele too. But hey, who cares..

Pulisic can also turn out to be a flop & he will cost probably more in the range of 80M.

Malcom is 21, and cost 40M. Its a low risk high reward signing, considering the likes of Willian cost 70M or so.

At worst you can sell him for around 30M. At best he could be a fixture in our starting 11.

 

[Tekkers]

If anything this transfer is a prove that we dont trust fully dembele and right so. I think dembele is special and has talent but his attitude sucks. Both club and nt coaches dont like him and dont trust him and are even using subs who are even worse than him instead of him. He needs to improve and change his attitude fully if he wants succeed here or this malcom guy will bench him or someone else....

where are you guys getting this stuff about dembele's attitude? he didn't work in the french national team because it was impossible to field him, mbappe and griezmann since griezmann isn't a centre forward.

and deschamps only complained about his handling of the barca transfer and how it prevented him from being selected for the qualifiers. his attitude around the team has never been questioned and he still maintains great relationships with his ex-teammates (see aubameyang)

the only person who has a problem with him is the idiot valverde. his ex-manager tuchel has had nothing but high praises for dembele and would love to be coaching him right now

 

[Devils]

If anything this transfer is a prove that we dont trust fully dembele and right so. I think dembele is special and has talent but his attitude sucks. Both club and nt coaches dont like him and dont trust him and are even using subs who are even worse than him instead of him. He needs to improve and change his attitude fully if he wants succeed here or this malcom guy will bench him or someone else....

Can't really understand that.

Do you think that the Vinicius and Rodygo signings means that Real doesn't trust Asensio? Dembele is the only winger that Barcelona has, we obviously need more depth in that area.

In our treble winning 2014/2015 season we had: Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Pedro and Iniesta (who could slot in on the wing if needed)

Now we will have: Messi, declined Saurez/Paco, Dembele, Malcolm and Coutinho (who can also slot in on the wing if needed)

I don't see many issues here at all. There is plenty of playing time for all players.

 

[Sorin]

Some guys around here messed up when they chose their favorite team. Should've been Chelsea, Inter, Atletico and the likes. They are suffering when they see attacking players doing what they are supposed to do instead of being defensive workhorses.

The worst thing is that they'll give you examples of teams like RM, who won CL and yet they have conceded even more goals than us. Confused souls.

 

[Donatello]

Monchi is good, but imo at Roma he is not a director who is looking for players FOR BARCA, players for CL titles.
He is now a director for re-selling:
Find good cheap talents, re-sell for profit.
Aka: buy for 5, sell for 15.
Buy for 35 (Malcom), sell for 50-70m.

What's wrong with that, even if its true. I would be more than happy if we sell him for 70M.

 

[BBZ8800]

seriously. these guys think if you aren't putting in the work of a sanchez or mandzukic then you aren't defending. as long as an attackers pressing then there is no problem, they're not paid to win back the ball

In 90s and 00s, you are right.

Football is evolving.

In the past:
Barca had players with 10/10 technique and 5/10 in physique.
Other teams had technique 7-8/10 and phyisque 7/10, so our players were good enough and had the edge in technique.

When other teams raised the bar and started to buy players with 9/10 technique and 9/10 in physique (Psg, Chelsea, Bayern for example), our players weren't as dominant anymore.
So, OTHER teams forced us to raise the bar and to improve our players from 10/10 in technique and 5/10 in physique to 10/10 in tech and at least 7-8/10 in physique.

The same is with defending.
In 90s and 00s, Maradona, Totti, Rivaldo and similar didn't need to defend at all.
They were walking and saving energy for attacking actions.
In 2018, you can't have players who are walking anymore.
Or, in the best case, you can have one walker, like Messi, but even then a team will suffer in defense.

You surely can't have Messi, Dembele, Malcom, Suarez, Coutinho on a field in the same time, unless if you are playing CDR matches at Camp Nou.
So, in the past, it was ok for attackers, CAMs and wingers to mostly rest, walk and wait for attacking actions.
But since English teams, Bayern, Psg and similar have raised the bar, you can't play against them anymore with 6 fighters and 5 walkers, while they have 10-11 fighters on a field.
Our technique won't help us either against them, since those teams have also raised their technique to a let's say 9/10 level.

In short:
Other teams raised the bar and Barca will need to look more at physique in the future (not only technique).
The same is about kilometers covered, workrate and defending.
Other teams have raised the bar.

We will need to evolve or stay in CL's quarters forever with defeats to Juve 0:3, Roma 0:3, Psg 0:4, Atletico 0:2 and similar and wondering why every away match in a CL looks and ends the same.
Hint: is not because of a lack of a CM "controller".

 

[Donatello]

Well people can’t complain about not buying young talents now, that’s all barca do these days

Who doesn't? For instance, just Check out the players RM have signed in the last two years...

 

[Jombi]

Who doesn't? For instance, just Check out the players RM have signed in the last two years...

Even the last 10 years. 95% of their signings have been 24 years or younger. Modric is a very rare exception at 26 years when signed.