Malcom

[Jakabor]

Wait, if I got it correctly?

Dembele on the left...
Malcom on the right...
Messi as a Cam.
Suarez in attack as a CF.
Coutinho behind them as a midfielder.

That is TOTAL of 5 players who don't defend at all

** I get you, you think that Suarez will be dropped suddenly from the squad for Dembele and Malcom.
Never gonna happen.

It's called tactical flexibility and rotations.

Get a clue.

 

[GOAT_SUAREZ]

Suarez starting is fine for another season. He is still good. Not what he was 2012-2016 but still by far the best option. Next summer you look for a replacement.

 

[Windhook]

Nowhere did I write that. Get a grip.

It's a good deal. Complete 180 on the Willian thing, if it was ever happening.

Point is that you still have a locker room led by senior Suarez-Alba-Pique with Messi-Busquets as your captains, Rakitić as somewhat of a mediator between the generations whose style wasn't even defined at Barca and everything else is a complete accessory. You could sign absolutely ANY 20 year old and they'd be as meek of a piece as anybody. You need a fresh experienced face capable of ACTUALLY BENCHING any of the above to give Valverde someone to lean on with system implementation. Arthur and Lenglet COULD be those pieces, but they're probably too young. Coutinho COULD be that too IF he is central to success this season.

Malcom is great for the long-term. But short-term leadership is still not addressed.

Your non-Barcelona way of thinking is somewhat useful for the forum, but dismissing a good transfer in such a manner (you don't need Malcom lol, LMAO, etc) is not appropriate, that's what I think. Barca was missing last season the depth in attack. It was all about Leo and Suarez scoring in most matches, near the end Coutinho also contributed. Dembele with this lifestyle will never deliver his potential, so basically this is a good move by the directors at FC Barcelona.

 

[El Gato]

I think the thing that stands between these players is also Valverde. In short, if a guy like Valverde would've been in charge in 2008 he would've never turned the status quo upside down, selling some major players and locker-room giants in that team.

This team at this moment warrants a manager making bold moves in favor of some new guns.

There's more flexibility now so shouldn't be as much of a problem. There's a lot to still test. Young guys aren't always the best solution, but it's something...

Q1) Can you replace Pique 1 to 1 in all competitions should he underperform?
Q2) Will Busquets be any better in a 4-4-2 this time around with whichever partner, or will it force a 4-3-3 with Malcom/Dembele/Coutinho/Messi on the wings? Since Busi is practically undroppable.
Q3) Does dropping Suarez force a 4-3-3 with Messi up top? If so, will Coutinho/Malcom/Dembele's finishing be good enough for that to work?
Q4) That left side of the pitch looks a wee bit dodgy on both ends. Not sure anyone can do well covering for Alba who isn't as useful if left deeper.

So yea, flexibility isn't the issue anymore, which is good.

[MENTION=21912]Windhook[/MENTION]
I mean, the first two lines I wrote in that post were positive aspects of the transfer. No need to get tetchy about any criticism coming from a seemingly biased source...

 

[clemente]

Can the season start already

 

[serghei]

Yes Pep did a fantastic job. But it's ok saying get rid of senior pros when you know you have someone like Messi around. We ditch Suarez and play who exactly? Dembele gonna score 30 goals?

Sure, but some of the young players Pep promoted and made starters instead of established players didn't have more than talent and skills working for them. Pique, Busquets, Pedro. 3 players he made into stars that fans barely heard of before they played for Barca in the first 11.

He saw their quality and acted with balls, and established stars had to pay for that. He sold Henry ffs. Sold Yaya. Other managers would still play those players because they were still star players. Pep got rid of them because he sensed that those young players could do a better job than them. And they did.

 

[Kul_z]

Yes Pep did a fantastic job. But it's ok saying get rid of senior pros when you know you have someone like Messi around. We ditch Suarez and play who exactly? Dembele gonna score 30 goals?

Coutinho next season would easily deploy at least 25 goals. Messi banging somewhere around 40-50, and the other player would be fed from those two, which are easily top 5 pass/assist makers if not top two in the game. No worries at all

 

[soul24rage]

Can the season start already

no, if we get a good midfielder and sell the deadwoods, then we can start the season

 

[Jombi]

Yes Pep did a fantastic job. But it's ok saying get rid of senior pros when you know you have someone like Messi around. We ditch Suarez and play who exactly? Dembele gonna score 30 goals?

Suarez might ditch himself though if he continues on a declining path, who knows. Imagine Suarez being worse than Luis Muriel next season and Dembele having another injury marred season. We would have had no one to score goals except Messi and Coutinho. That's clearly unacceptable for a big team. I dont count Yerry Mina here, lol.

 

[Andrew M]

Sure, but some of the young players Pep promoted and made starters instead of established players didn't have more than talent and skills working for them. Pique, Busquets, Pedro. 3 players he made into stars that fans barely heard of before they played for Barca in the first 11.

He saw their quality and acted on it.

Have you forgotten Samuel Eto'o? Pep wanted him out as well yet was key and scored over 30 goals. Pep eventually got his wish and Eto'o got his second treble in a row at Inter the following season while we got lumped with Zlatan, Mr. Champions League Kryptonite himself.

How do you know that with Ronaldinho we wouldn't have been just as successful in 2009?

 

[BarçaBarça]

Quite fun to hijack a deal. Actually, Abidal might be on to something here: He is new to the job, so he has to learn from the best...

...and buys whoever Monchi has chosen!

Who else is rumoured to Roma?

 

[El Flaco]

Suarez might ditch himself though if he continues on a declining path, who knows. Imagine Suarez being worse than Luis Muriel next season

Suarez scored 25 goals in LaLiga last season whereas Muriel accomplished only mere 7 goals who's never has been a great goalscorer.

I doubt it'll happen.

 

[xXKonan]

From Sport's front cover dated December 19,2014.

Josep Capdevila dug this up.

 

[Jombi]

Suarez scored 25 goals in LaLiga last season whereas Muriel accomplished only mere 7 goals who's never has been a great goalscorer.

I doubt it'll happen.

Muriel would probably have scored more than 7 for us as well, but hopefully Suarez' decline halts, but aging decline shouldnt be taken lightly.

 

[Andrew M]

From Sport's front cover dated December 19,2014.

Josep Capdevila dug this up.

Whatever happened to Gabigol?