Martin Montoya

[BBZ8800]

I agree. But while Montoya doesn't add much to our attacking power, he is still good enough to be trusted in the majority of our Liga games. And yea, he is limited in our ling-up play, but he's smart enough to not get involved in it that much. He is pretty much like Carvajal.

People are hating Pedro because he currently doesn't add anything to our attack.
Montoya is a Dr, but the principle is more or less the same. He also doesn't add anything to our attack.

We are Barca, we are playing all out attack more or less against 90% of opponents.

The way how Pedro doesn't add anything to our attack and is hurting our team currently is very similar to Montoya's attacking contribution.

Can Montoya be trusted against smaller teams?
He can, the same as Pedro currently.

But everyone are much calmer (attacking wise) when Ney, Suarez and Messi are on the field (and not Pedro).
The same is with Dani Alves or other attacking fullbacks, compared to Montoya.

The team is just losing too much in the attack with players like him on the field, against weaker opponents, and especially against parked buses, where we need 1000s of different solution to break the bus.
So, the same as our attack would be more powerful with a better (attacking wise) 4th forward than Pedro, the same can be said about Montoya.

Barca deserves a better reserve RB.
And especially much better first choice RB than him.

 

[Behrox]

I think Montoya on the right works ok when you have Alba on the other flank it adds an extra man to look after any counters and lets be honest here Dani can't defend and attack at the same time anymore so he chooses to only attack and most of the time neglects his defensive duties

 

[Ursegor]

Dani doesn't neglect his defensive duties. You can't ask your wingbacks to press high up the pitch and attack (which is evidently the case under Lucho more than ever, Montoya said as much) and at the same time expect him to be back in place to defend once the collective Barca press is breached. He can't travel faster than the ball. He has declined, his aerial play is woeful and sometimes he switches off. Mascherano's red card against Elche comes to mind. But then you see Montoya on the pitch and quickly realize that Dani needs a contract extension.

 

[darthvader7888]

Dani doesn't neglect his defensive duties. You can't ask your wingbacks to press high up the pitch and attack (which is evidently the case under Lucho more than ever, Montoya said as much) and at the same time expect him to be back in place to defend once the collective Barca press is breached. He can't travel faster than the ball. He has declined, his aerial play is woeful and sometimes he switches off. Mascherano's red card against Elche comes to mind. But then you see Montoya on the pitch and quickly realize that Dani needs a contract extension.

+1

Don't forget Alves's 20 crosses to the moon every game. He isn't anywhere close to what he used to be. But really, we don't have any better alternatives.

 

[Cule4life]

Dani doesn't neglect his defensive duties. You can't ask your wingbacks to press high up the pitch and attack (which is evidently the case under Lucho more than ever, Montoya said as much) and at the same time expect him to be back in place to defend once the collective Barca press is breached. He can't travel faster than the ball. He has declined, his aerial play is woeful and sometimes he switches off. Mascherano's red card against Elche comes to mind. But then you see Montoya on the pitch and quickly realize that Dani needs a contract extension.

The bias is strong with this one. Dani in his prime defended well. A RBs first duty is to defend actually. If you think Montoya is shit then we need another solution. But Dani in his current state is not the solution. Plus Montoya is low on playing time and confidence. The fact that i dont have to put up with Barca's RB jogging back on a counter and ballooning 15-20 useless crosses a game is enough for me to look forward to Montoya playing. But im talking to a person who though Tito was a flawless coach so im probably banging my head against a wall.....

 

[JamDav1982]

The bias is strong with this one. Dani in his prime defended well. A RBs first duty is to defend actually. If you think Montoya is shit then we need another solution. But Dani in his current state is not the solution. Plus Montoya is low on playing time and confidence. The fact that i dont have to put up with Barca's RB jogging back on a counter and ballooning 15-20 useless crosses a game is enough for me to look forward to Montoya playing. But im talking to a person who though Tito was a flawless coach so im probably banging my head against a wall.....

In this system Lucho is playing the fullbacks first duty isnt to defend it is to be more of a winger and a big part of the teams play in the final third.

Talking about bias.... Alves has never put in 15-20 useless crosses a game.

 

[darthvader7888]

The bias is strong with this one. Dani in his prime defended well. A RBs first duty is to defend actually. If you think Montoya is shit then we need another solution. But Dani in his current state is not the solution. Plus Montoya is low on playing time and confidence. The fact that i dont have to put up with Barca's RB jogging back on a counter and ballooning 15-20 useless crosses a game is enough for me to look forward to Montoya playing. But im talking to a person who though Tito was a flawless coach so im probably banging my head against a wall.....

We do, but we're transfer banned. If the ban doesn't get lifted, we need to extend Alves' contract for another year. Unless Montoya recaptures that form he had a couple of years ago. Current Alves isn't the solution, but neither is current Montoya.

We should have bought a way better RB than Douglas this summer.

 

[Ursegor]

The bias is strong with this one. Dani in his prime defended well. A RBs first duty is to defend actually. If you think Montoya is shit then we need another solution. But Dani in his current state is not the solution. Plus Montoya is low on playing time and confidence. The fact that i dont have to put up with Barca's RB jogging back on a counter and ballooning 15-20 useless crosses a game is enough for me to look forward to Montoya playing. But im talking to a person who though Tito was a flawless coach so im probably banging my head against a wall.....

What a terrible post. Do 10 pushups to clear your mind and then come back to me so we can talk again. Pls.

 

[DonAndres]

Alves is doing fine right now, and I say this as one of his biggest critics last season. Whatever deficiencies he has in defense are masked when we have a collective pressing game like this one AND Rakitic covering for him perfectly.

Last year he was lazy as hell in tracking back, one dimensional and detrimental in attack, and had one of the most poisonous attitudes in the dressing room. That carried over to the World Cup as well. Now, Lucho seems to have bred some newfound enthusiasm in him as he quite clearly stated that Dani is training at a very high level and Alves himself has spoken of his new motivation.

Going forward he at least now spends most of his time linking up with Messi like he used to and creating space or helping us penetrate. Defensively even if he doesn't run back to be level with the back line, he is pressing and covering space with intent and alertness. The Rakitic-Alves duo on the right is working very well. His crossing against Villarreal was annoying but since he is functioning at a level where his presence actually helps us, I don't mind too much. When he's fulfilling his role as he should, he really does help activate Messi and get us to penetrate their defense from wide positions

 

[BBZ8800]

The bias is strong with this one. Dani in his prime defended well. A RB'S FIRST DUTY is to DEFEND actually.

You are slightly wrong here.
In "normal" football teams, RB's first duty is to defend.
We are Barca. Here, defending is probably less than 50% of RB's duties.

Again, when we were buying goalkeepers, we said that Curtois isn't good enough for us because he plays poorly with his feet.
And we are Barca, we need a Gk with Xaviesque passes.

Now, if we need even a Gk with good passes who can help in our passing/possession game/build up of attacks, then we surely need a fullback who is awesome in attacking.

This is why I have said that for a team like Barca, even Pedro or Alexis (or similar attacking players) would be a better choice against most of average/weaker La Liga sides, than guys like Montoya or Bartra on Rb.

This is why Lucho wanted attacking player like Cuadrado (who isn't that good defender) to probably play as a Rb for us.

We are Barca. Attack, attack, attack and awesome technical skills are a must, for all positions except for two Dcs.

 

[serghei]

In this system Lucho is playing the fullbacks first duty isnt to defend it is to be more of a winger and a big part of the teams play in the final third.

Talking about bias.... Alves has never put in 15-20 useless crosses a game.

That's very interesting. Because a fullback's duty is to attack when his team has the ball in possesion, and to defend when the opponent has the ball. We can't hold 4 players in defence while we have the ball. To defend what exactly? Empty space? That's stupid. The whole "a RB's primary duty is to defend" thing is dated. If you play in a team that has 65-70% of the ball every game, your priorities change.

 

[JamDav1982]

That's very interesting. Because a fullback's duty is to attack when his team has the ball in possesion, and to defend when the opponent has the ball. We can't hold 4 players in defence while we have the ball. To defend what exactly? Empty space? That's stupid. The whole "a RB's primary duty is to defend" thing is dated. If you play in a team that has 65-70% of the ball every game, your priorities change.

The full backs in this team are only second to the front three in terms of how high the pitch and how attacking they are.

They are closer to hard working wingers that are asked get back behind ball if other team has ball in defensive third. But that wont be the case if other teams are breaking on Barca and the full backs have gone up park.

Basically Rakitic on the right holds a deeper and wider line in the midfield three than before. It is up to Busquets/Rakitic and Pique to stop an opposition break down Alves side not Alves.

Alves is expected to be the winger in the final third and press the ball in final third to win ball early. He isnt there to drop into full back position the moment the opposition get the ball. If the opposition get pas the initial press it is the job of the other players mentioned to defend the break.

 

[Flavia]

Left out of the squad again. It doesn't look like he has a future at Barça anymore.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

He needs to play.

 

[SeloBarca]

But we have Douglas?

Seriously, the RB position was one of the positions we needed a future plan in the most. If Alves leaves, we have..nothing.