Mavericky Puig

[BBZ8800]

So, I will assert that koeman has something personal against him.

Braithwaite also doesn't play.
Or Alena.
Or Firpo.

Does he have something personal against them too?

Or... they just more or less suck?

 

[BarcaOG]

Alena sucks. should go play for betis

 

[Richard.H]

Braithwaite also doesn't play.
Or Alena.
Or Firpo.

Does he have something personal against them too?

Or... they just more or less suck?

Brathwaite plays and both Firpo and Alena are older than puig. Puig committed career suicide by being too nice and staying. He needs game time, he’s young and can still develop well

 

[JohnN]

They all got some minutes this season, Puig got none.
They all played last season a little bit, Puig played more and was by far the better one. So what gives? Not even a single minute now? Is our midfield so great that no one else can play?

 

[BBZ8800]

They all got some minutes this season, Puig got none.
They all played last season a little bit, Puig played more and was by far the better one. So what gives? Not even a single minute now? Is our midfield so great that no one else can play?

About Puig being the best, that is a subjective opinion of our fans who are biased towards young players.

About him, my subjective opinion is:
1. horrible physique
2. and he seems to be one of those players who "visually" seem as good players due to their silky moves and touches.
But when you watch him a little longer, you see that not too much is happening with him on a field.
He can't score, he can't defend, he is bullied easily, his passes aren't as deadly and vertical as Pedri's.
His only skills are possession recycling and his signature move when he gets the ball in his half, runs with it for 30 meters and then passes it to someone else to make a final pass.

Compared to granny Raki, granny Busi, horrible Arthur, old Vidal, his displays looked better and more lively.
But that was mostly due to that signature move and some youthful energy.
Apart from that, he is really not good in a majority of other areas.

But we will get an excuse: midfielders are supposed to pass, they don't need to defend or score.
That is a side effect of Pep's system, the only system in the world where players like him could have played.
But now, when Pep's football is slowly dying, Puig isn't too useful for majority of clubs.
Even for Barca.

 

[Rumcajs]

He had some killer vertical passes (remember at least one screwed by Suarez), couple of assists and his ability to carry the ball forward is underrated. Neither Busi or DJ do that. They both dwell on it even, when here is clear space ahead. He is far from being boring recycler either. Tries good amount of between the line,sharp diagonal and in the box passes. Again, not like our current crop is all that good at this. Playing one legged Alena, but not him is appallingly unfair.

 

[fergus90]

His physique gets brought up a lot but in the games I?ve seen him play I?ve not seen it be an issue. He coped well with Tomas Partey where I?d say he comfortably got the better of him on a few occasions.

The last game he played he got two assists in a game, the youngest player since Thiago Alcantara back in 2011, if anything he?s shown enough to be given chances not discarded.

Especially when lots of players who?ve put up uninspiring performances get picked without fail week after week.

Also just because Koeman doesn’t pick him, doesn’t mean he’s right. He’s fucked up a lot of decisions in his managerial career.

 

[Laplacian]

People say he's not playing because he's shit, people mention he was good last season. Now it's because the midfield is shit so he looked better, but hello...our additions to the midfield are Pjanic, Pedri and the "can't play in midfield" Coutinho . Puig showed way more last season than Coutinho and Pjanic are currently showing, and I know Pedri is great...I think it's a bit rich to say Puig can't compete to him.

It's just hilarious. With other youth players you guys usually have a point because they rarely play, but Puig did play and looked good. He was mobile, did well in circulating possession, AND he was creative. I don't understand why you're trying to create a "sideways passing" meme out of him when he has shown to be quite vertical in his passing, and adept at creating great chances. The whole reason people loved watching him play last season is because people were happy to watch our midfield being creative again. It's just funny watching you try to paint the sideways passing/cant create narrative about him.

When you know you're backed into a corner, can't deny that he's had good matches for the majority of his appearances, you have to make up bullshit (he might look good, but if you look closely....he's actually not!) to justify Koeman's stubbornness and Puig's benching. Just admit you don't want to see him around because he's short and you hate short players and save us all the fucking time from reading your future essays about him.

 

[Daniele]

About Puig being the best, that is a subjective opinion of our fans who are biased towards young players.

About him, my subjective opinion is:
1. horrible physique
2. and he seems to be one of those players who "visually" seem as good players due to their silky moves and touches.
But when you watch him a little longer, you see that not too much is happening with him on a field.
He can't score, he can't defend, he is bullied easily, his passes aren't as deadly and vertical as Pedri's.
His only skills are possession recycling and his signature move when he gets the ball in his half, runs with it for 30 meters and then passes it to someone else to make a final pass.

Compared to granny Raki, granny Busi, horrible Arthur, old Vidal, his displays looked better and more lively.
But that was mostly due to that signature move and some youthful energy.
Apart from that, he is really not good in a majority of other areas.

But we will get an excuse: midfielders are supposed to pass, they don't need to defend or score.
That is a side effect of Pep's system, the only system in the world where players like him could have played.
But now, when Pep's football is slowly dying, Puig isn't too useful for majority of clubs.
Even for Barca.

ahah cant believe it
please guys tell me he is a troll

 

[vegitot]

Not in U21 Spain squad also.

Should have left when your coach just doesn't want you.

 

[te amo barca]

About Puig being the best, that is a subjective opinion of our fans who are biased towards young players.

About him, my subjective opinion is:
1. horrible physique
2. and he seems to be one of those players who "visually" seem as good players due to their silky moves and touches.
But when you watch him a little longer, you see that not too much is happening with him on a field.
He can't score, he can't defend, he is bullied easily, his passes aren't as deadly and vertical as Pedri's.
His only skills are possession recycling and his signature move when he gets the ball in his half, runs with it for 30 meters and then passes it to someone else to make a final pass.

Compared to granny Raki, granny Busi, horrible Arthur, old Vidal, his displays looked better and more lively.
But that was mostly due to that signature move and some youthful energy.
Apart from that, he is really not good in a majority of other areas.

But we will get an excuse: midfielders are supposed to pass, they don't need to defend or score.
That is a side effect of Pep's system, the only system in the world where players like him could have played.
But now, when Pep's football is slowly dying, Puig isn't too useful for majority of clubs.
Even for Barca.

He wasn't any of those things in the run of games he had after the coronabreak. His passes were progressive and threatening, his workrate helped him intercept many balls, his dribbling sharp and difficult to dispossess, and he even had a couple of very dangerous shots. He couldn't have turned to shit in 2 months whereas he was our best midfielder and arguably best player after the coronabreak. Your narrative doesn't fit. His physique is indeed a problem for 4-2-3-1.

 

[gasgas]

About Puig being the best, that is a subjective opinion of our fans who are biased towards young players.

About him, my subjective opinion is:
1. horrible physique
2. and he seems to be one of those players who "visually" seem as good players due to their silky moves and touches.
But when you watch him a little longer, you see that not too much is happening with him on a field.
He can't score, he can't defend, he is bullied easily, his passes aren't as deadly and vertical as Pedri's.
His only skills are possession recycling and his signature move when he gets the ball in his half, runs with it for 30 meters and then passes it to someone else to make a final pass.

Compared to granny Raki, granny Busi, horrible Arthur, old Vidal, his displays looked better and more lively.
But that was mostly due to that signature move and some youthful energy.
Apart from that, he is really not good in a majority of other areas.

But we will get an excuse: midfielders are supposed to pass, they don't need to defend or score.
That is a side effect of Pep's system, the only system in the world where players like him could have played.
But now, when Pep's football is slowly dying, Puig isn't too useful for majority of clubs.
Even for Barca.

Did you even watch the matches?

Shitty arguments. I'm disappointed in you big big bro

 

[Birdy]

I don't think the arguments above capture the core of the problem Puig is facing.
Problem with Puig is the following:
Koeman wants to play 4-2-3-1 and he thinks Puig does not fit the system. Reconstructing all his statements about him gives the clue.
Why does he think that?
Its because puig's playing style and position is that of an 'interior' in a midfield 3, or of an '8' in the way of Xavi-Iniesta.
Since the system is 4-2-3-1 (contrary to Setien's 4-3-3 which provided plenty of opportunities for Puig when there were injuries, or Arthur was not playing well) which involves two '6's in the double pivot and 1 or more '10's in the three attacking midfielders, there is no place for an '8', an 'interior'.

Hence, there are other two options: Puig changes a lot in order to learn how to play either as a '6' or as a '10', or the stays permanently out.
I don't think it's any bias on the part of Koeman (he is not biased against Pedri or Fati or Trincao), but rather his belief that Puig does not currently fit and is very far from being competent to play either as a '6' or as a '10'

Same with Alena, who is also an 'interior'.
The first who will get more minutes will be the one who convinces Koeman that he has changed enough to be able to play those positions.
I don't blame him because he was frank with both of them at pre-season and advised them to go somewhere to have playing time, and both decided to stay.
Of course he should not change the system to accommodate Puig. That's a misguided and terrible take.
He is trying to build something new with the 4-2-3-1 and he should abide by that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Whether Koeman is right or wrong Puig should have left on loan to try and prove himself.

His physique is a huge issue. Can see he avoids some situations where would need to compete for ball or shield it. He does work hard and get stuck in but a bit like Messi tends to do it when unexpected from opposition and not consistently in way team needs.

Moves ball very quickly which is his biggest strength but does not have much after that and if he does and is told not in plans he needs to go out on loan and prove it.

 

[fergus90]

Whether Koeman is right or wrong Puig should have left on loan to try and prove himself.

His physique is a huge issue. Can see he avoids some situations where would need to compete for ball or shield it. He does work hard and get stuck in but a bit like Messi tends to do it when unexpected from opposition and not consistently in way team needs.

Moves ball very quickly which is his biggest strength but does not have much after that and if he does and is told not in plans he needs to go out on loan and prove it.

Yeah it's without question he needs to go on loan. To be honest he's getting to the age where he'll be better of leaving permanently to make the most of developing his talent.

I guess players like him and Alena are acutely aware of the fact that Koeman might only be here temporarily, either hoping to change his mind or sacrifice a season of the careers to wait for his exit.

Although given their age it's a very foolish thing to do. I'm not one to blindly put faith in any player from La Masia as there are a lot of duds but I do see huge potential in Puig to become a very good player.