Mavericky Puig

[frostdude1]

Only one of those players are midfielders. And he's sat on the bench all season. How does getting rid of them suddenly hand things over to that midfield? Unless they're 2 separate points. 1) get rid of these lot. 2) start that midfield.

Sorry yes I was making 2 points there.
I’m just sick of watching this generation of bottlers that we’ve purchased in the Barto era.

 

[Porque]

When did you start to imagine Iniesta playing the same position in a high pressure CL game?
I think every compromise in style only hold Barcelona back, they need to rely more on "taking a step forward to press" as they say, and in going all out for controling the only ball.
For me one of Puigs potential strengths is his quickness and eagerness to press, it just needs to be better synchronised in the team as a whole.
I didn't follow his youth carreer, so maybe he showed some weaknesses there that I'm not aware of, but so far in A I like his defensive movement very much.

Well, we won the CL with Iniesta starting in midfield (apart from the final where Rijkaard amended the mistake of not starting him when he came on) at the same age of Puig.

Iniesta was further along his development at a younger age partly because Rijkaard also gave him opportunties at AML and AMR to play where there would be less tactical pressure. That is what I am suggesting for Puig.

Maybe we are best on the ball if we play to Puig's strengths in central midfield. But if we're fully invested into him despite physical worries, then at least let's get him more involved in other areas that will help his first team development and also help the team.

 

[BBZ8800]

It is 2021 and there is still someone think De Jong is next Busi. Puig has higher chance of next Denis Suarez. Iniesta at his age won Barca a Champion League tittle.

And was the best player of youth NT World cups, the same as young Riki.

Oh wait, Riki doesn't even play for youth NT teams.

We'll need to call Sherlock's secret number to find out why every coach is neglecting him.

From a psychological/sociological perspective, this topic is gold.
I wonder if in a year 2050 people will still overhype every single kid from La Masia who can pass the ball and compare them with some La Masia players from 40 years ago, named Xavi, Iniesta and Busi.

 

[Rory]

Sorry yes I was making 2 points there.
I’m just sick of watching this generation of bottlers that we’ve purchased in the Barto era.

Ah right fair enough. Don't get me wrong I'd rather have a squad situation like you've described. I just don't think Puig will amount to much and find his backers a bit over the top. He's had about 120 minutes of good quality football in his whole career and he's nearly 22. He's actually benefited from our poor investment. If Pjanic was a good buy then he'd have seen even less time.

 

[frostdude1]

Ah right fair enough. Don't get me wrong I'd rather have a squad situation like you've described. I just don't think Puig will amount to much and find his backers a bit over the top. He's had about 120 minutes of good quality football in his whole career and he's nearly 22. He's actually benefited from our poor investment. If Pjanic was a good buy then he'd have seen even less time.

I don’t necessarily disagree with you.
Right now, Puig does not look like a world beater. I will concede that.
But the frustrating part has been the lack of chances that he has been given by Koeman this year.
This is why us “puig defenders” are frustrated with.
I just don’t think he’s been given enough chances to grow and show us what he’s got.
He showed tremendous potential last season, which is why we think something is there with him.

 

[Rory]

I don’t necessarily disagree with you.
Right now, Puig does not look like a world beater. I will concede that.
But the frustrating part has been the lack of chances that he has been given by Koeman this year.
This is why us “puig defenders” are frustrated with.
I just don’t think he’s been given enough chances to grow and show us what he’s got.
He showed tremendous potential last season, which is why we think something is there with him.

He's definitely not been given his fair share. Koeman did tell him to go on loan though. I hope he comes good, truly do, I just don't see it yet. I think a year on loan at a club where he can try and establish himself, get game time and also take him out of his comfort zone will be perfect for us and perfect for him.

 

[frostdude1]

He's definitely not been given his fair share. Koeman did tell him to go on loan though. I hope he comes good, truly do, I just don't see it yet. I think a year on loan at a club where he can try and establish himself, get game time and also take him out of his comfort zone will be perfect for us and perfect for him.

Yeah there’s a chance you might be right.
In the end, the club has to come first and if what you suggested is the best thing for the club, and for Puig, it would be the best for everyone. ��

 

[cro-man]

Joke of player. If they continue to give him more and more minutes they can bury the next season into the ground.

 

[BBZ8800]

Iniesta was further along his development at a younger age partly because Rijkaard also gave him opportunties at AML and AMR to play where there would be less tactical pressure. That is what I am suggesting for Puig.

In 2004/05 Rijkaard played Iniesta at CM and on two wing positions, not because that was a genious move by Rijkaard but because of injuries.

We started that season with a smaller squad and in September lost Edmilson, Motta and Gabri with broken knee ligaments.
Larsson was injured iirc in November, also broken knee.
So, our attack was left with only Ronnie, Etoo, Guily.
And midfield with Gerard, Xavi, Deco and 20 years old Iniesta.
Marquez was moved to a CDM to add some physque and muscles and Iniesta was the only player left who could have played as a winger here and there to give some rest to 3 attackers.

In 2005/06 with a return of Larsson and the addition of young Messi and another sub Ezquerro, we had 6 attackers so Iniesta lost his winger position.

And since Xavi broke knee ligaments in December of 2005, our midfield was stacked with too many workhorses in Motta, Edmilson, Van Bommel plus Marquez if needed. And without Xavi, the only true creator left was Deco.
This is why Iniesta started to play as a CM in that season, especially when Deco was injured, rested or suspended.

My point: playing Iniesta as a winger wasn't a genius decision but the only solution left in a short squad heavily decimated by injuries.

 

[kattanib]

In 2004/05 Rijkaard played Iniesta at CM and on two wing positions, not because that was a genious move by Rijkaard but because of injuries.

We started that season with a smaller squad and in September lost Edmilson, Motta and Gabri with broken knee ligaments.
Larsson was injured iirc in November, also broken knee.
So, our attack was left with only Ronnie, Etoo, Guily.
And midfield with Gerard, Xavi, Deco and 20 years old Iniesta.
Marquez was moved to a CDM to add some physque and muscles and Iniesta was the only player left who could have played as a winger here and there to give some rest to 3 attackers.

In 2005/06 with a return of Larsson and the addition of young Messi and another sub Ezquerro, we had 6 attackers so Iniesta lost his winger position.

And since Xavi broke knee ligaments in December of 2005, our midfield was stacked with too many workhorses in Motta, Edmilson, Van Bommel plus Marquez if needed. And without Xavi, the only true creator left was Deco.
This is why Iniesta started to play as a CM in that season, especially when Deco was injured, rested or suspended.

My point: playing Iniesta as a winger wasn't a genius decision but the only solution left in a short squad heavily decimated by injuries.

Iniesta as a winger if I recall was something that Pep Guardiola successfully applied specially in the early games of his management of the team, then eventually Iniesta dropped back once again to LCM/LACM

 

[CatalinR10]

Iniesta as a winger if I recall was something that Pep Guardiola successfully applied specially in the early games of his management of the team, then eventually Iniesta dropped back once again to LCM/LACM

Pep only did that so that pleb Fabregas had a place in the team

 

[vegitot]

And was the best player of youth NT World cups, the same as young Riki.

Oh wait, Riki doesn't even play for youth NT teams.

We'll need to call Sherlock's secret number to find out why every coach is neglecting him.

From a psychological/sociological perspective, this topic is gold.
I wonder if in a year 2050 people will still overhype every single kid from La Masia who can pass the ball and compare them with some La Masia players from 40 years ago, named Xavi, Iniesta and Busi.

Koeman is too stubborn. Ok, that is true but even U21 Spain called Puig up then benched him. Only used him for 5 minutes.

His quality is in serious doubt by every coach at every level except Barca B. Maybe he is just too Masia midfielder.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

He makes all standard side and back pass. No through ball or whatever like that. Just because he swings his legs quicker.

Pedri/De Jong plays under same coach and they don't run like a headless chicken.

"Headless chicken" is a shitty analogy. Puig runs to fill empty spaces and provide support.

If there's a clueless chicken, it's De Jong. He has no clue what he's going to do with the ball until he receives it and tries to figure out what to do.

 

[Raki13]

Theres a reason he doesnt get any games , hes actually worse than the dross that do play.

 

[Nazario1985]

The kid has more forward thinking than FDJ ever had.

Koeman completely destroyed him.