Mavericky Puig
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fergus90
Senior Member
Realistically he will find it very tough to get game time and would be better off getting football elsewhere by January. Might feature a bit more at the beginning though with Pedri away and Busquets slightly behind in pre-season preparation.
He does have his uses though, i'm not in the camp of thinking he's completely useless like some but there are simply better options than him at the club that are rightfully ahead of him in the pecking order.
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Better mentality. He actually believes he is good enough to be at Barcelona and his involvement in substitute appearances show that. Denis Suarez, after a dribble or pass doesn't come off, and the Camp Nou ate him up. Like Gerard Deulofeu (although he just wasn't plain good enough and Suarez/Messi let him know so).
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I remember his second return stint. He started pre-season bright. Then bit by bit the old Gerry D returned.
Then when he missed that open goal, the collective groan of the Camp Nou, his team mates and those watching from home swallowed him up. He never recovered.
He probably wanted to cry at that moment.
Then when he missed that open goal, the collective groan of the Camp Nou, his team mates and those watching from home swallowed him up. He never recovered.
He probably wanted to cry at that moment.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
No matter how average Deulo was, he was at least able to play a first division football in EPL.
Again, I can't imagine a club run by someone not named his dad or Laporta, who would play Riki again after 5 matches played.
Riki's football is not based on football but on scared running away from any physical touch.
And everything good and bad in his game comes from his fear of being touched or tackled.
1. when he doesn't have the ball, he moves well. Why?
= to run away from the opponents and when he gets the ball to have 2-3 steps advantage and to avoid a physical touch
2. his direct running with the ball. Why?
= again, there is nothing else he can do. He can't receive a pass and stay on the same place like Xavi or Busi because he will get easily pushed or dispossed.
So, the only option left is = to run with the ball like an idiot whenever he gets the ball
3. his erratic movement with the ball. Why?
= he doesn't know where he will run. He just takes the ball and runs into a direction where the opponents direct him (in the sense: wherever there is a defender, he will just run under let's 45 degrees in the other direction).
But there is no planning in his running, he is just randomly running away from the opponents and he always ends at some random position with the ball.
4. his forced through passes. Why?
= well, when he gets the ball, he has 10-20 meters to run with the ball freely.
After that he hits the wall of a backline consisted of 4 men.
And then again, to avoid any physical touch, he can just randomly runs in one direction, and when he gets closed down from all sides, he has no more space to run and the only solution is to fire a random erratic hero-through ball to someone.
5. plays one-twos or first touch passes more often than other teammates.
Why?
Is he a genious?
No.
= he needs to play fast, move a lot and get rid of the ball too soon to avoid any physical contact.
So, in a nutshell, his game is:
1) he gets the ball and runs with it for 10-20 meters and people say: wow, he is winning so much space!
2) after 20 meters of running, he is closed down by defenders and then he either starts to run into some illogical direction or he fires an illogical through ball.
People often ask: why is he so erratic?
The answer = because he can't stand on one position and play a normal possession football.
He always needs to move in order to run away from the defenders which makes him chaotic and leaving his position all the time.
This is why he sucks as a starter because in the 1st half both teams usually keep their positions and play tactically responsible football.
After a minute 70 though, players get tired, they don't hold their positions as well as in the 1st half and formations and tactics get loose and look more risky and messy.
In those circumstances, Riki's erratic play works better because there is more room and his erratic running/forced passing can create a chance from time to time.
All in all, I don't see how this guy could play as a starter in any 1st division team.
Again, I can't imagine a club run by someone not named his dad or Laporta, who would play Riki again after 5 matches played.
Riki's football is not based on football but on scared running away from any physical touch.
And everything good and bad in his game comes from his fear of being touched or tackled.
1. when he doesn't have the ball, he moves well. Why?
= to run away from the opponents and when he gets the ball to have 2-3 steps advantage and to avoid a physical touch
2. his direct running with the ball. Why?
= again, there is nothing else he can do. He can't receive a pass and stay on the same place like Xavi or Busi because he will get easily pushed or dispossed.
So, the only option left is = to run with the ball like an idiot whenever he gets the ball
3. his erratic movement with the ball. Why?
= he doesn't know where he will run. He just takes the ball and runs into a direction where the opponents direct him (in the sense: wherever there is a defender, he will just run under let's 45 degrees in the other direction).
But there is no planning in his running, he is just randomly running away from the opponents and he always ends at some random position with the ball.
4. his forced through passes. Why?
= well, when he gets the ball, he has 10-20 meters to run with the ball freely.
After that he hits the wall of a backline consisted of 4 men.
And then again, to avoid any physical touch, he can just randomly runs in one direction, and when he gets closed down from all sides, he has no more space to run and the only solution is to fire a random erratic hero-through ball to someone.
5. plays one-twos or first touch passes more often than other teammates.
Why?
Is he a genious?
No.
= he needs to play fast, move a lot and get rid of the ball too soon to avoid any physical contact.
So, in a nutshell, his game is:
1) he gets the ball and runs with it for 10-20 meters and people say: wow, he is winning so much space!
2) after 20 meters of running, he is closed down by defenders and then he either starts to run into some illogical direction or he fires an illogical through ball.
People often ask: why is he so erratic?
The answer = because he can't stand on one position and play a normal possession football.
He always needs to move in order to run away from the defenders which makes him chaotic and leaving his position all the time.
This is why he sucks as a starter because in the 1st half both teams usually keep their positions and play tactically responsible football.
After a minute 70 though, players get tired, they don't hold their positions as well as in the 1st half and formations and tactics get loose and look more risky and messy.
In those circumstances, Riki's erratic play works better because there is more room and his erratic running/forced passing can create a chance from time to time.
All in all, I don't see how this guy could play as a starter in any 1st division team.
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Better mentality. He actually believes he is good enough to be at Barcelona and his involvement in substitute appearances show that. Denis Suarez, after a dribble or pass doesn't come off, and the Camp Nou ate him up. Like Gerard Deulofeu (although he just wasn't plain good enough and Suarez/Messi let him know so).
Agree. Mavericky is way more confident than Denis. Though overall Denis is way superior, more skillful. Doubt Mavericky can perform la croqueta
Gnidrologist
Senior Member
You're the worst poster on this forum. Serious.
BusiTheKing
Senior Member
Lol are you seriously saying that it's normal for midfielders to just stay in the same position and shrug off opponents coming to take the ball away? Honestly doesn't sound like we're watching the same sport. Physical superiority is important for attackers who receive the ball with one defender in the back but for midfielders it's sort of besides the point and has much more to do with ball control and awareness.
Xavi and Busi didn't just 'stay in the same position'. Perhaps they navigated with a little more spatial intelligence and coolness than Puig but what you're saying isn't really supported by any layer of reality.
Messi983
Senior Member
I think he'll be our best cheerleader again.
Also, wouldn't be surprised if he'd be degraded to a 7th or 8th midfield option for Koeman. Even if we don't bring another midfielder I could easily see Collado, Demir, Gavi, Nico and Ilaix (if he'll renew) all getting more minutes. Maybe Kays Ruiz as well although he didn't get a chance this preseason due to Covid.
BusiTheKing
Senior Member
Also remember him being the only one of our midfielders able to handle Thomas Partey a few years ago. Really doesn't harmonize will with what you're saying.
Ultimately my hunch is that he's too erratic to start for Barca but it would still need to be confirmed by watching him play consistently. People on this forum are being awfully categorical on the Puig issue. The logic seems to be that some midfield talents just 'understand the game' and some don't. That's not true. Every player is a different. Not even Xavi had cracked some code allowing him to always do the right thing.
Puig has a few more awkward angles here and there in his game than our archetype midfielder. He's also less risk averse than what we're used to. That doesn't disqualify his merits.
Ultimately my hunch is that he's too erratic to start for Barca but it would still need to be confirmed by watching him play consistently. People on this forum are being awfully categorical on the Puig issue. The logic seems to be that some midfield talents just 'understand the game' and some don't. That's not true. Every player is a different. Not even Xavi had cracked some code allowing him to always do the right thing.
Puig has a few more awkward angles here and there in his game than our archetype midfielder. He's also less risk averse than what we're used to. That doesn't disqualify his merits.
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