Nelson Semedo

[BBZ8800]

Strangly it wasnt better on the side with Alba. The whole defense was completely off including DM. So bad positioning jumpd from one to the other. Idiotic to blame a single person for this.
If he would position wrong every game valverde would be a very bad coach cause this would ve the easiest thing to fix...

You have natural ability in positioning (and in every skill) and a part which is learned through experience and training.
In defending, some players naturaly "know" where to be.
Some others learn those skills over time, but will never be as good as those "naturals" (who have both a natural skill and a learning process).

The same is in attacking actions.
You can try to teach Munir, Sandro, Adama and other guys where to position themselves in order to score 1000s of easy tap-ins goals.
But they will never reach a level of positioning and reading the game, where to be in the right moment like CR7, Van Nistelrooy or some others who "have" it naturally.

So, in short, as always, if a player is truly bad naturally in some skill, he can improve up to a certain level, but he will never reach an elite level no matter how much he'll train and try to learn.
Other examples are: Halilovic's IQ, Adama's IQ, Bartra's positioning, Samper being scared etc.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Strangly it wasnt better on the side with Alba. The whole defense was completely off including DM. So bad positioning jumpd from one to the other. Idiotic to blame a single person for this.
If he would position wrong every game valverde would be a very bad coach cause this would ve the easiest thing to fix...

For a defender it is probably the most difficult to fix.

 

[ASordidGod]

I won't lie, I am becoming a little disillusioned with this guy. Earlier in the season I wanted him played over Roberto, but in hindsight that was probably more a reflection on Roberto's inadequacy at right back than anything Semedo did himself. He's fast, got good recovery, in one on ones he's decent, but increasingly it seems that that's all he's got. Positionally he's poor, bad as Roberto even, on the ball his technique is sloppy, to the extent I find myself wincing every time Pique passes it to him under pressure, and indeed find myself vaguely relieved if he manages to pass it safely backwards, much as I'm relieved when Suarez doesn't trip over his own teeth trying to control a simple ball; either way, for Barca that's unacceptable.

As for Semedo's attacking contribution, his pace gets him in regularly enough, but over the course of the season I'd say he's got his head up and picked out a teammate maybe twice. And that's not even an exaggeration. Now, my instincts say give him another season, yet it's obvious Valverde doesn't trust him, and I don't think my nerves can take another season of Roberto first choice. In which case it might be worth seeing what else is out there (not much as far as I'm aware), maybe even cutting our losses.

 

[Luftstalag14]

You guys’ gloomy verdicts on many of our players, especially relatively new signings make me depressed. Sounds like we signed a bunch of crappy players that have to be replaced and our future is hanging by a thread.

 

[Danic]

I think the complete opposite about his technique. In fact he can control the ball quite well.
The problem is he doesnt use his pace and technique well. There are rarely situations where uses this to go 1v1. I said it before. Its like something in his head is holding him back.
There were some minor situations where he goes easily past the defender due to his pace. Just do it more often!(and the crowd in this forum go wild )
Of course he will never get the passing skills like roberto but i dont think other rbs do. I still remember alves 1233747 crosses in nomansland despite being great in offense.
I dont see this positioning thing u guys do. Yes he often goes into centre but in my opinion its often necessary cause theres something wrong in the whole defense line. And that happens in various games. Maybe Valverde should optimize something there.

 

[BBZ8800]

An interesting stat: we conceded at least a goal in the last 9 matches when Semedo played.

6:1 Girona
4:1 Roma
3:1 Leganes
0:3 Roma
2:2 Celta
4:2 Deportivo
2:2 Real**
5:1 Villareal
4:5 Levante

True, we also switched from 442 with 4 Cms to 442 with Dembele or 433.
But still, we conceded 18 goals in the last 9 matches where he played.

An interesting stat, lol.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

An interesting stat: we conceded at least a goal in the last 9 matches when Semedo played.

6:1 Girona
4:1 Roma
3:1 Leganes
0:3 Roma
2:2 Celta
4:2 Deportivo
2:2 Real**
5:1 Villareal
4:5 Levante

True, we also switched from 442 with 4 Cms to 442 with Dembele or 433.
But still, we conceded 18 goals in the last 9 matches where he played.

An interesting stat, lol.

Stats can give you the wrong picture. We got very lucky early in the season. Opponents had so many close spots, but always missed or Steigen made a great save. It wasn't sustainable anyway.. Our defense looked worse last few months as well. I think the whole team looked worse defending than at the start of the season.

 

[BBZ8800]

Stats can give you the wrong picture. We got very lucky early in the season. Opponents had so many close spots, but always missed or Steigen made a great save. It wasn't sustainable anyway.. Our defense looked worse last few months as well. I think the whole team looked worse defending than at the start of the season.

Imo, 3 main reasons:
1. we turned from EV's 442 with 4 Cms (Iniesta, Rakitic, Busi, Paulinho/Gomes) into 442 with a winger (Dembele) hogging a touchline instead of playing and covering more centrally plus Messi+Suarez, so we lost a lot of balance and defensive strength in midfield
2. Semedo started to play more often as a RB
3. players got tired
(4. some good/bad luck)

 

[Messi983]

An interesting stat: we conceded at least a goal in the last 9 matches when Semedo played.

6:1 Girona
4:1 Roma
3:1 Leganes
0:3 Roma
2:2 Celta
4:2 Deportivo
2:2 Real**
5:1 Villareal
4:5 Levante

True, we also switched from 442 with 4 Cms to 442 with Dembele or 433.
But still, we conceded 18 goals in the last 9 matches where he played.

An interesting stat, lol.

I think more than personell or formations/tactics it's up to the players playing more relaxed and with less intensity than they did in first half of the season. They knew after winning against Atletico that the league is in our hands so their only motivation (except El Clasico) was to stay unbeaten but even that motive wasn't enough for them to stay focused for the rest of the season. Instead, most players minds were already on World Cup and they were trying to save their energy which was easily seen in most games. We've seen what happened in one game in the last 3 months when everyone was truly motivated and inspired to play - Copa final. Yes, it helped that Sevilla was poor that night but I still belive that this team (while being far from perfect) is good enough to not only beat, but also walk over most teams when they are 100% motivated, focused and commited. On the other hand when they're playing half-assed even much worse teams (on paper) will cause us problems.

 

[Danic]

Yap very interesting stat...not.
Wheres thw connection to anything?!

 

[BBZ8800]

I think more than personell or formations/tactics it's up to the players playing more relaxed and with less intensity than they did in first half of the season. They knew after winning against Atletico that the league is in our hands so their only motivation (except El Clasico) was to stay unbeaten but even that motive wasn't enough for them to stay focused for the rest of the season. Instead, most players minds were already on World Cup and they were trying to save their energy which was easily seen in most games. We've seen what happened in one game in the last 3 months when everyone was truly motivated and inspired to play - Copa final. Yes, it helped that Sevilla was poor that night but I still belive that this team (while being far from perfect) is good enough to not only beat, but also walk over most teams when they are 100% motivated, focused and commited. On the other hand when they're playing half-assed even much worse teams (on paper) will cause us problems.

Or:
1. against Sevilla we again played with 4 central midfielders: Iniesta, Rakitic, Busquets, Coutinho. So, without a true winger AGAIN, and we had way more balance in midfield and in defense.
2. plus, Roberto played as a RB, and not Semedo

On a sample from this season, it is quite clear:
= whenever we played with 4 central midfielders in midfield (without Dembele), we were very strong in midfield and in defense.
We were somewhat weak in attack though, but Messi alone solved all problems.
= whenever we moved from 4 central midfielders to 442 with winger Dembele or to 433, our defense fell apart.
Oh, and add Roberto-Semedo into maths.

Things like this happened in football 100s of times:
= something which looks weaker on paper=works much better in reality.
And something which looks awesome on paper=works way worse in reality.

A harsh reality from this season=the ugliest lineup with Iniesta-Raki-Busi-Paulinho was the best lineup in terms of results.

Yap very interesting stat...not.
Wheres thw connection to anything?!

Lel.

When you change a lineup to play players who are better on a paper, our results turn to way worse?

 

[Nothanks]

always said he just isn't the typical barca rb or atleast he hasn't shown it while wearing our colors

 

[Danic]

And u think the one player is the reason for the change in results? At least u made a connection to semedo which is complete nonsense in my eyes.
There are a million reasons why results could change. If there were many goals cause of his mistakes i would understand it.
But so its just one of ur "lel" posts...

 

[JamDav1982]

Those results are not on Semedo but some he has not been good enough and Roberto been better which says it all.

Does next to nothing to help in build up play or final third and is shaky defensively.

Has decent pace is about all he has really shown.

I would sell him if a decent RB available or it will be Roberto again next season bar some drastic improvement from Semedo.

 

[serghei]

JamDav bigging up Roberto to high heavens.