Nelson Semedo

[DonAK]

MD now also saying his presentation will be tomorrow.

Even if he isn't better than Vidal a right back is still needed in the team.

Also the Vidal hype is strange, he only played well for a few games against some crap teams, the jury is still out on him

I think Vidal is decent and thought he was improving as a RB during his last few games before his injury, however this is a younger, more versatile and creative RB. You know, something that most top teams have.

That's not to say Semedo will definitely succeed, but there's a lot of potential there with an exciting skillset both Roberto and Vidal lack.

You need FBs to create width today and draw out players. If people think we just need two midfielders then they are wrong, because without a proper RB, that right side will continue to remain dead and create problems in the center of the field.

That's exactly what Alves was good at, and what Marcelo and Carvajal are good at in Madrid, or what Alaba and Lahm also did in Bayern.

Could Vidal do it? Maybe, but he's still not a natural RB and Robero struggled moving the ball forward and was left alone by the opposition.

Besides, when the club is saying they were ready to pay a lot for Verratti, and sign a RB, then it means they have the resources for a quality midfielder. Finding one though, on the other hand, could become a bit more difficult.

Not many organizors available. You have Seri who resembles one and if you think he'll add quality, then sign him. Otherwise go for a slightly different profile, a hybrid like Naby Keita or an AM who's creative and can bring the ball forward like Coutinho, or Eriksen.

Just don't get another bum like Paulinho.

 

[unknowngenius10]

I take this guy over Bellerin any day.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Don't think he will offer much more than Vidal, I don't see anything special in him,just a good to very good player, digne type player

His skillset is so much better than Digne and Vidal. It's not close. He can actually dribble people.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

I take this guy over Bellerin any day.

True. Bellerin is not good fit with Barcelona. He plays straight forward and fast game, but Semedo has better skillset to make good passes and dribble people. I prefer Semedo as well and especially for this price.

Super happy about this signing!

 

[BADGERBHOY]

Hate to say his name...but Figo was good.

Fuck that prick.

17 years and it still hurts

 

[DonAndres]

Yes. A proven player in a very difficult league.

Proven? Proven what? That he can be crossed up like an amateur both the PL and CL? Bellerin can't even make the NT squad despite his hype, and looks like a scrub playing against U21 players. He has 0 skills aside from being able to run, and it's actually amazing how bad he looks in terms of footballing IQ and technical play; so much that I have a hard time believing he actually came from La Masia. Watching Douglas Costa break his ankles wasn't enough of a red flag for you? Even if he's outpacing everyone, he's 2-3 steps behind mentally.

Your strawman Portuguese league argument is also incredibly weak.

Semedo vs Porto:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLK9M7JPbwQ

vs Dortmund:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghu2ev5x7Dk

vs Sporting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKgoPJc3mE

vs Napoli:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4QVrlS8JUY

All of these are CL level teams. If you look at his statistics there isn't any remarkable drop off in his output between the PT and CL. He won Breakthrough Player of the Year in the Portuguese League and is considered by many Benfica fans on their main forum to be a top 3 performer for them this past season with Ederson and Pizzi. Not to mention that at Barca he'll be in a much more ball dominant team playing in areas and situations that suit his skillset perfectly. His footwork on 1v1's and ability to pick out passes between the lines is superb and exactly what is needed to build up play on the flanks and help Messi.

You and AndreC are like broken records, parroting the same nonsense over and over again about the PT with no progression in your argument. At most, the weakness of the league raises doubts about Semedo's ability to translate his undeniably superb performances to Barca. Yet somehow you use it to definitively conclude that he's shit and to somehow say that his amazing performances over the course of the season were not amazing. It happened whether you like it or not. Even if the league is that weak, then Semedo did EXACTLY what a great talent in a subpar league should be doing by dominating the show.

 

[xXKonan]

True. Bellerin is not good fit with Barcelona. He plays straight forward and fast game, but Semedo has better skillset to make good passes and dribble people. I prefer Semedo as well and especially for this price.

Super happy about this signing!

Bellerin is built for the EPL. He has pace and energy, good height for a Fullback and he's improving on his physical aspect. But while those are some good qualities to have problem is he doesn't seem to have what we need on the technical side. He's young though and will improve but as of right now He's simply not the right RB we need.

Currently Re-reading this thread and going back to all the rumors from O Jogo,Record and Abola and Sport. While the rumors were mostly wrong in "We are close to 40 Million deal!" etc I do think Robert laid down the foundations for this one just in case we decided to bail on Bellerin.

Once we bailed on Bellerin, we got this one done very quickly.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Until a player does not prove me wrong in the CL playing for a Portuguese club he´s not Barça material. Semedo is another bust. Just like many were. Sanches, Gomes, Mangala, Danilo, Fernando, Gaitan, Jackson Martinez, Slimani, Joao Mario. The list goes on and on...
He´s not even the starter for the NT ffs.

Just another hype player from Portuguese league, specially when they are from Benfica who owns the press in every shape or form.

ehhh, again I am not against your opinion but you don't really break the player here. Like what aspects on his game that won't translate? there are those who succeeded from Portugal just like there were those who failed. let's forget about the statistical odds here but why do you think he will be from the failure groups?

Umtiti was behind Adil Rami in the pecking order in France. Behind Sakho, Behind Zouma.

He was their 7th or 8th option.

I like Deschamps, but Santos is probably the best NT coach in the world right now. can't compare both situation

 

[DonAndres]

Tite and Löw are both probably better coaches (Löw is the best NT coach as of now). Sampaoli likely as well now but he has everything to prove. I also think Lopetegui can do very well, but as with Sampaoli his quality isn't clear yet. Santos may have won the Euro with Portugal but let's not forget that they finished 3rd in their shitty group and it took an entirely never before seen rule to even send them to the knockout stages where they didn't face any truly elite NT until France in the final and had mostly shitty wins to get there. Again in the Confed they didn't really impress, and we can't say that Portugal's squad is that weak in comparison to other teams.

Edit: almost forgot that most of Sampaoli's pedigree is from the NT with Chile, and that his influence has been very important in turning them into the title contending team they've been for the past years. So that's 3 coaches that are surely better than Santos.

 

[DonAK]

I like Deschamps, but Santos is probably the best NT coach in the world right now. can't compare both situation

Not sure about that though.

Deschamps for all his flaws also led France to the Euro final against better opposition and playing better. Portugal drew themselves to the final with a couple of penalty shootouts, to win after being the 2nd best team in the final.

Won't say it's just luck, but Santos definitely didn't have some masterclass display in it.

Portugal have some nice talent in their team. They're not bums like Cristiano fanboys would have people believe.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Not sure about that though.

Deschamps for all his flaws also led France to the Euro final against better opposition and playing better. Portugal drew themselves to the final with a couple of penalty shootouts, to win after being the 2nd best team in the final.

Won't say it's just luck, but Santos definitely didn't have some masterclass display in it.
Portugal have some nice talent in their team. They're not bums like Cristiano fanboys would have people believe.

Santos has got the best out of his team, you can't win without good players but it is about getting the best of what you have and he did that perfectly.
Deschamps is also good, but he is odd with his choices and he has his favorites (most NT coaches have those tbf) but if I would trust a coach opinion more it will be Santos for sure.
Anyway, I didn't watch Semedo,liked highlights,stats etc but didn't watch him. I still hope for a more detailed reply from them that isn't about other players being flops

 

[DonAK]

Santos has got the best out of his team, you can't win without good players but it is about getting the best of what you have and he did that perfectly.
Deschamps is also good, but he is odd with his choices and he has his favorites (most NT coaches have those tbf) but if I would trust a coach opinion more it will be Santos for sure.
Anyway, I didn't watch Semedo,liked highlights,stats etc but didn't watch him. I still hope for a more detailed reply from them that isn't about other players being flops

He did, but there were several instances where they could have been sent home packing. It was far from convincing. I don't think it makes him the best NT coach because of that. I think Low is easily the best, and Tite have made a pathetic Brazil look like a juggernaut.

As far as I know, they've struggled a bit in their WC Qualfiers too. The good thing about Santos is that his rigidness and organization is good for International Football, however so far, it's not been on point.

As for raki and AndreC, their arguments seem to be based on the level of play in Portugal and the flops that came out of there.

 

[khaled_a_d]

He did, but there were several instances where they could have been sent home packing. It was far from convincing. I don't think it makes him the best NT coach because of that. I think Low is easily the best, and Tite have made a pathetic Brazil look like a juggernaut.

As far as I know, they've struggled a bit in their WC Qualfiers too. The good thing about Santos is that his rigidness and organization is good for International Football, however so far, it's not been on point.

As for raki and AndreC, their arguments seem to be based on the level of play in Portugal and the flops that came out of there.

I won't rate Tite for now as it is still a bit early,Low is in the argument for sure. Don't like the argument about they could have lost,without Iniesta magic strike against Chelsea Pep legacy as a coach would haven't be anything close as it is. every great coach and player need one of those. Point is if we are gonna take coach selection into account I won't take the Deschamps to Santos comparison tbh. raki win this argument. but Semedo is the younger player who lost year in his development for injury anyway.

But I don't like basing opinion solely based on history,I asked raki for detailed opinion 4 times in past 6 weeks with no answer. I guess time will tell if he is right or wrong.

One thing that worries me is that he only has 43 games in 1st division,he was only promoted in 15/16 season when he was almost 22. Other than that I like his profile

 

[Hamzah]

He is smart with the ball, having a right back good in build up is as important as a midfielder

 

[DonAK]

I won't rate Tite for now as it is still a bit early,Low is in the argument for sure. Don't like the argument about they could have lost,without Iniesta magic strike against Chelsea Pep legacy as a coach would haven't be anything close as it is. every great coach and player need one of those. Point is if we are gonna take coach selection into account I won't take the Deschamps to Santos comparison tbh. raki win this argument. but Semedo is the younger player who lost year in his development for injury anyway.

But I don't like basing opinion solely based on history,I asked raki for detailed opinion 4 times in past 6 weeks with no answer. I guess time will tell if he is right or wrong.

One thing that worries me is that he only has 43 games in 1st division,he was only promoted in 15/16 season when he was almost 22. Other than that I like his profile

Difference between Iniesta strike and Portugal was that Barca actually had a nice CL campaign compared to Portugal who ended 3rd in their group, barely made it past Croatia after ET, barely made it post Poland after Penalty Shootout, and won against Wales which except for Bale is an average team to be fair.

I get your point, but I don't think Iniesta and The Bridge is comparable to Portugal's very unconvincing Euro campaign. They played better than in recent years because they were more organized, but they struggled to get past teams not once, not twice, but thrice.

For me, that makes Santos a better Portugal coach than his predecessors, but the best NT coach? I don't think so.