Nico Gonzalez

[BBZ8800]

Not sure where this "he has no technique" is coming from. He is fairly quick as well , especially for his size.

Why we have to say: for his size?
It sounds like: he is not as fast as 175cm guys but he is fast compared to Pique and co.

Frenkie is fast and agile for his size.
Imo, Nico is not.

About using hands, he often does what Rakitic has been doing: when you can't dribble a player, he uses hands.
Raki's hips and using hands were ridicouled, Nico's equal traits are glorified.
Not that I am surprised when you add fan's psychological factors like: bias for youth, bias for La Masia, a need for a hope/brighter future, desperate state of a club where all 3 factors from above are even magnified.

Btw, Nico is 20.
Remember that every player gets slower, heavier and less agile and mobile with age.
Rakitic was running like a light kid aged 22, yet aged 27 he was already old and heavy.
Messi was the fastest player in the world, now he is the slowest granny.
His acceleration went from Goat to Woat.

Now, do the maths for Nico.
If he is slowish or average in pace aged 19-20, imagine how he'll look like aged 26.

Btw I didn't want to write bad about Nico at all, since he is okish to me.
I just replied to DonAk to his question and wrote some of my concerns about Nico.

But in 10 minutes after my reply, I got several defensive remarks.

Which imo tells more about a desperate state of our fanbase who are now clinging onto Nico/Gavi/Pedri/Fati and concerns are not allowed, because if they suck, there is absolutely zero hope and a human's brain will not allow you that.
It will look for hope and cling on hope even if there's no hope, because life without hope doesn't make sense.

Anyway, we have been through this same loop a million times over the last few years.

We always see mostly good things when a new player emerge.
Flaws are accepted later by an average fan.
Just remember Dembele's IQ, media hating his professionalism for no reason, media hating Arthur, Arthur being tired because he runs for the whole team, Arthur being unable to pass the ball forward because his teammates are not making forward runs, Arthur having poor defensive stats because he is making pressure on the opponents and then Raki and Busi are just statpadding interceptions due to Arthur's heavy work lol, Frenkie being meh because of everything else but himself.
We needed 2-3 years to accept flaws of majority of players in whom we placed all of our hopes.

So, it's not time yet to discuss and argue about Nico's flaws yet.

 

[Porque]

@BBz, while your point on age and speed/agility is not entirely wrong in general, I dont think it applies to Nico.

Nico is big sized, but Id argue far from his physical peak. It seems he can improve alot physically with higher individual refinement of his diet of training. Im sure this is something the new training staff will look to optimise.

Another player I feel is like this is Abde, which is normal having stepped out of 6 months in the lower divisions straight to LaLiga.

 

[te amo barca]

Why we have to say: for his size?
It sounds like: he is not as fast as 175cm guys but he is fast compared to Pique and co.

Frenkie is fast and agile for his size.
Imo, Nico is not.

About using hands, he often does what Rakitic has been doing: when you can't dribble a player, he uses hands.
Raki's hips and using hands were ridicouled, Nico's equal traits are glorified.
Not that I am surprised when you add fan's psychological factors like: bias for youth, bias for La Masia, a need for a hope/brighter future, desperate state of a club where all 3 factors from above are even magnified.

Btw, Nico is 20.
Remember that every player gets slower, heavier and less agile and mobile with age.
Rakitic was running like a light kid aged 22, yet aged 27 he was already old and heavy.
Messi was the fastest player in the world, now he is the slowest granny.
His acceleration went from Goat to Woat.

Now, do the maths for Nico.
If he is slowish or average in pace aged 19-20, imagine how he'll look like aged 26.

Btw I didn't want to write bad about Nico at all, since he is okish to me.
I just replied to DonAk to his question and wrote some of my concerns about Nico.

But in 10 minutes after my reply, I got several defensive remarks.

Which imo tells more about a desperate state of our fanbase who are now clinging onto Nico/Gavi/Pedri/Fati and concerns are not allowed, because if they suck, there is absolutely zero hope and a human's brain will not allow you that.
It will look for hope and cling on hope even if there's no hope, because life without hope doesn't make sense.

Anyway, we have been through this same loop a million times over the last few years.

We always see mostly good things when a new player emerge.
Flaws are accepted later by an average fan.
Just remember Dembele's IQ, media hating his professionalism for no reason, media hating Arthur, Arthur being tired because he runs for the whole team, Arthur being unable to pass the ball forward because his teammates are not making forward runs, Arthur having poor defensive stats because he is making pressure on the opponents and then Raki and Busi are just statpadding interceptions due to Arthur's heavy work lol, Frenkie being meh because of everything else but himself.
We needed 2-3 years to accept flaws of majority of players in whom we placed all of our hopes.

So, it's not time yet to discuss and argue about Nico's flaws yet.

You have no idea about dribbling and ball control if you think the way Rakitic used hands and Nico does when dribbling can be compared. The way Nico receives the ball on the half-turn and uses his frame to progress with the ball while dribbling, which includes using hands, is nothing like Rakitic used to use his hands to draw fouls in a static position. Ridiculous.

 

[DonAK]

Nico got a good technique too. Don't think most of that applies to him tbh.

 

[JamDav1982]

BBZ still avoiding the question.. what should the midfield for Barca be?

While trying to set the level of Nico, Pedri and Gavi as that if all three dont dominate for a decade he is right.

They have already shown levels above what would normally claim to be la masia failures from the BBZ book anyway so wrong on all three.

 

[KingLeo10]

Another thread, another instance of te amo barca and Jammy educating BBZ.

BBZ probably actually likes Nico in secret but he has to play the part of a "villain" I suppose.

 

[mc_lovin]

First it's too small, then it's too tall

Just say you want a Rakitic lookalike, he ruined you for all other men.

 

[JamDav1982]

BBZ is like the Goldilocks of the Barcaforum.

This ones too small. (Gavi)
This ones too tall. (Nico)
This ones juuuuuuuuuust right (Coutinho)

 

[Catta]

I don't get why BBZ doesn't like guys like Pedri and Gavi. One is a golden boy winner, while the other is the youngest player to represent Spain. In the past he used to shit on over hyped Barca players because they don't get called up for the national team. But these two do not only get called up, but are starters, and the whole world is hyping them up.

He can't put them in the same bracket as Alena, Puig, Denis, Samper, etc., because they already proved that they are a level above.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don't get why BBZ doesn't like guys like Pedri and Gavi. One is a golden boy winner, while the other is the youngest player to represent Spain. In the past he used to shit on over hyped Barca players because they don't get called up for the national team. But these two do not only get called up, but are starters, and the whole world is hyping them up.

He can't put them in the same bracket as Alena, Puig, Denis, Samper, etc., because they already proved that they are a level above.

He is already wrong on all three and trying to set new standards that if dont dominate at Barca for a decade he is right.

 

[ajnotkeith]

He is already wrong on all three and trying to set new standards that if dont dominate at Barca for a decade he is right.

BBZ has never said Gavi and Nico are bad, I don't think. Last I remember he said it's too early to say which is fair enough.

 

[Luftstalag14]

BBZ, so I take you must like Jamal Musiala? 1.83m tall agile midfielder, who can dribble, who is fast and not afraid to shoot?

 

[JamDav1982]

BBZ has never said Gavi and Nico are bad, I don't think. Last I remember he said it's too early to say which is fair enough.

Nah he has it that all young players at Barca are over rated early and they fit that.

'Too early to tell' on Nico while listing reasons will fail and coming out with strawman arguments as if folk are saying Nico and Gavi will dominate for a decade at Barca.

Same with Pedri. A year ago it was all about him being over rated and another youngster that will fail.. gets to Euros and is one of top players and it switches to 'he isnt the next Xavi' type argument.

 

[Porque]

BBZ, so I take you must like Jamal Musiala? 1.83m tall agile midfielder, who can dribble, who is fast and not afraid to shoot?

Too early to tell.

 

[Zidane82]

Nico got a good technique too. Don't think most of that applies to him tbh.

He looks to be a fabulous player already.

We are do fortunate to have FDJ , Pedri , Gavi and Nico

I do not think I would swap any of them for any other midfielders around