Paulinho

[PhilS]

It was interesting seeing Rak move to DM when Paulinho came into the game yesterday for Busquets. Paulinho got himself into a great scoring opportunity in those twenty-some minutes, and looked very good on D. This in one strong dude. No, he does not have Iniesta/Xavi-level ball control and passing skills.

Busy schedule the next couple of weeks, S. Roberto still doubtful, rotations required. I'd be fine with Paulinho starting vs. Juve.

 

[JamDav1982]

It was interesting seeing Rak move to DM when Paulinho came into the game yesterday for Busquets. Paulinho got himself into a great scoring opportunity in those twenty-some minutes, and looked very good on D. This in one strong dude. No, he does not have Iniesta/Xavi-level ball control and passing skills.

Busy schedule the next couple of weeks, S. Roberto still doubtful, rotations required. I'd be fine with Paulinho starting vs. Juve.

Thin that is the way it will be.

Pualinho will be there to go and use his energy and strength to try an win ball back or get forward. Cant see him at DM.

 

[God Serena]

He's able to contribute now it seems which is surprising to me but my main worry is that he'll pull a Mathieu and decline sharply as he ages. Signing a 29 year old is rarely a good piece of business.

 

[JamDav1982]

He's able to contribute now it seems which is surprising to me but my main worry is that he'll pull a Mathieu and decline sharply as he ages. Signing a 29 year old is rarely a good piece of business.

He is about as young a 29 year old as could be signed!

 

[God Serena]

He is about as young a 29 year old as could be signed!

Haha you're not wrong. Maybe I'm just being paranoid about his age. Would be great if he can contribute on this level when he's a young 30 and 31 years old as well but I remain skeptical.

 

[JamDav1982]

Not that he reminds me of Keita but is only a few months older when both signed I think.

If can give good performances off the bench for as long as he did then all is good.

Still up in air how good he will be which is more an issue than is age I think.

 

[Zinedinho]

I laughed with those awkard moments when he was slowly moving towards the target of his pass and then finally releasing the ball inches away from the teammate. I think he will be a very interesting player:

 

[Horatio]

valverde taking advice from Paulinho

I'll have whatever Valverde was having.

 

[hulinat]

i love this man

 

[BBZ8800]

He was ok-ish tonight.

But those passes of him when he runs with the ball towards a player to whom he will pass and then he passes the ball when he comes close to him, or when a player passes the ball to him and he passes it back to the same guy almost every time, are so strange

 

[ASordidGod]

He was ok-ish tonight.

But those passes of him when he runs with the ball towards a player to whom he will pass and then he passes the ball when he comes close to him, or when a player passes the ball to him and he passes it back to the same guy almost every time, are so strange

Ha, ha - I thought that. All he does is little, basically meaningless one twos. Be interesting to see what he does when we don't have a lead to protect.

 

[Andresito]

Shades of Xavi

 

[ini4ever]

Ha, ha - I thought that. All he does is little, basically meaningless one twos. Be interesting to see what he does when we don't have a lead to protect.

He won't be starter unless one of Iniesta-Rakitic-Busi gets injured, so i doubt he'll do anything useful if we're in need of a goal.

 

[DonAndres]

I've genuinely been giving him a chance, even wanted to see him start over Rakitic when he was in a terrible spell.

But the guy is so strange out there in Barca's system. Literally all he does is receive, turn, and pass to the adjacent man. Maybe do that 3-4 times back to back between the same players, as if he has no idea that the objective is to get to the goal.

He doesn't seem to get it at all, and kills forward progression and maintaining attacking pressure.

 

[serghei]

Maybe Valverde's instructions were to freeze the game. Certainly subbing Dembele for Roberto, a defensive sub obviously, shows that.