Paulinho

[Albo]

It is nothing like that and he had a good game. Which seems to piss you off.

Probably has invested too much time into Paulinho hate posts and it's too late to back down now, better to go on.

 

[ASordidGod]

Lol. This is like if a CB were to go out on a weekly basis, get absolutely demolished defensively and have no defensive IQ, but score 20-25 goals in a season and get massive praise for it.

People here severely underestimate how important it is for a player in a position to actually have the skillset for that position. And being a midfielder at Barca that's literally incapable of being a productive force in buildup or ball circulation is a very critical flaw. Any game with a tough midfield contest and we'd get murdered essentially having 1 CM in play. People (including myself) shit on Rakitic for not being creative or useful on the ball but he is literally leagues ahead of Paulinho in this regard who had an atrocious 1:2 forward passing ratio and 4 turnovers. RM's midfield would demolish him if he started next week and we would have terrible control of the midfield.

Basketball teams don't play with Centers that can't defend the rim. NFL teams don't generally play with a QB that can't pass. I feel like this is a basic aspect of not only football but every sport out there.

Agree with most of this. Okay so he scored two tap ins, but even today his all round game wasn't anywhere near good enough. He's worse than Rakitic for taking the safe option on the ball. I don't mind him at all as a squad player, an option off the bench, but as even a medium to long term starter? No thanks.

 

[abiabi]

Lol. This is like if a CB were to go out on a weekly basis, get absolutely demolished defensively and have no defensive IQ, but score 20-25 goals in a season and get massive praise for it.

People here severely underestimate how important it is for a player in a position to actually have the skillset for that position. And being a midfielder at Barca that's literally incapable of being a productive force in buildup or ball circulation is a very critical flaw. Any game with a tough midfield contest and we'd get murdered essentially having 1 CM in play. People (including myself) shit on Rakitic for not being creative or useful on the ball but he is literally leagues ahead of Paulinho in this regard who had an atrocious 1:2 forward passing ratio and 4 turnovers. RM's midfield would demolish him if he started next week and we would have terrible control of the midfield.

Basketball teams don't play with Centers that can't defend the rim. NFL teams don't generally play with a QB that can't pass. I feel like this is a basic aspect of not only football but every sport out there.

Shit take..

 

[utility73]

Who would‘ve thought but Paulinho turned out to be quite useful.

 

[abiabi]

The guy defends well, gives us that extra grit and scores like crazy.

If he had Kroos-like link up play, he would cost 500m and be one of the best midfielders in recent history.

So shut up about his link up play already..

Its like complaining Messi isn't entering the box and heading the ball after every game.

 

[DonAndres]

The guy defends well, gives us that extra grit and scores like crazy.

If he had Kroos-like link up play, he would cost 500m and be one of the best midfielders in recent history.

So shut up about his link up play already..

Its like complaining Messi isn't entering the box and heading the ball after every game.

Fucking wow lol. "If he had Kroos like linkup play" as if that's just some minor addition to his play. That would literally make him an entirely different player. He completely lacks the most important and core skills of a CM, more specifically a Barca CM. Legitimately among the worst in La Liga as far as initiating play and helping control the midfield. But DAT EXTRA GRIT DOE.

And it's nothing like complaining about Messi not scoring headers. Nothing at all. You're making some of the strangest mental connections I've seen.

 

[Potroh]

I don't mind him at all as a squad player, an option off the bench, but as even a medium to long term starter? No thanks.

I more or less agree with on this but what an interesting phenomena happens here, when Paco scores an important goal (and two other against a 3rd class opponent), folks triumphantly start talking about him as he were indeed a Barca material forward, whereas when poor old Paulinho scores, the best case, the same folks only want to see him coming from the bench.
I do agree he can be more dangerous coming from the bench, but there is a serious chaos and discrimination in people's minds about goal-scoring...

 

[abiabi]

Fucking wow lol. "If he had Kroos like linkup play" as if that's just some minor addition to his play. That would literally make him an entirely different player. He completely lacks the most important and core skills of a CM, more specifically a Barca CM. Legitimately among the worst in La Liga as far as initiating play and helping control the midfield. But DAT EXTRA GRIT DOE.

And it's nothing like complaining about Messi not scoring headers. Nothing at all. You're making some of the strangest mental connections I've seen.

We had all types of cute, ball playing, small midfielders in last 2,3 years and we got demolished away from home quite easily in numerous occasions.

Yes, give me a Casemiro style CM that can score any day of the week. It worked for RM, it seems to be working with us this year.

 

[ASordidGod]

I more or less agree with on this but what an interesting phenomena happens here, when Paco scores an important goal (and two other against a 3rd class opponent), folks triumphantly start talking about him as he were indeed a Barca material forward, whereas when poor old Paulinho scores, the best case, the same folks only want to see him coming from the bench.
I do agree he can be more dangerous coming from the bench, but there is a serious chaos and discrimination in people's minds about goal-scoring...

Well I can assure you I've seen Paco as a solution to our attacking troubles. Or indeed anyone's...

 

[JamDav1982]

Fucking wow lol. "If he had Kroos like linkup play" as if that's just some minor addition to his play. That would literally make him an entirely different player. He completely lacks the most important and core skills of a CM, more specifically a Barca CM. Legitimately among the worst in La Liga as far as initiating play and helping control the midfield. But DAT EXTRA GRIT DOE.

And it's nothing like complaining about Messi not scoring headers. Nothing at all. You're making some of the strangest mental connections I've seen.

Do you think he played well tonight?

 

[JamDav1982]

Agree with most of this. Okay so he scored two tap ins, but even today his all round game wasn't anywhere near good enough. He's worse than Rakitic for taking the safe option on the ball. I don't mind him at all as a squad player, an option off the bench, but as even a medium to long term starter? No thanks.

His all round game was one of the best on the park.

Involved attacking wise and defensively.

Never going to be all that fluid on the ball but he used it well and played well. Particularly in second half and was involved in the build up to a number of the chances created.

 

[Trafalgar]

8 goals in 16 appearances ... damn son

 

[Barcaman]

He's not a midfielder we are used to or need as a starter and, ideally, he would be used as an option from bench or starter in some matches. Like Keita.

We'll see how he plays in El Clasico.

 

[Potroh]

His all round game was one of the best on the park.
Involved attacking wise and defensively.
Never going to be all that fluid on the ball but he used it well and played well. Particularly in second half and was involved in the build up to a number of the chances created.

Agreed...

 

[Horatio]

Have to say his run ups into the box are underrated. Madrid have a few players like that, that always happen to be in the right spot at the right time to score those rebounds and I feel we have too few. Granted Madrid is more attacking and they have the players to backtrack to avoid a counter. But still....having at least one more player like that can turn out to be the difference into winning some crucial games.