Pedro Rodriguez

[Barcaman]

If one of our front three gets injured we're fucked no matter who we play as the replacement. In such a case quality DOES matter and Pedro is very, very far from being quality enough to serve as a capable stand in.

Also we are "fucked", as you so eloquently put it, if Dani, Alba or Pique get injured so your premise is meaningless.

 

[KingLeo10]

pedro is much superior to sandro or munir. he isn't regular starter quality for barca at the moment due to MSN but he has big game experience and has scored in a CL final and in multiple el clasicos.

 

[JamDav1982]

If one of our front three gets injured we're fucked no matter who we play as the replacement. In such a case quality DOES matter and Pedro is very, very far from being quality enough to serve as a capable stand in.

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Pedro is a great back up to have at Barca and has proved it time and again.

 

[Bran the Greenseer]

Depends on who gets injured if Its Suarez or Neymar we'd survive with Pedro, we're fucked if its Messi but knowing Lucho he'd probably start Rafinha in RW over Pedro so who knows what would happen.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

To be honest, no matter what qualities one feels Neymar brings to the team, I don't think the team on the whole would have done much worse* with Pedro starting instead of Neymar. My own feeling is that with Pedro on the pitch (who is naturally more conservative and link-up than Neymar), Suarez and Messi would see more of the ball, and the overall goal scoring would have ended up about the same, regardless of Pedro's personal goal tally (*once Suarez was back with the team, and with Messi in his current spot starting on the right wing).

Obviously, Pedro (nor any other player) can't replace what Messi brings, and I'd say Suarez is also one-of-a-kind. As a #9 stand-in for Suarez, from what I've seen, I like Sandro best.

 

[JamDav1982]

To be honest, no matter what qualities one feels Neymar brings to the team, I don't think the team on the whole would have done much worse* with Pedro starting instead of Neymar. My own feeling is that with Pedro on the pitch (who is naturally more conservative and link-up than Neymar), Suarez and Messi would see more of the ball, and the overall goal scoring would have ended up about the same, regardless of Pedro's personal goal tally (*once Suarez was back with the team, and with Messi in his current spot starting on the right wing).

Obviously, Pedro (nor any other player) can't replace what Messi brings, and I'd say Suarez is also one-of-a-kind. As a #9 stand-in for Suarez, from what I've seen, I like Sandro best.

As much as I stick up for Pedro, totally disagree with you on that.

Neymar is a better finisher than Pedro and teams double/treble up on him in away they never would to Pedro which gives Messi and Suarez more room.

 

[instinct]

It's simple.

Pretty much everyone wants him to stay since he is an extremely valuable player to have in your team. There is no reason to think that he doesn't deserve a place in this team anymore. Even though his numbers and overall performances dropped since 2012, he is a hard worker and sacrifices himself for the team but who could really blame him if he left? He is still a great player and could be outstanding at Liverpool or Arsenal and he deserves to be considered as such a player because he simply is such a player.

I'd be delighted if he stayed but I wouldn't close the exit door for him. He contributed so much to our success and deserves to be happy elsewhere and his ambition to stay an important player in the NT will probably be the deciding factor for him and I can't see him achieving that in his current situation.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

As much as I stick up for Pedro, totally disagree with you on that.

Neymar is a better finisher than Pedro and teams double/treble up on him in away they never would to Pedro which gives Messi and Suarez more room.

To my recollection, most of Neymar's goals have come from him drifting/sneaking in behind the defense on the left, often unmarked, or marked by only one player. And I don't see him getting marked more than any other player when out by touch at the half line. He might draw some an extra marker closer to the box, but that's true of any player trying to cut in.

 

[Darko]

To be honest, no matter what qualities one feels Neymar brings to the team, I don't think the team on the whole would have done much worse* with Pedro starting instead of Neymar. My own feeling is that with Pedro on the pitch (who is naturally more conservative and link-up than Neymar), Suarez and Messi would see more of the ball, and the overall goal scoring would have ended up about the same, regardless of Pedro's personal goal tally (*once Suarez was back with the team, and with Messi in his current spot starting on the right wing).

Obviously, Pedro (nor any other player) can't replace what Messi brings, and I'd say Suarez is also one-of-a-kind. As a #9 stand-in for Suarez, from what I've seen, I like Sandro best.

Bullshit...pardon my french, but Neymar has been immense this season and to say we would be in the same position with Pedro is just not true.

 

[JamDav1982]

To my recollection, most of Neymar's goals have come from him drifting/sneaking in behind the defense on the left, often unmarked, or marked by only one player. And I don't see him getting marked more than any other player when out by touch at the half line. He might draw some an extra marker closer to the box, but that's true of any player trying to cut in.

Players double up on Neymar virtually every time he gets the ball facing the defence because they are scared of his dribbling.

Pedro doesnt have that.

Team are not scared of Pedro on the ball dribbling at them and in the past have left him in acres of room and virtually showed the ball to him out wide.

There is a huge difference to what Pedro and Neymar bring to the team and I like Pedro.

 

[Kohe321]

The way Neymar can beat his man and get into space is something you rarely see Pedro do. He demands the attention of defenders because he's just that tricky - if they let him slip by, he will glide past them deviously fast going towards goal. When he does one of these runs he also draws a lot attention to him from entire backline, allowing Messi and Suarez to slip into spaces that open up. This happens all the time. His finishing and creative movement off the ball is great as well - perfect recent example would be the 1-0 over Real Sociedad.

I don't mean to take anything away from Pedro, he has done great with the few minutes he's gotten whenever called upon in 2015, but Neymar adds a whole lot more of attacking options to the team. I mean, he has scored 35 goals in all competitions this season so far. You can't just say that there would be no difference between him and Pedro playing the whole season, as it is extremely unlikely Pedro would replicate anything close to 35 goals himself, nor make Messi or Suarez score the equivallent additional goals needed to weigh up for it either.

Simply put, Neymar is the better player, and a most likely the future best in the world. Pedro has become a very good backup player for us, I really love having him here at Barca with the quality he brings coming off the bench. I hope he doesn't leave.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Players double up on Neymar virtually every time he gets the ball facing the defence because they are scared of his dribbling.

Pedro doesnt have that.

Team are not scared of Pedro on the ball dribbling at them and in the past have left him in acres of room and virtually showed the ball to him out wide.

There is a huge difference to what Pedro and Neymar bring to the team and I like Pedro.

The few times Pedro has started with Suarez and Messi (with more or less Barça's starting team), the results have been blowouts, with Messi and Suarez scoring tons: Cordoba 5-0, Rayo 6-1, Almeria 4-0. Since Cordoba (1 goal, 1 assist), every time Pedro has started with Messi, he has either scored or assisted. Obviously, not the top teams in La Liga, so one can't say what would happen in those situations. But clearly the team has done quite well without Neymar starting in those games.

 

[JamDav1982]

The few times Pedro has started with Suarez and Messi (with more or less Barça's starting team), the results have been blowouts, with Messi and Suarez scoring tons: Cordoba 5-0, Rayo 6-1, Almeria 4-0. Since Cordoba (1 goal, 1 assist), every time Pedro has started with Messi, he has either scored or assisted. Obviously, not the top teams in La Liga, so one can't say what would happen in those situations. But clearly the team has done quite well without Neymar starting in those games.

It is the top teams Suarez and Neymar have been brought in to make a difference against.

A forward line of Messi, Suarez and any other will regularly smash the lower teams.

Barca thrashed some poor teams last season when even Messi was missing.

 

[Sumlit]

To be honest, no matter what qualities one feels Neymar brings to the team, I don't think the team on the whole would have done much worse* with Pedro starting instead of Neymar. My own feeling is that with Pedro on the pitch (who is naturally more conservative and link-up than Neymar), Suarez and Messi would see more of the ball, and the overall goal scoring would have ended up about the same, regardless of Pedro's personal goal tally (*once Suarez was back with the team, and with Messi in his current spot starting on the right wing).

Obviously, Pedro (nor any other player) can't replace what Messi brings, and I'd say Suarez is also one-of-a-kind. As a #9 stand-in for Suarez, from what I've seen, I like Sandro best.

Bernie, Pedro doesn't have anywhere near the skills to break down defenders 1 on 1 on a consistent basis that Neymar has. If Barcelona had a stronger midfield, I could give your comment more validity, but on the current Barca Neymar is a lot more effective than Pedro.
Both Messi's and Neymar abilities 1 on 1 against defenders have been immense to the functioning of the team this year. Pedro doesn't give you this.

 

[Vlom]

The few times Pedro has started with Suarez and Messi (with more or less Barça's starting team), the results have been blowouts, with Messi and Suarez scoring tons: Cordoba 5-0, Rayo 6-1, Almeria 4-0. Since Cordoba (1 goal, 1 assist), every time Pedro has started with Messi, he has either scored or assisted. Obviously, not the top teams in La Liga, so one can't say what would happen in those situations. But clearly the team has done quite well without Neymar starting in those games.

Come on now, Neymar has scored in almost all our big games (atm, rm, psg, sevilla, bayern, ..) there's absolutely no way to guarantee Pedro would have been as decisive against those team from looking to his stats against Almeria and Cordoba.

Pedrito is a great sub and always gives his best when he's on the field, but I highly doubt his consistency if he was to start all games.

Neymar has also opened the score for us so many times, and in games where it mattered the most, and you just can't say about a player that has some 35goals this season that we would have done just as well without him.