Radamel Falcao

[ViscaBarca914]

The thought is just...ughhhh. As long as it's not madrid then I will be happy and wish him well.
I like him with pathetico as well but we all know that it's just a stepping stone for him. He will be playing for a top club in the near future.

 

[ivan22]

You can't believe how a Cule wants to see Barca enhanced? Blind devotion to our current roster does not mean being a good cule, it only shows naive sentimentality or worse.

Remember all those missed chances against Chelsea last season. A Falcao would have changed all that for the better for us. Plus, a presence like Falcao's inside the opponent's box, would take some of the pressure off Messi. But with Pedrito and Alexis, the opposing bus focuses 80% of its attention (or more) to Messi and they take their chances with our wingers, and sometimes it pays off for them. Could they do the same with a Neymar or a Falcao on our side?


Just have a look at this if you bare:

I see a lot of bad luck. If any of those 4 or 5 (even 6) shots on the posts/crossbar would've gon in, no one would look at this video. yes some misses were horrible (busquets and cesc especially) but those two games are not how you should rate our attacking line. Chelsea got extremely lucky, this happens maybe once in a hundred years. Barca tried everything - adriano pushing forward, puyol for the header hell even busquets was in the box!

do you really think players like falcao and/or neymar score on every occasion?

 

[Deco 20]

That is exactly my point dear friend. Imagine if we had a Neymar on the wings, or a Falcao in the center against Chelsea. It would have been a cakewalk.

But Neymar that good at finishing

unfortunately i am not familiar enough with quality wingers... i can think of di maria but his coming to barcelona is unlikely. im sure there are others on this forum who could draw a list of competent wingers.

Reus, Ribery (won't happen + he's not really a goalscorer), James Rodriguez

 

[Stric]

I see a lot of bad luck. If any of those 4 or 5 (even 6) shots on the posts/crossbar would've gon in, no one would look at this video. yes some misses were horrible (busquets and cesc especially) but those two games are not how you should rate our attacking line. Chelsea got extremely lucky, this happens maybe once in a hundred years. Barca tried everything - adriano pushing forward, puyol for the header hell even busquets was in the box!

do you really think players like falcao and/or neymar score on every occasion?

This. I don't know why everyone thinks that it would have been a piece of cake if we had Villa or Falcao or Neymar or whoever. It was an extraordinary game with an extraordinary outcome. Pure luck. No Neymar or Falcao would change that. Have you seen Falcao versus Real Madrid last week?

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

But Neymar that good at finishing



Reus, Ribery (won't happen + he's not really a goalscorer), James Rodriguez

Tello is a "pure" winger (i.e. speed, and hugs the touchline).

If we are taking about creative wingers, including Reus, Ribery, Di Maria, then include Belgian 25 y.o. Dries Mertens from PSV. Decent pace, great vision and passing, good dribbler, good shot/finishing, fantastic dead ball kicker. TBH, his PSV teammates really don't allow him to show his full potential.

 

[Malappapper]

do you really think players like falcao and/or neymar score on every occasion?

No they don't score on every occasion, but, they usually score when there is an opening. Which is not the case with Pedro/Alexis/Tello and even Villa who may as well be in terminal decline.

This. I don't know why everyone thinks that it would have been a piece of cake if we had Villa or Falcao or Neymar or whoever. It was an extraordinary game with an extraordinary outcome. Pure luck. No Neymar or Falcao would change that. Have you seen Falcao versus Real Madrid last week?

You really believe that Falcao or Neymar would have missed the chances that Alexis/Cesc/Busquets did? And even more importantly, had we had a Falcao or a Neymar on the pitch at the Bridge, could Chelsea really throw so many players against Messi? I really think not. The reasons why I am so hot on a major attacking signing for us are:

1. An astonishing lack of goals from our non-Messi forwards for about 2 whole years now (it's not a matter of form, it is quite permanent)

2. The ability of opposing teams, and especially top-level opposing teams, to target Messi almost exclusively when defending, and leave Pedro and Alexis or Villa on the wings being ineffective. It happened before (Milan, Chelsea, Madrid) and it will happen again.

3. No aerial threat whatsoever. Our opponents don't give a toss if we win corners, or if we are in a position to cross into the box, they know full well that we are harmless that way and focus all their defensive strength on Messi/Iniesta/Cesc in the middle. You put a Falcao in the box, and then you will see opposing defenses going crazy, not knowing where to go or what to defend.

 

[Stric]

You really believe that Falcao or Neymar would have missed the chances that Alexis/Cesc/Busquets did? And even more importantly, had we had a Falcao or a Neymar on the pitch at the Bridge, could Chelsea really throw so many players against Messi? I really think not. The reasons why I am so hot on a major attacking signing for us are:

1. An astonishing lack of goals from our non-Messi forwards for about 2 whole years now (it's not a matter of form, it is quite permanent)

2. The ability of opposing teams, and especially top-level opposing teams, to target Messi almost exclusively when defending, and leave Pedro and Alexis or Villa on the wings being ineffective. It happened before (Milan, Chelsea, Madrid) and it will happen again.

3. No aerial threat whatsoever. Our opponents don't give a toss if we win corners, or if we are in a position to cross into the box, they know full well that we are harmless that way and focus all their defensive strength on Messi/Iniesta/Cesc in the middle. You put a Falcao in the box, and then you will see opposing defenses going crazy, not knowing where to go or what to defend.

I'm with you on all of those points (although I don't support buying any attackers before we solve our problems in defense), I'm just saying that game against Chelsea was pure bad luck. Alexis/Cesc/Busquets weren't the only ones not scoring, Messi missed a penalty and several other chances as well. And nobody is a better goalscorer than Messi. In that respect, Falcao or Neymar could have easily missed them, as well. They're not better finishers than Messi. And as I've said earlier, Falcao's performance against Real Madrid last week was a good demonstration of how even guys like him can be completely inefficient in a difficult game like that.

 

[Malappapper]

I'm with you on all of those points (although I don't support buying any attackers before we solve our problems in defense), I'm just saying that game against Chelsea was pure bad luck. Alexis/Cesc/Busquets weren't the only ones not scoring, Messi missed a penalty and several other chances as well. And nobody is a better goalscorer than Messi. In that respect, Falcao or Neymar could have easily missed them, as well. They're not better finishers than Messi. And as I've said earlier, Falcao's performance against Real Madrid last week was a good demonstration of how even guys like him can be completely inefficient in a difficult game like that.

Unfortunately I was on a plane when that game was being played, but keep in mind, that that game was against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, and Radamel's supporting cast were Gabi, Turan, Costa and Filipe Luis. With us, his supporting cast will be Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Alba, Alves....and I am forgetting someone, oh yes, Leo Messi, plus whomever else we got on the pitch for the night. I am guessing it will make a little bit of a difference.

 

[evilhita666]

I'm with you on all of those points (although I don't support buying any attackers before we solve our problems in defense), I'm just saying that game against Chelsea was pure bad luck. Alexis/Cesc/Busquets weren't the only ones not scoring, Messi missed a penalty and several other chances as well. And nobody is a better goalscorer than Messi. In that respect, Falcao or Neymar could have easily missed them, as well. They're not better finishers than Messi. And as I've said earlier, Falcao's performance against Real Madrid last week was a good demonstration of how even guys like him can be completely inefficient in a difficult game like that.

Add to that the mental and physical condition of our players in those matches... Almost everyone had been through an injury, many were being heavily criticized, we had lost the league, the pressure to win the CL was huge, the feeling Pep was about to leave and the list goes on... The whole team was worn out and no player in those conditions would have made a difference...

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Not sure Falcao would be the solution but malappapper is right. We have had an abysmal amount of goals from our non-Messi forwards. I fear that if one of Villa/Pedro/Alexis/Tello/Cuenca don't grab a spot in the starting 11 by the horns by consistently scoring and creating chances, we could get knocked out of the CL by a team with a solid defense that just focuses on Messi the whole time.

 

[Mythical Revolution]

Solving our defensive problem does not require a radical fix. All we need is a quality CB who can replace Puyol.

But the thing is, if you were to take Messi out of our attack and compare to the attack of other top teams without their best player (e.g. Alexis-Villa-Pedro vs Bayern without Roben or Ribery); we still look decent but probably not better. That said, Falcao is not someone who can solve it. We need a player who can't just score but who also has pace, tactical awareness and a high work rate. IMO the players who fit the bill are Muller and Chicharito, and I think that Chicharito is a realistic given his position at MUTD.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

I know some of you might yell at me for saying he's too young but if none of our forwards step it up; let Deulofeu have some appearances in the league and see what he can do.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Solving our defensive problem does not require a radical fix. All we need is a quality CB who can replace Puyol.

But the thing is, if you were to take Messi out of our attack and compare to the attack of other top teams without their best player (e.g. Alexis-Villa-Pedro vs Bayern without Roben or Ribery); we still look decent but probably not better. That said, Falcao is not someone who can solve it. We need a player who can't just score but who also has pace, tactical awareness and a high work rate. IMO the players who fit the bill are Muller and Chicharito, and I think that Chicharito is a realistic given his position at MUTD.

How could you think Chicharito would bring anything beneficial to the squad? He is literally the definition of a poacher. He can only succeed as a striker who is in the right place to score tap ins. Would NEVER work at Barcelona. He is overrated anyway.

 

[Malappapper]

Not sure Falcao would be the solution but malappapper is right. We have had an abysmal amount of goals from our non-Messi forwards. I fear that if one of Villa/Pedro/Alexis/Tello/Cuenca don't grab a spot in the starting 11 by the horns by consistently scoring and creating chances, we could get knocked out of the CL by a team with a solid defense that just focuses on Messi the whole time.

The impotence of our non-Messi forwards is not only bad for the team and bad for Messi since the opposing defense focuses on him and him only, but it is also bad for Xavi/Iniesta/Cesc. I mean, who can make their passes and through balls count, when there is only one real outlet for them? Remember how many times Eto'o/Henry were assisted by Xaviesta?

 

[Mythical Revolution]

How could you think Chicharito would bring anything beneficial to the squad? He is literally the definition of a poacher. He can only succeed as a striker who is in the right place to score tap ins. Would NEVER work at Barcelona. He is overrated anyway.

Because we would be bringing him to do the same thing Eto did for us a couple of years back, which is to score goals, press the opponent's defense and create space for the rest of the team.
We create more goalscoring chances than any other team in the world, having someone other than Messi who can convert them just make us less reliant on Messi for goals; and having someone with pace and positional sense upfront can benefit Messi by opening gaps for him. If you want an approximate illustration of what I'm saying you can go back to one of the Classico games of last season when we played Alexis in front Messi.
Muller is another option IMO, but as I mentioned less realistic.