Radamel Falcao

[Barca8]

The most logical thing to do is keep Messi in the false 9 and buy a new world class forward who can play wide replacing Villa. Possibly Aguero or Reus. Both players are young, versatile, can play wide or thru the middle if needed. With Aguero Messi will a player he will know well due to playing for the national team together. I just don't know what is loyalty to Atletico is.

We are having a dream season and there are few areas we need reinforcement. Selling off Alexis, Afellay & Fontas would get us some funds to purchase a top CB and a forward like Aguero/Reus

 

[La Furia]

The most logical thing to do is keep Messi in the false 9 and buy a new world class forward who can play wide replacing Villa. Possibly Aguero or Reus.

We all know who that will be, and it ain't Aguero or Reus.

 

[Barca8]

That's what I have been arguing for a few pages now. But the belief with many in this forum, is that having Falcao will somehow weaken us, or not improve us enough, or something of similar incoherence.

If Falcao is not the man for us, and Ibra is not the man for us (that is for certain) then who is? Some random winger like Navas/Valencia/Walcott? Some powerful forward like Hulk. Some cheaper number "9" like Demba Ba? Jakson Martinez? Or simply Neymar?

Now Neymar, who is more akin to our style, is a fantastic talent, but there is one thing that troubles me. His slender physique. He seems eminently kickable. I think he needs to build some muscle before coming to Europe.

I hear you Malappapper. Having Falco isn't going to weaken us. I don't get the logic behind that. Messi moves wide right and he'll score 55 goals a seaon vs 70? Messi is a player who drifts and takes half the defense with him when he does. Right now when he drifts the opposition isn't that concerned because we have wingers who are more predictable. With a Falcao/Aguero alongside Messi what defense wouldn't crap their pants?

 

[Ursegor]

We all know who that will be, and it ain't Aguero or Reus.

At least the enormous hate he will receive from us Barca fans when he will inevitably look like a pub player playing alongside Messi will hit the right personality this time.

 

[Stric]

Nobody said that having Falcao would weaken us. But it is not cost-effective and it's impossible to integrate him into the team. Messi will not move to the wing. Get it out of your head. He spent half his senior career trying to get the middle spot, and he's at his best and he's the best player in the history of football playing there, and now you want him to move to RW so we can accommodate Falcao. Stop with the nonsense. A winger goalscorer, yes. A CF, no.

 

[PearLBLacK]

The funny thing is, you don't need to buy a goalscoring winger. Villa and Pedro are more than capable of that, as was seen in your best season under Pep. And Alexis was a beast at Udinese, not in terms of goalscoring but beating his man and terrorizing defenses in Italy, arguably the most defensive-minded league in the world. The problem is the Messi deference, that's what needs to be fixed. When you see Pedro and Alexis constantly passing back to Messi, even if they're in better goalscoring positions, and Villa being benched while on form for those two, you sense there's something greater than buying a player can solve. Direct orders from Tito? Maybe, although would be pretty weird. Inconfidence because of the lack of a solid defense, and the risk of losing the ball resulting in a counterattack? I don't think so, unless they were firmly instructed to try not to lose the ball, thus making them incofident and resorting to Messi.

Getting Falcao or Neymar wouldn't change anything as long as they're not given the freedom required for them to play at their best.

 

[Stric]

Of course, under the assumption that Villa is here for good and will play more in the following months and years, I don't think we need another goalscorer.

 

[barcanuck]

Nobody said that having Falcao would weaken us. But it is not cost-effective and it's impossible to integrate him into the team. Messi will not move to the wing. Get it out of your head. He spent half his senior career trying to get the middle spot, and he's at his best and he's the best player in the history of football playing there, and now you want him to move to RW so we can accommodate Falcao. Stop with the nonsense. A winger goalscorer, yes. A CF, no.

No one has to move to accommodate anyone. Messi plays for Argentina with an actual CF, Higuain. We played with Messi and Ibra as CF for one season. It wasn't the greatest but still. We then buy a lifetime CF in Villa and he moves to LW. But you see my point that just because another CF is playing they still can play alongside Media, they just have to adapt like Higuain and Villa.

 

[Stric]

What are you talking about? Messi plays RW with Argentina, and played RW with Ibra for the most part, as well. Messi is now the CF in Barca. And that means he'd have to move to accommodate another CF. Clear as day. Using him as a false #9 behind a pure #9 would significantly lower both his and the #9's potential. Villa adapted by playing LW. No CF in the Argentina NT has to adapt because Messi plays RW.

 

[Meitux]

We all know who that will be, and it ain't Aguero or Reus.

Ahh Girl look at that body arty1:

 

[barcanuck]

What are you talking about? Messi plays RW with Argentina, and played RW with Ibra for the most part, as well. Messi is now the CF in Barca. And that means he'd have to move to accommodate another CF. Clear as day. Using him as a false #9 behind a pure #9 would significantly lower both his and the #9's potential. Villa adapted by playing LW. No CF in the Argentina NT has to adapt because Messi plays RW.

He plays a free role for Arg. He is a false 9, doesn't mean another 9 can't be on the field!

 

[Stric]

Of course it doesn't. But it would significantly decrease his prominence on the pitch, and I don't see a reason why any Barca supporter would want that.

 

[psychotsek]

He plays a free role for Arg. He is a false 9, doesn't mean another 9 can't be on the field!

Yup,pretty much that.His best games came when he played as a false 9 as he does in Barca.
He played behind Aguero and Higuain with the first on the left(!) and the latter on the right.

 

[messi_xavi_iniesta]

Not playing today. Maybe resting for Sunday.

 

[Barca8]

I'm going to have to retract my earlier statements. The honest truth is Messi is the greatest player on the planet. Which makes him the best forward on the planet. He's better than Falcao, Cavani, Pato, Ronaldo, Aguero, v.Persie, Rooney, Torres, Tevez, Gomez, Lewandowski or any other forward. He's not just a "false 9". What he brings to the frontline no other player can in the CF position. Players like Falcao are most deadly when near or in the box. But Messi can do so much more including taking the ball from midfield to box and score. What we need to do is buy some world class wide players in addition to our Masia players (Pedro, Cuenca, Tello, Deulofeu) who can support Messi. A big question is wether David Villa can get back to his old form after such a devastating injury. We need players who can shred defenders and either score themselves or get the ball to Messi. Something Pedro, Villa, Alexis haven't been doing.

Valdes
Alves - Pique - ? - Alba
Xavi - Busquets - Iniesta
- ? - Messi - ? -

Who do you think fit the question marks best? Hazard, Reus, Neymar, Aguero? Hummels, Vertonghen, Botia, Dede?