Ronald Koeman

[Nazario1985]

He still "grew" the team what it is today. I don't think so.

He can gatter a squad but he can't do shit with it after.

Laporta kept him because of a budget restraint, otherwise we all know he amount to nothing .. 21+ years of an unnoticeable career as a manager.

If bar?a need to stand a chance we need a coach to manage the coach.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

He can gatter a squad but he can't do shit with it after.

Laporta kept him because of a budget restraint, otherwise we all know he amount to nothing .. 21+ years of an unnoticeable career as a manager.

If bar?a need to stand a chance we need a coach to manage the coach.

You are right, we need better manager than Koeman, but there was no one we would like to have long-term and then the financial situation. We made the right choice. Go with Koeman this season and HOPE someone good will be available next summer!

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Frank De Boer sacked basically. Must make Koeman more happy with Barca job.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Huge respect to Koeman for asking the players to take a paycut, he probably took one too, if I am not mistaken. He is acting like a spokesperson of the club right now, saying the right things.

You might not like him or think he is the right manager for us but Koeman is one of the the biggest Cules indeed.

 

[serghei]

Koeman is a good manager for a club in crisis.

 

[Horatio]

He sounds hyped for coming season. Had great things to say about players and team.

 

[Bobo32]

He sounds hyped for coming season. Had great things to say about players and team.

Let's hope he has great things to say about the players and the team after the season too.
(well I hope he leaves ASAP, as I think he lacks the quality needed)
He has a GREAT squad at his hands, with many very high potential players he could play and get all the praise for as well. He really has a perfect opportunity which he should be so, so grateful for after underperforming so greatly last year.

 

[Horatio]

He partially has a great squad at his hands because of his decisions though.

 

[Bobo32]

He partially has a great squad at his hands because of his decisions though.

What decisions?
I don't think he was involved in Semedo, Rakitic, Vidal etc leaving? Suarez yes, but I'd rather he stayed last year (I thought it would be enough for the league even)
He was involved in Dest and Depay arriving, but I'd rather they didn't.

 

[Horatio]

What decisions?
I don't think he was involved in Semedo, Rakitic, Vidal etc leaving? Suarez yes, but I'd rather he stayed last year (I thought it would be enough for the league even)
He was involved in Dest and Depay arriving, but I'd rather they didn't.

Depay is here because of him. A lot of youth developed well under him.

 

[Bobo32]

Depay is here because of him. A lot of youth developed well under him.

Ok, and Depay is a negative for me as I said, but let's see.
What youth is "a lot of youth"?
I think Pedri almost regressed over the year, he looked great to me when he arrived and Koeman told him to go on loan... He is a big talent that would've succeeded no matter what, but maybe most managers wouldn't drive him into the ground just as much as Koeman did after december...
I don't know who else? Mingueza/Araujo? Ilaix who developed a lot in his own mind but who played terribly most of the time?

It is good if he says that the players are great, let's hope he can maintain that view over the season, and not blame the players after a potential failure this time...

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Ok, and Depay is a negative for me as I said, but let's see.
What youth is "a lot of youth"?
I think Pedri almost regressed over the year, he looked great to me when he arrived and Koeman told him to go on loan... He is a big talent that would've succeeded no matter what, but maybe most managers wouldn't drive him into the ground just as much as Koeman did after december...
I don't know who else? Mingueza/Araujo? Ilaix who developed a lot in his own mind but who played terribly most of the time?

It is good if he says that the players are great, let's hope he can maintain that view over the season, and not blame the players after a potential failure this time...

It seems like every manager is trying to run down Pedri. Enrique and now the Olympic team.

Seems to be a trend.

 

[serghei]

Bobo is turning into the cruyffist version of BBZ. Always negativistic and predictor of doom. Lighten up, there's no joy to predict the worst and start with the idea that 90% of the signings will fail.

You are already against Pedri, Dest, Depay, Ilaix too apparently... the list is growing.

 

[Bobo32]

Bobo is turning into the cruyffist version of BBZ. Always negativistic and predictor of doom. Lighten up, there's no joy to predict the worst and start with the idea that 90% of the signings will fail.

You are already against Pedri, Dest, Depay, Ilaix too apparently... the list is growing.

No no, I like Pedri, although not as a CM besides Frenkie, and not in >95% of the minutes for months.
Ilaix is pretty shit, Depay is pretty shit, Dest is mediocre. We all have our favourites and preferences of course.

I have only been here half a year, and I am still optimistic for this Barcelona. I think even under Koeman, they can win the treble this year (although I'd prefer if Koeman got sacked before, letting someone else win the treble - as I don't think he has the qualities needed long term)
I am very happily called a Cruyffist, and I think Cruyff would be on my side in many of these arguments here.
By the way, what did Johann have to say about Ronalds managerial carreer and style?

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

My guess is that we'll see the return of 4-2-3-1.

Excellent call.

From what I saw in the friendly yesterday, it is the 4231 off the ball that shifts into a single-pivot offensively. Normal back four with Dest at LB, a Nico-Frenkie double with Gavi in the 8/10 hybrid role.

All things considered, I think Nico absolutely needs to be in the squad as the ?physical MF? signing, as he will already lighten the load on Busi and complements Frenkie nicely, despite the two being similar.

The difference between this and how he did it last year is that the attacking 3 only had one player (Gavi) looking to sit in the hole while Depay and Demir were both willing to go wide, make runs in behind and stretch their lines. Unlike a Grizzy-Messi-Coutinho 3 where all three want to sit and create in the hole. Its better tbf, we will see how it translates when the season starts but I see why he wanted Depay so badly now. He is immediately giving us something we have lacked for a while: vertical threat, have not had it since Ansu went down.

Where it gets complicated is if/when Messi returns and where you play him in this system. In my humble opinion, it really will not work in the tough matches and I question the merit of forming a system that is not sustainable for your best player. It does not make sense to play him at RW/RAM because of how central he likes to play and then the RB gets outnumbered on the right. If you put him up top again, why did you sign Aguero then? He puts a lot of pressure on the 8/10 to be a legit goal threat when Messi shows to the ball in this role and really the only player suited to this is Grizzy and we saw last season that this duo up top is mediocre but not good enough. Lastly in the 8/10, Koeman needs this player to be able to support the pivots off the ball in defensive situations and this drags Messi away from goal too far.

If he is going to play a 4 back system, I basically think we need to play an offensive 433 with two true 8s a la Pep with him at RW/false 9 or keep a double pivot and play with a 3 back system to allow Messi the cover defensively to have a true free role. Trying to blend the two with a 4231 is just too easy to counter tactically, from either crafty La Liga teams or the European elite.