Ronald Koeman

[serghei]

Big names are valued too much, the collective and balance of the squad is much more important.

We do not have any true wingers fit right now and our only fit 9 is Luuk De Jong. That matters more to me than 'we have Frenkie and Pedri'

Squad balance, depth and profiles are really important and if you don't do well building to those criteria you don't have a good squad.

And who does Sevilla have on the wings? Ocampos? Please...

If Sevilla plays better it's because they are getting more from their players, and we already start to step into areas which are greatly influenced by the manager.

AM, Madrid sure, they can be seen as better. Sevilla, no. If they finish ahead, Koeman is already underperforming. It's not some "feat" to finish 4th with this team, it's absolute minimum to be expected from any decent manager. Not great, or even good, but decent.

If he finish 4th, it's ok. Thank you, not good enough, go on your way type of stuff. Best of luck in your future projects.

 

[ajnotkeith]

And who does Sevilla have on the wings? Ocampos? Please...

If Sevilla plays better it's because they are getting more from their players, and we already start to step into areas which are greatly influenced by the manager.

AM, Madrid sure, they can be seen as better. Sevilla, no. If they finish ahead, Koeman is already underperforming. It's not some "feat" to finish 4th with this team, it's absolute minimum to be expected from any decent manager. Not great, or even good, but decent.

I'll take Lamela/Ocampos/Suso etc on the wings over out of position 17 year old Gavi, Rapid Wien substitute Demir and out of position out of form Coutinho. I'll also take En Nesyri/Rafa Mir/Munir over Luuk De Jong and Braithwaite.

When we have Ansu and Dembele fit the situation will get better for sure and we will challenge more but it will be a close run thing to get top 4.

 

[Birdy]

Sevilla Villareal and Sociedad are examples of what a good caoch's work can do with some meh players

 

[serghei]

I'll take Lamela/Ocampos/Suso etc on the wings over out of position 17 year old Gavi, Rapid Wien substitute Demir and out of position out of form Coutinho. I'll also take En Nesyri/Rafa Mir/Munir over Luuk De Jong and Braithwaite.

When we have Ansu and Dembele fit the situation will get better for sure and we will challenge more but it will be a close run thing to get top 4.

Memphis is better than all. Ansu came back in the meantime.

 

[serghei]

Sevilla Villareal and Sociedad are examples of what a good caoch's work can do with some meh players

Sociedad was no1 in terms of under 21 players used. Basically, they are Oyarzabal + a bunch of youngsters, lesser ones than what we have. We beat them 6-1 last year, we were 3-0 up this season as well in the direct match after an hour or so.

 

[ajnotkeith]

If our squad stays fully fit Top 4 is a realistic expectation. But when you are pinning your hopes on Dembele/Aguero/Ansu/Depay who historically are all extremely injury prone it's natural you will get situations like these over the season, as the only players who usually stay fit are the bad ones.

Those 4 all have history of several major injuries so it was conceivable we would get into this situation. Probability tells us at least one will probably get injured again too.

 

[serghei]

If our squad stays fully fit Top 4 is a realistic expectation. But when you are pinning your hopes on Dembele/Aguero/Ansu/Depay who historically are all extremely injury prone it's natural you will get situations like these over the season, as the only players who usually stay fit are the bad ones.

Those 4 all have history of several major injuries so it was conceivable we would get into this situation. Probability tells us at least one will probably get injured again too.

What is Barca standard bad would be medium to good players for teams that are supposed to finish ahead of us in this hypothetical scenario.

We took the shit out of Griezmann who's a player that never in their dreams would likes of Sevilla, Sociedad, or Villareal even get close to getting. We're talking about completely different things.

If we had Sevilla's squad, you'd be saying we are lucky to survive relegation.

 

[khaled_a_d]

So now people try to make it as if Sevilla has a better squad? Jesus.

OK, even if say Sevilla has a better squad, which is obviously not true, but still I've heard worse. That's 4th place at the absolute worst that should happen. If you try to sell that Villareal and Sociedad also have better squads, you need to stop smoking pot.

Sevilla was dicked by Dembele last year. Fit Dembele is much better than Ocampos lol. Would be the best player from Sevilla, from midfield up.

Seville is more of a well built team than us, we probably beats them on the individuals but not in construction.
This has been the case since 2016, we had built squads that rarely complement each other and then we wonder why they aren't performing.

I honestly has us at 4th place, anything better or worse falls onto the coach

 

[mc_lovin]

We would drool over Busquets if he played for Sevilla.

 

[serghei]

Seville is more of a well built team than us, we probably beats them on the individuals but not in construction.
This has been the case since 2016, we had built squads that rarely complement each other and then we wonder why they aren't performing.

I honestly has us at 4th place, anything better or worse falls onto the coach

Well-built falls very much into the responsibility of the manager. I have us at 3, not far off from the first 2 looking at AM and Madrid's level too.

I expect us to finish slightly ahead of Sevilla. Overall, I expect a pretty tight top 4 like last year (not that all 4 are great, more that neither is), with a visible gap from 4th to 5th. All teams are really pretty meh, can't say there's a single top team around in Spain. I mean, Madrid gets beaten at home by some Moldavians ... so... they clearly are pretty mediocre compared with some of their past versions. I thought they were better than this, but it's a stretch to expect Vinicius to carry an amazing form for long I guess. They depend an awful lot on Benzema to carry their offense.

Anything better or worse than 3 is down to the manager. But, honestly, don't give a damn if we finish 3rd or 4th. The margin is slim anyway. It's just a declined league in massive need of fresh blood. Koeman should be out in the summer anyway, that goes without saying.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Well-built falls very much into the responsibility of the manager.

Absolutely not.
Managers work is to do the best with what they have, no to assembly the squad. The later starts from above the manager, from sporting directors who are actually the manager 's boss.
That is the difference between Seville who had Monchu on their disposals and us who had 6 or whatever number of guys in past 7 years.
Our current squad is a punch of misfits, that isn't on the coach who only got Dest and Depay from the players he requested and seen his best player(s) leave due to finances

I expect us to finish slightly ahead of Sevilla. Overall, I expect a pretty tight top 4 like last year (not that all 4 are great, more that neither is), with a visible gap from 4th to 5th. All teams are really pretty meh, can't say there's a single top team around in Spain. I mean, Madrid gets beaten at home by some Moldavians ... so... they clearly are pretty mediocre compared with some of their past versions. I thought they were better than this, but it's a stretch to expect Vinicius to carry an amazing form for long I guess. They depend an awful lot on Benzema to carry their offense.

Villarreal and Sociedad are pretty dangerous tbh, the later is in very good form and if Isaak regained last year form and Oryazabel continue on his current form, they are probably closer than us than you might thing. Oyar would be our best player with how he is playing recently.

 

[ajnotkeith]

What is Barca standard bad would be medium to good players for teams that are supposed to finish ahead of us in this hypothetical scenario.

We took the shit out of Griezmann who's a player that never in their dreams would likes of Sevilla, Sociedad, or Villareal even get close to getting. We're talking about completely different things.

If we had Sevilla's squad, you'd be saying we are lucky to survive relegation.

The Barca standard bad ones like Sevilla discard Luuk De Jong who they were so desperate to get rid of they paid us to take him?

As I said above, Braithwaite, Demir, LDJ, Nico etc, all players who have several starts that would barely make the bench in Sevilla.

That we have Frenkie and Pedri doesn't mean we have a good squad. Like Khaled said it's not a well built and rounded squad, there are a few top players and massive holes being filled by unproven youth players.

And Sociedad have their own stars like Isak, Oyarzabal, Merino, etc.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Aguero and Dembele You can't accept the reality they just have a better XI than us. Aguero, Dembele, Depay are big names but that doesn't make them top players. That this is a list of our best players is kind of pitiful and sad. And you haven't mentioned at all that we are starting the likes of LDJ, Braithwaite, Demir, Nico, Eric Garcia that are levels below people like En Nesri , Rafa Mir, Kounde, Ocampos etc

What we have is a few good players, unproven youth and then 0 wingers, strikers, or a back4 as somebody said above.

Bro there is no need to mention them, LDJ, demir and Nico are not starting for Barcelona either. Not anymore. Eric Garcia might get a few starts here and there that's about it.

I have no doubt braithwaite would be starting for Sevilla. And he's gona be our sub too once our attack is fully healthy. Which will be soon.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Bro there is no need to mention them, LDJ, demir and Nico are not starting for Barcelona either. Not anymore. Eric Garcia might get a few starts here and there that's about it.

I have no doubt braithwaite would be starting for Sevilla. And he's gona be our sub too once our attack is fully healthy. Which will be soon.

You think Boro flop Braithwaite would start over En Nesri or Rafa Mir? I have a bridge to sell you

 

[malvolio]

A turd that we bought from Leganes(struggling in Liga 2 right now) is starter material for Sevilla