And who exactly is he meant to control the midfield in tandem with? Bicho? Patric? Midfield Munir? Please. Even Halilovic is no help whatsoever in that regard. There's literally no platform for a player like him to perform in that team and the lack of trust from Vinyals says more about his coaching incompetence than anything else. You can't control tempo when there's no damn tempo to control. It's like expecting Xavi to turn a team like Sevilla or Atletico into Barca singlehandedly, can't be done. Regardless:
This is from a match in May. It's clear to see that he hasn't "lost" the abilities and instincts that made him a brilliant talent in the first place or that he's declined. It's a matter of setting and momentum. I'm sorry but I strongly disagree with your assessment of him as a player, not at all the appropriate way to analyze his talent.
As for his defensive capabilities I won't argue with that. He's not a 'good' defensive player even for strong teams with good support, let alone a team where the defensive unit collapses with regularity. But that's really down to him not being a DM. He can be a good supporting defensive player but not a primary one. It's a positional change that's so obvious that every person who's ever paid attention to Samper can see it, he needs to be put where his best qualities are at the most use.
_If Xavi (in his prime) was put in Sevilla or Atletico ,he may not make them play Barca ball but he will change their game immediately and it will be felt .even during Barca worst days during Gaspart era and when Xavi wasn't half the player he became he made his presence felt regardless the teammate
_Samper was never that guy ,you say "the lack of trust from Vinyals says more about his coaching incompetence than anything else." but whenever he played he didn't make his presence felt .even if the one who was playing his position was freakin Gambua or Patric
Even when that team was 3rd best team in Segunda ,he didn't control the tempo .never was his game and not to a level you would want in a Barca CM
-You are saying Samper isn't playing in his position ,but Eusebio played him in that position,Vinyals also did ,more important Lucho was asked directly if he sees him as CM and he said Samper is a DM not a CM .and the kid played mostly exclusive in that position
Saying he is playing out of position is an assumption and the fact that it is popular assumption doesn't make it more than one
We are talking about promoting him ,if the coach of 1st team says he is DM I don't know why we should act otherwise when he is promoted ? if the coach already said he is DM I don't expect him to suddenly change his opinion when he is looking to promote him
_I wish he can excel as CM but I don't know if he can ,it might be worth trying but I don't want that try to start in the 1st team ,there is no guarantee it won't back fire and he look even worse which could affect his career in the club
Also I See him as a poor defending Deep-lying playmaker in the form of Pirlo rather than a CM who controls the game in all ways like Xavi
Iniesta,Xavi,Thiago,Rakitic,Van Bommel ,Keita,Deco was the most successful CM/AM in the past decade and half and I can't say I see him playing close to any of them style wise and I might question where he fit.Again i think under good coaching and easing him in that position with B team or on a team he goes on loan is way better to get to know him better at that position
_I've watched most of Barca B games this season and a highlight video of an above average performance doesn't make me change my mind about him
_I said that being with 1st team will help him and he will look better ,but that is the case with all B team talents .Alen,Grimaldo,Sandro,Adama and even Dongou under tata looked better than they are with this Barca B .I don't see why Samper should be the one promoted when he probably was the worst of this pack during last few months(not counting Dongou)?
Again ,I am not denying the talent and I am not writing him off .but I don't see the benefit of promotion for the team and see it risky for him .his weakness is obvious and it is better to work on it one more year than rushing him with 1st team .We all see how quickly opinion on players change .we were arguing whether Deulofeu is the next Cr7 or robben and a year and half latter everyone was saying he will never make it.
BTW ,Halilovic for example is my favorite prospect in the B team and the one I believe he can make ,but I would like him to stay with b team too and disappointed with his promotion clause .It is nothing against Samperif I want him with B team to work on his weakness
