The backline a problem?

[khaled_a_d]

Have to agree, to fracture a cheekbone and break an arm aren't signs of him 'going' just pure bad luck.

add that to the fact that he played that he has played 44 games last season,that wasn't an "injury prone player "season
Since he became a regular starter Puyil had played less than 40 games a season only twice in his career,less than 38 once ,it is tough to write him off just yet

 

[Arachnid]

Have to agree, to fracture a cheekbone and break an arm aren't signs of him 'going' just pure bad luck.

That's not necessarily true. If me, in the awful shape I am, tried to play with more intensity that my body allows, I would end up breaking all sort of bones while believing myself more elastic than I actually am. When he was 26 he could shrug off broken limbs like nothing, but now it's taking him forever to recover from anything... add to that the many injuries he suffered last season.

It's nature.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Both his injuries have nothing to do with age. Messi had a fractured cheekbone when he was like 15 or something. However, I do admit that there is a higher likelihood that Puyol can get injured due to his age if he is overplayed. I think he still has an important role to play but Tito has to be cautious with him like he has been with Villa. The club HAS TO start looking at Puyol's eventual replacement. If nothing is done in the summer and neither Bartra nor Muniesa show that they're up to it then I'll be furious.

 

[89Norcal]

Both his injuries have nothing to do with age. Messi had a fractured cheekbone when he was like 15 or something. However, I do admit that there is a higher likelihood that Puyol can get injured due to his age if he is overplayed. I think he still has an important role to play but Tito has to be cautious with him like he has been with Villa. The club HAS TO start looking at Puyol's eventual replacement. If nothing is done in the summer and neither Bartra nor Muniesa show that they're up to it then I'll be furious.

I agree, I was saying this in the summer. We have no proper backup CBs behind Puyol and Pique, and for the amount of football matches we play+Pique's inconsistency that seems somewhat silly.

There's plenty of young, solid CBs across Europe that can put in a shift if Puyol or Pique are injured, while not necessarily fighting for an immediate starting spot. I still think Puyol has the tactical genius and enough physical ability to cope on the highest level.

 

[LeoGetz]

When he was 26 he could shrug off broken limbs like nothing, but now it's taking him forever to recover from anything...

Every time Puyol is injured, he comes back weeks ahead of schedule. After dislocating his elbow, he will play several weeks before the doctors said he would. Same happened after he twisted his knee against Getafe and same thing happened after his operation in June.

 

[Barca_070]

We would concede much more goals if our midfield wasnt so good in keeping possesion. So i would say that our backline is problem.

 

[raskolnikov]

So realistically which defenders are out there that can solve this problem? he needs to have skills, speed and decent heigh, and dont say kompany or thiago silva cause they wont come.
I really think with one great cb the problem could be solved.

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

It is a bit like the dream team at the moment, trying to outscore the opposition, hopefully when the line up at the back is more stable then we will see more clean sheets.

 

[BarcaOG]

of course it is..

 

[89Norcal]

So realistically which defenders are out there that can solve this problem? he needs to have skills, speed and decent heigh, and dont say kompany or thiago silva cause they wont come.
I really think with one great cb the problem could be solved.

Sakho, Agger, Stephane Mbia from Marsielle or Yanga Mbiwa from Montpellier. I know Agger just signed another contract though. Dede is a great header of the ball and would be a great pickup, but he is very valuable to Vasco.

Going down the line there's guys like Douglas from FC Twente, who would cost less than £8-10m. I believe he's a Dutch international now but he's Brazilian born. He's pretty tall at 6'4''

 

[footyfan]

I feel the bigger problem is that unlike Spain or most other teams, Barca need a 2 goal lead much more. The opposition free up a lot and that makes things much easier for the team. This is partly due to the backline and partly due to the way teams play against us. We also don't have the security of a double-pivot a la Spain.

 

[89Norcal]

I feel the bigger problem is that unlike Spain or most other teams, Barca need a 2 goal lead much more. The opposition free up a lot and that makes things much easier for the team. This is partly due to the backline and partly due to the way teams play against us. We also don't have the security of a double-pivot a la Spain.

Besides set pieces, we are most vulnerable when going a goal down late game to "smaller" clubs (Celtic). No not for the simple fact we are losing but also because teams have found out our lack of physical strength and height is detrimental vs a max defensive outfit. While Barca aren't the only team who encounter a parked bus, packing the area vs. Barca has had such good success that it's the obvious answer for our opponents that find themselves a goal up, and our lack of size makes it all the more effective.

And in that situation, I'm not sure a double pivot would be of any benefit, since the opposing attackers are typically surrounded or in front of our entire team. Save for instances like Torres' goal in the semi-final. If anything, to avoid the counter our center backs should avoid pushing so far forward, since Puyol and Pique arent exactly the fastest guys.

 

[Catorce]

Sakho, Agger, Stephane Mbia from Marsielle or Yanga Mbiwa from Montpellier. I know Agger just signed another contract though. Dede is a great header of the ball and would be a great pickup, but he is very valuable to Vasco.

Going down the line there's guys like Douglas from FC Twente, who would cost less than £8-10m. I believe he's a Dutch international now but he's Brazilian born. He's pretty tall at 6'4''

Do you actually watch the Eredivisie? Douglas was a great talented defender but has deteriorated last two years and now is just average in our local league. No where near any subtop level for Europe, hence he is still at Twente. Hopefully I am wrong about the prospect though, because Holland is in high need of a strong and tall CB for WC2014.

 

[Arachnid]

You know, now that we have proper defenders back, I'm starting to change my mind: Bartra looks solid enough, nothing like what Fontàs did last season, and it kinda looks like Tito will play him regularly once he's back, maybe even surpassing Mascherano in the pecking order. Also, there's Muniesa waiting on the wings and I do believe he's the real deal. Less worried.

 

[89Norcal]

Do you actually watch the Eredivisie? Douglas was a great talented defender but has deteriorated last two years and now is just average in our local league. No where near any subtop level for Europe, hence he is still at Twente. Hopefully I am wrong about the prospect though, because Holland is in high need of a strong and tall CB for WC2014.

I watch what I can, but hasn't he just been called up to the Netherlands NT?

At any rate, he is a cheaper, serviceable option, and I even mentioned that in my comment.