Valverde defends his handling of new signings

[Barcaman]

Ernesto Valverde has defended his treatment of Barca's four new signings ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game against PSV.

Barça signed defender Clement Lenglet, midfielder Arthur Melo and Arturo Vidal, and forward Malcom during the transfer window.

However, none of the four have started a league game yet as Valverde has preferred to stick with players he knows from last season.

"If I played all four you’d be asking about why the four from last season aren’t playing," Valverde said. "The competition [in the squad] is important at this club."

"They’re players that have come to a great club. They have to adapt, they are doing, and they will have their chance… although it is not easy."

Vidal has played the most games although he has not played the most minutes, an honour which falls to Lenglet, who started the Super Cup in Morocco against Sevilla.

 

[JerseyAddict]

Defense. Defense. Defense.
NBA CHEERING STYLE

 

[DonAK]

I thought we signed Lenglet for 37m from Sevilla because he wouldn't need an adaptation period.

 

[Devils]

"It's not easy" - Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona Manager, 2017-Present.

 

[Joan]

That's pretty cheap. Nobody's asking him to play all 4 guys every match. The fact is that the only new signing who's getting consistent minutes is - Vidal. Nothing to brag about it.

 

[Gnidrologist]

"It's not easy" - Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona Manager, 2017-Present.

I imagine him saying that with Kermit's voice.

 

[JerseyAddict]

I imagine him saying that with Kermit's voice.

If he wants it easy he can return to AB. I can imagine him saying that with Duffy Duck voice.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Valverde: "I do not think PSV is the weakest rival in the group. I think they have a young team that attacks very well. We have to be careful."

Valverde: "We would like to win the Champions League, like every team in this competition. It's a special competition where there is no room for mistakes."

Add these 2 quotes and you can clearly see where this is going.

The first comment is interesting. He doesn't see PSV the weakest. So who else? Inter? I would rate Inter higher than PSV.

One thing comes out of Valverde's speech. Being scared. I think he is too conservative. Maybe he is trying to keep Barca not too cocky, but I think being self-confident is a good thing and last year vs Rome we lacked some confidence and looked like a scared team playing in Italy. As usual.

 

[Vilarrubi]

The first comment is interesting. He doesn't see PSV the weakest. So who else? Inter? I would rate Inter higher than PSV.

One thing comes out of Valverde's speech. Being scared. I think he is too conservative. Maybe he is trying to keep Barca not too cocky, but I think being self-confident is a good thing and last year vs Rome we lacked some confidence and looked like a scared team playing in Italy. As usual.

Chatting shit as usual. Not wanting to offend. Beta attitude.

 

[Cule4life]

That's pretty cheap. Nobody's asking him to play all 4 guys every match. The fact is that the only new signing who's getting consistent minutes is - Vidal. Nothing to brag about it.

Oh boy are you all right?

But happy to see you are not a "yes man" like some others here

 

[ronniecro]

"we have to be careful"
that's what i want to hear as a barca fan

 

[frog-fcb]

It will take time for the new signings to adjust to our ways. They just need to work there asses of and earn their spot in the team

 

[God Serena]

Can't wait for the defensive masterclass Valverde is about to show us. Hopefully we don't concede early and sub on Vidal to make the save.

 

[BBZ8800]

I think that you guys have *slightly* (lol) lost the objectivity.

Barcelona has played only 4 league matches.
And we have already seen 13 starters:

After reading all this whining in previous weeks how EV is an idiot for not playing *more or less any single young player or a new signing*, I have checked some teams and their managers who are hailed on this forum for awesome team management, rotations and developing of young players.

And then, Klopp and Liverpool.
Liverpool played 5 EPL matches.
And out of 55 positions (11 positions x 5 matches), Klopp played 54 players all the time, and made only 1 rotation in 5 matches.
He played all the time:
Alissom, Robertson, Van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander, Keita, Wijnaldum, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
THE ONLY (lel) change in 5 matches was playing Henderson in one match when Keita was not available.

So, the master, the lord, the one and only, the one who is so much better in everything than EV: made a grand total of 1 rotation in 5 EPL matches
He is developing youngsters like crazy

Chelsea:
Played all 5 matches with: Alonso, Rudiger, Luiz, Azpilicueta.
In the middle, first 2 matches they played with: Jorginho, Kante, Barkley.
And after than, once when Kovacic was ready, they played all 3 matches in a row with: Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic.
So, a Gk, 4 defenders and 2 midfielders were the same in all 5 matches, zero rotations.
Chelsea is only rotating in attack, where:
Pedro started 4 out of 5.
Morata started 4 out of 5.
Willian started 3 out of 5.
Hazard started 3 out of 5.
Giroud started 1 out of 5.

So, I am not sure that Chelsea's coach rotated in midfield at all since Kovacic wasn't ready.
Basically, he played the same 7 players in defense and midfield and only rotated 4 players in attack for 3 positions more or less.

Liverpool used 11 starters + Henderson as starters for now. 12 in total.
Chelsea used 11 starters + Berkley, Willian and Giroud as starters for now. 14 in total.

Barca:
In only 4 matches till now, EV used: 11 starters + Semedo, Rafinha = 13 in total, plus he made tactical changes with playing Roberto both as a RB and a CM in some matches.
Unlike Liverpool's and Chelsea's coach with zero tactical changes, only player by player rotations.

Pep did rotate a lot of players from big teams whom I have checked.

If I counted correctly, Real used: 11 starters + Isco, Ceballos, Varane = 14 players in total.

So, if I counted correctly:
Chelsea: 14 starters in 5 matches
Real: 14 starters in 4 matches
Barca: 13 starters in 4 matches
Liverpool: 12 starters in 5 matches

After reading our forum, certain topics and hate towards EV's lack of rotations, I had a feeling that other big teams have used at least 20-30 different starters in these 4-5 matches.
Yet, they are rotating more or less the similar as we do.

 

[gasgas]

I think that you guys have *slightly* (lol) lost the objectivity.

Barcelona has played only 4 league matches.
And we have already seen 13 starters:

After reading all this whining in previous weeks how EV is an idiot for not playing *more or less any single young player or a new signing*, I have checked some teams and their managers who are hailed on this forum for awesome team management, rotations and developing of young players.

And then, Klopp and Liverpool.
Liverpool played 5 EPL matches.
And out of 55 positions (11 positions x 5 matches), Klopp played 54 players all the time, and made only 1 rotation in 5 matches.
He played all the time:
Alissom, Robertson, Van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander, Keita, Wijnaldum, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
THE ONLY (lel) change in 5 matches was playing Henderson in one match when Keita was not available.

So, the master, the lord, the one and only, the one who is so much better in everything than EV: made a grand total of 1 rotation in 5 EPL matches
He is developing youngsters like crazy

Chelsea:
Played all 5 matches with: Alonso, Rudiger, Luiz, Azpilicueta.
In the middle, first 2 matches they played with: Jorginho, Kante, Barkley.
And after than, once when Kovacic was ready, they played all 3 matches in a row with: Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic.
So, a Gk, 4 defenders and 2 midfielders were the same in all 5 matches, zero rotations.
Chelsea is only rotating in attack, where:
Pedro started 4 out of 5.
Morata started 4 out of 5.
Willian started 3 out of 5.
Hazard started 3 out of 5.
Giroud started 1 out of 5.

So, I am not sure that Chelsea's coach rotated in midfield at all since Kovacic wasn't ready.
Basically, he played the same 7 players in defense and midfield and only rotated 4 players in attack for 3 positions more or less.

Liverpool used 11 starters + Henderson as starters for now. 12 in total.
Chelsea used 11 starters + Berkley, Willian and Giroud as starters for now. 14 in total.

Barca:
In only 4 matches till now, EV used: 11 starters + Semedo, Rafinha = 13 in total, plus he made tactical changes with playing Roberto both as a RB and a CM in some matches.
Unlike Liverpool's and Chelsea's coach with zero tactical changes, only player by player rotations.

Pep did rotate a lot of players from big teams whom I have checked.

If I counted correctly, Real used: 11 starters + Isco, Ceballos, Varane = 14 players in total.

So, if I counted correctly:
Chelsea: 14 starters in 5 matches
Real: 14 starters in 4 matches
Barca: 13 starters in 4 matches
Liverpool: 12 starters in 5 matches

After reading our forum, certain topics and hate towards EV's lack of rotations, I had a feeling that other big teams have used at least 20-30 different starters in these 4-5 matches.
Yet, they are rotating more or less the similar as we do.

i thought the discussion was about playing the new signings and not rotating the team

and as we can see

all the teams you mentioned have used their new signings in the startig spots