Valverde defends his handling of new signings

[BBZ8800]

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

Well, none of those teams won league title last season so we can argue that their new signings are improvement over their current players.
Or at least some of new signings.

In our case, Malcom, Arthur, Lenglet, Vidal aren't improvement over current players, just depth players and potentials and ifs for the future (Arthur and Malcom).

So, this topic was about new players, but people also whine in other topics how EV doesn't rotate.
Well, other teams also haven't rotated in the first 4-5 rounds.

Now sum these two points:
1. other teams didn't rotate too much
2. and our new signings aren't better than current guys who won La liga with 1 defeat
= and you have quite a logical answer.

 

[jairzinho]

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.

Nothing to do with being conservative. EV is ultra defeatist. That negative mentality got us knocked out last season against Roma. Nothing wrong with being respectful to the opposition but EV does it excessively. You can't have that type of soft mentality and expect to win in the CL.

 

[zuju]

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.

To me, it's not a problem that a comparison could explain away our critisim for not rotating. Most of the first XI in the team played in the world cup, 4-7 matches more than usual players, with a stretch of intensive training. They are more easily injured and tired.
Rotation does not only means that the new signings and future prospects could ADAPT the Barca style& INTEGRATE into the first team, which were emphasised by VV a couple of times, rotation could also give players chances to rest andrecover (preservation), esp after considering the age of some our senior members. Also, inserting new players could add some passion and motivate the team a bit with their ambition to win. Messi, Pique, Busquets & Suarez etc. have won nearly all winable trophies at Barca.

VV may play one or two new players or young propects or second unit members every match for the purpose.