What's your opinion on this team?

[companyofcules]

Ter Stegen
Kounde Aruajo Inigo Fort
FDJ, Cubarsi, Gundogan
Yamal Guiu Vitor

I mean we do struggle with the DM and Cubarsi looks so good on the ball while being a defender with little experience at positioning but with quality at recovering the ball. Isn't that enough to try him in a DM position? He can't be slower than the other 3 options.

Then we have Fort who was absolutely flawless on the left, why we don't try him more?
If Cubarsi has little experience and the attacking players too we should focus on putting a midfield that has some experience so that's why Gundogan and FDJ should join Cubarsi in my view.
To get some structure.

Now about the attack, I know this might look crazy but we should try to have some fast players that can finish in a diverse fashion and get into a counter press.
Lewandowski is not one of them, Raphinha neither, Ferran can press but has no quality.
I think it's worth to have this 3 as starters at least to get the rival teams a bit tired, then Lewandowski, Felix and also Ferran could enter the game a little later to profit from the work done by this youngsters.
Again you could complement this move with bringing younger midfielders.

My problem with the Napoli game was having Oriol and Roberto in the same game while struggling in attack with Lewandowski and Raphinha who are not very effective and do little in terms of counterpress even in games where they played very well for their standards.

 

[Messi983]

Please not another turn a CB into a DM experiment.

Christensen is working just fine there right now and Cubarsi is playing great at CB, no reason to ruin him.

Also, as much as I like them all we should never play three teenagers in attack at the same time. Maybe for the last 15 minutes when we're up 3-0 (which never happens these days) or in a friendly but not in a serious competitive game. I think it's better bringing some fresh young legs on against tired defenders than subbing on likes of Lewy or Felix who are unlikely to do much.

Oriol and Roberto only played in the Napoli game because we have three starting midfielders out. And Raphinha was key for our win despite his flaws. He also always works his ass off for the team, it's just his end product and inconsistency that lets him down. Just a very frustrating player to watch, similar to Dembele although obviously they're different profiles.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

This is a booty team.
No.. just stop. This is horrible.

 

[Porque]

Copa Catalunya runners up.

 

[companyofcules]

Please not another turn a CB into a DM experiment.

Christensen is working just fine there right now and Cubarsi is playing great at CB, no reason to ruin him.

Also, as much as I like them all we should never play three teenagers in attack at the same time. Maybe for the last 15 minutes when we're up 3-0 (which never happens these days) or in a friendly but not in a serious competitive game. I think it's better bringing some fresh young legs on against tired defenders than subbing on likes of Lewy or Felix who are unlikely to do much.

Oriol and Roberto only played in the Napoli game because we have three starting midfielders out. And Raphinha was key for our win despite his flaws. He also always works his ass off for the team, it's just his end product and inconsistency that lets him down. Just a very frustrating player to watch, similar to Dembele although obviously they're different profiles.

Well the problem with Lewandowski is having no legs to get a team tired so in my humble opinion it might work better a legless Lewandowski with fast Raphinha and Ferran against a tired opposing team.
The point is not to have some deadly team but to use the best of this scraps.
About Cubarsi my point is not to transform him into a DM but to get results this season. And Christensen is not that fit to stop any serious team. He is good but constantly exposed since we need Oriol.
Yes they are young but in Fort and Yamal I have total confidence, Cubarsi is a bet but I think it has the quality as for those two young strikers as long as they counterpress and tire the oponents in the first half for me will be a success story since we can bring experience in the second half. Again your idea is good too if let's say the oldies manage to score. But as the team is set now we have little chances in UCL and we are constantly exposed in La Liga.
With the youngsters we might not get the results in UCL but I consider we have a great chance to a stalemate and not being overrun again.

 

[companyofcules]

Copa Catalunya runners up.

This is a booty team.
No.. just stop. This is horrible.

Well I don't see it that way. Cubarsi is very talented with the ball and much faster than Christensen who is constantly exposed on spaces.
Fort was virtually impossible to play when he was started and the two young strikers saved our skin in some games and will counterpress as mad men.
Do I consider it's the solution to win UCL? No.
But we might get out without being humiliated. And frankly I don't know why you are attacking the team since all of them are tested and performed well. For sure we can have more hope in them since the solutions of Xavi were not effective in stopping being overrun even with Napoli.
Remember Napoli hit the post 2 times and had 2 1v 1 ones with our golie.That form vs Real, City or Bayern would have ment 5-2 for them if not more.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Christensen's too conservative DM. Need someone who can progress ball more.

 

[Temptation]

Christensen's too conservative DM. Need someone who can progress ball more.

 

[companyofcules]

Christensen's too conservative DM. Need someone who can progress ball more.

Well this is not my issue since our first task will be to not disintegrate.
But he lacks speed too and that was the main issue of Barcelona defenders starting with 2012. Never solved only made worse. All the lost titles and humiliations are based on being constantly exposed on space or just pushed aside lacking muscle mass.
I don't pretend to be some genius but tiki-taka needs some clear rules in this modern football.
1. No fullbacks over 26.
2. You can keep one CB up to 30 years old if he is really good.
3. You need another fast CB to compensate.
4. No DM over 26 if he is not strong and fast.
This should be set in stone in my opinion.

 

[companyofcules]

Also people think we have some geniuses in La Masia for playing so well at 17-18 years old.
But again this players can't play worse than old farts since they do meet at least the basic requirements, they can run, they have muscles.

 

[Sooke]

We have 4 players with their contracts ending in June 2024. ( J.Cancelo, J.Felix, S.Roberto, M.Alonso ) I would prefer Cancelo to stay for another year or two. For the other, the door is open.

Ilkay Gundogan's contract is till June 2025
O.Romeu's - 2026
Lewandowski's - 2026
F.Torres - 2027

All of those four should leave Barcelona right after the end of this season. Very useless players with very high salaries. J.Laporta has to find a way to get rid of them. If we find at least one solid center back, we can depart ways with Christensen and Inigo Martinez as well.

The midfield with F D J, Gavi, Pedri and F.Lopes is not that bad but the biggest problem there is the PLAY-MAKER. We badly need to find that piece.

Barcelona's major problem is up-front. Lamine is showing sparks of talent and with the right coach he can be a leading player there. Raphinha is a mid-class winger and needs to play more consistently. Vitor Roque was brought to Barcelona earlier than this summer, but so far, he is struggling to adapt to the team.
No matter who is going to replace Xavi, we need to bring some really quality players who are known as goal-scorers.

This summer is going to be very, very busy for our front office. Let's hope all will go well for us.