Xavi Hernández

[serghei]

Well, the midfield and attack aren't riddled with injuries. We have one midfielder and one attacker out at the moment.

In general, with a system that's this intense with full pitch pressing almost the whole game, you are probably not gonna have your best 11 available that much and indeed no team regularly does.

What is good though is Raphinha has proven himself a capable replacement for Dembele who is worthy of also starting some games, and likes of Kessie and Roberto aren't too shabby either.

Where the injuries can really hurt us is defense because drop off between someone like Araujo and Eric Garcia is giant.

You are familiar with my repeated comments about how thin our squad is right? And that by a huge distance this is the main thing lacking at Barca right now.

Every other piece is in place to go in CL and start winning against any team. Bar 4-5 solid options, about 2 starters and 2-3 solid rotation players.

Whoever doesn't see that... at this point...

 

[JamDav1982]

You are familiar with my repeated comments about how thin our squad is right?

You still think Real has better squad?

Barcas squad is not nearly as thin as you make out and still vastly better than every in La Liga and for me better than Reals.

More than good enough squad to go and do better in Europe than have.

Absolutely have to next season.

 

[serghei]

You still think Real has better squad?

Barcas squad is not nearly as thin as you make out and still vastly better than every in La Liga and for me better than Reals.

Without a doubt. Theirs is not super-elite, but still better than ours comfortably.

Look at their bench players and at ours in the Clasico lol.

Part of it is our fault, in the case of Ferran, but most of it is lack of funds and financial constraints of La Liga.

 

[jamrock]

After 2 injuries we have to bring the likes of Torres of the bench, as well as Roberto & kessie, these are two who 95% of Barca forum hated before yesterday, but we know how this place is.


We definitely lack strength in depth, no arguments needed their.

 

[JamDav1982]

Without a doubt. Theirs is not super-elite, but still better than ours comfortably.

Look at their bench players and at ours in the Clasico lol.

Part of it is our fault, in the case of Ferran, but most of it is lack of funds and financial constraints of La Liga.

What areas of Reals squad would you rather have?

Real bench wasnt great and that is them with more or less a full starting eleven and Barca with some key injuries.

Squad strength is not just the bench anyway.. the starters are more important overall in that argument as to who has the strongest squad.

Tchou is only Real sub last night that is a top player from there. Lot of dross on it.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Without a doubt. Theirs is not super-elite, but still better than ours comfortably.

Look at their bench players and at ours in the Clasico lol.

Part of it is our fault, in the case of Ferran, but most of it is lack of funds and financial constraints of La Liga.

Not really sure about that. After MATS's incredible season so far there is no goalkeeper gap for the moment, our defense is far better than theirs, attack maybe equal (everyone fully fit) then Real better midfield.

However credit has to go to Xavi for knowing to keep Dembele, MATS in the team even when everyone wanted them out, replacing Alba with Balde, etc. Part of the reason why squad is strong and clicking right now is those choices.

 

[serghei]

Not really sure about that. After MATS's incredible season so far there is no goalkeeper gap for the moment, our defense is far better than theirs, attack maybe equal (everyone fully fit) then Real better midfield.

However credit has to go to Xavi for knowing to keep Dembele, MATS in the team even when everyone wanted them out, replacing Alba with Balde, etc. Part of the reason why squad is strong and clicking right now is those choices.

You're using the term squad wrong.

The first 11 is pretty strong. But the squad is weak in options past that. Hence why injuries in our team are far more costly than in some team like City or Bayern.

 

[JamDav1982]

You're using the term squad wrong.

The first 11 is pretty strong. But the squad is weak in options past that. Hence why injuries in our team are far more costly than in some team like City or Bayern.

The overall squad for Barca is stronger for me.

What area of team would you swap?

Cant claim injuries only count in Europe when suits argument.

 

[ajnotkeith]

After 2 injuries we have to bring the likes of Torres of the bench, as well as Roberto & kessie, these are two who 95% of Barca forum hated before yesterday, but we know how this place is.


We definitely lack strength in depth, no arguments needed their.

I really doubt we can improve much on Ferran/Roberto/Kessie as bench options. The first was a rotation option for City, a team with unlimited money, but not good enough for bench here? Roberto been a rotation player in better Barca teams, then Kessie is proving he's solid and was a starter in Scudetto winning Milan.

You don't really get world class players to sit the bench because none of them come to do that... The best you can get are B tier players.

 

[serghei]

I really doubt we can improve much on Ferran/Roberto/Kessie as bench options. The first was a rotation option for City, a team with unlimited money, but not good enough for bench here? Roberto been a rotation player in better Barca teams, then Kessie is proving he's solid and was a starter in Scudetto winning Milan.

You don't really get world class players to sit the bench because none of them come to do that... The best you can get are B tier players.

You can improve for sure.

Look at City and Bayern playing and the bench has 3-4 options of super class. Even Madrid last night. Rodrygo and Tchouameny are rated at 170m together.

I wish we had such quality on the bench personally.

 

[jamrock]

I really doubt we can improve much on Ferran/Roberto/Kessie as bench options. The first was a rotation option for City, a team with unlimited money, but not good enough for bench here? Roberto been a rotation player in better Barca teams, then Kessie is proving he's solid and was a starter in Scudetto winning Milan.

You don't really get world class players to sit the bench because none of them come to do that... The best you can get are B tier players.

We can absolutely do better than Torres, what he cost or where he came from doesn't matter, all that matters is that he's a net negative in the team, if they did plus/minus in football like they do in basketball, I'm sure the team would be a minus whenever he plays.

You won't hear any arguments from me about Kessie, but the same people who are saying he's a good player now are the ones who were saying he's trash a few days ago.

Roberto is a solid utility player.

We need better options up front & a better back up CB.

It fati & Torres were better, things would be different, but but the situation is what it is right now.

 

[serghei]

Bayern bench vs PSG:

Cancelo
Mane
Sane
Gnabry
Mazraoui

Do I need to explain this? It's absurd. Mane, Sane, and Gnabry is a top tier attack and they have it on the bench.

We don't even have a starting LW by comparison .

 

[JamDav1982]

You can improve for sure.

Look at City and Bayern playing and the bench has 3-4 options of super class. Even Madrid last night. Rodrygo and Tchouameny are rated at 170m together.

I wish we had such quality on the bench personally.

City and Bayern are not the argument though it is about Real and Barca.

Folk over egging the Real bench and ignoring where Barca are stronger.

Real have fucking Nacho at LB last night. I shit you not Barca have 3 better LBs than that.

Are Asensio, Ceballos etc really all that much better than Kessie/Roberto? Those are the type of players coming on for Real.

Rodrygo is best of their attacking subs but he is same status as Raphinha really in that squad.

 

[serghei]

City and Bayern are not the argument though it is about Real and Barca.

Folk over egging the Real bench and ignoring where Barca are stronger.

Real have fucking Nacho at LB last night. I shit you not Barca have 3 better LBs than that.

Are Asensio, Ceballos etc really all that much better than Kessie/Roberto?

Real and Barca, sure, I told you that imo Rodrygo and Tchouameny are options from the bench we don't have at the moment in midfield and attack.

 

[serghei]

Anyway, we've been discussing this over and over again. Imo squad is very thin and needs major work. Even if we don't have much money, it can be improved, and it absolutely has to be.