FC Barcelona - Campeones de España!

I agree with everything you said, but i think pep likes JDS more, because he game is safer and because of that i feel he will get more chances in the first team and more chances to makes mistakes

I also agree based on everything I've seen from these two players so far. Few points though:

1. Not sure about whether Thiago can score 10-15 goals a season. Whenever I've seen him, he tends to play a bit deeper in midfield and didn't get into the box that much. I don't know what his goalscoring record is like at youth levels though.

2. Thiago has suffered a few 2-3 month injuries in the past couple of years. Hopefully this is more to do with him growing and starting the "bulking up" phase of his time at La Masia, rather than unsuitability for top level football.

3. A key difference I've noticed between the two is their attitude on the pitch...Thiago seems bold and confident, and is not afraid of playing his natural game. This sometimes leads to mistakes. Jonathan on the other hand is more timid, a "safer" player. Remains to be seen how these respective styles develop as they grow.

his goal scoring record for barca atletic isn't very good, for the U-18 teams he did manage a few goals per season.

he natural game is further up the pitch and that where he played in the U-18 and younger team, which probably explains the goals.

fcb wrote:I also agree based on everything I've seen from these two players so far. Few points though:

1. Not sure about whether Thiago can score 10-15 goals a season. Whenever I've seen him, he tends to play a bit deeper in midfield and didn't get into the box that much. I don't know what his goalscoring record is like at youth levels though.

2. Thiago has suffered a few 2-3 month injuries in the past couple of years. Hopefully this is more to do with him growing and starting the "bulking up" phase of his time at La Masia, rather than unsuitability for top level football.

3. A key difference I've noticed between the two is their attitude on the pitch...Thiago seems bold and confident, and is not afraid of playing his natural game. This sometimes leads to mistakes. Jonathan on the other hand is more timid, a "safer" player. Remains to be seen how these respective styles develop as they grow.

Why would you even need him to score 10-15 goals per season? I don't think Iniesta has scored more than 10 in a single season for his whole career. In fact, goalscoring midfielders in the mold of Lampard or Gerrard don't really exist in Spain.

yeah and especially don't exist in the barca system, in a way i think if pep should ever see one of his midfielder scoring 20 goals a season he would give him a serious talking to and tell him to go his most important job as a midfielder first.

Jaime wrote:

fcb wrote:I also agree based on everything I've seen from these two players so far. Few points though:

1. Not sure about whether Thiago can score 10-15 goals a season. Whenever I've seen him, he tends to play a bit deeper in midfield and didn't get into the box that much. I don't know what his goalscoring record is like at youth levels though.

2. Thiago has suffered a few 2-3 month injuries in the past couple of years. Hopefully this is more to do with him growing and starting the "bulking up" phase of his time at La Masia, rather than unsuitability for top level football.

3. A key difference I've noticed between the two is their attitude on the pitch...Thiago seems bold and confident, and is not afraid of playing his natural game. This sometimes leads to mistakes. Jonathan on the other hand is more timid, a "safer" player. Remains to be seen how these respective styles develop as they grow.

Why would you even need him to score 10-15 goals per season? I don't think Iniesta has scored more than 10 in a single season for his whole career. In fact, goalscoring midfielders in the mold of Lampard or Gerrard don't really exist in Spain.

No, don't need him to...I was just responding to Calidad's point that he can add 5-10 goals over and above what Xavi and Iniesta give, and I just didn't see that happening.

Agreed that in Spanish football, the goals are scored by the forwards. We see this in the Pichichi chart every year.

fcb wrote:

Jaime wrote:

fcb wrote:I also agree based on everything I've seen from these two players so far. Few points though:

1. Not sure about whether Thiago can score 10-15 goals a season. Whenever I've seen him, he tends to play a bit deeper in midfield and didn't get into the box that much. I don't know what his goalscoring record is like at youth levels though.

2. Thiago has suffered a few 2-3 month injuries in the past couple of years. Hopefully this is more to do with him growing and starting the "bulking up" phase of his time at La Masia, rather than unsuitability for top level football.

3. A key difference I've noticed between the two is their attitude on the pitch...Thiago seems bold and confident, and is not afraid of playing his natural game. This sometimes leads to mistakes. Jonathan on the other hand is more timid, a "safer" player. Remains to be seen how these respective styles develop as they grow.

Why would you even need him to score 10-15 goals per season? I don't think Iniesta has scored more than 10 in a single season for his whole career. In fact, goalscoring midfielders in the mold of Lampard or Gerrard don't really exist in Spain.

No, don't need him to...I was just responding to Calidad's point that he can add 5-10 goals over and above what Xavi and Iniesta give, and I just didn't see that happening.

Agreed that in Spanish football, the goals are scored by the forwards. We see this in the Pichichi chart every year.

Oh....didn't see the other post.

I don't think he will score 15 goals a season. But Xaviesta seem to average about 4/5 a season, I can see Thiago getting around 8-11 a season (all comps) I don't think that is beyond him, and he doesn't appear to be as shot shy as those two.

His stats at intl youth level anyway (around 1 in 3) I think suggests that he has it in him.

fcb wrote:
No, don't need him to...I was just responding to Calidad's point that he can add 5-10 goals over and above what Xavi and Iniesta give, and I just didn't see that happening.

Agreed that in Spanish football, the goals are scored by the forwards. We see this in the Pichichi chart every year.

I think this hurts Spanish teams in the CL sometimes. In a two-legged tie where goals are so scarce, you need to get goals however you can. It's so hard to break down a well composed side playing for a result which makes the ability to score from long shots really valuable.

going by what pep said in his press conference this morning, it seems their could be one more new signing this season, he said he was told zubi what position needs strengthen( we all know what position that is), so it now up to zubi to get the job done

only JDS and Thiago has been called up from the B team to face sevilla.

I wonder who he will bring in for the DM position, i think a player like senna would be good, he would give some rest to busquets when needed and give us two seasons in which in get oriol ready.

Messiah wrote:going by what pep said in his press conference this morning, it seems their could be one more new signing this season, he said he was told zubi what position needs strengthen( we all know what position that is), so it now up to zubi to get the job done

I don't think the Barca squad is weak, it's incredibly strong. Obviously a little short on numbers, but a lot of squad are often bloated which can be a problem in itself.

GK - Valdes, Pinto (Fine as long as Valdes stays healthy)
CB - Puyol, Pique, Milito + Youngster (Fine, maybe Fontas to be the 4th option) or Caceres
RB - Alves, Adriano, Puyol
LB - Abidal, Maxwell, Adriano

DM - Busuquets, ??? (Thin in this department, Busquets needs someone to push him IMO)
CM - Xavi, Keita, Iniesta, Thiago, JDS

RW - Messi, Pedro, Jeffren
LW - Pedro, Villa, Bojan
CF - Villa, Zlatan, Bojan


Injuries preventing (which is a problem for every squad) It's really strong, DM position aside. I think Barca need someone in this position, but I'm not sure if that player should be a starter, backup, or perhaps both; someone to push Busquets. I certainly wouldn't pay anymore than 15m Euros in the position.

I can see changes in defence being needed next season. CB + LB possibly. Puyol isn't getting any younger, and I'm not sure Milito will ever be reliable enough as a first choice CB. Perhaps one of the youngsters can step up, but maybe someone like Luiz could be an option. LB likewise, Abidal will be a year older, and Maxwell is a 2nd choice for me, but again, Adriano could slot in nicely there if he performs. So I think money is best kept for next season, Barca needed to be a bit smarter with their buys IMO. Wasted far too much money in recent times on the likes of Hleb, Kerrison, Chrygy, Caceres + Henrique (around 60m Euro there) and none of them have contributed in the slightest. That's a hell of a lot of money.

i agree on most points, I'v been telling everyone that our squad is pretty strong, just short of a back up DM and it seems pep is trying to sort that out.

CB is a bit short, but Pique,Puyol,Milito (baring he does pick up a serious injury) is OK, we have way too many talented CB in barca atletic to be worried about that.

LB, we are fine with for this season, but i agree that next summer, abidal should be leaving, unless the club thinks planas has a future at LB, in which case i would give abidal two more season, just to let planas develop fully or we could play muniesa their and transition him to CB overtime like we did Puyol.

I'm completely against signing any defender under the age of 27/28, they would just block the progress of our players, i dream of seeing an entire masia back four and with these kids it could be possible soon.

damn straight we have wasted a shit loan of money on some players, if we had spent it more wisely our squad would be sick right now

According to TV3 it's indeed DM where Pep has asked for one more signing, and it's going to be Mascherano. As long as the player knows that he's not going to be an automatic starter for every single game, I'm happy with this. Anything up to 25m is fine, though of course if Liverpool fancy Caceres (can play at both fullback positions, which is an area that needs improvement in their squad) or Hleb they can have them and allow the fee to be lower.

the squad would be complete and damn near perfect with marsh in the team, but he played in the europa league, does that not disqualify him for playing in the CL?.

but i have my doubts this rumor has been going on for too long

Messiah wrote:the squad would be complete and damn near perfect with marsh in the team, but he played in the europa league, does that not disqualify him for playing in the CL?.

but i have my doubts this rumor has been going on for too long

No, matches played in the qualifying rounds before the 3rd qualifying round do not count towards European eligibility. And, conveniently, Mascherano did not play against Trabzonspor.

So is it true Milan are stealing Adrià Carmona from you guys?

Jaime wrote:So is it true Milan are stealing Adrià Carmona from you guys?

yeah, a good young player that won the U-17 championship with spain a few years a go.

but just another midget winger which we seem to be producing in spades these days.

has been injured quite often as well over the passed few years, will be back in spain in a few years like Iago

So Pep said today that there may be another signing coming and the Catalan media saying that it could very well be Mascherano..

I would be very pleased with that

2nd leg of the Super Cup tonight

Pep has called up 24 players and will only announce his 18 man squad 1 hr before the game: the 19 first team players plus the outcasts Hleb, Caceres, and Victor Sanchez plus Jonathan and Thiago from the B team.

I think we can score 2-3 goals but not optimistic about keeping a clean sheet

if braga did it then we can do it as well

Mascherano to barca to be completed soon says sport

I'm not so sure it's that close...I have a feeling that a lot depends on the Ibrahimovic situation, and we could be 'open' till the last moments of the transfer window.

I really hope we keep Ibra. He is the only one that can add a physical aspect to the game when it is needed. Of course, it is an awfully expensive player to have sitting around to add a plan b.

However, I dont see anybody buying him, and I am not really interested in Adebayor or Robinho in an exchange. Robinho is too similar to what we already have and both a primadonnas.

Fingers crossed that we end up signing Mascherano though

I don't really think it depends too much on the ibra situation, as it not like we don't have the money to sign him

Messiah wrote:I don't really think it depends too much on the ibra situation, as it not like we don't have the money to sign him

No but I think it may matter indirectly. ie. they don't want to commit to anything until all possible permutations are known. Player exchange is possible...though I don't see what midfielder we could get from either City or Milan. Yaya Toure perhaps?

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btw, some interesting comments today from Adebayor about re-evaluating his situation in January if he isn't a regular starter, etc. So Monday's game against Liverpool will be interesting. After the 4-5-1-0 disaster against Spurs, I doubt Mancini will leave him out again, but if he does, then who knows...

English press take that to mean a bid from Madrid is forthcoming, given Mourinho's desire for a physical target man escape clause.

fcb wrote:

Messiah wrote:I don't really think it depends too much on the ibra situation, as it not like we don't have the money to sign him

No but I think it may matter indirectly. ie. they don't want to commit to anything until all possible permutations are known. Player exchange is possible...though I don't see what midfielder we could get from either City or Milan. Yaya Toure perhaps?

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btw, some interesting comments today from Adebayor about re-evaluating his situation in January if he isn't a regular starter, etc. So Monday's game against Liverpool will be interesting. After the 4-5-1-0 disaster against Spurs, I doubt Mancini will leave him out again, but if he does, then who knows...

English press take that to mean a bid from Madrid is forthcoming, given Mourinho's desire for a physical target man escape clause.

Yaya/Masherano + cash for ibra from man city/liverpool would be nice

El Barcelona alcanza un acuerdo con Mascherano

El Barcelona ya ha alcanzado un acuerdo con Mascherano para que el argentino se convierta en nuevo jugador azulgrana, según anunció este domingo la emisora catalana RAC1. Ahora falta concretar la negociación con el Liverpool, con el que todavía existen unas ostensibles diferencias.

El Barça está dispuesto a pagar 15 millones más variables por el centrocampista argentino, mientras que los ingleses no bajan de 26 millones de euros.

Mascherano no jugará ante el Manchester City el partido que cierra la segunda jornada de la Premier y parece que el fichaje podría acelerarse dadas las peticiones de Guardiola.

http://www.marca.com/2010/08/23/futbol/equipos/barcelona/1282517855.html?a=PROCT1ea85621d8b9a9620e22dd285d069ec3&t=1282522160

Tapping up!

3/4 million desperates the parties in the mascherano deal.

Caceres is looking more and more likekly to stay.



-------------------------------VV/Pinto

---Adriano/Alves---Pique/Caceres--Puyol/Milito---Abidal/Maxwell

-----------------------------Busi/Masch

---------------Xavi/JDS--------------------Iniesta/Keita/Thiago

-------Messi/Pedro-------------Ibra/Bojan-----Villa/Jeffern


What a squad that it, not too thin and "arsenal like" now is it, all with the addition of one player.

We could play both Busiquets and Mascherano, in midfield in a game that we are really going for it, with alves and maxwell, bombing up the flanks and iniesta on the wings.

in fact that would be my preferred emergency team