FC Barcelona - Campeones de España y Europa!

fcb wrote:Well one of the main policies of the club implemented by Guardiola/Txiki and continued by Zubi, is that any players signed have to be grounded personalities with a stable life off the pitch. Neymar would go totally against that, which is why I think his signing is very unlikely.

fcb wrote:Well one of the main policies of the club implemented by Guardiola/Txiki and continued by Zubi, is that any players signed have to be grounded personalities with a stable life off the pitch. Neymar would go totally against that, which is why I think his signing is very unlikely.

Sanchez has a lot of hype about him this season. I've only seen him once or twice - very explosive player, a faster, more flair-y version of Pedro. But he's tiny, even by our standards! And based on reports that I've read, there's doubts over his ability to play a more cultured game when required...he's apparently too focused on just bursting forward directly to goal all the time.

The Easter Bunny wrote:

fcb wrote:Well one of the main policies of the club implemented by Guardiola/Txiki and continued by Zubi, is that any players signed have to be grounded personalities with a stable life off the pitch. Neymar would go totally against that, which is why I think his signing is very unlikely.

Sanchez has a lot of hype about him this season. I've only seen him once or twice - very explosive player, a faster, more flair-y version of Pedro. But he's tiny, even by our standards! And based on reports that I've read, there's doubts over his ability to play a more cultured game when required...he's apparently too focused on just bursting forward directly to goal all the time.

abundance wrote:Ah, Neymar: looks great but for what concerns me I'm gonna take any under 21 brazilian with a big price tag with a quintuple grain of salt.

Skill is not disputed and it's not a matter of bad reputation, it's just that to make it to the top of the current european game you need to be very mature, professional and ambitious, and the hype on young brazilians gets in the way of this a lot.

Clubs are endlessly searching for the new Pelè, Romario or Ronaldo, but when the price is already over 20 or 30 millions it's just not worth the gamble.

Especially for a club like Barca, which has the budget and the prestige to pry a 22/23 estabilished star from the hands of any club in Europe (well, bar Real).

abundance wrote:How's Ganso fitness after the latest injury?
He really looks a finished product but two serious injuries on the same knee so early in the career are always scary...

fcb wrote:Here we go then...the much talked about (mostly by Messiah) Gerrard Deulofeu is included in the squad of 19 players that will travel to San Sebastien for the game against La Real this weekend. Doubt he'll make his debut, but interesting that he's been fast-tracked, having hardly featured with the B team.

fcb wrote:Yes, and Valencia's crossing (esp. if Valdes comes, or doesn't come, or comes, or doesn't come...for them). But the idea is that if the midfield can keep the ball and not give Man. Utd. too many chances to counter, they can't create that much. Plus Hernandez will have a real test to play against a defensive line as high as Barça's. His usually excellent movement will have to be even better to stay onside.

fcb wrote:Well there's no doubt he's ended up a bit wider than initially expected. I thought he'd play his Valencia/Spain role where he used to drift in from the left channel anyway. He started like that, but in recent months has become more of a winger, like you say.

Still, I don't see what other choice Guardiola has - do you play one of the best players of all time in the role where he can do the most damage, or do you reduce his effectiveness by moving him to the right so that Villa can play central? Letting Messi roam in central areas won't quite work either, he'll just get in Villa's way and crowd the middle even more. And Pedro isn't really comfortable on the left...yes, he's more or less two-footed, but still favours his right for dribbling and shooting.

In theory it sounds like it could work beautifully with everybody interchanging merrily and creating havoc...but as Hleb pointed out above, Pep's style is attacking and pretty, but very deliberate. There's no "go out there and have fun" about this. The set patterns and combinations are very clear to see.


Re. Sanchez, the story is that his agent/s met with Barça representatives in a hotel last week. No idea whether that was just to get an idea of the market, or if they are really on the way to a transfer. But it does seem to be true that Sanchez/Neymar/Rossi are the shortlist of 3, from which one will be chosen as the attacker reinforcement for next season. My vote goes for Rossi, but Abundance made a pretty good post a page or two ago explaining the pros/cons of each of the three.

Cesc and a defender (CB or RB) will presumably be the other two targets. And apparently the club is close to signing some 20 year old Argentinian keeper called Andrade...he'll spend a year with the B team, then replace Pinto as Valdes' backup.