The Neymar departure has really sunk this team. Instead of adding another attacker to compliment Neymar and Suarez, and having Messi drop deeper, we're left without a plan. It was preseason, but we looked stout with Neymar. Now we look like a toothless dog. I don't entirely agree on the Rakitic assessment, but iniesta has gone downhill fast. He should have taken some notes from xavi. Pique looks like he's running around in sand with cinder blocks strapped to his feet. We do need signings, but we also need to get back to the masia roots. There's been a complete role reversal between Barca and Real.
Who leaves in the midfield? Find someone to take Arda. Rafinha? We need a minimum of two if not three. We need to give Alena some minutes this year
Anything less than Dembele and Coutinho and this window is a complete failure. I think the style of play has become too easy to defend for the other big clubs. I don't get what Paulinho brings to the club at all, whats needed is someone to take over for Iniesta, because I don't think he has it on a consistent basis anymore, and obviously someone to play LW. Just so much wasted money the last few years is catching up in terms of depth and quality.
Fuck yes Dembele. Also, Gomes didn't look like a complete dickhead when he subbed on, which was nice. Paulinho didn't look half bad either
Welp, dembele going down is rough, but was nice to pull that one out, especially with Messi not getting on the scoresheet.
Even with all the hate, Paulinho has a build that we simply don't have on his roster. Can make those runs into the box from the midfield and finish chances
Ernesto Valverde says Barcelona suspect star signing Ousmane Dembele suffered a torn hamstring against Getafe. Dembele had to be withdrawn in the first half of his side's dramatic 2-1 victory on Saturday, leaving the field after sustaining the problem while attempting a back-heel near the corner flag when the match was still goalless. Barca confirmed during the game that the 20-year-old had suffered the problem in his left hamstring during what was his full LaLiga debut and would undergo tests to determine the severity of his injury. And Valverde fears it is a muscle tear, although he will wait until he has a definite diagnosis before speculating over how long Dembele will be out. "He is going to have to spend some time on the sidelines," Valverde told reporters after the match. "It is a muscle problem. We think it is a tear, but we will do more tests on Sunday." Read more at https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/barcelona-fear-hamstring-tear-injured-dembele#utmEybFTi925Odhe.99
Curious to see how Paulinho does. Was hoping we'd give Iniesta a breather and get Gomes some play to see exactly where he's at. 1Marc-André ter Stegen 3Gerard Piqué 14Javier Mascherano 19Lucas Digne 2Nelson Semedo 5Sergio Busquets 8Andrés Iniesta 15Paulinho 10Lionel Messi 16Gerard Deulofeu 6Denis Suárez
I'm pissed because fubotv went tits up on me right before the game started. I'm even more pissed because psvue decided to drop bein sports, putting me in this situation in the first place. I think it's because my trial is over, but it keeps coming up with an unknown error when I try to punch in my card info
From the Forlan commentary article, it sounds like Messi was trying to manage the situation a bit. References how Neymar ended up taking 11 penalties at Barca. And Forlan is right in that Neymar would never have tried to pull that stunt with Messi. Neymar's ego is going to be a nightmare to deal with now that he thinks he has his own team, not to mention all of the Brazilians he's surrounded by that will capitulate to his every whim, as already evidenced by Alves's actions. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ex...d-NOT-disrespect-Messi-like-Cavani-Forlan/amp
Huh. Gomes is starting. Not sure if we're rolling a true 4-4-2 or if one of iniesta/Gomes will be playing more up front. Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; Gomes, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez
What a nail biting finish. Can't complain about a draw there. Gomes had a great game. He should have been moved back andto the left earlier. Umtiti was stellar once again.
This is fine Kylian Mbappe's agent has said his client wanted to join Barcelona in the summer before securing a lucrative loan switch from AS Monaco to Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking to Spanish source El Partidazo of Cope (h/t Marca, via ESPN.co.uk's Sam Marsden), Josep Maria Minguella revealed: "Mbappe said he only wanted to sign for Barcelona when he learned that Neymar was going to go to PSG. "Barca could have had him for €120m plus €30m in variables. I spoke to his father and he only wanted to join Barca—he would have loved to play with [Lionel] Messi. "It was very difficult to get through to [Barca president Josep Maria] Bartomeu, but I told him that Neymar was done [to PSG] and that he should sign Mbappe."
Very concerned about his form at this point. Messi can't be called upon do it alone, especially in a WC cylcle. Need to see what Alcacer can do for a few games. Dembele can't get back soon enough
So wtf are we going to do next weekend against Valencia? Pique is suspended due to yellow card accumulation and mascherano will still be out due to injury. Do we role out a back three and 5 man midfield? Plug in Vermaelen? I'm thinking Busquets at CB, but that could see the MF become completely stagnant and disjointed. Rakitic, Paulinho, Iniesta MF? Maybe Roberto instead of Paulinho since he has more defensive experience? #Barcelona
I just don't see any way that can play out positively. I think Valverde has to either gamble and see if the MF can function without Busquets manning the development. Or role with a 5 man MF Semedo - Umtiti - Alba Busquets - Rakitic Roberto - Paulinho - Iniesta Alcacer - Suarez - Messi Roberto would have to bomb up and down the field to fill in defensively as well. And our fullbacks would have to stay home more, which isn't ideal at all. This also leaves our MF thin with subs. I just don't see any way we can throw Verm out there against the most potent attacking team in the league this year.
And one last thing: fuck dropping all of that coin on Coutinho. As long as they're willing to invest that much transfer money in a player, the target should be Griezmann. Try to get whatever for Suarez (which Messi is allegedly against). Griezmann Iniesta (Roberto) - Messi - Dembele Busquets - Rakitic Alba - Umtiti - Pique (Mina/___) - Semedo Ter Stegen Griezmann and Messi occupying different levels of the middle would be insane. Griezmann is currently toiling because he gets marked into oblivion quite often and Atleti aren't as deep as they used to be. I think Roberto is more in his element as a MF. He's not the ideal Iniesta replacement, but I think he's an incredibly underrated and underutilized player.
He hasn't played a game for Barca in two years. But it looks like we may have no option due to injuries and suspensions.
Also, ter Stegen has transformed into a beast. Feels like almost every game he pulls out some wizardry-level save. Our defense has finally gotten a bit better since the post-puyol years, but I think a lot of that credit goes to MATS. He's come a long way since his first couple of shaky years (granted, he was just a boy). Much credit to whoever scouted him and brought him in. It was a perfect transition between ter Stegen playing copa (and I think even CL) and Bravo.