Apologies...I guess I mistook his bursting runs out of the backline for pace... I swear he wasn't the slow... I'll have to watch him again. To me then, there's next to noone out there that can replace Puyol, Abidal... Maybe Vermaelen? Thoughts?

I don't see us buying a CB unless Puyol retires early due to injury. We're much more prone to promote.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I don't see us buying a CB unless Puyol retires early due to injury. We're much more prone to promote.

Ditto.

I like Verm, hes a very good player. Another who can play more than one role.

But I dont know, I just dont see us buying a defender for some reason. If Pep left we needed one, I think he would of done it by now.

If we were to sign a CB, I'd prefer a ball-playing CB who could play DM for us when Busi's injured. Kind of like a foil to Mascherano, I suppose.

Arsenal wont sell Verm anyways.......

Isnt Pep going to commit on Bartra or Fontas or someone coming behind if he still has pique, Puyol, Abidal, Masch and Busquets around?

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Arsenal wont sell Verm anyways.......

So they say....Henry, Veira, Overmars, Cesc, I could continue....cough cough.

Yes Nick, I believe so. If he wanted a centerback, he would of got one by now. He has had 2 windows.

I do have to wonder though, where at we going to strengthen in the summer?

Numbers wise, we are actually stacked.

Adriano, Dani Alves, Montoya and Abidal makes 4 fullbacks.

Mascherano, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Fontas make 5 centerback.

Busquets, Keita, JDS makes 3 pivots.

Xavi, Iniesta, Thiago, Cesc, Keita makes 5 midfielders

Messi, Sanchez, Pedro, Villa, Cuenca, Cesc, Affelay and maybe Tello makes 8 forwards.

I am thinking players have to leave before we buy.

Maybe Keita will move and he can bring in another fullback to commit Abidal at CB more often.

If Keita moves, JDS becomes fulltime back up to Busi. 2 is plenty in that position, wont need another.

I could see a new leftback, meaning Abidal can rest more and play a bit more centerback but I dont see the need. Mascherano has back up centerback on lock, him and Puyol probably split minutes equally. Adriano is a better leftback then he is anywhere else on the pitch so whats the use of another leftback when we have 2 players who can play it?

I could see Affelay going on loan because with the awakening of Cuenca and maybe Tello its going to be hard to get minutes if you want to use those two. It was already hard for Ibi before those two kids, with them we might just want to get him playing time after that bad injury.

But that doesnt mean someone will come in to replace him.

Oh Afellay is definitely going to move on, i dont see how he would fit in now.

you guys dont need to sign much at this point.

The Franchise wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Arsenal wont sell Verm anyways.......

So they say....Henry, Veira, Overmars, Cesc, I could continue....cough cough.

Barcelona C

just kidding gunners, don't take it personally : P

Every season someone has to go.

This season I believe the players that need to work to stay are:
-Fontas
-JDS
-Keita
-Afellay
-Cuenca
-Tello

You say we're loaded, but unless Pedro and Villa can rediscover fitness and form, we need a goalscorer. Tello and Cuenca aren't good enough (unless one of them explodes) and Afellay isn't quite the same player (unless he also transforms/explodes after injury).

I could see some loan deals perhaps or possibly the likes of Keita or Afellay moving on if there isn't room. That being said... I'd take Afellay over Cuenca any day.

Isnt Fontas out for the rest of the season? He isnt going to be able to prove anything.

I dont know what Villa and Pedro will recover, but in the summer when its time to make decisions, nobody is going to throw them out and sign someone else. More likely they will return next season and show what they can do.

The Franchise wrote:Isnt Fontas out for the rest of the season? He isnt going to be able to prove anything.

I dont know what Villa and Pedro will recover, but in the summer when its time to make decisions, nobody is going to throw them out and sign someone else. More likely they will return next season and show what they can do.

Yeah. I just mean I see there being a chance of Fontas being let go or loaned. Pep hardly uses him, when I think he could. I'm not sure, maybe he just wants to be patient with him, but I remember a few people here felt it was his age rather than Pep actually rating him which made him get promotion.

As for Villa and Pedro, of course they won't be sold, but I wouldn't be surprised if we aren't that succesful this season and Pep/Sandro wants another forward.

That being said... the desire to balance the books more is helping us move towards youth I feel . Not to mention I strongly believe this is the best generation of youth. If it was me, I'd mainly use B-teamers, but Pep's not Khaled lol

Yep, I believe that. Main reason Fontas is called up in my opinion.

I dont know where another forward will fit. We already have such a huge number unless at least 3 head in the other direction out of Tello, Cuenca, Affelay and Villa. I am 99.9% sure that wont be Villa either.

Barcelona informed AC Milan and the player about their interest in centre back Thiago Silva (27). Transfer fee could be around 30M. [marca]

Know its Marca, but "elmundo deportivo" reported a similiar news 2 days ago.

Khaledbarca wrote:Barcelona informed AC Milan and the player about their interest in centre back Thiago Silva (27). Transfer fee could be around 30M. [marca]

Know its Marca, but "elmundo deportivo" reported a similiar news 2 days ago.

:dance: 30M would be a great deal for the best CB in the world right now

I drop an info for you, which is a lot more reliable than Silva to Barca lmao

Rami is the one player that Barcelona is looking very very closely at. Heard it from RMC last night, they are very reliable in terms of information.

Nick is scared

I like Rami, but no.

Thiagod or nothing is my attitude in terms of buying centerbacks.

Well, he is the player your club is looking at, and from what i heard, barca liked him a lot

The Franchise wrote:I like Rami, but no.

Thiagod or nothing is my attitude in terms of buying centerbacks.

This.

Then you'll be settling for nothing

No worries, we have Bartresi, Muniesta and Sergi Godmez. And to Barçakizz delight, Armando Godzano.

We could include Armando in the Thiago Silva deal. It would be perfect: Kizz would be happy, and Milan would get a young prospect that they could use to replace Thiago Silva after Armando spent a couple of seasons at Milan Primavera reaching a reasonable age to play at Milan.