Do we need a new Forward for Next season?

danyjr wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:Left forward predominantly, though he can clearly play across all positions.

BarcaKizz wrote:Neymar a winger lol.

GG

Not sure what you mean here... but I'm guessing you don't know what a winger really is...

danyjr wrote:I can't speak for everyone but the reason why some believe a new forward will be a good addition is perhaps lack of an alternative goal scorer in addition to Messi or possibly adding an extra dimension to the squad. In previous years Barcelona had Eto'o, Zlatan, Pedro, Villa, Henry who scored plenty for Barça. This season Barcelona's second top scorer (Fàbregas) only has scored 15 goals across all competitions.

But we have a guarantee of goals: Villa and Pedro. I understand why some people might be reluctant to trust them, but I think that if they keep away from injuries they should be a guarantee of goals. Pedro already looked like his old self at the last match, perhaps too late.

We don't need a forward for next season. We have a limited budget so a back will be the thing we will need. Spend the money in that area.

....
Buy Neymar, this summer !

I think, this is the best solution, we can't take risk now...
Villa is 32 and is coming from a 6 month injury, its very likely that he wouldn't be at his best... So, we might face the same problem we faced this season, relying on Messi in all games to score and win us games.. Messi can't score 50-60+ goals every season.. we need to think for the near future...

Llorente, RVP, Cavani etc... World Class Forwards, that's true, but there's a big possibility that they under perform at Barca like Ibra by not fitting in the system..

It's true that Llorente and Cavani are much more hard-workers than Ibra (better at press etc..), but we'll have to play them as CFs, and that's the last think we should think of, especially that Messi is breaking all these records with brilliant performances in every game this season (as a CF).

We need an inside Forward (finisher, mobile), Neymar is also a very gd dribbler and gd passer (not bad vision), he's just 20 and has a lot of room to improve, he might cost 35-40 M, but Cavani Llorente (5-7 years older) will cost us a similar figure..

So, i want NEYMAR!!! :S

personally, i dont think barca need to sign a new forward, (you can completely disregard this if it sounds stupid cause i dont watch barca.). i mean, you mention last season that you had two other players (villa and pedro) who both scored 20+ goals last season and you want another player similar due to villas injury and how he recovers and pedros form (going off what i've read btw, again disregard if sound dumb), but look at this seasons stats, you might have had more players but they've scored atleast roughly the same amount of goals between them. look at say pedro who has 11 goals and villa who has 9, thats only 20 right, but xavi and fabregas combined have 29 goals, then you have cuenca and tello who you can rotate more next season combining for 11, and iniesta staying roughly the same as last season (according to wiki, 9 last season, 8 this one), and then you add in alexis, who has 15 by himself.

Sure enough i dont know barcas last season squad and if they let people go over the summer, but if they keep this squad for next season (as if you won't) then i dont think buying a new forward is necessary, just further rotating and keeping tello and cuenca in the first team squad, and it wont do any harm to you guys if messi bangs out another 60+ goal season.

just my thoughts and like i said, i dont know much about last season and i dont exactly watch barca, but i just think buying a new forward isn't necessary. and another thought i had just then, you really just have to sit tight with this squad, possibly lose villa and just replace him with tello/cuenca and then you can grab nerman in 2014 and you're all set to continue being #1.

BarcaKizz wrote:Not sure what you mean here... but I'm guessing you don't know what a winger really is...

What do you call these players in their team's current formation?

1. C. Ronaldo
2. dí Maria
3. Lennon
4. Mata
5. Muniain
6. Nani
7. Pedro
8. Ribéry
9. Robben
10. Villa

What is the meaning of winger? How do you define one and what qualities do you associate with a winger? For me anyone who plays on the sides, or wings and his job is to give width to the play is called winger. In a 4-3-3, I call the two wide men up front wingers. In a 4-2-3-1, I call the two players going wide wingers. Call them side forwards, or wing forwards if you like. I'm guessing you are emphasising on their 'forward' goal-scoring abilities (e.g. C. Ronaldo, Villa, Neymar).

Perhaps by winger you mean the stereotypical pacey player who hugs the touchline for most of the match and loves to cross. In that sense I'd agree with you that Neymar doesn't fit the bill well here. To me however, good wingers nowadays have good dribbling skills, can cut in as as well as going wide, strike the ball fairly well and help in covering full backs while defending.

Wikipedia wrote:The typical abilities of wingers include:

• Technical skill to beat a full-back in a one-to-one situation.
  
• Pace, to beat the full-back one-on-one.
  
• Crossing ability when out wide.
  
• Good off-the-ball ability when reading a pass from the midfield or from fellow attackers.
  
• Good passing ability and composure, to retain possession while in opposition territory.
  
• The modern winger should also be comfortable on either wing so as to adapt to quick tactical changes required by the coach.

Yup, we need. Inside forward with great dribbling ability who can score +25 goals in season. Two names come to my mind: KUN, NERMAN. Any of them would be awesome, but both are pretty unrealistic.

No one beside those two would excite me. All others will be like Sanchez signing - meh for me. Hopefully we won't overpaid for new not good enough forward like we did with Alexis transfer.

Ranking all names listed to us so far:

1 - Buy, no matter what: NERMAN
2 - Good, but buy on proper price: Llorente
3 - Don't buy IMO, too old and expensive: Van Persie, Torres
4 - Meh, another meh signing: Adrian

I don't believe we will buy Llorente, they won't sell to us. Probably we will become second Arsenal and buy another Arsenal product - Van Persie. I won't cry if we sign him, but I won't be excited either. Adrian signing is another Sanchez like signing for me - very meh.

Barca fans begging for Nerman after calling him sh*t when he was linked with us

Oh and Adrian is very good imo, Villa's successor imo.

I am not begging for Nerman, I wasn't calling him sh*t in the past summer. I said that I would like awesome dribbler with goalscoring skills. In the type of Aguero, Neymar. Do you know more players like them? Any ideas?

As for Adrian, he doesn't excite me, just like I wasn't hot on Giuseppe Rossi transfer. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Adrian is good enough for us.

We would probably buy Van Persie anyway and be Arsenal 2. I have some funny theory about Barca becoming second Arsenal, do you want to hear that?

Khaled wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Robben? Why? He doesnt fit at all.

Anyway, yes, I really believe we do. I dont believe in just hoping Villa comes back to his old level of a full season ago now.

I think we should wait until the Euro, to see if Villa can play and judge his performance...

The problem is that we already have Messi, Pedro, Alexis, Tello, Cuenca, Villa and Afellay.
If we want to buy a new Forward (i also prefer Neymar), we have to sell 2 players...

Who do u think should/could leave the club, if we buy Neymar this summer?

Forget About Cuenca and Tello. They are very nice young players, but not at that level we we need to consider them in our plans when signing someone.

Are they even being promoted?

I dont know if Neymar should or even would come this summer.

Madrid fans hyping Nerman when he was linked with Madrid, now call him crap.

The Franchise wrote:Madrid fans hyping Nerman when he was linked with Madrid, now call him crap.

Different Madrid "fans" do different things.

Anyway....I don't think Defoleu will be happy if they make a move like that for someone so young, it'll basically be a Higuain/Benzema situation in a couple years.

Le Samourai wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Madrid fans hyping Nerman when he was linked with Madrid, now call him crap.

Different Madrid "fans" do different things.

Response to zeal, it is what it is.

Khaled wrote:....
Buy Neymar, this summer !

I think, this is the best solution, we can't take risk now...
Villa is 32 and is coming from a 6 month injury, its very likely that he wouldn't be at his best... So, we might face the same problem we faced this season, relying on Messi in all games to score and win us games.. Messi can't score 50-60+ goals every season.. we need to think for the near future...

Llorente, RVP, Cavani etc... World Class Forwards, that's true, but there's a big possibility that they under perform at Barca like Ibra by not fitting in the system..

It's true that Llorente and Cavani are much more hard-workers than Ibra (better at press etc..), but we'll have to play them as CFs, and that's the last think we should think of, especially that Messi is breaking all these records with brilliant performances in every game this season (as a CF).

We need an inside Forward (finisher, mobile), Neymar is also a very gd dribbler and gd passer (not bad vision), he's just 20 and has a lot of room to improve, he might cost 35-40 M, but Cavani Llorente (5-7 years older) will cost us a similar figure..

So, i want NEYMAR!!! :S

Agreed completely, we need Nerman now.

danyjr wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:Not sure what you mean here... but I'm guessing you don't know what a winger really is...

What do you call these players in their team's current formation?

1. C. Ronaldo
2. dí Maria
3. Lennon
4. Mata
5. Muniain
6. Nani
7. Pedro
8. Ribéry
9. Robben
10. Villa

What is the meaning of winger? How do you define one and what qualities do you associate with a winger? For me anyone who plays on the sides, or wings and his job is to give width to the play is called winger. In a 4-3-3, I call the two wide men up front wingers. In a 4-2-3-1, I call the two players going wide wingers. Call them side forwards, or wing forwards if you like. I'm guessing you are emphasising on their 'forward' goal-scoring abilities (e.g. C. Ronaldo, Villa, Neymar).

Perhaps by winger you mean the stereotypical pacey player who hugs the touchline for most of the match and loves to cross. In that sense I'd agree with you that Neymar doesn't fit the bill well here. To me however, good wingers nowadays have good dribbling skills, can cut in as as well as going wide, strike the ball fairly well and help in covering full backs while defending.

Wikipedia wrote:The typical abilities of wingers include:

• Technical skill to beat a full-back in a one-to-one situation.
  
• Pace, to beat the full-back one-on-one.
  
• Crossing ability when out wide.
  
• Good off-the-ball ability when reading a pass from the midfield or from fellow attackers.
  
• Good passing ability and composure, to retain possession while in opposition territory.
  
• The modern winger should also be comfortable on either wing so as to adapt to quick tactical changes required by the coach.

My point was Neymar is definitely not a winger. He is comfortable playing not completely centrally, but he will drift inside etc. and play freely. Generally, however, my understanding is that he plays as a free forward alongside Borges up front for Santos.

Yes, what you say about my understanding of a winger is generally true. Traditional wingers aren't used nearly as much in the modern game, partly because of the idea that fullbacks can provide plenty of width now. I wouldn't classify Barca forwards as wingers. Perhaps the only ones we have who can play like that are Cuenca and Pedro.

You wouldn't ever say Neymar's best position in a 4-4-2 for example is one of the wide spots. He's better centrally. As is Villa for example. However, at Barca, its a bit different and those players can get around the edge of the box because of how high we play.

Neymar would need to learn some discipline, but largely I'd hope we give him some freedom, because he's an expressive player.

He is a versatile player and comfortable playing anywhere. On the wings, close to touchline, down the middle, left, right. He played the most of last season as well as start of this season on the left wing with Borges as CF and Danilo on the right in the 4-3-3 formation. This season Santos have changed into a variety of (diamond midfield) 4-4-2 with Arouca pushing down the right wing, making it effectively a 4-3-3 when Santos attack.

I agree, you won't be getting the best out of him if you play him out wide in a 4-4-2, because he has a tendency (and a gift) to drift centrally not to mention he will make one of your forwards redundant! But can he not be called a winger? In modern terms, I would say why not. Then again our definition of the term 'winger' differ but I think we both agree on his qualities and where he performs best.

If Villa and Pedro can get back to their best from,then no.
But thats a big if and we cant really go into the season against an all guns blazing Madrid with such a big if.
So yes,we need a goal scoring forward.One who can be a game breaker in the final third when Messi has an off day
Ideal signing would be Kun Aguero but there is zero chance of that happening.
We had our chance and blew it.
Next best option,no idea whatsoever.Not sold on Llorente.Messi is there in the middle to stay and even if we play him as a 10,there needs to be runner in front of him,not another target man(one reason why Ibra didnt work,besides the fact that he is garbage).
I would really like us to put in a cheeky bid for Di Maria.Madrid dont seem to rate him very highly and there is no harm in putting in a bid.
Not sold on the Neymar hype.

*bleep* dí Maria. He's a overrated diver with piss poor decision making. The only player you might want to sign from Madrid is Avatar Eyes.

danyjr wrote:*bleep* dí Maria. He's a overrated diver with piss poor decision making. The only player you might want to sign from Madrid is Avatar Eyes.

If anything he is underrated.Its strange that most Madrid fans too dont rate him highly.
I think he is a terrific player.If Madrid keep undervaluing him(I heard that he is on 2 mil a year) I would love for us to put in a cheeky bid.
he is not a Perez signing,doesnt bring in the big bucks so we might actually get him.
He will become a superstar with us.

Until Mou is the coach, Madrid will not sell him. Di Maria is his favourite player.

Anyway, i don't think Di Maria's rushing style fit Barcelona's passing football. it can destabilize your Tiki Taka, he's much more direct than Cesc.

Alex what qualities exactly do you like about Di Maria.

In your system , what I can see him doing is getting the ball on the wing beating his man and freestyling from there, he's very good at that.

But there are some serious flaws that specifically make him a bit unsuitable. He'll dribble into traffic and lose the ball a vouple times a game and he'll attempt a killer through ball basically everytime he sees someone make a run.

Now that could be a desirable quality but it will result in losing posession more often than not.

Regardless.....we won't sell him , at least not to Barca.

watching di maria with his 60% pass completion would be interesting in barca

alexjanosik wrote:If Villa and Pedro can get back to their best from,then no.
But thats a big if and we cant really go into the season against an all guns blazing Madrid with such a big if.
So yes,we need a goal scoring forward.One who can be a game breaker in the final third when Messi has an off day
Ideal signing would be Kun Aguero but there is zero chance of that happening.
We had our chance and blew it.
Next best option,no idea whatsoever.Not sold on Llorente.Messi is there in the middle to stay and even if we play him as a 10,there needs to be runner in front of him,not another target man(one reason why Ibra didnt work,besides the fact that he is garbage).
I would really like us to put in a cheeky bid for Di Maria.Madrid dont seem to rate him very highly and there is no harm in putting in a bid.
Not sold on the Neymar hype.

Top post, I agree with everything, especially with a bolded part.

We don't have a chance to buy Di Maria alex. As for Neymar, I prefer him than buying Van Persie, Torres or another 28 + year old striker.

it's funny how alex rates di maria higher than almost every madrid fan bar me

but he is in a long term contract if i'm right. no way madrid will want to sell him

In my opinion Villa and Pedro deserve a chance to prove themselves throughout the season, and if by winter it's clear that they're not good enough, then buy Nerman then.