PSG vs Barcelona

I'm okay with a 2-3 loss, but I just hope we get more then 1 away goal this time.

Abidal will not play until PSG second leg when we reach the semi's...

I'm all for Dani's lineup!

only problem with Dani's line up is I don't remember any half decent game of Villa playing on the right

Hes not really on the right, thats the same position he played vs Milan.

Right… It make sense now. With Messi playing a little deeper.
I’d like that. Anyway it’s safe to say that based on recent performances Cesc isn’t starting, which is more than enough for me

Maybe if we leave him out all of the big games its enough to make him leave

how much could we cash if we sell him? not that it's on our management's minds but still...

Cesc worth is probably around 40 million. If we shipped him to some sheikh probably more.
I'm not happy with him either but I wouldn't sell him. He was good at the beginning of the season, he needs to find consistency. Also, in a couple of years we could regret selling him a lot when xavi is off and iniesta starts to age.

The Franchise wrote:Maybe if we leave him out all of the big games its enough to make him leave

Maybe then Wenger will start saying in the media that he is willing to take Cesc back who will then once again be torn between his "love" for Arsenal and his "love" for Barcelona.

It has been a similar story for Cesc this season as last. Started off very strongly- and has become shat at the end. I'm not sure what we should do with him to be perfectly honest. I feel like we should keep him, but maybe if he stays long enough he can somehow find himself a spot in our midfield. His game and consistency would need to change. I have normally defended him though his criticism and I will continue to do so until I am absolutely convinced that signing him was a mistake.

For anything over 30, I would sell.

Would we have a problem when Xavi becomes what Puyol is now (half retired) and Iniesta ages? Depends on the guys behind Thiago, the likes of Sergi Samper and such. But I would worry about that when that times comes really.

Dont get me wrong, im not desperate to sell him, not if he is willing to start on the bench in the important games/75% of the games..but what I am saying is, if he is unhappy with that I would much rather he leave than we change the system for him.

free_cat wrote:Cesc worth is probably around 40 million. If we shipped him to some sheikh probably more.
I'm not happy with him either but I wouldn't sell him. He was good at the beginning of the season, he needs to find consistency. Also, in a couple of years we could regret selling him a lot when xavi is off and iniesta starts to age.

Because in his almost 2 seasons here now he's shown the ability to control the tempo of the game, composure, precision passing, and mobility required to take over for Xavi or Iniesta.

Oh wait...

He's a lost lamb in the midfield and that hasn't changed. How can he replace Xavi or Iniesta? He can't.

What's the use of a player like Cesc if we don't play him in big games anymore (like it might look like) because we play so much better without him? It's clear he doesn't fit here, he can't play in the midfield, and that hasn't changed.

I'm convinced selling him will be best for all parties.

CBarca wrote:

free_cat wrote:Cesc worth is probably around 40 million. If we shipped him to some sheikh probably more.
I'm not happy with him either but I wouldn't sell him. He was good at the beginning of the season, he needs to find consistency. Also, in a couple of years we could regret selling him a lot when xavi is off and iniesta starts to age.

Because in his almost 2 seasons here now he's shown the ability to control the tempo of the game, composure, precision passing, and mobility required to take over for Xavi or Iniesta.

Oh wait...

He's a lost lamb in the midfield and that hasn't changed. How can he replace Xavi or Iniesta? He can't.

What's the use of a player like Cesc if we don't play him in big games anymore (like it might look like) because we play so much better without him? It's clear he doesn't fit here, he can't play in the midfield, and that hasn't changed.

I'm convinced selling him will be best for all parties.

The thing is that probably no one can replace Xavi and Iniesta.

If we keep this in mind, Cesc is not that bad. He has actually dominated the midfield in some games and played well. But it's like he "forgets" what he has to do suddenly. He is very inconsitent.

Who would we get to replace Xavi and iniesta in the future? Only player I can think of is Wilshere.

Thiago works better for us then Wilshere can, besides Jack has a large chance of being another potential english prodigy and lose it due to injury.

free_cat wrote:

CBarca wrote:

free_cat wrote:Cesc worth is probably around 40 million. If we shipped him to some sheikh probably more.
I'm not happy with him either but I wouldn't sell him. He was good at the beginning of the season, he needs to find consistency. Also, in a couple of years we could regret selling him a lot when xavi is off and iniesta starts to age.

Because in his almost 2 seasons here now he's shown the ability to control the tempo of the game, composure, precision passing, and mobility required to take over for Xavi or Iniesta.

Oh wait...

He's a lost lamb in the midfield and that hasn't changed. How can he replace Xavi or Iniesta? He can't.

What's the use of a player like Cesc if we don't play him in big games anymore (like it might look like) because we play so much better without him? It's clear he doesn't fit here, he can't play in the midfield, and that hasn't changed.

I'm convinced selling him will be best for all parties.

The thing is that probably no one can replace Xavi and Iniesta.

If we keep this in mind, Cesc is not that bad. He has actually dominated the midfield in some games and played well. But it's like he "forgets" what he has to do suddenly. He is very inconsitent.

Who would we get to replace Xavi and iniesta in the future? Only player I can think of is Wilshere.

Wilshere can't do it. That's not his role and that's not what he's best at.

Cesc has looked bad, like, BAD when he's been in the midfield. Thiago outperforms him and by that same logic we should say that Thiago should take over. And he should. Iniesta has many years left in him too so by the time he needs to go we'll probably have someone else lined up, and if not him, we can look for someone else.

I am sure Cesc is not the answer though.

Would Pep take him at Bayern?

It'll be very hard to replace Xavi . The team might have to play a bit more directly after he retires because you don't easily find a player like Xavi .
Thus, i really don't know if Cesc should leave or stay right now. I believe that he could become an important player after Xavi leaves but it's a risk .

For 30 m i'd sell him though but who is goign to pay that much for him ..

free_cat wrote:Cesc worth is probably around 40 million. If we shipped him to some sheikh probably more.
I'm not happy with him either but I wouldn't sell him. He was good at the beginning of the season, he needs to find consistency. Also, in a couple of years we could regret selling him a lot when xavi is off and iniesta starts to age.

is there anyways real madrid could buy him? after kaka is kicked out, cesc could be ozil's sub

The irony is that Fabregas would be shitting all over Özil in Real Madrid's system where he would be playing right behind the striker and just needs to deliver the final ball instead of understanding the 20-30 passing move patterns of Barcelona and how to orchestrate a midfield with 100+ passes while at the same time having the pressure of Xavi and Iniesta breathing behind his neck.

He's got 72 goals and 118 assists in his last 7 seasons which means he's averaging 10 goals and almost 20 assists per season, most of those numbers averaged at a very young age while playing alongside crap at Arsenal like Bendtner, Arshavin, Rosicky etc. There is a reason why he was tagged with a € 60 million price tag by Wenger when Barca started sniffing around and Özil went for € 18 million despite being only a year younger.

Cesc can't be moulded into a midfield orchestrator. He's a creator and not a distributor. Forget Xavi, he's not even an Iniesta type of player ( #8 ). Ideally he plays even further forward as a #10, close to the box, away from central midfield. Just like Pep used him in his 3-4-3 and where he thrived. Positionally he's actually competing with Messi more than with Iniesta.

Incredible player but just another case of Barca not giving a *bleep* about specific player positions and expecting them to be world class all over the pitch.

If Xavi is ok I would play:

VV
Alves Pique Bartra Alba

Xavi - Busquets - Iniesta

Villa - Messi - Alexis

Bartra over Mascherano because we need aerial presence and to avoid the 1 goal/huge mistake per game that Mascherano costs us.
Tello would deserve to play, but I'm choosing Alexis for his energy and defensive contribution as we don't have Pedro. Tello would come in the second half for Villa or Alexis.

If Xavi is not OK or risks a setback, I would play Thiago in his place.

why not Tello Free?
He seems on form right now

Defence. I trust Villa and Messi to score and Alexis to help alot our midfield and fullbacks in the 2vs1 to Moura or Lavezzi.

true, Alexis works harder... hopefully he can play a couple of niffty passes too

Good point I neglected, Alexis workrate and defensive ability.

That's cute

But seriously lol at that hair colour