Transfer Rumours V5

The Franchise wrote:He might do ok, he has some positives (mobility, aerial) but he got flaws in his game (positional awareness, over-eagerness in rushing out)..he is like a aerially competent version of Mascherano with better skills.

Not a long term answer, not at his age, decline or injury issues.

Just not what we need, especially not at that ridiculous cost.

That doesn't sound bad at all lol.

Oh well, now that he's basically ours I guess I'll support him. All in all I'm not against signing a veteran who will allow Marc 'Our Only Hope' Bartra to grow into the next Nesta during our transfer ban.

That just the positives. Mascherano's problems arent just his size.

No positional sense, rushing out to deal with dangers which arent there and not looking across the line to see the offsides.

Who I am talking about?

Verm.

Mascherano at CB is that, but add in persistent fouling.

I remember reading a stat that Barca went goalless in 7 or 8 games in La Liga last season. That was the most since Rijkaard's last season IIRC.

I think goal scoring was a bigger problem than most of you think.

It got a fair amount of criticism last season.

Casciavit wrote:I remember reading a stat that Barca went goalless in 7 or 8 games in La Liga last season. That was the most since Rijkaard's last season IIRC.

I think goal scoring was a bigger problem than most of you think.

I'd have to disagree. My best friend is a huge Barcelona fan and before most were complaining about defense, he was talking to me about how Barca hadn't been keeping clean sheets (this was 3 seasons ago if I recall correctly). Scoring is great, but not conceding goals is more important in my opinion - especially when you reach the later stages of the Champions League.

Saying that the lack of goalscoring is because of the forward line would be just like saying goals conceded are because of the defensive line.

Its all connected and all determined by philosophy, which Martino did his best to ruin.

So I maintain the forward line had minimal problems compared to the defensive line.

Not to mention Messi and Neymar injuries, as well as Neymar not scoring too much in the league. Iniesta didn't show his true form until later in the season too. I agree with Dani, but it's important to remember some of the injury/personnel problems too.

We all know that the frontline really isn't that much of problem atm. Hell even without Alexis, Messi and Neymar is enough firepower if they both can be firing at the same time.

I think many posters in here are stuck in some fantasy football game mentality. In real life, a season lasts a full year, not a couple days. It's not always the goal to buy a young player that's gonna be with you for a decade. We got La Masia for that. When there's holes in a position, it's better getting an experienced player that you know what he's capable of and he can give it for 2 or 3 seasons. In real life 2 seasons is a pretty long time.

Just saying.

Vermaelen for 15 million it's a *bleep* joke, he wasn't even wanted at arsenal and he sucks. at least he is not a pensionist like mathieu.

If we manage to keep him fit he can be useful. On the other hand we are spending without any sensibility

The Franchise wrote:Some of the most stupid decisions I can ever remember one club making over a multiple year period, its literally 1 good move followed up by 5 bad ones.

I couldn't agree more.

windkick wrote:
Jesus...Zubi you ass I have no idea how you go that job.

How he got it is certainly surprising but how he still keeps it is ...

windkick wrote:Also hopefully he has a chip on his shoulder that he still wants to prove he is a good CB and will work his ass off

That's one thought I also had and maybe that one thread for us to hang our hopes by.

The Franchise wrote:Kinda missing the point I orignally made (weeks ago).

Fact is, we paid whatever it took to sign Suarez.

Would of been nice if we paid whatever it took to sign Benatia (or basically any defender in the world money can buy)

I dont see a reason why we didnt. Other than Suarez is a big name and will help in "bringing a new, exciting Barca”

I have had this thought for a very long time. It's the age old problem of La Liga football that let's spend all the money on forwards and buy scrubs for defenders, the only difference here being that we are also overpaying for scrubs. It seems that the main motivation is selling tickets. Criteria such as the overall balance of the team and how our season prospects look have been pushed to the backseat.

Hapless_Hans wrote:
You think you'll get another central defender in still?

I'd say no chance. There's probably just one more player we'll chase before the transfer window closes and that's Juan Cuadrado.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

messixaviesta wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Radio Marca claims Barca will announce a CB signing on Thursday, one that will shock everyone.

Who can that be - Marquinhos? Have read about strong links with Daniel Agger also. One more CB will be very welcome and maybe for the first time Barca fans would be able to look at the upcoming season optimistically.

Neither one of those would be shocks

No they wouldn't have been. I later realized that I had missed Vermaelen in that list. So is he a "shock"?

Someone needs to explain this to me. How the hell can you justify paying this amount of money for someone who will be FREE a year from now?

This is truly outrageous.

They cant get anything right.

messixaviesta wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

messixaviesta wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Radio Marca claims Barca will announce a CB signing on Thursday, one that will shock everyone.

Who can that be - Marquinhos? Have read about strong links with Daniel Agger also. One more CB will be very welcome and maybe for the first time Barca fans would be able to look at the upcoming season optimistically.

Neither one of those would be shocks

No they wouldn't have been. I later realized that I had missed Vermaelen in that list. So is he a "shock"?

They wasnt lying, it is a shock. Its shocking how poor a move this is.

The Franchise wrote:Someone needs to explain this to me. How the hell can you justify paying this amount of money for someone who will be FREE a year from now?

This is truly outrageous.

They cant get anything right.

I got to know that a few minutes before. I have run out of words for what to say about our current board. Just when the hell are the next elections? Are the socios completely powerless in that such an incompetent board just cannot be thrown out before it's term completes?

The Franchise wrote:
They wasnt lying, it is a shock. Its shocking how poor a move this is.

dani, I had the very same thought but my point here is that anything poor no matter how unbelievably and immensely poor done by this board just no longer manages to shock me. Maybe some other Barca fans also feel the same way. Only thing shocking would be if they actually did something good which in this case would be to sign a CB who could actually improve our team considerably and provide promise for the future. The one half way good thing that they did this summer was selling Fabregas and that did come as a shock for me because it was more than what I expected of them but even there as has been said before they didn't handle the economics right and had that website gaffe which is why they lost perhaps their only ever chance of getting bouquets instead of brickbats from us.

The move for Verm shocks me in the sense that they could of signed him a season ago, or a season before that..we were linked to him just as heavily, but for some reason we opted against it.

I guessed we saw him as a player not good enough, just as I did. Instead it seems we didnt sign him simply because we didnt feel the desperate need for a CB.

So your right, the pathetic ability of those who deal with transfers doesnt shock me in the general sense. But the overall poorness of this decision (what I just said plus the transfer fee for some on the last year of the deal) does to some degree.

Well some positives to gain from this is we managed to get players for the positions we needed, whether or not they are the best players we could of gotten atleast we got someone instead of just buying another song.. or cesc.
2 keepers
2 defenders
1 new midfield + rafinha
and a world class forward + deulofeu

we also managed to get rid of some players we don't need
cuenca, tello, bojan, Afellay is on his way out, same with song, kerrison JDS and most importantly Cesc.

oh also Pique finally has competition and no more mascherano in centerback.
we're not a team filled with midgets anymore.

------------------MaTS
Alves-----Pique----------Mathieu----Alba
-----------------Buscuit
---------Rakitic----------Iniesta
-----Suarez-----Messi--------------Neymar


Bravo
Bartra
Verm
Montoya
Adriano
Mascherano
Xavi
Sergi Roberto
Rafinha
Duelofeu
Pedro

we got a very nice bench that could make a difference in the 60th minute, along with much needed competition.
and i can honestly say the only odd one out in that bench that doesn't seem to belong in the team is just sergi roberto, everyone else has something going for them and add something unique to the team.

The Franchise wrote:How the hell can you justify paying this amount of money for someone who will be FREE a year from now?

Not to justify the amount, but you can't forget that if a player is available free next year is likely of no use for you with the transfer ban coming

The Franchise wrote:Someone needs to explain this to me. How the hell can you justify paying this amount of money for someone who will be FREE a year from now?

This is truly outrageous.

They cant get anything right.

Thats your cue fussball and bc.Normally this is when you guys jump in to anxiously try and prove the economic sense behind the transfer.

BC? Don't remember BC being involved much in defending the board.

Fussball yes because he is a mole-esque football hipster and loves to play devils advocate. IIRC donuts likes to try and defend the financial dealings/board in general.

I would be interested in hearing what defense is offered however.

Hapless_Hans wrote:

The Franchise wrote:How the hell can you justify paying this amount of money for someone who will be FREE a year from now?

Not to justify the amount, but you can't forget that if a player is available free next year is likely of no use for you with the transfer ban coming

I wasnt saying we should sign him next year for free, I was saying a player with his various conditions should not cost so much.