La Liga 2024/25

Sometimes (recently - often) it feels like they are sabotaging the club on purpose. Everybody thought a change in the club offices will be the start of something new. And to some degree it was as long as Alemany was here. He was pretty competent but once he decided to dip, Laporta brought in Deco who clearly is unqualified and got the job because he's an amigo. It's been downhill ever since. But it all started, imo, with the transfers of Coutinho and Dembele. So much time and money wasted on two players that contributed nothing, later followed even more failed transfers on high wages. Hard to get rid of too because they refuse to come off those generous salaries. We need a competent sporting director and only then we can dream of getting our shit together in the next few years. But having money is not enough (as evidenced by Chelsea), you have to be smart in the market, not overpay on fees/wages and have a proper scouting network.

So, competent people are very often enough. Txiki at Man City rarely misses with signings/sales that's why they can win 4 PLs in a row.

Not to mention coaches have too much say!

I understand what Thimmy meant cos I feel kinda the same with Man U...I hate them basically whole heartedly, but recently I almost start to feel sorry for them cos the bad transfer were so numerous n happening for so many yrs n their performances are often so dreadful, so almost part of me want them to get better too XD

I have no idea wtf is happening with Barca behind the scenes... I dont think its incompetence alone...there has to be other factors involved to produce such laughable outcomes time n again... all I can do nowadays is LAUGH at it

Gungodan leaving is huge... I'll prolly start missing watching some games... which Ive never done in all my yrs of supporting Barca I think...

Someone should start a gofundme.com page to help Barca out.

Ask 100 of the top managers in the world who they would take if they had to choose between Vini and Bellingham to start a team.... and 99 of them would say Bellingham.  There are several reasons for it:

- He's 21.  Remember what Vini was at 21?
- He can defend, he can score, he can make any pass, he's good in the air and he's got grit... not to mention his athleticism.  You can literally have him play DM, CM, AM or 10 at a elite level.
- CMs are far harder to find than wingers.  Just how it is.  There are a lot of legit options you can get other than Vini.  You lose Bellingham and there's nothing like him out there.
-  He's very consistent.
-  He doesn't cry like a iittle girl and pout all the time.
- You cannot get in his head. Mental toughness is good.

Merino to Arsenal for 32+5m. Why did we drop interest so easily? Essentially half of Olmo's fee and we may need his profile more especially now that Gundo is gone

Again, really bad planning and panic moves depending on salary margin which should've been sorted in June at the latest

I disagree that CMs are harder to find than wingers. If you're at a top club,  look good passing the ball sideways to someone barely a foot from you, there will be a bunch of people lauding praises like "if you don't appreciate what he does you don't know football". The fact that wingers have to create, score and have some dribbling skills, i think makes it more difficult. The deficiencies of an above average CM on a good squad can be hidden. Can't hide those of a winger.

I like both players but right now i'm taking Vinicius over Bellingham. That can change tomorrow, with me its very easy, I take whoever is in form and helping my team get results. Vinicius is a major threat to defenders from a creative standpoint. He's not just going to  get the ball, look up, pass the ball sideways, move, pass the ball sideways again, look up and do all that basic stuff. He creates contact, goes at defenders and is one of the many reasons they get frustrated at him.

Even though the made up stat of 99 coaches would choose Bellingham sounds ridiculous. I'll say it actually isn't. But i don't base my view on coaches or ex players rather i go by what i see. And everyone just copies everyone these days. Vinicius' joga bonito style is just not the flavor of the month for most coaches.

When joga bonito was a thing in the ronaldinho era, most coaches would rather the safe 4 3 3, i pass to you, you pass to me, i pass it to the goalie, the goalie passes to the right back, who's a foot away from him (wow what lovely skills with the foot, the goalie showed by playing a pass to someone nearby).

Honestly its sad, but i take what coaches say with a grain of salt nowadays. When i see a team in la liga with little talent focusing on playing to their weakness than their strength, i ask who are they trying to impress? I wouldn't be surprised if most manager's chose Bellingham, more a safe bet than the better bet in my opinion.

and @myesyats, i'm glad your ire is finally focused on parties within your camp than Madrid. I was a little surprised you haven't found a way to blame Madrid and Flo for your planning and panic moves (as you put it).

Hmm would have to ask Harmonica becuse I'm not creative enough to tie Perez into all that. Its entirely Barca's board fault that they can't return to the 1:1 rule and sign players normally. Laporta lied that they are close to achieving it, but the reality is it will probably not happen this month

I love our youngsters but they should be gradually eased into the team rather than our entire gameplan hinging on them.

Outside of messi and neymar, what other player in the past 10 years is better at taking players 1 on 1 than vini? They're both great but I'm pretty sure vini didn't lose a single game or maybe just 1 with madrid last season

Marca today has heat maps of Vinicius, Rodrygo, Mbappe and Bellingham from last two games!

It clear as night and day, what is causing the balance issues. It’s Rodrygo! All his touches are on the left. Mbappe and Vini are almost interchangeable between left and centre. Bellingham is starting more than half his runs, at right / centre. Not only is Rodrygo screwing up offense with him trying to play LW, it is exposing a huge deficit in defense on right side.

Carlo needs to tell him you have lost your right of freedom and must stick to the right side. If he doesn’t, then replace him with Güler!

@futbol_bill, its just 2 games in. All 3 of them are still learning how to play with each other. And there will be that phase where they do too much in trying to make each other happy. Let's give it say 10 games, all competitions, of them playing together.

The good thing is, with the way the league is now, a draw is not like a loss as it was in the previous era of Madrid Barca, where if Madrid drew one game at the beginning of the season, la Liga is damn near over. So patience for 10 games (all competitions) is a luxury we can afford.

Oh I agree Tito.

I’m reacting a bit to Rodrygo’s comments, deleted post etc. he just isn’t the same class as the other two plus Bellingham. I do believe Gůler will take the starting spot from him sometime this season. The heatmaps actually showed that Vini and Mbappe are working well together.

Bellignham, Camavinga injured, who next?

And you are worrying about our injuries papa!

Dealt with this last year. We actually have a bench full of starters unlike you guys

We have a bench, you don’t!

Could this be the moment (opportunity) for Güler?

I’m actually looking forward to this weekend games. I want to see how Barca does against Nico/ Bilbao and see Madrid play. I wasn’t able to watch last two games!

futbol_bill wrote:Could this be the moment (opportunity) for Güler?

modric will probably be start

Bellingham already injured for a month lol... although actually Im a bit sad cos I really wanna see more of them all linking up n how they work out the balance... will have to wait a month now until we see the real Real?

So will Guler start then? Or Modric? When is Camavinga back?

Never a dull day at the office

Barça was counting on the Nike deal – that includes a €150M renewal bonus – to be finalized today, which would take them to 1:1 and allow Olmo’s registration. However, Nike’s deal has been delayed a few more days. For Olmo to be registered for tomorrow’s match, a bank guarantee as was used for Koundé and Iñigo would be the other alternative. [@RogerTorello]

Even your injuries are the best. I'm so envious

This fanbase is actually so fucked in the head man. How are you tryna PR a muscle injury fucking rest

— ???????????????????? (@TopMGSzn) August 23, 2024

Olmo included in the squad with a * that his registration is pending lol

Olmo not registered, this downfall needs to be studied

Meanwhile Nico spends more time with our players than his teammates

pic.twitter.com/c7xsyAgAQA

— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadFCB) August 24, 2024