Milanista
Mangiamoli!
Doesn't matter, we'd say no.
Doesn't matter, we'd say no.
Ronaldinho_23
Premier League
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
Milan are on their way back up. Thiago Silva would be mad to leave anyway.
?
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
He's supposed to be backup.
Kanouté
#NewEra
- 26 April 2008
He's too good to be a backup, it's just another senseless speculation to me.
Zeem
Wonder Boy
- 15 July 2006
- AC Milan
That's the thing. We are talking about Sanchez, Rossi ,and Fabregas who are the best players in their respectinve teams to come and be backups at Barcelona for huge money.
He already is.
Wouldn't worry about the speculation, not anytime soon at least. He said today he thanks Real and Barcelona for understanding he is a lifetime Milan player. Plus, he is already doing the Ganso transfer for Milan.
Back off
No chance in hell, this guy is destined to be one of the best in the world.
He already is.
Wouldn't worry about the speculation, not anytime soon at least. He said today he thanks Real and Barcelona for understanding he is a lifetime Milan player. Plus, he is already doing the Ganso transfer for Milan.
YoungGun_UK
20 TIMES!
The rumour has the fee at 22M, I'd cry if he went for that amount without us going for him.
Totally agreed, the home shirt is the worse shirt we have had ever. Plus, it gets a shitty advertising logo. How can it be worse? Only by being white, I guess...
Back off
No chance in hell, this guy is destined to be one of the best in the world.
To me Thiago IS already one of the best CBs in the world. I doubt Milan let him go. It would be madness. As I said, it's media rubbish. Though I would love him to be the replacement for Puyol... It's only natural that big clubs get interested in the best players!
I don't think BACKUP is the right word for the players that we want to sign. Next year will have 70+ matches, and if you want to compete at the highest level you need more great players. Pedro, Villa, Rossi and Sánchez (or whoever that comes) will all of them be in a rotation politic. Everyone can play up to 50 matches in the season, which, frankly, is more than average. So I think this is the intention, to be able to change the team dramatically for each match isf necessary.
We''ve been playing great but we have only a 11 eleven and a determined way of playing and a lot of players with similar attributes. Adding Cesc, Rossi and Alexis would increase the possible combinations and I doubt they would FEEL like backups at all.
Last edited:
YoungGun_UK
20 TIMES!
They would be on the bench throughout the CL campaign as well as when you play Real. those are the games that REALLY matter and they wouldn't start.
gerd
Retired Footballer
Who would have thought that Nani and Berbatov would not start/play in the CL final. Never take players for granted as starters...
On top of the rotation, Barcelona will have injured players too...
Those players would be very happy to play for Barcelona, even that means sitting on the bench.
A player like Rossi (for example) would give Barcelona a plan B with him as CF and Messi as a sort of play maker between AMF and SS. Players like Fabregas and Sanchez might give Guardiola other possibilities to play slightly different formations.
On top of the rotation, Barcelona will have injured players too...
Those players would be very happy to play for Barcelona, even that means sitting on the bench.
A player like Rossi (for example) would give Barcelona a plan B with him as CF and Messi as a sort of play maker between AMF and SS. Players like Fabregas and Sanchez might give Guardiola other possibilities to play slightly different formations.
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
Exactly. Which means they are backup.
As Gerd says, you never know who's going to play the important matches. There are injuries, peeks of form... Puyol was on the bench in the final and Mascherano had to play as CB!
I really don't think they would be backups at all. Pep has a history of rotating a lot the squad when he can (not the last season). Regarding the important matches, the one who's in the best shape would play.
It's dangerous because a player like Touré left because he didn't want to rotate, but given the right player, it's a good thing overall for the team.
I really don't think they would be backups at all. Pep has a history of rotating a lot the squad when he can (not the last season). Regarding the important matches, the one who's in the best shape would play.
It's dangerous because a player like Touré left because he didn't want to rotate, but given the right player, it's a good thing overall for the team.
YoungGun_UK
20 TIMES!
Cmon Drekkard, Your first 11 has around 7-8 players who are UNTOUCHABLE. For example my team changes its tactics depending on who were playing so that's 1 factor to take into account and we've "built" a side were if I was to say who would start I'd say
Dea Gea - VDS Gone, the new keeper is likely to start 99% of the time
Ferdinand - Gone backwards with age but still a level above Evans/Smalling
Vidic - in his peak, our best defender
Evra - not even sure on this one next year but he's 99% certain to start
Rooney - our best player
You named Puyol but he was injured or not 100% otherwise he's an untouchable, So lets name yours.
Valdes - Pinto will only get in with injury otherwise 99 certain)
Pique - much better than the other options)
Puyol - not as good as before but like Rio other than injuries a cert
Dani Alves - Best RB in the world
Busquets - much better than the other options
Xavi - Best Midfielder in the world
Iniesta - 2nd best midfielder in the world
Villa - One of the best in the world
Messi - Best in the world
I could really mention Pedro but I do think their our option out their that could replace and improve him but they would be silly as he's brilliant in that role.
Dea Gea - VDS Gone, the new keeper is likely to start 99% of the time
Ferdinand - Gone backwards with age but still a level above Evans/Smalling
Vidic - in his peak, our best defender
Evra - not even sure on this one next year but he's 99% certain to start
Rooney - our best player
You named Puyol but he was injured or not 100% otherwise he's an untouchable, So lets name yours.
Valdes - Pinto will only get in with injury otherwise 99 certain)
Pique - much better than the other options)
Puyol - not as good as before but like Rio other than injuries a cert
Dani Alves - Best RB in the world
Busquets - much better than the other options
Xavi - Best Midfielder in the world
Iniesta - 2nd best midfielder in the world
Villa - One of the best in the world
Messi - Best in the world
I could really mention Pedro but I do think their our option out their that could replace and improve him but they would be silly as he's brilliant in that role.
PIPA23
retired :)
- 21 June 2007
i realy don´t expect Barca to buy Fabregas
but i see them go for Rossi and maybe a defender..
they don´t need other players now..
but i see them go for Rossi and maybe a defender..
they don´t need other players now..
gerd
Retired Footballer
For a team that has only to play in la Liga one can't argument with your reasoning, YounGun. But it is simply impossible to play 70 matches with the same players. Players will be injured and on top of that players will get tired (Xavi for example had problems last season, i remember reading and hearing that he was jeopardising his never taking a break. Look also Torres with Liverpool and how that ended: injury after injury and in the end a player that is a shadow of his former self). So every big team rotates...Barcelona's problem is their bench.
You got Afellay who looks a prospect, Masscherano who still is a great player, and Keita and Maxwell who are not bad (but maybe not good enough to play for Barcelona). Look at every other European top club and they have stronger back-up players than Barcelona...
I really don't see why Barcelona could not use players like Sanchez, Fabregas and others...
I think the notion regular first team player is old fashioned for those big clubs who compete on at least three fronts...
You got Afellay who looks a prospect, Masscherano who still is a great player, and Keita and Maxwell who are not bad (but maybe not good enough to play for Barcelona). Look at every other European top club and they have stronger back-up players than Barcelona...
I really don't see why Barcelona could not use players like Sanchez, Fabregas and others...
I think the notion regular first team player is old fashioned for those big clubs who compete on at least three fronts...
PIPA23
retired :)
- 21 June 2007
Keita is good enough to play for Barcelona, he´s imo one of the best back ups in whole league..
Aboutreika18
Too Black, Too Strong
- 5 September 2006
I don't see the point, Guardiola rarely rotates anyway. And he's done fine with a group of 19-20 senior players during all three of his seasons so far.
Take Ferguson for example, who didn't name an unchanged side between May 2008 and March 2011. That's proper squad rotation.
Take Ferguson for example, who didn't name an unchanged side between May 2008 and March 2011. That's proper squad rotation.
YoungGun_UK
20 TIMES!
Exactly and my point is why spend money for bench warmers instead of just promoting the youth players to the bench, they've produced 6-7 World class players for the first team, Im sure the ones left are good enough for the bench.
gerd
Retired Footballer
Yes, but this season it became clear that Guardiola should indeed rotate...he is not stupid.
I'm sure he can use those players.
On top of that la messia (if that is the name of the youth centrum) is not a can that you open when you need a couple of world class youngsters...some day it will end. Same thing happens at Ajax. You have a golden age and then you have to wait a couple of years before the next cycle begins.
Ajax: the 60's with Cruijff, Neeskens, Muhren, Haan,... beginning of the 80's for Van Basten, Rijkaard, Vanenburg, beginning of the 90's for Seedorf, De Boer, Kluivert. And now i'm talking about one of the very best youth academies in the world.
I'm sure he can use those players.
On top of that la messia (if that is the name of the youth centrum) is not a can that you open when you need a couple of world class youngsters...some day it will end. Same thing happens at Ajax. You have a golden age and then you have to wait a couple of years before the next cycle begins.
Ajax: the 60's with Cruijff, Neeskens, Muhren, Haan,... beginning of the 80's for Van Basten, Rijkaard, Vanenburg, beginning of the 90's for Seedorf, De Boer, Kluivert. And now i'm talking about one of the very best youth academies in the world.
Spot on Gerd, people thinks everyone from La Masia (it means a "peasant home", because that's what it was when the club bought it) will be a world class. Let's look who we had in the bench this season:
- Keita
- Adriano
- Thiago
- Bojan
- Jeffren
- Pinto
- Fontàs
- Maxwell
Clearly this bench is a clearly worse than the bench of Madrid, Manchester (both), Chelsea, Milan, Inter, Bayern. And that's the reason why Guardiola didn't rotate much, there was nothing to rotate there! Specially upfront: Jeffren and Bojan don't have it to play here. Simple as that. They're too weak and lack skill and vision. We need 1-2 forwards to enter the rotation.
As Gerd says, Xavi was on the verge of serious injury during much of the season, Iniesta and Messi were tired and in the deffensive line we had lots of problems of injuries. And the reason of that is that Guardiola couldn't rotate the team enough!
It's not a conincidence that the first 4 months of competition the team scored 3.4 goals per match, and from January to April, the average went down to 1.7. It was accumulated fatigue. And the moment that some subs made it to the first eleven (starting on january), the numbers and performance went down quickly. And the classicos were specially hard for us. The team had little reserves of energy there, and players like Xavi, Iniesta or Pedro weren't fit at all.
Then we won La Liga and had almost 3 weeks to rest. And what happened when players were rested? Easy, the team quickly recovered the form and could play a brilliant final.
We need players to rotate the squad if we want to play 70+ matches (adding 10 national team matches would make it 80). Clear as water!
Maybe it's not Cesc, Rossi and Alexis. But we need world class forwards to rotate with Pedro and Villa, and at least one creative midfielder like Cesc.
- Keita
- Adriano
- Thiago
- Bojan
- Jeffren
- Pinto
- Fontàs
- Maxwell
Clearly this bench is a clearly worse than the bench of Madrid, Manchester (both), Chelsea, Milan, Inter, Bayern. And that's the reason why Guardiola didn't rotate much, there was nothing to rotate there! Specially upfront: Jeffren and Bojan don't have it to play here. Simple as that. They're too weak and lack skill and vision. We need 1-2 forwards to enter the rotation.
As Gerd says, Xavi was on the verge of serious injury during much of the season, Iniesta and Messi were tired and in the deffensive line we had lots of problems of injuries. And the reason of that is that Guardiola couldn't rotate the team enough!
It's not a conincidence that the first 4 months of competition the team scored 3.4 goals per match, and from January to April, the average went down to 1.7. It was accumulated fatigue. And the moment that some subs made it to the first eleven (starting on january), the numbers and performance went down quickly. And the classicos were specially hard for us. The team had little reserves of energy there, and players like Xavi, Iniesta or Pedro weren't fit at all.
Then we won La Liga and had almost 3 weeks to rest. And what happened when players were rested? Easy, the team quickly recovered the form and could play a brilliant final.
We need players to rotate the squad if we want to play 70+ matches (adding 10 national team matches would make it 80). Clear as water!
Maybe it's not Cesc, Rossi and Alexis. But we need world class forwards to rotate with Pedro and Villa, and at least one creative midfielder like Cesc.
lo zio
International
- 24 October 2005
- Palermo
the thing is rossi and sanchez wouldn't be bench warmers. sure barca's starting formation is pretty much untouchable...... but there's a difference between being a backup and a rotation player. a backup plays from 15 to 20 matches in a season.... but when u get to 25-30 matches as a starter, then u're no longer a backup.
and i believe that if guardiola is really trying to sign sanchez and rossi, then this is the playtime we should expect from rossi and sanchez next season.
however i don't think barca would really sign both rossi and sanchez. because even the rotation player role isn't enough for them. both sanchez and rossi are too "high profile" and also too expensive to be signed by a club who already has the likes of messi, pedro and villa. rossi is one of the best under 25 strikers in europe... one of the very best cf in la liga.... and sanchez is one of the hottests (and most expensive) prospects in europe...
i could see barca signing one of them, but not both of them. with villa, rossi, messi, sanchez and pedro, there would be just not enough room to give rossi, sanchez and pedrito the playtime they deserve...
but if barca would sign only rossi (or only sanchez) that would be different.
Last edited:
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
The bottom line is, if Barca were in the final of a competition and everyone was fully fit, would Cesc or Sanchez start for Barca? Probably not.
So in that case, is it wise to spend so much money on Fabregas if he's not going to be better than what you already have? Again, probably not.
So in that case, is it wise to spend so much money on Fabregas if he's not going to be better than what you already have? Again, probably not.
lo zio
International
- 24 October 2005
- Palermo
yep, they probably wouldn't... but first u got to reach a final.... and having all your key players fit and not seriously injured for an entire season (as it happened to barca this season) isn't very likely.
however don't get me wrong, i agree with u. i also don't think it would be a good move for barca to try and sign a world class player like cesc. even though i could see him getting some serious playtime (certainly more than 20 matches per season), that still wouldn't justify such a huge financial commitment.
plus a high profile player like fabregas or rossi (as well as a top prospect as sanchez) would deserve an unquestioned starter spot.
you're right drekkard, real madrid, chelsea and inter have a much bigger roster and better backups than barca..... but none of chelsea's or inter's rotation players is as good as sanchez, rossi or fabregas (real madrid is an exception here). u certainly need more options on the bench..... but players like cesc, rossi or sanchez would be too much of a luxury imo.
... although i might understand (as i said before) if barca would try to sign only one between rossi and sanchez.... but that's only because barca displays a 3 men offensive setup (wich means that the 4th striker would get really a lot of playtime).
Well, probably Rossi AND Alexis is too much, but one of them is vital and very necessary. I think Cesc IS needed next season. Xavi won't play more than 60% of matches already having problems this year and Iniesta is not the most constant guy on the team. I think Cesc would play the same ammount of matches than Xavi or Iniesta at the end of the season.
Regading the important matches, it would play the one who's fittest and in a best shape.
Plus, deciding between great players to play a final (if you reach any) can't be seen as a problem, surely! And those players, IF they come to Barcelona, already know the situation and the team they are coming. A bit like Mascherano, that started some matches on the bench until he "got it" and then has been rotating in the squad.
I hope our problems are leaving some very good player in the bench in a very important match!
Regading the important matches, it would play the one who's fittest and in a best shape.
Plus, deciding between great players to play a final (if you reach any) can't be seen as a problem, surely! And those players, IF they come to Barcelona, already know the situation and the team they are coming. A bit like Mascherano, that started some matches on the bench until he "got it" and then has been rotating in the squad.
I hope our problems are leaving some very good player in the bench in a very important match!
gerd
Retired Footballer
Those players still can be very usefull.
Fabregas was on the bench in the World Cup final and if i remember well he set up the winning goal...i don't think he has a bad feeling about that.
But yes players like Fabregas want to have more first team football than he will have with Barcelona (but why the hell does he want to go to Barcelona so badly?Surely not only because it is his boyhood team?).
Fabregas was on the bench in the World Cup final and if i remember well he set up the winning goal...i don't think he has a bad feeling about that.
But yes players like Fabregas want to have more first team football than he will have with Barcelona (but why the hell does he want to go to Barcelona so badly?Surely not only because it is his boyhood team?).
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
Cesc IMO can wait, maybe until Xavi looks like he's declining below standards. Plus Fabregas' value would probably drop too.
Rossi seems like a good idea, especially since Bojan looks like he's going.
Rossi seems like a good idea, especially since Bojan looks like he's going.
RuneEdge
Silent Assassin
- 1 October 2003
- Manchester United
Yeah, the success comes into it. But I think the other main reason is that he grew up with some of those players there. Those players are his childhood friends and you get the feeling that he "belongs" there. Almost like it's his real home.
Zeem
Wonder Boy
- 15 July 2006
- AC Milan
So Barcelona have edged Inter for Sanchez according to Udinese. Media reporting 30mill+Bojan while Inter were offering 25+players. That seems a bit too much but Sanchez can really be worth it. A very intelligent player whose dribbling I rate only behind Messi.
bebo
Looking for a Manager
I guess Fabregas is not needed then. Barca knows Fabregas will never play for any other club that makes him a back burner.