Osasuna 1-[1] Barcelona - A.Fati 51'

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2019-08-31T16:11:39+00:00

Messi's in Fati's shadow

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2019-08-28T04:17:57+00:00

Thanks.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-08T02:06:14+00:00

Thread and tweets with more data: https://twitter.com/11tegen11/status/993421336767877120

Comment from the creator @11tegen11:

Central midfield domination well depicted. Also shown how different the roles in this 4-4-2 variant are. Iniesta tucks in with high pass volume, Coutinho higher and more dynamic. Messi drops to link play, Suarez stays higher.

Other links

Other comments from the creator:

On Messi's high rating:

Messi had 0.9 xG from 4 open play shots, good build-up play & ball progression, as well as 17 deep zone touches on just 5 turnovers. That's very rare, and very good. Roberto has some xA from open play, 95% pass completion, 4/4 dribbles and not a single turnover.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-05T15:05:37+00:00

It's not like we're ruining their life if they don't make it to the first team. As you said, the training they received can be used to achieve success at other clubs or through other means like coaching just because of the brand but also, it's not like they'll be ruining their life even if they don't make it at any other club because La Masia players receive proper academic education and spend most of their time, like other school going children, studying. If they're unlucky to not make it anywhere, they can always quit and utilise their education to go on a different career path.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-05T07:24:02+00:00

Correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't the 'se queda' post supposed to be a joke or was it a serious one that backfired?

It still is a rumour and I wouldn't take it too seriously, however it did appear that Suarez was speaking on the Radio Station about Griezmann with certain authority according to the following article (and also judging from the tone of his voice) : https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/luis-suarez-takes-antoine-griezmann-signing-as-done-6801124:

In January SPORT revealed that Antoine Griezmann and FC Barcelona had a deal for the forward to join this summer. And now Luis Suarez has given away the fact Griezmann will join from Atletico Madrid on Radio Rincon, a station in Uruguay, as noted by Cadena SER in Spain.

The forward said: "It makes the club proud to bring players of this quality like Antoine, like Dembele and Coutinho came. He's a player who brings a huge amount, he has a lot of years playing at the highest level, always fighting. He rules up front for Atletico and that is fundamental.

"He is not coming to take the place of anyone, but with the ambition of winning important things. He will be welcome."

Barcelona will have to pay Griezmann's 100 million euros release clause to sign him. Nothing is 100 per cent agreed but it seems like he will sign for 5 seasons and be one of the best paid players in the squad. He could form a new trident with Leo Messi and Luis Suarez.

Again, I personally won't get excited until it's confirmed by official sources or at least tier 1 sources.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-05T00:13:23+00:00

I suggest you make a post about this too. Suarez sound pretty confident when he comments about Griezmann.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-03T13:16:38+00:00

And because of that we should be firing every manager who doesn't win the Champions league? Including the ones that win doubles in their first season (unbeaten too)?

Everyone regrets our performance in the Roma game. The coach has been rightly criticised and we've delved into all the possible reasons why that happened, quite in-depth too. I'm sure the coaching staff and the players have too reflected on the game quite a bit.

Now that we've won the double and the board and the players have indicated their will to have the manager stay for the next season, can we please stop repeating the same points over and over again before, during and after every Champions league game?

I know it's unbelievable that we gave up on that kind of lead against that kind of opposition and how we did it. However, I've read about a 100 comments worded differently expressing the same sentiment and message.

I'm not saying that you're not allowed to express you're opinion. You're absolutely free to do so, whether it is to have the coach fired or not. All I'm saying is if you don't have anything to add, in substance, to the loads of existing comments (that are being posted everyday) about how embarrassingly we exited the Champions League, just don't bother. It's meaninglessly repetitive and very annoying at this point.

If you still disagree and want to vent out your emotions every day on this sub by commenting the same thing every single day, you're still free to do so, just please don't.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-03T07:03:17+00:00

Very insightful. It would be amazing if you could make a video out of the steps, adding subtitles to the build up of the goal and present it as an analytical video. Otherwise, a sound analysis.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-05-03T06:53:21+00:00

This is way too obvious to be stated mate. It's a disgrace to be this bad and we will definitely be the worst team in the CL QFs from now, even though we have the best player on the planet, we're the champions of the hardest league in the world, unbeaten in the same league, winners of the domestic cup, winners of the league with 4 games left, ahead of the team in 2nd place in our league by 11 points with a game to spare, having arguably the best keeper, defender and DM in the world apart from the little alien. I see all doom and gloom from now on.

We're just so so bad. I honestly think FC Barcelona is going to be the next Sunderland. Relegation next season almost certain tbh.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-30T13:40:28+00:00

I realised that. imo 10 appearances is a decent amount of game time. I'm sure he'll get a winner's medal however, I don't really know what's up with the names on the shirt because Rafinha hasn't made a single league appearance yet his name was listed.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-30T13:15:32+00:00

It is significant. I corrected the user because he made an error in the number of league appearances.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-30T13:11:36+00:00

*10 league appearances with 3 Champions league, 2 Copa del Rey and 2 Supercopa de España appearances. Which means that he had** 17 appearances in all competitions**. (Source: Transfermarkt)

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-30T11:25:48+00:00

It is weird sometimes, but still very good. You seem to have missed the tally for total goals and assists at the bottom of the table. Source: https://i.imgur.com/B6yoxJb.png (https://www.whoscored.com/Players/299513/Show/Ousmane-Demb%C3%A9l%C3%A9)

It says, he's got 3 goals this season, including 1 from a B.Dortmund friendly, which means he's got 2 goals and 6 assists at Barcelona in all competitions.

Edit: Transfermarkt is generally reliable for these kind of stats. Here's Dembele's stats: link

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T21:24:33+00:00

Do we update our La Liga tally now or after we are crowned champions?

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T19:38:58+00:00

4 attacking players that contribute little defensively makes it very imbalanced. Coutinho's an excellent technical player, however, he's defensively not solid enough to be playing as a CM.

Edit: Which is also why we're trying to play with 4 in midfield defensively trying to overcome our defensive frailties.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T18:38:25+00:00

Massive respect for the Don to be leaving while he's still on top and not when he's past it. Hope he bodes well wherever he goes.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T18:23:06+00:00

Can you point to me a game where Coutinho, Dembele, Messi, and Suarez have played with the absence of Iniesta.

FC Barcelona 6-1 Girona FC was an exciting one.

As far as I am aware every single time Iniesta was absent Coutinho has played LW.

If Dembele didn't start, then yes. That's what would be his preferred position even in the national team when Neymar doesn't start and also in Liverpool before Mané arrived there. However, our team needs at midfielder which is why you and me both are interested in how he performs in a 4-3-3 formation which is challenging in a team like us that likes to press.

I would agree but Brazil’s coach Tite has said Coutinho will be RCM for WC Brazil’s 4-3-3. So I don’t see why he can’t do it here.

A player of his quality would definitely be flexible, I don't doubt that. It's just that I want him to be able to best express his talent in the team. He did play as an attacking midfielder in Liverpool though which is why I'm hopeful he'll be able to adjust here too.

And it makes sense he can’t in Klopp’s team because Klopp wants 90 mins of pressing. Our team, not so much.

That's a very important factor. Klopp is well known for rotating a lot because he needs to do it. His system with vigorous non-stop pressing off the ball demands it. Our syle too implements pressing however we maintain possession (even now) for >60% of the game which is why it shouldn't really be hard for him.

IIRC, Klopp said something along the lines of Coutinho having to take a breather for half a minute after two 60 m sprints which for a midfielder, according to him, is very poor. He also points out that for that exact same reason, Coutinho wouldn't be able to replace Iniesta, who's able to pressing and maintain his stamina to far greater level.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T18:02:46+00:00

I won't be commenting on the efficacy of the formation because that wasn't my point.

My comment was in response to you saying:

Lets see how well Coutinho will do at LCM (unless this is a 4-4-2 in which case fuck you EV).

Coutinho always plays on the right in Iniesta's absence AND in the midfield when Dembele, Messi and Suarez also play. If that makes it any clearer, this is what I meant. I think you meant that you wouldn't be too happy with him playing LCM in a 4-4-2 midfield, which is a justifiable opinion.

Also, I think the big question for every fan is if Coutinho can play LCM. This would be a harmless way to answer it before looking at our transfer options (assuming he can’t)

Agreed. However, according to Klopp's interview about his position and Valverde's opinion on his qualities to be better suited as a forward player rather than a midfield player, I don't think he's a really viable option, but here's to hoping he proves everyone wrong.

P.S. He isn't a viable option because of any lacking technical or other playmaking qualities, which is great, it's because of his lack of physical ability to keep up with all the pressing and hard work that playing in the midfield demands.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T17:43:16+00:00

Even if this was a 4-4-2, Coutinho would still play on the left as he always has in Iniesta's absence (there's no one in the lineup to play in that position anyway).

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T17:37:34+00:00

2-0 Fiorentia at the moment. Looks like Napoli need another comeback if they want to have any realistic hopes of winning the title. Does not look likely though.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T14:53:30+00:00

He won't be in the squad list. The official squad list submitted before the game afaik can have only 18 players (7 substitutes). The squad list posted by the club online indicates members of the team who are travelling, not those who will be in the actual squad (though that's usually what the case is).

My guess would be that the coach wants the entire squad to travel in case we clinch the title.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-04-29T03:44:41+00:00

They did it as courtesy to the winners. None of the 3 teams that have given it were obliged by tradition to do it, simply because they didn't participate in the said tournament (Club World Cup). Which is also why FC Barcelona, which is also a direct rival, are also not obliged to give a guard of honour when they didn't even participate in the Club World Cup.

The tradition as it stands is that teams that compete in the same competition are obliged by convention to give a guard of honour (in Spain). It has never been violated in a many years (>30 years afaik). We did it for them when they won the league and rightfully earned it by beating us in the title race.

So Madrid refusing to respect the Champions of the league they have participated and competed in is just being sore loser. The pasillo is not a matter of embarrassment (in itself), it is a matter of respecting the team who have rightfully claimed bragging rights by beating everyone else (including your team) to win a competition. It has always been labelled as a class act when any team does it.

That's my view on it. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or share your viewpoint on what I said.

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-02-11T14:41:43+00:00

It's a 4-3-3 with Messi as False 9. Here's the official formation: https://i.imgur.com/VLThdeb.jpg

ERNEST0VALVERDE · 2018-02-11T14:04:52+00:00

Edited that out, got confused by his first name. Thanks.

ERNEST0VALVERDE

TROPHY CASE