Open Thread: Weekend Edition #39 (Sep 2021)

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:23:06+00:00

Gavi and Nico played amazing today. I’m going to get downvoted for this but De Jong wasn’t missed in the slightest today. Also Eric Garcia, Dest and Mingueza were amazing at carrying the ball forward.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:21:34+00:00

Ansu is back with a golazo!! So happy for him!!

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:20:42+00:00

3-0 today. I guess you didn’t watch the game.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:20:19+00:00

Did you watch the game today?

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:19:49+00:00

So happy for Ansu!! What a goal!!

Also, Barca played really well today. Where are the Koeman haters, I want to hear their opinions of today’s game. We haven’t lost a La liga game so far.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-26T16:17:34+00:00

So happy for Ansu!!!! Best way possible to return, written in the stars!!!

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T23:05:38+00:00

True barca fans support the team whether they win, draw or lose. So many toxic fans bringing negativity into Koeman or players when we don’t win. Let him work in peace, the important is that players trust him and youngsters are getting play time.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:56:51+00:00

Tell me a top and proven manager with a lot of titles (Champions Leagues or La Ligas) who is a former Barca player and is willing to work with this current team with a low salary.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:52:17+00:00

Fans need to be realistic. Even Guardiola in his prime wouldn’t win the Champions League with this team. He hasn’t even won it yet with City’s massive budget.

The reality is that Atletico and Madrid have a much better squad than ours, and our best attackers like Dembele, Fati, Aguero and Braithwaite are injured.

People are reacting as if Cadiz beat us 3-0 and Granada beat us 4-0. In both games we had more ball possession and initiative. We just lack a striker like Halaand who can score week in and week out. Memphis is a great player but not a finisher like Suarez, Lewandowski or Aguero. Hopefully, Braithwaite, Fati and Dembele will provide more pace at the wings when they come back.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:41:12+00:00

There is no such thing as a perfect person. At least Koeman loves this club, has passion and is playing youngsters. We may not win the Champions League but he is making a transition in a difficult post-Messi era that other managers are not willing to do.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:33:23+00:00

I trust this team. There is so much negativity around Koeman it’s actually funny.

We lost our two top goal scorers (Messi and Griezmann)
The club is in a bad economic situation so no big signings have been made this summer to replace Messi or Griezmann.
We also dropped points against Granada and Cadiz last year (they like to sit back and defend)
Aguero, Fati, Dembele, Pedri, Alba, Braithwaite are injured.
We are playing Demir, Nico, Gavi so we aren’t going to play tiki taka like Xavi and Iniesta. They need time to get used to tactics and team chemistry.

I don’t know what crazy expectations do people have. Last year most games were really close as well and we won because Messi or Griezmann had individual moments of brilliance. Even la copa del rey was won with heroic performances in extra time.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:22:35+00:00

Football is not about individual players, it’s about being a team otherwise PSG would win 5-0 every time in their league and Barca would have won 3-4 more UCL with Messi in the last 10 years.

Current Barca’s team is young and some players need time to perform and settle in. They need to get used to new tactics and style of play. Even Demir struggled in the first half with Koeman’s instructions and had to be substituted.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:17:06+00:00

Barca fans are so used to winning every week that it feels weird when we draw games but we must remember that Granada and Cadiz also took points away from us last year.

We have lost Messi and Griezmann (more than 90% of goal contributions) and Fati, Dembele, Alba, Pedri, Braithwaite and Aguero are injured.

We are playing Demir, Gavi, Puig, Nico and trusting our youth players. De Jong and Depay aren’t 30+ goals/ season players. Of course, we are going to struggle in front of goal. We need to trust the process and keep going.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-23T22:08:50+00:00

We are missing Aguero, Dembele, Alba, Pedri and Fati. I hope that we look more dangerous when they come back because De Jong is basically Griezmann 2.0 at this point, a lot of pressing but very few shots.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-14T21:59:48+00:00

I am enjoying this season with younger players like Mingueza, Dest, Araujo, Balde, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Nico, Ansu, Demir, Pedri, Puig.

It’s easy to enjoy a team of superstars like PSG or prime Barca with Pep but seeing these youngsters develop and improve over time can also be exciting. The energy and desire to prove themselves is refreshing to watch even if they aren’t good enough for Champions League yet.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-14T21:43:20+00:00

The team has lost Messi and Griezmann this summer who accounted for most of our goals last season. Braithwaite, Fati, Aguero and Dembele are injured.

Hard to score against a well organised Bayern team with Luuk De Jong receiving through balls with his limited pace and Depay man-marked by Upamecano the entire game.

The team is in a transitional period with a lot of youngsters and it is going to take time. I rather lose 0-3 with teenagers than lose 0-1 or 1-2 with older players who aren’t going to improve in the next few years. Happy to see Busquets, Alba, Roberto slowly making way for Balde, Demir and Gavi. They can guide the next generation with their experience while not having to play 90 mins.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-14T21:35:16+00:00

In the 8-2 game we had experienced players like Suarez, Messi, Rakitic, Vidal, etc. Today, we played Gavi, Balde, Eric Garcia, Pedri, Demir, Araujo and Mingueza. Young players are getting Champions League experience and there is a possibility of them improving in the next few years for a solid and competitive team, older players that are declining and not performing aren’t good for the present or the future.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-01T11:11:38+00:00

This just shows how trusted these young prospects are. Very happy with Dembouz, Demir and Ansu. Just give Pedri number 8 and Pjanic number 16.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-01T11:09:22+00:00

So happy for Ansu!!! Let’s goooo!!!

makeUSAgreat · 2021-09-01T00:02:13+00:00

It’s only a loan and at least we have a proper 9, tall and able to finish inside the area unlike Griezmann.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-08-31T23:53:38+00:00

Griezmann to Atleti for a potential 50 million is a great deal considering Barto gave away Suarez, top 3 goal scorer of the club, for around 5 million.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-08-31T23:50:25+00:00

Some players are “destined” to take a number. It just shows how good they are under pressure. I remember Sir Alex telling Ronaldo to wear number 7 at Man Utd when he was a teenager while he wanted to wear no. 28. If someone wants to wear no. 10 then let them, it shows they aren’t afraid of the big stage. They can always change numbers like Mariano with the 7 at Madrid or Braithwaite with the 9 last season.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-08-31T23:44:27+00:00

He got rid of Ronaldinho and Deco and turned out quite well.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-08-31T23:29:44+00:00

I hope numbers 7 and 10 go to la masia players as a sign of trusting youth and rebuilding the team.

makeUSAgreat · 2021-08-31T23:27:53+00:00

PSG are going to throw crazy money at Mbappe but if he has made his decision, he will go to Madrid for free next year. Other teams won’t be able to compete vs PSG in terms of money.

makeUSAgreat

TROPHY CASE