FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
[tw]1176863488443944960[/tw]
"You asked to see the boss, so they sent me, dawg"
Insane 16 years old.
Ansu Fati (loaned to Brighton)
- Thread starter FC433
- Start date
Insane 16 years old.
EdmondDantes
New member
The more we see of him, the more it becomes apparent he's incredibly special.
The last sequence of his highlights video I really like he went for Dembele? on the oppisite side, beside his flair, compusure and bravery, I love how he always seem to make good to brilliant decision-making on the Ball and off-Ball-runs when we are in possesion. Only lacks some defending positional play. And even here he is better than Dembele was his whole first season being 4-5 years older at the time
DonAndres
Wild Man of Borneo
[tw]1176604935548481537?s=20[/tw]
Opposition coaches being completely astounded and in awe of his talent, eerily reminiscent of the early Messi days just like with Fabio Capello.
If he stays on with the first team this season, regularly plays, and keeps this momentum going then he will soon be a top 3 asset in football next to Mbappe and Joao Felix. If he keeps progressing at a rapid rate, I could see him surpassing those guys in value too. There are clearly some things he has that both of the others potentially lack.
I think the young Messi comparison is 100% fair, given his trajectory. In fact, Ansu at 16 is most likely even better at an earlier point as Leo had an important physical development around this year that allowed him to go on to dominate at the top level the way he could in youth levels.
What really sets Messi apart is the massive, unprecedented steps up that he took around 20-22 years of age to become one of, if not the greatest goalscorers/playmakers ever. His dribbling as a teenager was already clearly at a historical level. The Statsbomb releases show that teenage Messi averaged up to like 11 dribbles per game in La Liga 1 year, which is even 2x as much as he himself did in his prime years. Getting like 18 or 23 dribbles in single games at times, which even prime Neymar on his VERY best day against the VERY worst Ligue 1 farmer teams could not do.
The sky is the limit for Ansu, but there is NO linear progression that takes a player from point A where Ansu/Mbappe/Rooney/Messi were in their teen years to point B where Messi and to a lesser extent Ronaldo got in their prime years. No linear relation at all. It either happens or it doesn't, and it takes freakish performance jumps that aren't foreshadowed or predictable in any way. They pretty much just wake up one day and start going on a tear that never stops, spontaneously discovering the means to perform at a level that maybe 3-5 players in history have ever found (pretty much 0 in the case of Messi).
It is impossible to say that Ansu will reach that kind of level, until he does it. His peak could be historical or good or just average. But the very beginning of his career is as good as anyone's has ever been, including Messi.
Opposition coaches being completely astounded and in awe of his talent, eerily reminiscent of the early Messi days just like with Fabio Capello.
If he stays on with the first team this season, regularly plays, and keeps this momentum going then he will soon be a top 3 asset in football next to Mbappe and Joao Felix. If he keeps progressing at a rapid rate, I could see him surpassing those guys in value too. There are clearly some things he has that both of the others potentially lack.
I think the young Messi comparison is 100% fair, given his trajectory. In fact, Ansu at 16 is most likely even better at an earlier point as Leo had an important physical development around this year that allowed him to go on to dominate at the top level the way he could in youth levels.
What really sets Messi apart is the massive, unprecedented steps up that he took around 20-22 years of age to become one of, if not the greatest goalscorers/playmakers ever. His dribbling as a teenager was already clearly at a historical level. The Statsbomb releases show that teenage Messi averaged up to like 11 dribbles per game in La Liga 1 year, which is even 2x as much as he himself did in his prime years. Getting like 18 or 23 dribbles in single games at times, which even prime Neymar on his VERY best day against the VERY worst Ligue 1 farmer teams could not do.
The sky is the limit for Ansu, but there is NO linear progression that takes a player from point A where Ansu/Mbappe/Rooney/Messi were in their teen years to point B where Messi and to a lesser extent Ronaldo got in their prime years. No linear relation at all. It either happens or it doesn't, and it takes freakish performance jumps that aren't foreshadowed or predictable in any way. They pretty much just wake up one day and start going on a tear that never stops, spontaneously discovering the means to perform at a level that maybe 3-5 players in history have ever found (pretty much 0 in the case of Messi).
It is impossible to say that Ansu will reach that kind of level, until he does it. His peak could be historical or good or just average. But the very beginning of his career is as good as anyone's has ever been, including Messi.
The fact that despite all the players that have come through the ranks over the years, (none of which are here now I know) given the hype of bojan and Delou, Messi has never taken any under his wings, the ways he seems to have done with fati, talent recognize talent when they see it.
Rolandinho with Messi
Pep with xavi & iniesta
Messi clearly sees something truly special in him, & that in it self is huge.
Hopefully he develops the way we all hope, the timing would be poetic.
Rolandinho with Messi
Pep with xavi & iniesta
Messi clearly sees something truly special in him, & that in it self is huge.
Hopefully he develops the way we all hope, the timing would be poetic.
xXKonan
Senior Member
He has what a lot of the new explosive wingers you see don't have and that's being comfortable with little space to work with.
So many of these talented kids you see these days seem to thrive on the counter when they have space open up for them but when they are put in a non-counter attacking setup their flaws become so evident that they may not ever adapt to it.
So many of these talented kids you see these days seem to thrive on the counter when they have space open up for them but when they are put in a non-counter attacking setup their flaws become so evident that they may not ever adapt to it.
He's done everything right so far, except for one little thing that's bothered me.
There's been a couple of situations where he's taken on his defender when there's been a better passing option.
He's very direct and brave but at the same time a bit naive. But that only shows he's human, easy to forget that he's only 16.
The last game proved that he can use his left foot as well.
I'm very excited to know if we're witnessing a superstar in the making or if he's just another talent to end up playing for a mid table team.
He's playing in a position where we don't have a cemented starter. It's not impossible for him to grab a starting spot this season, although that's not something we can expect or demand.
There's been a couple of situations where he's taken on his defender when there's been a better passing option.
He's very direct and brave but at the same time a bit naive. But that only shows he's human, easy to forget that he's only 16.
The last game proved that he can use his left foot as well.
I'm very excited to know if we're witnessing a superstar in the making or if he's just another talent to end up playing for a mid table team.
He's playing in a position where we don't have a cemented starter. It's not impossible for him to grab a starting spot this season, although that's not something we can expect or demand.
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
Very good point. He looks very comfy with small space.
El Gato
Villarato!
Superstars don’t become superstars on their own. And I doubt you currently have the institutional and team qualities to get the best out of him. Ceiling is high, but his arms a bit too short to box with God right now, he needs a Puyol and Xavi to steer him. Messi and Alba aren’t enough. And many other things are in play I.e. injury record in the next 2-4 formative years of his physique.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
It wasn't Puyol or Xavi who helped steer Messi, it was mostly Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Deco and of course Rijkaard.
I would take our record of developing young talent over yours. Isco never reached his true potential. Asensio was hyped, only for him to be average. Not confident you'll figure out what's best for Vinicius or Rodrygo either as both play in the same position where you have Hazard signed too.
El Gato
Villarato!
I seriously doubt that the importance of skillful players who nurture aspiring starlets' individual development surpasses the importance of those who are responsible for teaching club identity, levelheadedness and suppress attackers' egos.
We are no comparison to you in terms of getting lucky with GOAT youngsters in the last 20 years. But we do buy talent who go unnoticed and then everyone suddenly forgets our good business whenever we splash on a hyped name. Where we pay 35M for Isco and get 1.5 seasons of greatness out of 5, you pay the same for Arda.
Regarding the Brazillians, Hazard will be 30 by the time they're 21. He will not be nearly as influential as he was for Chelsea, because he is in his highest contract ever, Bernabeu boos will get to him eventually IMO. And Bale remaining until the end of his contract isn't likely if Mbappe doesn't choose to renew. At worst we will end up loaning one or both of them and have them get field experience in a different team, away from Zidane's non-coaching, by which time they'll be 22 at most. Nobody is taking them for granted, but we have a very good record with South American talent. Failures are count-on-one-hand list. We'll see if the trend changes with different price tags.
serghei
Senior Member
Lol, you didn't get a month of greatness out of Isco, let alone 1.5 years. Greatness is a big word my friend.
Who the fuck was Isco at the biggest level? Not anywhere near the greats. Like not even in the same ball park. Ever. Another talented player who was good, not world class for some time, and dropped right after into mediocrity.
Very much like Thiago Alcantara.
This coming from a guy who used to support Valverde. One one hand supports a manager, and on the other hand builds arguments how young players can't make it at Barcelona because the management is crap. Zero consistency.
Who the fuck was Isco at the biggest level? Not anywhere near the greats. Like not even in the same ball park. Ever. Another talented player who was good, not world class for some time, and dropped right after into mediocrity.
Very much like Thiago Alcantara.
This coming from a guy who used to support Valverde. One one hand supports a manager, and on the other hand builds arguments how young players can't make it at Barcelona because the management is crap. Zero consistency.
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khaled_a_d
Senior Member
We have developed Neymar not so long ago. He was the last truly world class young talent we had.
We have a problem in developing players between Barca B and 1st team, but part of it was also lack of talents.
We have a problem in developing players between Barca B and 1st team, but part of it was also lack of talents.
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