Quique Setien

[serghei]

Even if you forget about a player posting the same numbers as messi, if you could swap messi with any other player in the world, do you think we would be having a better season than we are currently having with this crappy team?

I think switching Messi with say someone like Sancho (just an example) would change how the team looks. We'd lose the genius actions Messi brings, but we'd gain in other areas which are very important. Work rate, pressing, defensive coverage, movement. All things we can all agree we suck at (Messi and Suarez are the main culprits in these areas).

Other players won't bring some of the things Messi brings, but will bring other things Messi can't or doesn't want to do. It is difficult to anticipate how these other improvements would impact goals. Hard to say, for instance, how many goals you'd score during a season from having a front line that presses and wins balls back rather than walks off the ball. Or how many goals you'd score from an increased work rate, from having players who move more and look more to exploit spaces, create spaces and whatnot.

We might be looking at a big decline not necessarily in total number of goals scored, but in how the goals are scored. We'd score less from Messi-type actions, but would have an increase in goals scored where the forward takes 1-2 touches.

I think a model like Bayern where there is high energy in the team, a well rehearsed system and very few star-like players who have complete freedom is achievable post Messi.

 

[DonAK]

Barca with Sancho instead of Messi would finish below Atletico. You're being silly now.

This team is dead.

 

[serghei]

Barca with Sancho instead of Messi would finish below Atletico. You're being silly now.

This team is dead.

Could be. But would have more of a future than this team. Not much difference between no trophies and 3rd, and no trophies and 2nd. At this point, the veterans need to show us they can win some more titles, or allow us to rebuild.

Allowing us to rebuild doesn't necessarily mean they need to leave. But they have to change their ways.

 

[DonAK]

Could be. But would have more of a future than this team. Not much difference between no trophies and 3rd, and no trophies and 2nd.

 

[Batistuta9]

I think switching Messi with say someone like Sancho (just an example) would change how the team looks. We'd lose the genius actions Messi brings, but we'd gain in other areas which are very important. Work rate, pressing, defensive coverage, movement. All things we can all agree we suck at (Messi and Suarez are the main culprits in these areas).

Other players won't bring some of the things Messi brings, but will bring other things Messi can't or doesn't want to do. It is difficult to anticipate how these teams would impact goals. Hard to say for instance how many goals you'd score during a season from having a front line that presses and wins balls back rather than walks off the ball.

I think a model like Bayern where there is high energy in the team, a well rehearsed system and very little star-like players who have complete freedom is achievable post Messi.

Honestly, sancho is your answer. Doing well at barca is completely different from doing well at dortmund. We have first hand experience in dembele. Neymar would probably be the next best, but we wouldn't be having a better season and he'd probably be injured half the season

 

[serghei]

Honestly, sancho is your answer. Doing well at barca is completely different from doing well at dortmund. We have first hand experience in dembele. Neymar would probably be the next best, but we wouldn't be having a better season and he'd probably be injured half the season

Neymar is too old. You can't blow your budget and try to rebuild with 30 year old divas like Neymar. Sancho is just an example. If you can sign someone like Salah and Mane for 40m. that would be great.

Those are the profile that is needed. Team player, hard working, good dribbling, fast, disciplined and hungry for success. Name doesn't matter.

 

[KingLeo10]

I don't know. Sancho failed to impress v Spurs last season or PSG this season.

Any one player likely won't make a difference. It needs to be a cohesive effort across the team. So, identifying more Fati, Pedri, Puig, FDJ, Sanchos etc. and letting them grow as a unit.

 

[Morten]

Neymar is too old. You can't blow your budget and try to rebuild with 30 year old divas like Neymar. Sancho is just an example. If you can sign someone like Salah and Mane for 40m. that would be great.

Those are the profile that is needed. Team player, hard working, good dribbling, fast, disciplined and hungry for success. Name doesn't matter.

Neymar is 28 years old, so you can go ahead and buy him.

 

[serghei]

I don't know. Sancho failed to impress v Spurs last season or PSG this season.

Any one player likely won't make a difference. It needs to be a cohesive effort across the team. So, identifying more Fati, Pedri, Puig, FDJ, Sanchos etc. and letting them grow as a unit.

Sure, you need to have the platform first, then see what you are lacking and buy exactly that. Completely the opposite of our approach of signing big names and then trying to jam them into a dysfunctional team.

But the future now is hardworking, team players with speed and great movement. Gnabry, Sancho, Sterling, Sane, even Vinicius, Rashford, Salah, Mane etc.

 

[Batistuta9]

Neymar is too old. You can't blow your budget and try to rebuild with 30 year old divas like Neymar. Sancho is just an example. If you can sign someone like Salah and Mane for 40m. that would be great.

Those are the profile that is needed. Team player, hard working, good dribbling, fast, disciplined and hungry for success. Name doesn't matter.

I'm not saying to buy neymar. I'm saying he would do the next best after messi as he is probably the next best individually. This team is finished, Salah and mane wouldn't do much either, they are benefitting from lfc's system. They'd have to create their own goals over here as this team has zero creativity

 

[DonAK]

You also need a good enough manager to sign those players and utilize them well.

Setien should go back to a team of Real Betis' level or simply return to his village to become a cow herder again.

 

[JamDav1982]

If Klopp got the Barca job tomorrow and was told Messi has retired and Sancho is on way.... not sure the front three as a unit with work rate and pace would not improve.

Dembele (if fit) on side, Griezmann dropping, linking and pressing like Firmino and Sancho on on other wing.

Midfield he punts Busi, bases on FDJ and can use likes of Roberto, Pjanic and even Coutinho better than has been.

Barca front six with top coach and Messi/Busi/Suarez gone is not hard to believe could be better compared to shit watched last few weeks.

 

[serghei]

I'm not saying to buy neymar. I'm saying he would do the next best after messi as he is probably the next best individually. This team is finished, Salah and mane wouldn't do much either, they are benefitting from lfc's system. They'd have to create their own goals over here as this team has zero creativity

It's not only LFC's system. Bayern have a top system, City do. The best teams have a plan and the proper players and the manager who can implement it. They don't really need individual magicians.

 

[JamDav1982]

If Klopp got the Barca job tomorrow and was told Messi has retired and Sancho is on way.... not sure the front three as a unit with work rate and pace would not improve.

Dembele (if fit) on side, Griezmann dropping, linking and pressing like Firmino and Sancho on on other wing.

Midfield he punts Busi, bases on FDJ and can use likes of Roberto, Pjanic and even Coutinho better than has been.

Barca front six with top coach and Messi/Busi/Suarez gone is not hard to believe could be better compared to shit watched last few weeks.

Swap Messi for Sancho in this shitty style based on slow football for old legs then clearly would not improve but new manager with total control it could.

 

[serghei]

Yea, it's not like Sancho would be better than Messi individually, or better passer, or better scorer. But he would do the things for the team Messi doesn't want to do. And this would open doors for us to move in a better direction as a whole. We could try pressing again for a change. Getting the ball back in the opponent's last third... things we haven't done properly for 4-5 years. Things which are very much fundamental for the sides that dominate in Europe.