Sergiño Dest (loaned to PSV)
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JerseyAddict
Well-known member
This. It made me scream... Just drop it in the box ffs. Don't backpass. Roberto and Dest. What an comparisson.
xXKonan
Senior Member
If Dest keeps performing as he has, I don't think Koeman will bench him even when Bob comes back.
Koeman isn't perfect, but he seems a lot more flexible in giving players a chance compared to the last few years as we mostly used to seeing coaches stick with the aging Vets regardless of their performances. He could be a lot better with handling Puig though but like I said he's not perfect but still isn't that stubborn.
I'd argue Roberto getting injured couldn't have come at a worst time for him. two months is a good amount of time on the sidelines and watching Dest perform like he is now, will make it harder and harder for Roberto to somehow easily slide back in as a starter. He hasn't been bad this season but Dest so far has just been better overall.
Koeman isn't perfect, but he seems a lot more flexible in giving players a chance compared to the last few years as we mostly used to seeing coaches stick with the aging Vets regardless of their performances. He could be a lot better with handling Puig though but like I said he's not perfect but still isn't that stubborn.
I'd argue Roberto getting injured couldn't have come at a worst time for him. two months is a good amount of time on the sidelines and watching Dest perform like he is now, will make it harder and harder for Roberto to somehow easily slide back in as a starter. He hasn't been bad this season but Dest so far has just been better overall.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Semedo was the back pass merchant.
Roberto was far more progressive in final third than he was. Just wasnt a 'winger' who could take players on the way Dest can but when gaps opened up from deep he would drive into them most of the time.
Dest clearly looks better than both of them for what Barca need but Roberto was not some overly safe back pass merchant.
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
Semedi could dribble but passing and shooting held him back. Also lack of right winger front of him.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Semedo could run forward quickly with ball but not a great dribbler in small spaces.
The lack of right winger is a bit of an excuse as Roberto had good attacking stats in same system.
If anything it was worse for the RW to play with Semedo than other way round as he had not real idea how or where to move or to take part in possession side of game as was too poor technically.
Often he claimed he played well with Dembele.. think it was more a case of him just not lloking as bad as Dembele is a winger that just picks ball up and runs and at that point anyway did not link all that much with full back behind him.
Semedos ability held him back and he is looking the same at Wolves in a side absolutely built to get most out of full backs in final third.
Birdy
Senior Member
JamDav please.. we know you hate Semedo,
This is not a reason to whitewash Roberto ...
He is a disaster for any team that wants to play attacking football. Absolutely back-pass and side-pass merchant!
Apart from a few cases of crosses after receiving the ball with tons of space when countering, he was unable to commit any substantial offensive act in set play when receiving the ball close to the final 3rd. If you have not seen that after 4 years you were probably biased-sighted
This is not a reason to whitewash Roberto ...
He is a disaster for any team that wants to play attacking football. Absolutely back-pass and side-pass merchant!
Apart from a few cases of crosses after receiving the ball with tons of space when countering, he was unable to commit any substantial offensive act in set play when receiving the ball close to the final 3rd. If you have not seen that after 4 years you were probably biased-sighted
JamDav1982
Senior Member
I said Roberto was not good enough either but better than Semedo and far better on ball and in final third.
Semedo is the one that had no idea how to play for Barca and passed backwards too often as a result.
So far getting exposed for same at Wolves.
Messi983
Senior Member
I think people are too harsh on Roberto. He has done well offensively this season.
But there is no doubt that Dest-Pjanic-Dembele/Trincao (even if he can't score) is a lot better than Roberto/Semedo-Busi-a big hole on the right wing where Messi was supposed to be over the past few seasons.
It's not just Dest being better than Roberto, he also has more help and is not isolated to do something on his own.
Add to that Braithwaite who is consistently moving and running so Dest actually has someone to pass/cross to instead of the walking amigos being nowhere near the box when needed.
But there is no doubt that Dest-Pjanic-Dembele/Trincao (even if he can't score) is a lot better than Roberto/Semedo-Busi-a big hole on the right wing where Messi was supposed to be over the past few seasons.
It's not just Dest being better than Roberto, he also has more help and is not isolated to do something on his own.
Add to that Braithwaite who is consistently moving and running so Dest actually has someone to pass/cross to instead of the walking amigos being nowhere near the box when needed.
Gnidrologist
Senior Member
It seems that with lot of these players it is a confidence problem, especially at Barca. Roberto was patient, but certainly not brave midfielder, when he first appeared in Barca first team. Don't remember his exact age, when he was played sporadically in our mid, but i'm certain he was older than Pedri and maybe even Puig and he rarely did any penetrative passes or movements. It's just not in his blood. He's very safe, conservative, some would say, cowardly player, who would rather rely on his teammates and serve as a cog in the machine of ball; retention, nothing else. With players like Dest, Pedri and Puig you see that chutzpah to do thing their own way. The bravery to decide to take on their player or make a risky pass that has high probability to fail. That's what i like this new crop of our young players. And Dest has ability to do it successfully above all. His dribbling sometimes is near Alves like and his crosses are actually better. 
Not as aggressive and dominating as Dani though, but the later is one of the best fullbacks ever.
Not as aggressive and dominating as Dani though, but the later is one of the best fullbacks ever.
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
Yep. Dest is absolutely a better right back/winger than Roberto but one can attribute most of Roberto's back passes to being isolated on the wing, providing width but with no available targets.
Gnidrologist
Senior Member
So why Roberto gets isolated, when he plays there? Maybe because no one trusts he will come up with anything?
Birdy
Senior Member
Please give me a break from all that 'being isolated' revisionism.
Semedo was also isolated and any RB with Messi as a RW the last many years.
So it's not a question of being isolated or not, it's a question of what a player can do with the ball on the feet and being at the right edge of the penalty box.
And if you did not see at all that Roberto at this situation can only back pass to Pique or Busi, then you were watching something different.
Perfect description of why he is not and will never become an RB, contrary to the bs argument that many people here put ("he has played already 4 years as RB" So what? he has been a disaster for 4 years at RB)
Semedo was also isolated and any RB with Messi as a RW the last many years.
So it's not a question of being isolated or not, it's a question of what a player can do with the ball on the feet and being at the right edge of the penalty box.
And if you did not see at all that Roberto at this situation can only back pass to Pique or Busi, then you were watching something different.
It seems that with lot of these players it is a confidence problem, especially at Barca. Roberto was patient, but certainly not brave midfielder, when he first appeared in Barca first team. Don't remember his exact age, when he was played sporadically in our mid, but i'm certain he was older than Pedri and maybe even Puig and he rarely did any penetrative passes or movements. It's just not in his blood. He's very safe, conservative, some would say, cowardly player, who would rather rely on his teammates and serve as a cog in the machine of ball; retention, nothing else. With players like Dest, Pedri and Puig you see that chutzpah to do thing their own way. The bravery to decide to take on their player or make a risky pass that has high probability to fail. That's what i like this new crop of our young players. And Dest has ability to do it successfully above all. His dribbling sometimes is near Alves like and his crosses are actually better.
Perfect description of why he is not and will never become an RB, contrary to the bs argument that many people here put ("he has played already 4 years as RB" So what? he has been a disaster for 4 years at RB)
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