Quique Setien

ini4ever

Member
[tw]1221118301750861826[/tw]

Clearly a disconnect between him and players, dawg.

At least he acknowledges we played a million useless passes and today's performance was horrendous.

Ev would have just said "this is football" or something like that.

Good thing he acknowledges it but talk is cheap lets see how his team react.
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
With Messi's positioning I think the best system for Barca would be ten Hag's 4-2-1-3 where Messi can have a free role and make his runs forward to the box like Donny van de Beek without screwing Barca over by playing with one less winger.

You also get to play Frenkie in his best position. In a flexible double pivot where he got the freedom to roam.

You get two wingers who can create width and win 1v1 and create from the flanks. You get one CF to occupy the CBs.

What it means is less control, but if you want more control you simply sub out the RW and put Messi there and bring in a midfielder like Arthur.

Something like this:

ter Stegen

Emerson - Athletic CB - CB - Alba

Camavinga - de Jong

Messi

Dembele/Griezmann - CF - Neymar :pep:

Suddenly a way faster, way more athletic team that's able to press better, physical double pivot with Fdj and Camavinga and a team that doesn't need Messi to save the way for it to work since it's more balanced by actually playing two players on the flank and a proper CF.

Won't happen IRL, but at least I can do this in FM 20 :lol:

Guess I'll try again

X
X - X - X -X
X - X
X
X- X- X

tS
Emerson - CB - CB - Alba
Camavinga - FdJ
Messi
OD/Griez - Lautaro/LS - Neymar​
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
At this rate you might start to wonder if he'd rather just stay at home and play PS4 rather than doing a Setien fitness sesh.

@DonAK
It's a decent team. But we both know it won't happen and never in one window. And if it doesn't happen in one window then what's the point of doing it at all when Messi's 34 next year?

It can happen in one window, at least the major components of it, but never with this management and board.

Upamecano, Camavinga, Neymar/Great LW, Lautaro, Emerson can be had in one window if you're able to sell well and get rid of the dead weight in the squad that's making a lot of money.

Do I think it will happen? Nope.

Why buy younger, fitter, more physical, more athletic players as well as a proven one if you can buy a bunch of Sevilla and Valencia players?
 

serghei

Senior Member
It can happen in one window, at least the major components of it, but never with this management and board.

Upamecano, Camavinga, Neymar/Great LW, Lautaro, Emerson can be had in one window if you're able to sell well and get rid of the dead weight in the squad that's making a lot of money

Come on, DonAK, you're looking at 350-400m there. Unless there's some oil pipe right underneath the Camp Nou it's not feasible. Replace Neymar with a more low-profile but very good and fast player, like the next Mane, and you could pull it off, just.
 

serghei

Senior Member
Remove Neymar and get another LW then. Doesn't have to be Neymar.

Yea. The 9 position is vital imo. Suarez can't be replaced by Messi or Griezmann. It's starting to get clearer. Invest the most there, then find a strong fast midfielder.
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Anyway, like I said I don't think it's going to happen. With this board and management we're more likely to sink deeper.
 

serghei

Senior Member
Anyway, like I said I don't think it's going to happen. With this board and management we're more likely to sink deeper.

Probably. Unless Messi somehow comes back and carries us to another title, and/or Madrid fuck it up. But it doesn't seem to be his season. He looks sluggish as hell.
 

El Gato

Villarato!
It can happen in one window, at least the major components of it, but never with this management and board.

Upamecano, Camavinga, Neymar/Great LW, Lautaro, Emerson can be had in one window if you're able to sell well and get rid of the dead weight in the squad that's making a lot of money

Do the numbers add up?
Lautaro surely would cost you around 100-120.
Neymar another 120-150.
Let's say 30-50 each for the other three.

That's an investment of ~420. If you sell Rakitic, Busquets, Pique and Umtiti and get any more than 150 it'd be a big win and you're still 150M off balancing the book and staying reasonably within FFP margins.

Also again, if you don't end up getting many of them, Messi is 34 next year, Alba is 32. At best you'd end up being able to romp the Liga again, but you'd not likely compete in the CL.

Edit: serghei pointed it out too I guess.

I reckon there's a better solution for faster progression. And it's one nobody likes - let Messi go and the expectations of immediate project to salvage his dying years go away.
I think it's just a dark cloud that will hang over your head for years until somebody's brave enough to kill this.
 
Last edited:

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Yea. The 9 position is vital imo. Suarez can't be replaced by Messi or Griezmann. It's starting to get clearer. Invest the most there, then find a strong fast midfielder.

The emphasis of the system I'm proposing and like is that

1. You minimize Messi's positional issues
2. You're able to utilize both flanks which we haven't done since 2015
3. You get two athletic midfielders playing in a flexible double pivot like FdJ has mostly done for Ajax and the Netherlands. He'll be able to move freely, more so than if he's a lone CDM.

Makes the team more unpredictable attacking wise, removes some of the positional issues.

For so many years we've been playing without any winger on the right side where we're basically begging for Roberto or Semedo to do everything by themselves. Every team and their dog know that the only way we'll attack is through the middle or through the left flank where now also don't have a proper winger.
 

Sorin

Well-known member
Yes, but the issue is not only did he fail to do anything with them, he also deprived other managers from having the chance to maybe use these players differently. It's a major setback to have to play a 17 year old kid away on Mestalla of all stadiums, a place where all big 3 suffer every season almost.

Well yeah, but that is known. Now Setien has to do with the likes of Fati or Perez who is on the way out anyway.

Both Valverde and the board has set this team to fail in spectacular fashion.
 

FC433

New member
Werner Griezmann Dembele

Messi

FDJ Arthur

Alba CL CB Semedo

MTS

Neto - Umtiti - Firpo - Roberto - Vidal - Coutinho - Fati​

Pique, Busquets, Rakitic and Suarez must leave, for free if necessary.
There is Aubameyang as another option or L. Martínez and play AG as RF while Dembele as LW.
Either Ruiz or Guendouzi (could include either Umtiti or Alba in the deal)
 

serghei

Senior Member
Werner Griezmann Dembele

Messi

FDJ Arthur

Alba CL CB Semedo

MTS

Neto - Umtiti - Firpo - Roberto - Vidal - Coutinho - Fati​

Pique, Busquets, Rakitic and Suarez must leave, for free if necessary.
There is Aubameyang as another option or L. Martínez and play AG as RF while Dembele as LW.
Either Ruiz or Guendouzi (could include either Umtiti or Alba in the deal)

If you play with 3 forwards + Messi, Arthur has to go. You need a stronger and faster midfielder there.
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top