Jordi Alba

After informal contacts, Valencia want Barcelona to take a clear stand on Jordi Alba: make a formal offer or say they're not interested [md]

I can't see Alba playing for us, I just can't. He has as many good defensive displays as bad ones and WE NEED HEIGHT.

What are the possibilities we buy him,since he comes relatively cheap,to play as left forward if one of Tello/Quenca/Afellay is sold or loaned?

He definitely cannot play left forward,his crossing is very poor and his finishing is appaling.

In before someone posts a vid of a wonder goal, I watched 8 full matches of him this season and unless you watched more don't bother.

Theconomist said:

He definitely cannot play left forward,his crossing is very poor and his finishing is appaling.

In before someone posts a vid of a wonder goal, I watched 8 full matches of him this season and unless you watched more don't bother.

Click to expand...

He has been used as LM/LW for almost half of the season i think you are a bit harsh on him.

We dont need even smaller players in out attack. Hes not better in lw postion then Pedro either

SeloBarca said:

We dont need even smaller players in out attack. Hes not better in lw postion then Pedro either

Click to expand...

No one said we need another small player in our attack.I wasn't comparing him to anyone for that matter.All i said is maybe Pep and now Tito wanted to use him as a back up LW and not as a LB..

Signing him with the intentions of using him as a LW is not only a waste of money but offers absolutely nothing to the team. Like someone said- shitty crosses and below average finishing. Adriano is better, lets put that 13million-ish towards something actually useful.

And he's average at defending, and that's me being a bit nice.

Alba is 100x the footballer Adriano is.

I love Alba n' all but people need to stop sleepin' on Adriano.

still would prefer Bale for the LCB berth purely based on the physical skillset he brings.

DAT POTENTIAL, etc.

Metaphysical said:

I love Alba n' all but people need to stop sleepin' on Adriano.

still would prefer Bale for the LCB berth purely based on the physical skillset he brings.

DAT POTENTIAL, etc.

Click to expand...

I like Bale too but Barca needs to make acquiring a CB their first concern and biggest spend this summer. Alba is a more practical transfer that would allow the squad to after a CB like Thiago Silva and still acquire a forward.

Metaphysical said:

I love Alba n' all but people need to stop sleepin' on Adriano.

still would prefer Bale for the LCB berth purely based on the physical skillset he brings.

DAT POTENTIAL, etc.

Click to expand...

Though i am not happy with Alba playing as LB for us he is better than Bale.

Futbolista said:

I like Bale too but Barca needs to make acquiring a CB their first concern and biggest spend this summer. Alba is a more practical transfer that would allow the squad to after a CB like Thiago Silva and still acquire a forward.

Click to expand...

we don't need a CB.

Piqué and Mascherano are established as starters there, and Piqué won't have another injury-riddled season like this one as long as Del Bosque treats him fairly. Puyol is around too and can play at a starter level. Muniesa is coming through and has potential there, Busquets can play there in a pinch too, and I think Bartra is going to surprise a lot of people next season with his CB play.

if we can get someone to lock down the LB spot (Alba or Bale, tbh, but it won't be injury-prone Adriano) then we're covered at the back. spending big on a CB just shits all over Bartra & Muniesa and forces Mascherano back into midfield where he's not as good for us. yes if Puyol retires we'd need a CB, but he's not retiring so we don't need a CB, we need a LB.

and the reason I prefer Bale is because he has the size and strength to be able to play LCB in a back three. I'm sure Alba could play it too, as Adriano has at times this season, but surely not in every situation like Abidal was able to (maybe he can tho? I mean Mascherano makes it look easy). it would reduce the tactical flexibility of the first team because if we wanna play/switch to a back 3 we'd have to pick more of an obvious CB, and then it's harder to switch between 3 and 4 man defences mid-game, or take a risk with Alba in a back 3.

this is all moot if Muniesa hulks out over the summer, because he has all the tools to claim Abidal's LB/LCB spot, but he's not ready to start regularly just yet and I'm sceptical if he will ever make the grade as a starter on account of him having Sadbrows. hope I'm wrong though.

Metaphysical said:

we don't need a CB.

Piqué and Mascherano are established as starters there, and Piqué won't have another injury-riddled season like this one as long as Del Bosque treats him fairly. Puyol is around too and can play at a starter level. Muniesa is coming through and has potential there, Busquets can play there in a pinch too, and I think Bartra is going to surprise a lot of people next season with his CB play.

if we can get someone to lock down the LB spot (Alba or Bale, tbh, but it won't be injury-prone Adriano) then we're covered at the back. spending big on a CB just shits all over Bartra & Muniesa and forces Mascherano back into midfield where he's not as good for us. yes if Puyol retires we'd need a CB, but he's not retiring so we don't need a CB, we need a LB.

and the reason I prefer Bale is because he has the size and strength to be able to play LCB in a back three. I'm sure Alba could play it too, as Adriano has at times this season, but surely not in every situation like Abidal was able to (maybe he can tho? I mean Mascherano makes it look easy). it would reduce the tactical flexibility of the first team because if we wanna play/switch to a back 3 we'd have to pick more of an obvious CB, and then it's harder to switch between 3 and 4 man defences mid-game, or take a risk with Alba in a back 3.

this is all moot if Muniesa hulks out over the summer, because he has all the tools to claim Abidal's LB/LCB spot, but he's not ready to start regularly just yet and I'm sceptical if he will ever make the grade as a starter on account of him having Sadbrows. hope I'm wrong though.

Click to expand...

Have you seen Bale playing for Spurs as a LB,bet you would change your opinion then.

Meta's talking about his potential - That's the important point.

I wouldn't go for it though. He's more valuable as an attacking winger.