1 - Victor Valdes

[La Furia]

STRONGLY doubt it, but that's not a reason to argue over.

And I agree with the fact that defenders and keepers are underrated. It's the story of the game though. Football is nowhere near as balanced in terms of praise given to the players as basketball or say volleyball are.

The players putting up stats always get more attention....Even in hockey where goalies need to make a lot more saves and you get a whole subculture of offensive defensemen who get most of the praise as far as defenders go (the award for best defender almost always goes to a guy more known for their offensive skill than their defense skill), forwards still get the most money.

 

[xaviniesta]

i don't know much about hockey but what i've seen/heard the goalies have always been higly rated and praised. i guess they can't make any mistakes there like valdes did though.

 

[La Furia]

i don't know much about hockey but what i've seen/heard the goalies have always been higly rated and praised. i guess they can't make any mistakes there like valdes did though.

Well, the job for hockey goalies is a lot less subtle than in football. Much smaller area of play, faster game, and smaller net means all attacks are directed right at you.

 

[xaviniesta]

but i still think its easier to be a hero there than in football where there are a lot more aspects in goalkeepers.

 

[La Furia]

Agreed, it's also easier to get away with a few mistakes when you regularly face 30 shots a game - shutouts in hockey are an accomplishment, while in football every goal you give up is a big deal.

Both are important but in hockey you face more 1 on 1s, while in football shot stopping isn't always your main job - working with the defense is.

 

[xaviniesta]

Agreed, it's also easier to get away with a few mistakes when you regularly face 30 shots a game - shutouts in hockey are an accomplishment, while in football every goal you give up is a big deal.

thats also why i rate valdes s highly. looking the manu game atm, de gea has so much to do there, he is always busy, made some beautiful saves but also made one blunder that lead to a goal. the mistakes in this case are easily to forget when it was so much going on. hey will forget that if it stays 3-2 and they will remember his saves. valdes don't have that luxory. his job is to get the high balls, which he did very very well yesterday and to start the attacks. he had not single save to make. it takes tromendous mental strenght to play this game. there have been tons of games that we look back and think barca won valencia 3-0, messi scores hattrick everything is nice, but it was valdes who saved zigic from 1v1 to keep them alive from 0-0, with 40 mins to go, or the first clasico under pep where he denied drenthe 1v1 when it was 0-0 etc. but it was messi who got all the praise once again.

 

[Puyol the wall]

thats also why i rate valdes s highly. looking the manu game atm, de gea has so much to do there, he is always busy, made some beautiful saves but also made one blunder that lead to a goal. but they will forget that if it stays 3-2 and they will remember his saves. valdes don't have that luxory. his job is to get the high balls, which he did very very well yesterday and to start the attacks. he had no single save to make. it takes tromendous mental strenght to play this game. there have been tons of games that we look back and think barca won valencia 3-0, messi scores hattrick everything is nice, but it was valdes who saved zigic from 1v1 to keep them alive from 0-0, with 40 mins to go, or the first clasico under pep where he denied drenthe 1v1 when it was 0-0 etc. but it was messi who got all the praise once again.

what happened to your grammar

 

[Manuel Traquete]

Valdés did make a mistake but that doesn't erase all the great things he's done over the years.

He's still our #1 and I'm sure he will show why in the coming matches. It'd be idiotic to turn against him because of one mistake.

 

[Co0ter]

I was really mad at Vv after the game, but to think neuer, cech or casillas qould do better at barça is really funny. Vv is the best with his feet. If any of those tried to play like he does, would probably make more mistakes than him.

Our opinions are usually pretty cohesive Flavia but I just have to disaggree. I don't understand how people say Valdes is truely amazing on his feet. Most goalies make accurate 10-15 yard passes multiple times a game as well, I find that neither impressive or above average...and that is exactly what Valdes mostly does. Sure if there is not much pressure on him he can make an accurate 40 yard pass to one of our players, but most of our players are short in the midfield and lose the headers anyway unless they aren't contested. Not to mention, for someone who is supposed to be great with his feet, the majority of his big mistakes are from using his feet.....so huh?!

I have never found Valdes solid in dead-ball situations- free kicks and corners. He comes out to claim the ball and fails to either reach it, mishandles it or doesn't clear it very well. We are particularly weak at dead-ball situations so I don't know how that helps us.

For this reason I believe someone who may have slightly less "good footwork" but is a better shot-stopper and more aggressive on set pieces would be better for us. I'm not basing it or one or two mistakes, I'm basing it on years of watching him. Many of our players have dipped in and out of form and I'll critisize but still support them- I support Valdes but he's the one weak link I think we've always had.

 

[messi_xavi_iniesta]

Train harder VV.

 

[Barcaman]

... and banned for a week. Got a PM to stop those stupid one liners half an hour ago. Continued. Got an infraction. Yet continues.
(leaving it there to show that mods to remove these users from the forum)

 

[xaviniesta]

already before in my ignore list but still

 

[Meitux]

no offence but i would never ever want any of those in barcelona.




thats what i love the most about barcelona - they are different. they don't do the 'regular' things like people expect to do. like hoofing the ball in the final minutes. why? why give away your philophy after 80 minutes?

no dude but his touch was very heavy he should pass it right the time he controlled it not try to dribble,anyway i cant understand what he was thinking

 

[numero]

Remains the boss of our back line. Human we are. sometimes it just happens...but we cant undone his dedication and effort ..visca valdes

 

[Jimi]

did anyone see Dea Gea foold around with it yesterday? fair dinkum almost exactly the same as valdes. he got away with it though haha