11 - Ousmane Dembélé - V1

[JamDav1982]

Haha players 'not giving Dembele the ball' ffs.

All these excuses. He got the ball enough yesterday get it taken off him more than anyone else in the Barca team.

 

[kattanib]

Nice. So now it's fine to criticize Dembele because the trend has picked up.

He is young and needs time ... The only thing that will determine whether or not he will succeed with us is his willingness to learn and evolve year after year (the cieling of his potentials)

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

Alcacer decent in link ups? I want what you’re smoking sir.

He has about as much positional discipline as Paulinho and can’t dribble an 8 week old puppy.

Dembélé lacks when it comes to the tactical aspects of the Barça game but he is dangerous when he has the ball. Alcacer offers nothing other than abandoning his positions to take up spots in the box. He’s atrocious.

And regarding Dembélé... What do you expect the guy to do when Rakitic and Paulinho don’t provide him with balls. Between the 2 of them they sent balls in Dembélé’s direction a grand total of twice in about 60 minutes. Dembélé was left to play Roberto. I can understand it because the midfield was extremely poor but that sort of service is just unacceptable.

Suárez was about the only player trying to activate Dembélé.

There are a lot of statements from your post that could be addressed. But I will address few. Paulinho has Zero positioning. To be precise, Paulinho was not expected to be a positional player. He is a floating shadow striker. That's what I could understand watching him. Also, he is an additional number for attack as well as defense. In the last two games I watched Alcacer, the flow of the game was not interrupted, and he had fair amount of touches in the final third. Even, Suarez interrupted the attacking passes a lot. It means, Alcacer might have been very well positioned. Even if I'm wrong and Alcacer is not well positioned, it didn't spoil the attack as much since he is the farthest player.

Dembele not receiving the ball might be of two reasons. Whenever Messi and Rakitic looked up for passes, he might not be in the best position to receive the pass. Another reason is that Messi, Rakitic and Coutinho prefer to minimize his inclusion in build up play because of his ability to lose possession relatively easily by trying difficult dribbles and also might be because of their less confidence on him. Note that they watch him in training regularly.

I denoted every statement as a possibility. Because I don't know for sure. But one obvious example being RM's attack was more lethal and efficient when the play with Asensio than they play with Isco, who simply spoil the organization of the counter attack.

 

[MessiCam]

Haha players 'not giving Dembele the ball' ffs.

All these excuses. He got the ball enough yesterday get it taken off him more than anyone else in the Barca team.

You’re a fucking idiot! I said Rakitic and Paulinho made all of two passes to Dembélé and that is a fact. He was left to play with Roberto in a narrow corridor.

 

[Joan]

You’re a fucking idiot! I said Rakitic and Paulinho made all of two passes to Dembélé and that is a fact. He was left to play with Roberto in a narrow corridor.

Could you tell me what app is that?

On topic: he saw that the midfield was struggling and did what? Stayed in the area in which he was isolated. Didn't bother to include himself in the play or help the midfield.
Same goes for defense. Know he's not a defender and don't expect him to be our Mandukic, but he did quite well vs. Chelsea. At least tried and did his best, was quite useful in the end.
Last night? He was lazy and didn't want the ball. That's a huge attitude problem.

 

[MessiCam]

There are a lot of statements from your post that could be addressed. But I will address few. Paulinho has Zero positioning. To be precise, Paulinho was not expected to be a positional player. He is a floating shadow striker. That's what I could understand watching him. Also, he is an additional number for attack as well as defense. In the last two games I watched Alcacer, the flow of the game was not interrupted, and he had fair amount of touches in the final third. Even, Suarez interrupted the attacking passes a lot. It means, Alcacer might have been very well positioned. Even if I'm wrong and Alcacer is not well positioned, it didn't spoil the attack as much since he is the farthest player.

Dembele not receiving the ball might be of two reasons. Whenever Messi and Rakitic looked up for passes, he might not be in the best position to receive the pass. Another reason is that Messi, Rakitic and Coutinho prefer to minimize his inclusion in build up play because of his ability to lose possession relatively easily by trying difficult dribbles and also might be because of their less confidence on him. Note that they watch him in training regularly.

I denoted every statement as a possibility. Because I don't know for sure. But one obvious example being RM's attack was more lethal and efficient when the play with Asensio than they play with Isco, who simply spoil the organization of the counter attack.

Messi and Dembélé didn’t play together yesterday. And no it was not about Dembélé not being in a good position to receive a pass... It was about them not playing toward that area. Up until the 60th minute Rakitic only made 5 passes to Roberto too. The midfield was just poor.

 

[MessiCam]

Could you tell me what app is that?

On topic: he saw that the midfield was struggling and did what? Stayed in the area in which he was isolated. Didn't bother to include himself in the play or help the midfield.
Same goes for defense. Know he's not a defender and don't expect him to be our Mandukic, but he did quite well vs. Chelsea. At least tried and did his best, was quite useful in the end.
Last night? He was lazy and didn't want the ball. That's a huge attitude problem.

The app is StatZone.

The issue is that last night he played in 4-3-3 and not in a 4-4-2. The dynamics are very different but he did make himself available as a passing option but play was focused through the left with good reason... When you have Alba, Iniesta and Coutinho playing on the left it’s only natural that they see more of the ball as opposed to Roberto, Paulinho and Dembélé.

If he had to be of any help in midfield it would have had to be from a central position like when Messi drops deep.

But yeah, he wasn’t on it last night. Was good for the first 20 minutes but then faded.

 

[JamDav1982]

[QUOTE

You’re a fucking idiot! I said Rakitic and Paulinho made all of two passes to Dembélé and that is a fact. He was left to play with Roberto in a narrow corridor.[/QUOTE]

Pipe down you fucking moron.

Folk were not avoiding passing to Dembele he was less involved in build up as opposed to other side as he should be with Alba, Cout and Iniesta on other flank.

Dembele pass completion rate was fucking awful and despite not getting ball as much he was losing it more than anyone else.

Why does it matter who gives him the ball anyway?

 

[Cruyff-Total Football]

Messi and Dembélé didn’t play together yesterday. And no it was not about Dembélé not being in a good position to receive a pass... It was about them not playing toward that area. Up until the 60th minute Rakitic only made 5 passes to Roberto too. The midfield was just poor.

He, apparently has skills which other players in Barca don't have. But for various reasons, not necessarily be his mistake, he had not yet proved to be profitable for the team. One ought to wait and let him integrate in the team much more, from which they can see if he can be a great player for Barca or not. I couldn't predict anything about him. Just an analysis from what I watched.

 

[MessiCam]

Dembélé had 8 failed passes and all of them were of an attacking nature. Attempted through balls, the lob to Umtiti and the cut back that the defender got to first. He tried to put Roberto through for a cross too. So that completion rate lacks context.

But yes he was dispossessed a lot.

 

[JamDav1982]

Dembélé had 8 failed passes and all of them were of an attacking nature. Attempted through balls, the lob to Umtiti and the cut back that the defender got to first. He tried to put Roberto through for a cross too. So that completion rate lacks context.

But yes he was dispossessed a lot.

If he is trying to many attacking plays and losing ball with not all that much to show for it then its completely relevant.

Players can get the ball less but in decent situations. Fairly obvious why he as not part of build up play yesterday and when he did get it was far too sloppy.

He is young and raw and still looks like struggling to be part of system probably never has as much in past.

 

[Joan]

The app is StatZone.

Am a bit clumsy, where did you get it? Can't find it.

The issue is that last night he played in 4-3-3 and not in a 4-4-2. The dynamics are very different but he did make himself available as a passing option but play was focused through the left with good reason...

That is true. But an intelligent player can't be (or at least shouldn't) that rigid with formations. When the midfield is weak you need to help it, you need to track back and help both the midfield and the defense. Left Roberto 1 on 2 too many times last night.
Messi does it, not giving a fuck about formation. Not saying that's the way to go, but you can't exclude yourself from the match if the team needs help, if things need fixing...

Can't say was it a dumb or a lazy game from him.

When you have Alba, Iniesta and Coutinho playing on the left it’s only natural that they see more of the ball as opposed to Roberto, Paulinho and Dembélé.

If he had to be of any help in midfield it would have had to be from a central position like when Messi drops deep.

It's not only about the names. Roberto was more involved than him. He simply kept himself out of it as persisted staying too high up the pitch.

Look at Coutinho's positioning. You might say he was a passing option, but not an easy nor a safe one (quite evident considering his stats), but to say that you'd need to have a proper CM in place of Paulinho.

He simply didn't try hard enough. Didn't want the ball. That's it.

But yeah, he wasn’t on it last night. Was good for the first 20 minutes but then faded.

 

[MessiCam]

If he is trying to many attacking plays and losing ball with not all that much to show for it then its completely relevant.

Players can get the ball less but in decent situations. Fairly obvious why he as not part of build up play yesterday and when he did get it was far too sloppy.

He is young and raw and still looks like struggling to be part of system probably never has as much in past.

So who do you think was going to create attacking opportunities? Coutinho didn’t up until the point of the Dembélé substitution... Neither did Suarez...

Messi had 6 attacking plays fail too.

These type of players give the ball away. A Lot.

Regarding the build up. Short of him moving to the left there is nothing he could have done because play was focussed in that area of the field.

 

[JamDav1982]

So who do you think was going to create attacking opportunities? Coutinho didn’t up until the point of the Dembélé substitution... Neither did Suarez...

Messi had 6 attacking plays fail too.

These type of players give the ball away. A Lot.

Regarding the build up. Short of him moving to the left there is nothing he could have done because play was focussed in that area of the field.

Not sure what any of your points are about.

Do you think I am blaming Dembele for not being on ball more or saying he should never try to create?

 

[MessiCam]

Am a bit clumsy, where did you get it? Can't find it.

That is true. But an intelligent player can't be (or at least shouldn't) that rigid with formations. When the midfield is weak you need to help it, you need to track back and help both the midfield and the defense. Left Roberto 1 on 2 too many times last night.
Messi does it, not giving a fuck about formation. Not saying that's the way to go, but you can't exclude yourself from the match if the team needs help, if things need fixing...

Can't say was it a dumb or a lazy game from him.

It's not only about the names. Roberto was more involved than him. He simply kept himself out of it as persisted staying too high up the pitch.

Look at Coutinho's positioning. You might say he was a passing option, but not an easy nor a safe one (quite evident considering his stats), but to say that you'd need to have a proper CM in place of Paulinho.

He simply didn't try hard enough. Didn't want the ball. That's it.

No. Roberto received the ball only 13 times in the attacking third prior to the Dembélé substitution. And yes Roberto is always going to be more involved in build up play because Barça play out from the back and he is often wide in midfield. Did Roberto also not want the ball enough?