20 - Sergi Roberto

[BBZ8800]

Can you imagine Roberto trying to win header vs British teams or Rinaldo? He would get killed. First goal is just weak. Interesting fact though, both crosses actually came from Albas side.

Can you imagine anyone in our team actually winning an arial duel both in defense and attack?
Only Puyol and Umtiti can jump.
And Busquets and Rakitic sometimes.

Our team is historically built that way that we rely on short players all over the field, who move easily and pass the ball nicely.
That is all fine, UNTIL football around us evolves to a level where opponents have a lot of taller, stronger, faster players and when they use crosses and headers a lot.
Then we are in troubles.

In this moment: English teams (except Pep's short City team, of course) would win majority arial duels against us, then Juventus with CR7 and Mandzukic, Roma with their tall players, Atletico with Costa, RM with Benzema and Bale, Bayern...
We have always been one of the shortest teams both in defense and in attack.
In attack that means that we can play only through the ground.
If that works=fine.
If not=we can't have a plan B.

In defense, we are screwed against any taller team (which means EVERY SINGLE big European team).
And in Europe, our matches are usually always the same:
We rely on Messi and don't have any other options. We are easily neutralized in Europe.
While opponents kill us each season on counters and corners/crosses.

But in this moment, September 2018', majority of fans will still reply: go support Stoke if you want taller players! We are Barca, this is our style!
Well, then enjoy being outjumped heavily against any semi-decent European team.
Getafe won't outjump us, though. Because teams in La liga traditionally don't use taller players either...

About how Roberto can't jump, well watch this video against Roma, when we played Semedo-Pique-Umtiti-Alba, and watch how many crosses in our box have we lost and how many headers Roma had during that match.
Also, I talked about those Semedo's weird body-tackles in our box who could have ended as penaldos easily. He was quite dumb in those tackles.
For the end, never forget that we were knocked out of a CL when a player whom Semedo was marking at a corner scored a winning header:

 

[Sorin]

Last year against Valencia, Semedo was found as a scapegoat for the draw as their only goal came from a 2 vs 1 overlap on his side(Gaya-Guedes) plus numerous other instances when he was left in no mans land by a walking Rakitic/Buquets and lack of defending from our RW. Suffice to say that, if a 2 vs 1 situation with an overlapping fullback succeeds, it's absolutely never the defending players fault. Nobody can defend that and yet there were countless posters finding him at fault for the goal. If you don't believe me go back and read Semedo's thread. Not to mention the difference in the level of the team and venue. Huesca at home vs Valencia at Mestalla.

There are other matches where the guy has been nitpicked left, right and center as opposed to Roberto.

Anyway, compare that to the excuses Roberto gets when he is constantly found out defensively, even against lesser quality teams and you'll find such a stark contrast in evaluation it's midboggling.

Having said all the above, I'm not even a Semedo fan and I acknowledge that Roberto has done more for our team over the years. Not even hard since the guy has lived all his footballing life in FCBarcelona. However, I personally rate Roberto as good but never a starting caliber player for a elite team. He'll get turned inside out against ever other CL team. Just imagine him vs Neymar or Mane. I just can't see all the value he brings to the team as opposed to some of you and that is why I want to see Semedo play 7-10 matches in a row, through mistakes and whatnot to see if he can overcome them and create a better understanding, with the other players, both in attack and defense. If not, just sell him in the summer since there's no point in keeping a 35m fullback as a backup. Either find a better fullback than Roberto or promote a young guy from the academy as a sub for him. There's also the option of buying a cheap solid veteran as a short term option.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Can you imagine Roberto trying to win header vs British teams or Rinaldo?

Which fullback that played for us that was good in aerial challenges? Only players I remember were Mathieu, Puyol & Abidal. All 3 were mainly CB that played FB position with Abidal the only one who were full back mainly and CB second.

 

[Sorin]

I don't even know many traditional fullbacks that are good headers of the ball. It's not really their job. However, they should know how to position themselves as to not let the opposing player have a free header. Should always be well positioned to at least bother him in their jump or before getting position to jump. Roberto is caught out of position too many times and the attacker just heads the ball unimpeded.

 

[Danic]

Can you imagine anyone in our team actually winning an arial duel both in defense and attack?
Only Puyol and Umtiti can jump.
And Busquets and Rakitic sometimes.

Our team is historically built that way that we rely on short players all over the field, who move easily and pass the ball nicely.
That is all fine, UNTIL football around us evolves to a level where opponents have a lot of taller, stronger, faster players and when they use crosses and headers a lot.
Then we are in troubles.

In this moment: English teams (except Pep's short City team, of course) would win majority arial duels against us, then Juventus with CR7 and Mandzukic, Roma with their tall players, Atletico with Costa, RM with Benzema and Bale, Bayern...
We have always been one of the shortest teams both in defense and in attack.
In attack that means that we can play only through the ground.
If that works=fine.
If not=we can't have a plan B.

In defense, we are screwed against any taller team (which means EVERY SINGLE big European team).
And in Europe, our matches are usually always the same:
We rely on Messi and don't have any other options. We are easily neutralized in Europe.
While opponents kill us each season on counters and corners/crosses.

But in this moment, September 2018', majority of fans will still reply: go support Stoke if you want taller players! We are Barca, this is our style!
Well, then enjoy being outjumped heavily against any semi-decent European team.
Getafe won't outjump us, though. Because teams in La liga traditionally don't use taller players either...

About how Roberto can't jump, well watch this video against Roma, when we played Semedo-Pique-Umtiti-Alba, and watch how many crosses in our box have we lost and how many headers Roma had during that match.
Also, I talked about those Semedo's weird body-tackles in our box who could have ended as penaldos easily. He was quite dumb in those tackles.
For the end, never forget that we were knocked out of a CL when a player whom Semedo was marking at a corner scored a winning header:

Nice Cherrypick BBZ. The game where the whole team played the worst game of the season. Everbody made several mistakes in that game, semedo as well.
The goal u mentioned is almost impossible to defend. The attacker has always an advantage in a situation like this...

 

[te amo barca]

Not at fault for any of the goals we conceded against Huesca. Those were due to Pique's terrible positioning. A great player and Barca's first choice RB. See you later haters

 

[biraboyz]

Here are Huescas 2 goals against us

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<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/s/3k88j/dgfoml" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

So you want him to cover two players one at his back and another in front of him. I can find a Semedo defensive lapses too.

 

[xXKonan]

So you want him to cover two players one at his back and another in front of him. I can find a Semedo defensive lapses too.

He's just posting the videos man he's not saying Roberto is at fault for any of them.

 

[biraboyz]

He's just posting the videos man he's not saying Roberto is at fault for any of them.

Well OK, I thought he replied to me asking people blaming that goals because of him alone

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Can you imagine anyone in our team actually winning an arial duel both in defense and attack?
Only Puyol and Umtiti can jump.
And Busquets and Rakitic sometimes.

Our team is historically built that way that we rely on short players all over the field, who move easily and pass the ball nicely.
That is all fine, UNTIL football around us evolves to a level where opponents have a lot of taller, stronger, faster players and when they use crosses and headers a lot.
Then we are in troubles.

In this moment: English teams (except Pep's short City team, of course) would win majority arial duels against us, then Juventus with CR7 and Mandzukic, Roma with their tall players, Atletico with Costa, RM with Benzema and Bale, Bayern...
We have always been one of the shortest teams both in defense and in attack.
In attack that means that we can play only through the ground.
If that works=fine.
If not=we can't have a plan B.

In defense, we are screwed against any taller team (which means EVERY SINGLE big European team).
And in Europe, our matches are usually always the same:
We rely on Messi and don't have any other options. We are easily neutralized in Europe.
While opponents kill us each season on counters and corners/crosses.

But in this moment, September 2018', majority of fans will still reply: go support Stoke if you want taller players! We are Barca, this is our style!
Well, then enjoy being outjumped heavily against any semi-decent European team.
Getafe won't outjump us, though. Because teams in La liga traditionally don't use taller players either...

About how Roberto can't jump, well watch this video against Roma, when we played Semedo-Pique-Umtiti-Alba, and watch how many crosses in our box have we lost and how many headers Roma had during that match.
Also, I talked about those Semedo's weird body-tackles in our box who could have ended as penaldos easily. He was quite dumb in those tackles.
For the end, never forget that we were knocked out of a CL when a player whom Semedo was marking at a corner scored a winning header:

I agree with most of your points and yes this team is very one dimensional. We have one plan and if it doesn't work, we are finished. We lack speed in midfield so any counter is very dangerous and we are terrible in special teams. We could improve in those by getting someone strong and fast to midfield, but it doesn't seem priority to our team management.

 

[biraboyz]

I just saw this

 

[clemente]

I don't understand whats the point of "Total" stats when Semedo has half the minutes other players have, only the percentage stats have value.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I don't understand whats the point of "Total" stats when Semedo has half the minutes other players have, only the percentage stats have value.

You missed the "Show per 90 metrics"?

 

[clemente]

You missed the "Show per 90 metrics"?

Oh I see my bad

 

[Slevinn]

Would you guys break the bank for Kimmich? I am talking about 100mil+
I know its crazy but he would be soooo goood for us and our rb position would be sorted for another 10 years. By the way, I don’t think Bayern would ever sell him but hypothetically speaking...