Champions League game 4: Olympiacos vs Barcelona 0-0

[JamDav1982]

There was a time when a game like this would be a solid win regardless of circumstances. We used to win with players like Alex Song somehow forcing their way into the starting lineup. Man, were we spoiled or what?

Barca have often played shit in away games in CL and had some poor lacklustre performances. It is nothing new.

 

[JamDav1982]

I led you into that one pretty easily. Thiago was quite easily one of Pep's favorite ever Barca B players. If Pep was here Alena would likely have been the same.

Led me on to what?

How many competitive CL games did Thiago play before turning 20?

 

[God Serena]

Barca have often played shit in away games in CL and had some poor lacklustre performances. It is nothing new.

So you think this is just Barca playing bad in a CL away game and isn't anything to be worried about?

 

[Givenchy]

regardless of his age, he should be starting ahead of fucking Rakitic.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Is it though? They are 4th at the moment in the damn Greek Superleague ffs. It's been several years since they haven't won the entire thing.

They are having a poor season and didn't even put up much of a fight today against us but our team looked crazy stale. A good and on-form Barca team of any of the last 7 years should be smacking them 3 or 4-0 at least.

I agree with this and why would anyone say DRAW is a great result? It's OK, not the end of the world, but certainly not great. There's only one great result and it's win vs them.

 

[JamDav1982]

So you think this is just Barca playing bad in a CL away game and isn't anything to be worried about?

No just saying to long for the days when Barca used to win these games with ease is not really accurate and the bets Barca sides have played lifeless games like this away from home at times.

 

[Kohe321]

Led me on to what?

How many competitive CL games did Thiago play before turning 20?

But how did our first team midfield look at that time? It was harder to get a spot on the team for a youngster like Thiago.

This 2017 version is much weaker and lacking in creativity and overall quality. Valverde should be painfully aware of this unless he's completely clueless. It makes no sense not to call up Alena to a game like this in my opinion.

 

[God Serena]

Led me on to what?

How many competitive CL games did Thiago play before turning 20?

How many? I really couldn't tell you. But Thiago might not have played as much at 19 as opposed to 20 when we had the greatest midfield in the world. Alena is sitting behind midfield legends like Rakitic, Gomes, and Paulinho. It's easy to just try and compare ages as if there are no other variables but that's just flawed thinking.

 

[JamDav1982]

But how did our first team midfield look at that time?

This 2017 version is severely lacking in creativity and overall quality. It makes no sense to me not to call up Alena.

Which goes against the idea that Valverde is scared to play him when Pep had a stronger more stable team to blood players in.

 

[JamDav1982]

How many? I really couldn't tell you. But Thiago might not have played as much at 19 as opposed to 20 when we had the greatest midfield in the world. Alena is sitting behind midfield legends like Rakitic, Gomes, and Paulinho. It's easy to just try and compare ages as if there are no other variables but that's just flawed thinking.

But your argument is that Valverde is a coward and scared to lose a game like todays.

That goes against idea that Pep would not give him minutes in a stronger side.

If age is what you are making it about and comparing Valverde to other managers of course thats what will be focused on.

Alena deserves a chance on ability is stronger argument than Valverde not wanting to develop young players in comparison to others.

 

[God Serena]

But your argument is that Valverde is a coward and scared to lose a game like todays.

That goes against idea that Pep would not give him minutes in a stronger side.

If age is what you are making it about and comparing Valverde to other managers of course thats what will be focused on.

Alena deserves a chance on ability is stronger argument than Valverde not wanting to develop young players in comparison to others.

I don't know where you're getting this argument from, I have nowhere said that he is using players less in comparison to others. That was something you yourself brought up.

Alena deserves minutes, he is our best B team prospect and imo could easily show he is better than Gomes or Rakitic if given the chance but Valverde is too much of a coward to give him said chance.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don't know where you're getting this argument from, I have nowhere said that he is using players less in comparison to others. That was something you yourself brought up.

Alena deserves minutes, he is our best B team prospect and imo could easily show he is better than Gomes or Rakitic if given the chance but Valverde is too much of a coward to give him said chance.

The second part I agree with and it will come but to say Valverde is ignoring players and a coward to not involve him tonight is not right.

If Pep had the greatest midfield ever and still played them in games like tonight at expense of young La Masia player it surely makes him worse by that logic?

Anyway I think his chances are coming soon. Hopefully.

 

[Kohe321]

I'm making the argument that it is easy for Valverde to legitimize calling Alena up for a game against a lesser side like Olympiacos, and for several reasons. For one, Olympiacos are closer in quality to what he is used to, which presents a rare opportunity to get Champions League experience with the first team against opposition he could shine against. But secondly, our first team midfield options are seriously lacking in qualities that he possess, first being creativity, and certain players could need the rest as well.

Every single factor points towards it being a good idea to call him up for this game.

 

[JamDav1982]

I'm making the argument that it is easy for Valverde to legitimize calling Alena up for a game against a lesser side like Olympiacos, and for several reasons. For one, Olympiacos are closer in quality to what he is used to, which presents a rare opportunity to get Champions League experience with the first team against opposition he could shine against. But secondly, our first team midfield options are seriously lacking in qualities that he possess, first being creativity, and certain players could need the rest as well.

Every single factor points towards it being a good idea to call him up for this game.

I agree he must be very close.

 

[Kohe321]

I agree he must be very close.

Yeah I hope so. Our midfield is at the lowest it has been in a long time, and here we have a fantastic midfield talent coming up from our own ranks who is nearly 20 years old. I hope that good forces within the club can put some pressure on Valverde to start bringing him into the first team. The transfer market is so saturated with oil money nowadays that any good midfield reinforcements will cost an arm and a leg, and we need it badly.

Getting one "for free" from our own ranks?