Ernesto Valverde

[FinBarcelonafan]

Every team, no matter what players and what tactics, will struggle in a professional game when running 15 km less than the opposition. We run 100 km in one of the most intense games of this round.

PSG walk over Brugge in a 5-0 and run more than us.

The same with Tottenham and the same with Man City.

Atletico and Leverkusen play another intense match and they each run about 120 km. That's 20% more than us. Insane.

All of our problems are really one big problem. And it's really pretty simple. We are in terrible physical shape. We get outrun. We get to the ball late, we lose all 50/50s, we stop running back to defend.

Without this problem. None of the previous CL thrashings would have happened the way they did. With this problem still very much present, there's absolutely NO reason why it can't happen again.

120km? Insane. Puts in perspective how sad state our physical fitness is.

 

[MTL_Barca]

Top of the league and top of the group. It's a good feeling

Unfortunately watching the games isn't a good feeling.

 

[El Gato]

End our continued & collective suffering and bring in a better coach

Such as?

 

[messi2140]

Such as?

Zidane after he gets fired next month

 

[EdmondDantes]

At this point you are at a loss for words. Abysmal tactics, disastrous subs(pre planned as usual), no accountability for anyone, nothing. A bunch of individuals running around like a bunch of headless chickens.

The subs were horrendous.


Rakitic simply cannot get minutes anymore. He genuinely looks beyond depressed and out of sorts. Bar that one OK 45 min sub appearance against Bilbao on game-week 1, he's looked terrible every time. Now remember Alena hasn't got a game in 2 months...

How's that possible?


Vidal on the ball is a complete disaster. Nearly gave away another penalty and his passing was shit. Even off the ball he looked slow and all over the shop.


I'd sell both in January and get Ruiz in as soon as the winter transfer window opens - if Napoli don't make out of their group.


Or else Valverde will fuck us again with his robotic pre-planned subs.



I get that people here say that Busquets isn't playing well, but other than Alena who hasn't had a crack at it, every other midfield option is not good enough.


Since Griezmann is a hard worker, maybe play a 4-2-3-1 with him as the 10 and play someone else with speed like Fati/Perez/Dembele on the left. The problem is with 2 players not pressing for the full 90', it's difficult to dominate these high octane games like last night.

 

[Sorin]

The subs were horrendous.


Rakitic simply cannot get minutes anymore. He genuinely looks beyond depressed and out of sorts.


Vidal on the ball is a complete disaster. Nearly gave away another penalty and his passing was shit. Even off the ball he looked slow and all over the shop.


I'd sell both in January and get Ruiz in as soon as the winter transfer window opens - if Napoli don't make out of their group.


Or else Valverde will fuck us again with his robotic pre-planned subs.

Yeah, none of the subs made any impact whatsoever, when they are supposed to bring fresh legs and clear minds. You can argue that we become gradually worse with each sub made last night, which is simply unacceptable.

I don't think it's realistic what you propose with Fabian Ruiz. You can maybe get rid of the deadwood, maybe, but dealing with De Laurentis is harder than splitting the atom in a basement. Bartomeu ain't about that game.

 

[clemente]

It's disturbing how he doesn't have it in him to bench Suarez, Busquets, Pique, who are not capable anymore, I guarantee the locker room is run by loudmouths like Pique while this little mouse is sitting there in a corner nodding his head.

 

[EdmondDantes]

Yeah, none of the subs made any impact whatsoever, when they are supposed to bring fresh legs and clear minds. You can argue that we become gradually worse with each sub made last night, which is simply unacceptable.

I don't think it's realistic what you propose with Fabian Ruiz. You can maybe get rid of the deadwood, maybe, but dealing with De Laurentis is harder than splitting the atom in a basement. Bartomeu ain't about that game.

I'm bringing up Ruiz because the guys on Chiringuito said last night Real Madrid will go full blown in for him in January before us and Manchester City pounce, and before Napoli gives him another contract, raising his release clause to astronomical levels.


The time is now.


Frenkie, Ruiz, Arthur

Busquets for rotation.


Wait for the little genius Pedri to join next season. Puig as well.

 

[MagIX]

Every team, no matter what players and what tactics, will struggle in a professional game when running 15 km less than the opposition. We run 100 km in one of the most intense games of this round.

PSG walk over Brugge in a 5-0 and run more than us.

The same with Tottenham and the same with Man City.

Atletico and Leverkusen play another intense match and they each run about 120 km. That's 20% more than us. Insane.

All of our problems are really one big problem. And it's really pretty simple. We are in terrible physical shape. We get outrun. We get to the ball late, we lose all 50/50s, we stop running back to defend.

Without this problem. None of the previous CL thrashings would have happened the way they did. With this problem still very much present, there's absolutely NO reason why it can't happen again.

I totally agree
and it's also a matter of mentality
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And what are we ? we simply do not have balls, no fight spirit, no warrior mentality, we're a bunch of prideless pussies.
When the match gets physical, more mental than tactical, more fighting spirit than talent, we punctually plummet like the Titanic...we look, as always in these situations, like little scared lambs in face of lions.

 

[Kul_z]

The subs were horrendous.


Rakitic simply cannot get minutes anymore. He genuinely looks beyond depressed and out of sorts. Bar that one OK 45 min sub appearance against Bilbao on game-week 1, he's looked terrible every time. Now remember Alena hasn't got a game in 2 months...

How's that possible?


Vidal on the ball is a complete disaster. Nearly gave away another penalty and his passing was shit. Even off the ball he looked slow and all over the shop.


I'd sell both in January and get Ruiz in as soon as the winter transfer window opens - if Napoli don't make out of their group.


Or else Valverde will fuck us again with his robotic pre-planned subs.



I get that people here say that Busquets isn't playing well, but other than Alena who hasn't had a crack at it, every other midfield option is not good enough.


Since Griezmann is a hard worker, maybe play a 4-2-3-1 with him as the 10 and play someone else with speed like Fati/Perez/Dembele on the left. The problem is with 2 players not pressing for the full 90', it's difficult to dominate these high octane games like last night.

4231 seems our only way if we think that we would make it far and competitive in cl ko stages.

With busi and suarez in cl away matches we have nothing to hope for

 

[Riordon]

A lot of you blame Valverde while not talking about the players who are part of this.
Remember we were ridiculed in CL long before Valverde and will continue to do so after him.

Let’s talk about Messi. Runs 6 km each game which other players have to compensate for. Don’t want to play false 9 without a 9 or play right winger.
Forces you to play 442 without a right winger and no pressure from the first defensive lead which exposures our defensive issues. Furthermore it forces the right midfielder to play as a right winger because we have no runner in behind on the right.

Messi is a tactical nightmare and it’s the same for Argentina. This is our teams biggest structure issue and no manager can solve it. None. I actually respect Valverde for two liga titles with these tactical issues.

Love Messi but I believe we will be better of in the CL when he retires and we just play true wingers both left and right and a true 9.

We been shit last 5 years in the cL and Valverde been here for two of them.

Wake up man

 

[Marshall D Teach]

A lot of you blame Valverde while not talking about the players who are part of this.
Remember we were ridiculed in CL long before Valverde and will continue to do so after him.

Let’s talk about Messi. Runs 6 km each game which other players have to compensate for. Don’t want to play false 9 without a 9 or play right winger.
Forces you to play 442 without a right winger and no pressure from the first defensive lead which exposures our defensive issues. Furthermore it forces the right midfielder to play as a right winger because we have no runner in behind on the right.

Messi is a tactical nightmare and it’s the same for Argentina. This is our teams biggest structure issue and no manager can solve it. None. I actually respect Valverde for two liga titles with these tactical issues.

Love Messi but I believe we will be better of in the CL when he retires and we just play true wingers both left and right and a true 9.

We been shit last 5 years in the cL and Valverde been here for two of them.

Wake up man

We've had a coaching problem since Pep left. Only decent coach we've had in that time was Lucho. And he certainly wasn't perfect.

 

[Riordon]

We've had a coaching problem since Pep left. Only decent coach we've had in that time was Lucho. And he certainly wasn't perfect.

I can’t see any coach out there fix the Messi problem. All coaches have their formation and line up but with Messi they have to throw it all away and play 442 without wingers and only two lines of 4 to defend with. I’m actually impressed with Valverde. He won two league titles despite these structural deficiencies

 

[Givenchy]

A lot of you blame Valverde while not talking about the players who are part of this.
Remember we were ridiculed in CL long before Valverde and will continue to do so after him.

Let’s talk about Messi. Runs 6 km each game which other players have to compensate for. Don’t want to play false 9 without a 9 or play right winger.
Forces you to play 442 without a right winger and no pressure from the first defensive lead which exposures our defensive issues. Furthermore it forces the right midfielder to play as a right winger because we have no runner in behind on the right.

Messi is a tactical nightmare and it’s the same for Argentina. This is our teams biggest structure issue and no manager can solve it. None. I actually respect Valverde for two liga titles with these tactical issues.

Love Messi but I believe we will be better of in the CL when he retires and we just play true wingers both left and right and a true 9.

We been shit last 5 years in the cL and Valverde been here for two of them.

Wake up man

you'll probably get called ungrateful but I agree.. been saying this for ages. in todays football when you come up against teams like the current Liverpool and Klopp, you can't have ANY passengers. sure people will say Messi makes up for it with moments of magic but these are becoming less and less as he ages. the scariest part of all this is despite spending 120mil on Dembele, 140mil Coutinho and now 120mil on Griezmann, we are still 110% reliant on an aging Messi

Messi used to be a nightmare for the opposition, now hes becoming Barca's nightmare in this false-RW position. hes STILL dropping deep standing next to Busi despite us now having an actual midfield, its like everything must run through him at all times and then you have Suarez starting due to him being Messi's bff. this isn't a team anymore, this is a bunch of seniors not giving a shit in their comfort zone.

the only way I can see us winning another CL with Messi is if he moves to false 9, lets the midfield do their job and get a Pedro/goalscoring type winger

 

[MagIX]

Distance covered for week 3 of the Champions League:

1. Bayer Leverkusen 121,1
Leipizig 117,5
Atlético Madrid 117,2
Slavia Praga 115,2
Bayern 114,3
LOSC 114,2
Inter 113
Zenit 112,7
Benfica 112,6
Atalanta112,6
Tottenham 112,4
Estrella Roja 112,4
Salzburgo 112,2
Olympiacos 111,9
Liverpool 110,8
Lyon 110,6
Ajax 110,2
Juventus 110
M. City 110,6
Genk 109,1
Valencia 108,7
Dortmund 108,3
Galatasaray 107,7
Real Madrid 107,4
Lokomotiv 107,3
Dinamo Zagreb 106
Shakthar 105,9
Chelsea 105,4
PSG 104,5
Nápoles 103,5
Club Brujas 102,6
32. Barça 100,4