Andrew M
New member
Poch is an Espanyol man so forget that one.
Nelson Semedo
- Thread starter DonAK
- Start date
Poch is an Espanyol man so forget that one.
Potroh
New member
True. The team wasn't just unlucky but Atletico played the most disgusting and unclear game I've ever seen.
Arizona Scott
New member
Got one more name, Simeone. I think he would adapt be be more attacking with Barca talent and budget to work with, just like Klopp has kept developing and modified his tactics as he has gotten more and more talent. You know his guys will be conditioned and give 100%. Barring the @Juv match he is usually a great big game coach too, getting his guys in position to win.
Respekt_III
Anti-everything
Absolutely not.
I have much more faith in Wague. Semedo just looks painfully average to me. Not bad, just average. Hes fast and his ball manipulation looks good, but thats all. Maybe our lack of a right winger is the problem (his best game was probably last year with Dembele vs Juventus?).
George_Costanza
Active member
We played disgusting defensive football 3 seasons in a row but some of you didn't learn anything from it. It's not Valverde alone who didn't learn anything, some fans too.
I switch off my TV whenever I see teams like ATM and Juve playing.
Arizona Scott
New member
We are going to have won 2/3 major trophies and lost by a goal in the CL semis. Sky is not falling.
But we need some major changes. Some are in adding more youth and dynamism in a couple of positions-- but most of all sense of purpose, attitude and collective spirit as 9/11 our players got their butts worked off and we had zero collective response, more like a response of a group of cats or headless chickens.
The manager inspiring belief and collective commitment is the most important quality, great manager will also adjust tactics to players (such as having Messi) to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. No matter who is in charge if they have half a brain we wont set up like Atleti or Juv.
Potroh
New member
It gives bad feeling for all, because the opponent in the final would have been a team beaten twice with 8 goals scored.
Major changes, yes. But not headless and too drastic changes.
I've seen dozens of good teams loosing semis and finals and specially if it was an ageing team, fans and the press cried for a fresh start with only young players and the like.
But it almost never works out like that.
Changes need to be gradual, youngsters need to be built in step by step, position by position. Usually it works only that way.
"Collective commitment" is not a quality - as you say, but it is state of mind.
Qualities last long in ideal cases, while inspired collectives only last for certain periods.
Great managers don't only adjust tactics to players but adjust tactics according to the opponent's players. A quality that EV lacks completely. (With his limited mind, lineups may slightly change but actual tactics remain the exact same).
It matters who is in charge, because it's his task to enthuse the players and help them setting their mind-states.
If commitment remains the individual task of the players, it's close to having sex alone...
Arizona Scott
New member
I agree with you. But I think change most needed is the manager for the reasons you suggest. I do think that is a major change, FDJ is a major acquisition, so that is another. I agree the rest could be gradual or minor. I don't think we are that far away.
"inspired collectives only last for certain periods" Well Klopp has seemed to inspire his guys pretty well for a good length of time. Their commitment and passion to fight for each other was a striking difference between the clubs--more so than individual class, or even team pace (though I still think Barca needs more of it).
Potroh
New member
Sure, we do agree upon that.
I was mentioning the players only in that regard, the manager SHOULD go without any doubt or question.
True. But a coach simply cannot "inspire" his players half a year in advance. It is something that needs to be done before each and every task. And shouldn't forget that these tasks can be quite different in 3-4 days.
Just remember how Klopp reacted to the defeat of 1st leg. He praised the "boys", he said they played as good as the team is capable of, etc.
But in less than week's time (along with playing an important other game) he was still able to inspire the guys. The praise after the defeat only works if the inspiration is way stronger before the 2nd leg.
Two but very different "collective inspiration" suggestions, building the second on the first one.
Imagine Valverde in the same situation, repeating his pre-prepared sentences, etc.
Imagine Valverde losing 0:3 and then saying Barca can't play better. The players would laugh at him, and they would be even less motivated and with more stiff...
Psychological motivation is a refined tool in the green-room, which Valverde possibly just heard about once upon a time.
But almost the same Barca players DID IT two yrs ago with PSG, which shows that they can be inspired. Well, Neymar seemed to be the most motivated back then, but that's a different story.
The most important question is of course: if the elderly players could be motivated two years earlier, in a similar situation, was it the age difference playing the real leading factor OR it was just the lack of character of the coach?
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Arizona Scott
New member
Good question, probably some of both. The fact there is a lot of similarity @PSG, @Juv, @Roma, [MENTION=19560]Liverpool[/MENTION] would suggest players are part of it.
One more little thing. Klopp even said somethng like if we go out with a beautiful effort, so be it. He was less result focused than playing for each other and doing your best--helped create an environment to play like mad, but not defined by result. The simultanously played intense, aggressive, yet also loose. Also seeing the joy and passion at the end of the match, I don't remember the last time some of the Barca players showed that. I don't think beating Juv in the finals meant as much to them as that much did to the Liverpool players in winning that semis. Maybe the Spanish world cup win? Maybe 2009 vs Man U for the Barca team?
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