Emerson

[HanDW]

Yeah, because there are so many world class full backs available.

Not only available, there are very few RB's that can be considered world-class right now. Outside of TAA and Kimmich (who plays mostly midfield nowadays) who else ?.

 

[BusiTheKing]

Both Cancelo and Trippier moved clubs in the period since we've been trying to replace Dani Alves. We weren't anywhere near those. Then we pushed a bit for Cancelo last year but settled for less because that's our attitude around the full-back position. If Emerson or Dest do OK in the next few years, we will settle again and let the next world class rb pass by us again.

 

[mc_lovin]

Both Cancelo and Trippier moved clubs in the period since we've been trying to replace Dani Alves. We weren't anywhere near those. Then we pushed a bit for Cancelo last year but settled for less because that's our attitude around the full-back position. If Emerson or Dest do OK in the next few years, we will settle again and let the next world class rb pass by us again.

That's pure entitlement for me. Neither of them were obvious choices, suddenly they played a decent season and we should have anticipated this somehow , because we deserve the best performing players each year.

 

[malvolio]

That's pure entitlement for me. Neither of them were obvious choices, suddenly they played a decent season and we should have anticipated this somehow , because we deserve the best performing players each year.

better scouting is not much to ask. our recruitment has been terrible over the last 5-6 years.

 

[behindbrowneyes]

A shame we keep going for second rate fullbacks. He'll probably do ok but nobody would like it if we started going picking up midfielders or attackers of the equivalent level as Emerson. The effect is the same. Offensively, with how we play, a world class full back can make just as much difference as a world class 10 or striker - if not more.

He won't cost much and trying him out for a season is a no-brainer. You can still regain the money invested in him one year later . Can't afford a top quality-RB anyway. Not that any club would be willing to sell.
If CatRadio is to be believed (they seem pretty reliable when it comes to the new board) Roberto is on his way out. Getting Emerson might hurt Mingueza's game time, but we've seen last year how difficult it can get when some players get injured. Dest will have to cover the LB position too as I don't think we'll get another LB.

Emerson and Mingueza give the coach tactical flexibility during the game as you can switch from 4 at-the-back to 3 at-the-back without having to make 2 subs.

 

[HanDW]

Cancelo was a benchwarmer for Walker last year, he is been class this season but that mostly thanks to Pep tactical genius, before that he only had 1 good season in Juve and the rest was a very questionable cv, dissapointing in Valencia to the point he got benched by Martin Montoya.

 

[mc_lovin]

better scouting is not much to ask. our recruitment has been terrible over the last 5-6 years.

No doubt about that. But there are things I blame the board for and things I don't blame them for. At RB there were hardly any obvious solutions missed. At least in my book.

 

[Messi983]

I think people will be surprised how mobile and good at short passing he is. Looks a lot like Alves when receiving passes and running into space. That's what always stood out for me (apart from his physicality). I don't believe he will be another Firpo, but you never know how players adapt to top clubs.

Fully agree about the Emerson part.

TBH I don't think Firpo is as bad as people think either. If he'd be a RB and had to compete for his minutes against likes of Semedo, Roberto or Dest I'm sure people would like him more, lol.

It's not easy for any player coming in and trying to get minutes while Alba is still here. People were complaining about Digne but he was one of the best if not the best LB in EPL a season ago (didn't really follow him much this season). But it's hard to show what you can do when you're barely playing. While he's a mental midget and has low football IQ (he can only look to pass to Messi) Alba is physically still on a very good level (at least compared to our other veterans) and can play a lot (he'd obviously benefit having more rest though). And he's one of the amigos.

Only options a new player could have to overcome him in the pecking order is if Alba would get injured longterm and his backup would use his absence greatly to prove his quality or if Alba would fall out of favor with a manager like it happened with Lucho for some time. OTOH if we'd get Gaya who is a proven player entering/in his prime years he'd have easier job challenging a 32 year old Alba than younger/less experienced (at the time of signing) Firpo or Digne competing against 3 or 5 years younger Alba.

So a lot of times timing when a player comes to the club plays important role in his potential success. Sure, if someone has Alves's quality he'd do great wherever and whenever he'd go - unless he'd have another GOAT like Cafu in his prime to directly compete against but those cases are very rare - and if he's on the level of Douglas he'll always fail but most players are in between those two extreme examples (and people who are seeing the world only black and white are using this to label as "shit" every player brought at his position after an all-time great like Alves, which is very unfair to these new players) and longstay of those players at the club is not always based just on their pure quality.

 

[malvolio]

Fully agree about the Emerson part.

TBH I don't think Firpo is as bad as people think either. If he'd be a RB and had to compete for his minutes against likes of Semedo, Roberto or Dest I'm sure people would like him more, lol.

It's not easy for any player coming in and trying to get minutes while Alba is still here. People were complaining about Digne but he was one of the best if not the best LB in EPL a season ago (didn't really follow him much this season). But it's hard to show what you can do when you're barely playing. While he's a mental midget and has low football IQ (he can only look to pass to Messi) Alba is physically still on a very good level (at least compared to our other veterans) and can play a lot (he'd obviously benefit having more rest though). And he's one of the amigos.

Only options a new player could have to overcome him in the pecking order is if Alba would get injured longterm and his backup would use his absence greatly to prove his quality or if Alba would fall out of favor with a manager like it happened with Lucho for some time. OTOH if we'd get Gaya who is a proven player entering/in his prime years he'd have easier job challenging a 32 year old Alba than younger/less experienced (at the time of signing) Firpo or Digne competing against 3 or 5 years younger Alba.

So a lot of times timing when a player comes to the club plays important role in his potential success. Sure, if someone has Alves's quality he'd do great wherever and whenever he'd go - unless he'd have another GOAT like Cafu in his prime to directly compete against but those cases are very rare - and if he's on the level of Douglas he'll always fail but most players are in between those two extreme examples (and people who are seeing the world only black and white are using this to label as "shit" every player brought at his position after an all-time great like Alves, which is very unfair to these new players) and longstay of those players at the club is not always based just on their pure quality.

firpo has hardly looked like a professional footballer while being here. your whole analogy about him having to compete with alba and that he would look better at RB is therefore failed.

 

[mc_lovin]

Firpo just looks incredibly stiff. He's fast and physical, but has zero mobility. That's his biggest problem for me. And one that doesn't apply to Emerson.

 

[Messi983]

Not only available, there are very few RB's that can be considered world-class right now. Outside of TAA and Kimmich (who plays mostly midfield nowadays) who else ?.

Exactly.

RB and LB are probably the most deficient positions in the world football over the last few years.

And it's not like we've not tried to improve those positions, at least RB (we could probably do more to get a better competition for Alba instead of settling for his backups but as explained in my previous post challenging Alba over the last few years would be incredible hard for just about everyone for multiple reasons).

But once a bar is set as high as it's here after Alves every newcomer will be considered as disappointment (and as much hate as Alba is getting sometimes these days I think it could easily happen the same in 4-5 years when people will start to compare our LBs at that time to him).

Now imagine a scenario where we'd have the same kind of success with Pep but we would have someone like Belletti (a good but not great player) as a RB in that team so he could be considered a weak link in the eleven full of world class players (which is more an excpetion than the rule). Fans would have different opinions now about Roberto, Semedo or Dest.


We should stop living in the past. What happened was great but it won't repeat. Football has changed a lot over the last decade. Most top teams have adapted but we didn't. Still trying to do the same things hoping for a different outcome. Sure, Bartomeu did a lot of bad but it's overall philosophy and mentality of this club and fan base that is holding us back. We've always been our own worst enemy and some things never change.

 

[khaled_a_d]

It is official
http://barca.link/hw2450F0Tao

 

[Messi983]

It is official
http://barca.link/hw2450F0Tao

Interesting they're saying he was on loan at Betis.


Anyway, welcome and good luck.

 

[JamDav1982]

Suits the Barca strip in the mock up photo.

Hopefully doesnt get sold and gets a chance as has a lot of the attributes Barca lack.. if he can cope technically.

 

[vegitot]

Official now.