23 - Jules Kounde

[serghei]

The way people praise Garcia and trash Kounde all the time, you'd expect Garcia to become starting RB once Pedri is back. Or Cancelo.

 

[serghei]

What is the alternative?

Eric RB and Gerard or Araujo at CB?

Problem solved, Cancelo - Garcia - Cubarsi - Balde.

 

[MonteCuler]

Problem solved, Cancelo - Garcia - Cubarsi - Balde.

This might be reality very soon

Even though Cancelo wasn't really brought as a starter at all

He has same problems with concentration and lack of focus as Kounde, and that on a whole new level. But at least he is much better in attack

But I don't think Flick is willing to have two attacking fullbacks in Cancelo and Balde

 

[Windhook]

Garcia as RB reminds me very much of Sergi Roberto at that position - okay, solid, but not great.

What I mean is Garcia is more useful in other positions.

 

[serghei]

We'll see. Flick is not the type of manager to allow bad performances go on and on. If Kounde doesn't bring his best version in the big games to follow, he'll have issues with Flick.

 

[Windhook]

We'll see. Flick is not the type of manager to allow bad performances go on and on. If Kounde doesn't bring his best version in the big games to follow, he'll have issues with Flick.

It's been 18 months and by now I believe Flick picks his squad based on the effort put in training and rotation considered, not match performance. Kounde has been weird in the last couple of games, but I really doubt he's played out of some favoritism.

 

[JamDav1982]

Problem solved, Cancelo - Garcia - Cubarsi - Balde.

What problems are solved with that?

If that arguments for Kounde are he is better than gambling on Cancelo or not as bad as Araujo then that tells its own story.

 

[JamDav1982]

The way people praise Garcia and trash Kounde all the time, you'd expect Garcia to become starting RB once Pedri is back. Or Cancelo.

The way folk claim Kounde is Barcas best defender on the ball is even more bizarre.

He is not even close to others.

Why on earth would Pedri being back impact Garcia at RB?

Praise for Garcia is that he and Cubarsi have been far far better than Kounde so far this season.. Balde has not been great every game and been better than Kounde so far.

 

[serghei]

The way folk claim Kounde is Barcas best defender on the ball is even more bizarre.

He is not even close to others.

Why on earth would Pedri being back impact Garcia at RB?

Praise for Garcia is that he and Cubarsi have been far far better than Kounde so far this season.. Balde has not been great every game and been better than Kounde so far.

You know why Kounde plays? Because at his best he can pull off assists like the one for Raphinha in the Supercup final last year, or the winning goal in the Copa final. Or because when the team was struggling vs Frankfurt, he came up with two goals like an elite no9.

You take that stuff out, and sure, you don't lose much without Kounde.

I give him some leeway, others don't. I think once focused, he can be great. The challenge is to make sure his best version appears in the bigger games and vs bigger opponents. As long as that happens, I am not too fussed he sleeps vs lower level teams we beat 19 times out of 20 either way.

We will see in CL. If he shits the bed and doesn't rise to the challenge, I am all for selling him.

 

[JamDav1982]

You know why Kounde plays? Because at his best he can pull off assists like the one for Raphinha in the Supercup final last year, or the winning goal in the Copa final. Or because when the team was struggling vs Frankfurt, he came up with two goals like an elite no9.

You take that stuff out, and sure, you don't lose much without Kounde.

You are manufacturing things to argue against...

Already said would play Kounde in current team and other options are worse.

He has been nowhere near Eric or Cubarsi this season and worse than Balde also who has been average to date.

You keep mentioning moments like Supecup... same Supercup Balde ran length of park and scored... a few months after assisting Lewa with great ball in Bernabeu.

Garcia at right back scored in CL semi final and league decider v Real as well as others.

Can all point to these moments.

Araujo scored when Barca were struggling to beat Girona in last minute.

Its nothing unique to Kounde.

Fucking Gerard Martin has had big moments can point to.

 

[serghei]

You are manufacturing things to argue against...

Already said would play Kounde in current team and other options are worse.

He has been nowhere near Eric or Cubarsi this season and worse than Balde also who has been average to date.

Did Cubarsi score the winning goal in the Copa. No. Kounde did.

We need to see if in bigger games Kounde can provide this kind of impact.

He's an unpredictable player.

 

[serghei]

Let's say Kounde and Rashford are two players I expect to up their form vs bigger teams as the season progresses to the more crucial games.

 

[JamDav1982]

Did Cubarsi score the winning goal in the Copa. No. Kounde did.

We need to see if in bigger games Kounde can provide this kind of impact.

He's an unpredictable player.

Cubarsi is a far better player than Kounde whether he scored in Cup Final or not.

Kounde also lost his man that Real scored from not long before that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Let's say Kounde and Rashford are two players I expect to up their form vs bigger teams as the season progresses to the more crucial games.

Koundes form couldnt get any worse and Rashford has had plenty of impact.

 

[serghei]

Cubarsi is a far better player than Kounde whether he scored in Cup Final or not.

Kounde also lost his man that Real scored from not long before that.

Yeah, well, for me a player that can score a solo goal when the game hangs by a thread vs biggest teams is worth it almost all the time.

Who knows maybe he bangs one like that vs Inter and we play a CL final.