2 - João Cancelo

[MonteCuler]

Everybody minds, are you serious? You think top players like the ones we have are gonna be happy seeing others enjoy themselves and them getting scrappy 5-10 minutes here and there?

No chance. The squad we are building requires heavy rotations. Not fixed starter and here and there some changes.

Like I said, Cancelo arrived here in January with the intent of being a backup LB. That tells us everything about his ambitions. He was coming from Arabia where he barely played. We all know his strengths and weaknesses.

If he really loves Barca like he showed with his dedication in the transfer, he will respect Flick's decision of playing another player ahead of him.

This is all dependent on training. I don't think Cancelo is showing very good things in training if he gets this little minutes. He was never a very egoistical player, so he will be able to look at this situation objectively and accept his position.

 

[jamrock]

I think he's fine for now, but if flick settles on a gala XI this early he will get pissed.

Players want to play.

 

[MonteCuler]

I envisioned it. Cancelo joined Barca on fanatical belief he's the starter LB under Flick.

Matter of fact if he's not up to the standard he ends up like third option.

Nah, he would have signed even if Flick told him he'd be backup.

Because he already kinda did. Just on loan. But his intention clearly when he arrived on loan was to get a contract.

 

[serghei]

Like I said, Cancelo arrived here in January with the intent of being a backup LB. That tells us everything about his ambitions. He was coming from Arabia where he barely played. We all know his strengths and weaknesses.

If he really loves Barca like he showed with his dedication in the transfer, he will respect Flick's decision of playing another player ahead of him.

This is all dependent on training. I don't think Cancelo is showing very good things in training if he gets this little minutes. He was never a very egoistical player, so he will be able to look at this situation objectively and accept his position.

That's not how it goes. Every player wants to play. It's on the manager to joggle with this and keep the locker room happy. Players like Pau Victor may accept being subs almost all the time, but players like Adeyemi won't. It's very simple.

We can look at how PSG do it if you want. Fairly sure they rotate far more.

I just looked. Both Doue and Kvaratshkelia came off after an hour. Dembele started on the bench. And they had a much tougher match than us.

 

[Windhook]

Bottomline is Cancelo has to fight for a place. RB and LB. His whole approach of ending Saudi money backfired.

 

[MonteCuler]

That's not how it goes. Every player wants to play. It's on the manager to joggle with this and keep the locker room happy. Players like Pau Victor may accept being subs almost all the time, but players like Adeyemi won't. It's very simple.

We can look at how PSG do it if you want. Fairly sure they rotate far more.

Every player wants to play yes. But only those who perform well in training have the right to complain about manager not giving them minutes. If someone complains while being shit, he is an entitled bitch. And sporting department made sure to get rid of all such players in last few windows.

I don't think Cancelo is doing very well in training, when he plays this little.

 

[serghei]

We'll compare minutes of Kvarathskelia, Dembele, Doue, with the minutes of our main forwards 3-4 months from now. With this squad, we can rotate like PSG do. If we don't, then Flick will have some explaining to do.

If I find that Raphinha and Yamal play a lot more than Kvara and Doue...

 

[Messi983]

We'll compare minutes of Kvarathskelia, Dembele, Doue, with the minutes of our main forwards 3-4 months from now. With this squad, we can rotate like PSG do. If we don't, then Flick will have some explaining to do.

If I find that Raphinha and Yamal play a lot more than Kvara and Doue...

Oh, you will

 

[MonteCuler]

With this squad, we can rotate like PSG do.

No we can't

PSG has no real competition in the league. They go winless in first 4 games this season and nobody there gives a shit

Because they know no other team has the consistency and squad depth to carry on a full league season

Meanwhile... if we drop points once, twice - Madrid immediately capitalizes and we are in a dangerous position

 

[serghei]

No we can't

PSG has no real competition in the league. They go winless in first 4 games this season and nobody there gives a shit

Because they know no other team has the consistency and squad depth to carry on a full league season

Meanwhile... if we drop points once, twice - Madrid immediately capitalizes and we are in a dangerous position

This goes away when you keep your players 90 mins in dead games like today. Not an argument anymore. There was no risk of any lost points today, and this will happen again most likely.

All arguments are flimsy to say the least. It points to a flaw of Flick about how he views rotations. Short term thinking and prioritizing star player happiness over managing conflicts and thinking long term.

Main players want to play all the time. He has to resist this and either keep them on the bench in some games, or sub them early. This prevents injury due to accumulation of minutes.

Under no circumstances can you expect Raphinha or Yamal to deliver at same level vs PSG star players if they play 1000 minutes more than them by that point in the season. And that in a more taxing system with heavier pressing required. It makes zero sense to expect that to work in CL.

 

[Catta]

We'll compare minutes of Kvarathskelia, Dembele, Doue, with the minutes of our main forwards 3-4 months from now. With this squad, we can rotate like PSG do. If we don't, then Flick will have some explaining to do.

If I find that Raphinha and Yamal play a lot more than Kvara and Doue...

If we rotate like QSG do, then we can already give the La Liga title to Real.

The situations are not comparable at all.

 

[jamrock]

If we rotate like QSG do, then we can already give the La Liga title to Real.

The situations are not comparable at all.

True.

Which is why when you are up 3 goals at the 50th minute mark.

You might want to use it as an opportunity to give your most important players as much rest as possible.

Since most here seem to think rest is the key factor in PSG winning the CL

Their players aren't trying to build "match fitness" by playing 90 minutes at the smart of the season. In fact they rarely do throughout the season.

But come the business end, not only are they match fit, but actually fit and available to go the full 90 when it really matters.

Fans can't have it both ways saying lucho isn't doing anything that special and he can rest his players whenever he wants but is cool with our coach playing 3 of our most important players 80+ minutes in a dead rubber game.

But early days.

 

[thestig]

Cancelo will play plenty, him and Xavi are both perfect for this inverted fullback role, each in their own way. Cancelo is more adventurous and creative, Xavi more disciplined. Xavi could lose form, injuries will happen, Xavi could be needed in midfield soon, both can play both sides.

The only one who loses is Balde who is stupid that he didn't leave at least on loan. I think he will in the winter. Can't see him getting any minutes except if an injury crisis hits, same as Gavi.

 

[Loki]

Either Hansi wants to give Xavi as much experience as possible in the season start, or Cancelo didn't return in the best form from the desert. Probably a bit of both, but I have no doubts he'll soon get his minutes.

 

[thestig]

I think Xavi is just better at the moment. Cancelo came late and Xavi is in top form. That can change very quickly but I hope it doesn't.

 

[ZenI]

Cancelo will play plenty, him and Xavi are both perfect for this inverted fullback role, each in their own way. Cancelo is more adventurous and creative, Xavi more disciplined. Xavi could lose form, injuries will happen, Xavi could be needed in midfield soon, both can play both sides.

The only one who loses is Balde who is stupid that he didn't leave at least on loan. I think he will in the winter. Can't see him getting any minutes except if an injury crisis hits, same as Gavi.

Balde maybe didn't suspect Espart would slot in on LB before the window closed, not many of us did.
Well if Espart or Cancelo doesn't get injured I'd look for a way out in the winter...

 

[Barcaman]

I am not overly worried about Cancelo. He is useful on both left and right and will get minutes.

He's not a type to lose fitness or form after periods of not playing regularly so we're fine there too.

 

[Draconifire]

Not worried about Cancelo minutes as of now. Season just started. And he can play both positions.
I would have liked Cancelo subbed in rather than Kounde. But it is what it is.

At this moment, let Espart enjoy his time. Same like Casado, he's taking off valuable minutes off our fullbacks.
I am sure once Nov-Dec hits, Flick will start playing our experienced fullbacks more. Same like Casado's situation in 24/25

 

[thestig]

Balde maybe didn't suspect Espart would slot in on LB before the window closed, not many of us did.
Well if Espart or Cancelo doesn't get injured I'd look for a way out in the winter...

Nobody did in the beginning of the summer but it was obvious at the end of August and that's when Flick reportedly told him that too. I don't really care, having Balde as the 3rd LB option is a luxury for us but he didn't make the best decision for himself. I think both Gavi and Balde should leave on loan in the winter if we don't have an injury crisis. We should try to shop Balde in EPL, I think he would do good there and we could get a decent fee if we knew how to sell players.

 

[ZenI]

Nobody did in the beginning of the summer but it was obvious at the end of August and that's when Flick reportedly told him that too. I don't really care, having Balde as the 3rd LB option is a luxury for us but he didn't make the best decision for himself. I think both Gavi and Balde should leave on loan in the winter if we don't have an injury crisis. We should try to shop Balde in EPL, I think he would do good there and we could get a decent fee if we knew how to sell players.

Gavi will be harder to convince to leave, Balde might leave this winter already though.
Gavi will be pampered until his contract runs out 2030, will try to "fight for his place"