Barca transfers & rumours

[Loki]

Why? Raphinha just signed his extension and other players also have contracts and are even younger. We are good for at least a few years.

Rapha will be 30 in the next few months and isn't a traditional striker to begin with. Who are these young players the club can plan strategically for the next years? Hamza without having one official match yet? That's exactly what I'm talking about. This narrative is built on hopes and dreams, that's no base for a strategic planning.

What? You can't be serious. You slept through the summer?
We won't get him anyway so it's not really important.

You seem to be new to transfer markets, if you take every word said in the press as an ultimate truth. If it were true, half of transfers would never happen. There are countless transfers that did happen despite prior claims not for sale. Especially in this case, that was emotionally handled by Gil Marin personally. Once his inferior emotions cool down, both parties will talk again. I don't say it will definitely happen, but to say it definitely won't happen is similar wrong.

Can't see how he could be better than Rapha. I'm 100% he wouldn't be and I even like Alvarez a lot, Rapha is next level.

Again, it's not about being better. It's about a strategical planning for the next 4-5 years. Rapha is 30, had 3 muscle injuries last season and played now 7 games as a striker. To plan 5 more seasons with this foundation has nothing to do with serious strategical planning. These are just current feelings.

If Rapha injures himself now against India or Australia, we have 2 strikers available. One that can't play for more than 15 minutes, the other doesn't have a single official match in his legs. Is that a foundation to plan on? Not for a serious club.


edit: You also make the mistake of expecting Rapha to perform on this level now going forward. It can happen, but most likely won't. he started his first season under Flick similar. The second one, he even missed the top30 because of his injuries and bad form. Who's to say it won't happen again, especially when reaching 30+? Deco must plan for all possibilities and Alvarez closes all these gaps and risks. Strategical planning.

 

[thestig]

Rapha will be 30 in the next few months and isn't a striker to begin with. Who are these young players the club can plan strategically for the next years?

Planning long term in football means 1-3 years, not 5. Who knows which players will be hot and available when we'll have to replace Raphinha and Jesus. We are covered for the next 2-3 years in attack, no need for any transfer.

You seem to be new to transfer markets, if you take every word said in the press as an ultimate truth. If it were true, half of transfers would never happen. There are countless transfers that did happen despite prior claims not for sale. Especially in this case, that was emotionally handled by Gil Marin personally. Once his inferior emotions cool down, both parties will talk again. I don't say it will definitely happen, but to say it definitely won't happen is similar wrong.

I don't agree, I don't think we'll ever see Alvarez in blaugrana, Atletico was clear and I'm tired of talking about Alvarez anyway. We have a much better 9 than him anyway and the team works great with Rapha in the middle and Gordon/Adeyemi on the wing. Great success and decision from Flick and Deco. Better and cheaper. It also suits the team and Yamal much more than getting Alvarez and keeping Rapha as some SS from the left. Now we can give more freedom to Yamal as Gordon/Adeyemi keep width on the other side. Also perfect for Cancelo and Espart, the left side of the team is transformed and works great compared to previous years.

Again, it's not about being better. It's about a strategical planning for the next 4-5 years. Rapha is 30, had 3 muscle injuries last season and played now 7 games as a striker. To plan 5 more seasons with this foundation has nothing to do with serious strategical planning. These are just current feelings.

Anything can happen and we would adjust our plans in that case but as things are now we're very well covered in attack with no need to buy anyone, let alone a 150 mil striker who is worse than the one who plays that position now.

If Rapha injures himself now against India or Australia, we have 2 strikers available. One that can't play for more than 15 minutes, the other doesn't have a single official match in his legs. Is that a foundation to plan on? Not for a serious club.

That's because you look at it too narrow, you only want certified 9s playing there but it doesn't have to be like that. Olmo, Fermin, Gordon, Adeyemi, Jesus and Hamza are all good options if Rapha gets injured.

Our attack is almost too crowded already, impossible to add a 150 mil player who would want to play all the time. Deco and Flick know this. The moment we bought Adeyemi (and later Jesus) we gave up on getting Alvarez. We have 5 top attackers + Olmo/Fermin + 2 or 3 big talents, we are great in this department.

 

[ZenI]

Alvarez was quite shit whole last season, he was maybe alright in CL - but his WC was again pure shit. This season doesn't look good at all, playing from the bench and is shit when he comes on.
Nah, train has passed - we ain't paying +100m for a player with 2 shit seasons behind him when we just extended Raph and he's doing fucking amazing. The fuck we need Alvarez for? +100m bench warmer??? You want us to spend 120-130m for an average player "in case" Raph gets injured? Sure, than buy Olise in case Yamal gets injured and Neves in case Pedri gest injured etc. We ain't made of money, Raph is doing great and we have very good backups...

Nah fuck that, invest in the next wonderkid and ease him in now that Raph has 2-3 years left of his prime - do some scouting and find the brightest young and talented 9 and we good (Hamza ain't it - he can maybe become an alright B option after a loan where he gets to play a lot).

 

[MonteCuler]

Signing Alvarez would not be stupid, but only assuming we have sorted out the mess in defense.

He is a phenomenal player who loves Barça and can also remain at the club for many years.

Alvarez in the summer was a necessary signing. Now he is more like a luxury signing, that could potentially take our attack to real unstoppable levels.

But first, a top LCB and RB.

 

[ZenI]

It would indeed be stupid, beyond retarded... We have a starting 9 and now we also have 2 great LW's - you want us to buy a backup 9 that had a meh season and is having another meh season so far for +100M "just in case"?

 

[MonteCuler]

It would indeed be stupid, beyond retarded... We have a starting 9 and now we also have 2 great LW's - you want us to buy a backup 9 that had a meh season and is having another meh season so far for +100M "just in case"?

Our starting 9 is also one of best LWs on the planet

Rapha - Alvarez - Yamal frontline is better than anything we have right now

Gordon, Jesus and Adeyemi can be bench options

That's what you call a world class depth where you have no fear of anyone getting injured. Right now as good as we are, Rapha gets injured and things can go south real quick.

When we sort the defense there is no more weak points, so we can spend on these "luxury" signings.

 

[thestig]

We should buy Haaland too, you never know if both Raphinha and Alvarez will get injured at the same time.

As I said, it would be Bartoesque just for the sake of signing a big name. If we bough Alvarez the whole concept and geometry that works so well is ruined and the chemistry will be gone because we would have 3 unhappy attackers constantly on the bench. Even if Deco and Laporta are so stupid to try again (I don't think they will for real, maybe pretend for show as they did in August), Atleti won't sell him so we are saved and the attack will stay as it is.

 

[MonteCuler]

We should buy Haaland too, you never know if both Raphinha and Alvarez will get injured at the same time.

As I said, it would be Bartoesque just for the sake of signing a big name. If we bough Alvarez the whole concept and geometry that works so well is ruined and the chemistry will be gone because we would have 3 unhappy attackers constantly on the bench. Even if Deco and Laporta are so stupid to try again (I don't think they will for real, maybe pretend for show as they did in August), Atleti won't sell him so we are saved and the attack will stay as it is.

Who are the 3 unhappy attackers on bench?

Gordon, Adeyemi and Jesus?

I think all 3 would be fine with being a bench option with regular minutes

 

[thestig]

They wouldn't have regular minutes, that's the thing. But you probably dream about some scenario where 6 top players all are happy and rotating which won't ever happen.

 

[MonteCuler]

They wouldn't have regular minutes, that's the thing. But you probably dream about some scenario where 6 top players all are happy and rotating which won't ever happen.

It's not 6 top players. You are implying they are on the same level which is comical. It would be 3 world class players and 3 top players. It's clear who starts the big games and who takes the load off other 3 in such situation.

Don't know why you think that they wouldn't have regular minutes. There is obviously a lot of games they can play and many ways we could arrange the attack. Especially when Yamal and Alvarez can also play in the middle as number 10.

This is perfectly realistic and not a dreamland scenario. I know a lot of people believe Flick for some reason hates rotation so maybe you think he wouldn't be willing to give those 3 their minutes. But that's false.

Of course, it's not a necessary signing because our attack is already good and has depth. But once we are done with defense signings, this is the obvious next step.

 

[MonteCuler]

It won't be long before people will be complaining about our LWs by the way.

Adeyemi had a good game, so he is the next Neymar. Gordon is tidy in possesion, so he is our LW for the next decade.

Exactly like Loki said, it's just people forming their opinions based on current feelings and events. The club has to think long term.

It is definitely questionable if either of Adeyemi or Gordon has the quality to be a long term starting left winger for Barça. And I don't believe club bought them with such intentions.

There is zero question whatsover that Raphinha has that quality. We would be moving him back to LW and playing Alvarez at CF. Our attack would be way better than it is now, it's possible.

 

[ZenI]

Dude was shit last season and on his way to have another shit season. 8/10 of the CL goals he scored last season were PKs and tap-ins - the best goal he scored was of course against us. Dude might be done after this season... the transfer saga and hate from the "fans" will do his head in - he might never come back to what he was before last season and we sure as fuck shouldn't pay over 100m to find out.

 

[thestig]

As usual with you, that's your dreams which have nothing to do with reality. In reality Yamal plays 90% of the time, Rapha and Alvarez 80% and you can figure out how much would be left for 3 other players that you have to keep happy and on form. Fortunately you scenario will never happen.

The problem is not only that but also that we would lose width from the left, lose our whole concept with inverted LB and Yamal coming closer to the box on the other side because of it.

 

[ZenI]

As usual with you, that's your dreams which have nothing to do with reality. In reality Yamal plays 90% of the time, Rapha and Alvarez 80% and you can figure out how much would be left for 3 other players that you have to keep happy and on form. Fortunately you scenario will never happen.

The problem is not only that but also that we would lose width from the left, lose our whole concept with inverted LB and Yamal coming closer to the box on the other side because of it.

Alvarez 80%? How do we even know that? He was shit last season in LL, scored mostly tap-ins and PK's in CL, beyond shit in the WC.
This season he's coming off the bench and is mostly shit. What if he's shit whole season? He won't be the first player to have "lost" it all of a sudden and he was never THAT great to begin with?!

 

[MonteCuler]

As usual with you, that's your dreams which have nothing to do with reality. In reality Yamal plays 90% of the time, Rapha and Alvarez 80% and you can figure out how much would be left for 3 other players that you have to keep happy and on form. Fortunately you scenario will never happen.

They have a lot to do with reality because shitload of teams already apply this system of 5-6 attackers that get rotated and play plenty.

Also needless to say that we don't have to keep everyone. We can sell any of the 3 players if they are not happy and get decent money in return.

What width are we losing? I am assuming you already concluded Adeyemi and Gordon are world class dribblers who hold the width and that's why Flick came up with the whole inverted LB thing.

Inverted LB comes from our positional freedom in the attack. Bringing Alvarez we wouldn't lose any of it. Only way it could change is improve massively and become even more dynamic & confusing for opponents.

You are saying I am in some way out of touch with reality but really none of what you say makes any sense. You claim none of the players will get minutes but refuse to elaborate why is that. It's almost (almostt) like you are talking out of your ass.

 

[thestig]

Alvarez 80%? How do we even know that? He was shit last season in LL, scored mostly tap-ins and PK's in CL, beyond shit in the WC.
This season he's coming off the bench and is mostly shit. What if he's shit whole season? He won't be the first player to have "lost" it all of a sudden and he was never THAT great to begin with?!

No 150 mil € transfer will be a rotational player. He could flop like Coutinho did and end up on the bench in a few years but no one sane buys a player for that money with the idea he'll only be rotating, not being a starter.

 

[MonteCuler]

I will be willing to hear your opinion when Gordon and Adeyemi end their honeymoon phase and start also giving us a little shit games.

Because as things stand, you think they are players too good and too big to sit on the bench and rest starters in Barcelona.

We will see if that is the case. They are both great, no doubt. And have their qualities. But they might not be at the level you believe they are.

 

[MonteCuler]

No 150 mil € transfer will be a rotational player. He could flop like Coutinho did and end up on the bench in a few years but no one sane buys a player for that money with the idea he'll only be rotating, not being a starter.

Raphinha, Alvarez, Yamal are starters mate.

Gordon, Adeyemi, Jesus rotate.

Thought this much is obvious so I didn't explain.

 

[thestig]

I don't even know why I replied to you. I explained the problems that getting a 150 mil € attacker on top of the best attack in the world that also has solid depth would be harmful for the dressing room which is common sense, the tactical problems with the new setup if Rapha returned to the left but you ignore it and want to stack shiny new toys which are not needed at all.

In the end this dilemma is also non existent because Atleti won't sell him to us and we are watching the best start to the season from any attack ever, including MSN which is crazy, the last thing we need are new attacker so I'll stop the discussion at that.

 

[ZenI]

No 150 mil € transfer will be a rotational player. He could flop like Coutinho did and end up on the bench in a few years but no one sane buys a player for that money with the idea he'll only be rotating, not being a starter.

Exactly... let's first give Ade and Gordon time and support before we even start to think about another forward, we can evaluate them in a couple of months. But right now Raph is the best striker in the world - why bring in a 120m player for Rapha's position who's been meh for some time now?