5 - Pau Cubarsí

WOW

We've praised and been critical of all our CBs in the last 12-18 months.

The praise tends to be when they time the offside trap perfect.

The blame when they don't.

Cubarsi is basically the same player he was when flick became manager, except he's now more or less mastered the offside trap and has gotten more experience.

On one hand, we say mendes was always this good with the exception of injuries, nothing else happen bar playing time to make him the best LB in the world.

Cubarsi who is every bit as talented from a CB prospective, has played without an injuries for 2+ years, but his development has stalled.

What Has Been The Difference between the two in that time 🤔🤔.

I mean, Cubarsi wasn't good before Flick was hired. He was still a huge dropp off from Christensen previous. And far from the level needed for a Barca starting CB. So not sure what argument are you making, it is something I've been consistent about.

He has improved in aerial and offside trap, the later covered a lot of his flaws when it worked. When it doesn't (which is actually more dependent on pressing than defenders) it exposes him more.

It isn't working now, and he is still not good enough. The club need two starting CB and move Cubarsi as 3rd option until he improves and be ready.

Again, with the coaching argument. Pep didn't improve Bojan, who took step backs under him, but it wasn't Pep's fault because Bojan was always rushed.

You can blame Flick all you want, because it just make it easier to deflect blame from your favourite players, but the truth is we have players problem especially in defense. Some players aren't good enough yet (like Cubarsi), others aren't good enough, period (like Martin) while others are good enough but far from the best in the World (Balde).

This is regardless of coaches. There is a reason top coaches goes to rich clubs and change half of their teams, rather than trying to make all of existing players work for them.

khaled_a_d said:

I mean, Cubarsi wasn't good before Flick was hired. He was still a huge dropp off from Christensen previous. And far from the level needed for a Barca starting CB. So not sure what argument are you making, it is something I've been consistent about.

He has improved in aerial and offside trap, the later covered a lot of his flaws when it worked. When it doesn't (which is actually more dependent on pressing than defenders) it exposes him more.

It isn't working now, and he is still not good enough. The club need two starting CB and move Cubarsi as 3rd option until he improves and be ready.

Again, with the coaching argument. Pep didn't improve Bojan, who took step backs under him, but it wasn't Pep's fault because Bojan was always rushed.

You can blame Flick all you want, because it just make it easier to deflect blame from your favourite players, but the truth is we have players problem especially in defense. Some players aren't good enough yet (like Cubarsi), others aren't good enough, period (like Martin) while others are good enough but far from the best in the World (Balde).

This is regardless of coaches. There is a reason top coaches goes to rich clubs and change half of their teams, rather than trying to make all of existing players work for them.

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You are the only person who thinks he wasn't good before flick took over and even in the first few months flick took over.

This is coming from me, who didn't think he was ready to be promoted and was instanty proven wrong.

Kid is every bit as talented as Mendes, but hey Mendes improved just because he isn't injured anymore, that's the only/primary reason.

Yea great example with Bojan 😂😂, coaches can term scrubs into excellent players.
who ever said that?

What does flick have to do with my favorite players at this current Barca

Fati
Gavi
Raphinha

In that order 😂😂.

Your argument about players have been proven over and over again to be found wanting.

You want to look up flicks defensive record in the league with what everyone would say is the perfect type of CBs in fact entire back line for his system while at bayern? I did its basically the exact same as with Barca with all these poor CBs 😂😂 and miss me with his COVID CL, where even then he conceded for fun.

Personnel isn't the problem with flick from a CB prospective, you can keep saying it until the moon is red, it won't make it true.

Because when he has the perfect back line for his football, he conceded most the exact same number of goals with bayern as he did with us.

Found my post in the flick trend.

2019-2020 32
2020-2021 44

Goals conceded by Bayern in a 18 team league, with one of the best keepers ever, and players like davis, Alaba, boeteng, Hernandez* in defense.

Fast strong players and all the other characteristics you here he needs here to fix the defense.

Barca goals conceded 39 in a 20 team league.

I could add more but no need, the man system just leaves defendes exposed, accept it & move on, no magical defender will make it better.

@khaled_a_d here you go make it make sense, our poor CBs is why we keep conceding goals under flick.

PS I'm not opposed to going back to prime xavi

Kounde Araujo Christensen Balde, but CBs aren't the issue.
Cubarsi lack of development lands firmly at the feet of flick.

khaled_a_d said:

I mean, Cubarsi wasn't good before Flick was hired. He was still a huge dropp off from Christensen previous. And far from the level needed for a Barca starting CB. So not sure what argument are you making, it is something I've been consistent about.

He has improved in aerial and offside trap, the later covered a lot of his flaws when it worked. When it doesn't (which is actually more dependent on pressing than defenders) it exposes him more.

It isn't working now, and he is still not good enough. The club need two starting CB and move Cubarsi as 3rd option until he improves and be ready.

Again, with the coaching argument. Pep didn't improve Bojan, who took step backs under him, but it wasn't Pep's fault because Bojan was always rushed.

You can blame Flick all you want, because it just make it easier to deflect blame from your favourite players, but the truth is we have players problem especially in defense. Some players aren't good enough yet (like Cubarsi), others aren't good enough, period (like Martin) while others are good enough but far from the best in the World (Balde).

This is regardless of coaches. There is a reason top coaches goes to rich clubs and change half of their teams, rather than trying to make all of existing players work for them.

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What are the main flaws you see in Cubarsi?

ajnotkeith said:

What are the main flaws you see in Cubarsi?

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Inexperience and decision making. Which should not be a surprise since he's only 18. Still better than both Huijsen and Ascencio.

ajnotkeith said:

What are the main flaws you see in Cubarsi?

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He is essentially a good footballer who is a mediocre defender.

Physically he is a bit problematic, he is niether tall (over 1.9m, or even on the average side like 1.86) or fast. Two essential traits for central defense.
At the moment he isn't strong either. This makes an ideal partner is someone who is both fast and big, which isn't fairly common.

His positioning and decision making are both very questionable, he is mistake prone, and once he is facing high level, he isn't an imposing CB.

Even his passing, while generally elite, he suffers under pressing, and tends to get rid of the ball to someone else rather than helping to get out of pressing (tbf, that would be too much to ask, but this makes his biggest skill not worth the trade off in big games).

Essentially he is like Lenglet without using his hand too much like the Clement used to.

And all that is fine for his age, but again age should be irrelevant if you are a starter.

I mean, for all the comparisons with PSG in order to make our players looks good and coach is the problem, the closest comparison to Cubarsi there is Beraldo.

A very talented footballer who PSG fans loved initially, but wasn't ready to be a good starting level CB at elite level. Lucho didn't give up on him, he didn't kick him out, but he brought two better CB and made him a rotation piece until he figures things out.

Right now, he is probably the 4th best CB in the team, with Eric surpassing him while Araujo and Christensen always being better. And even those aforementioned aren't worth a starting duo for Barca if we actually have a CL ambition.

Jesus Christ
Lenglet and Beraldo lol

While he ignores because he can't counter the fact that flick conceded the same amount of goals with bayern in the league as he does with Barca despite having CBs and the entire back line being EXACTLY the type he says we and flick needs at Barca.

I think we are looking at this wrong.

If Eric Garcia has passed him then surely that would, rather, suggest that there is a whole lotta untapped level that Flick can bring out in Cubarsi, in minimal time.

Cubarsi is going through his Eric Garcia phase when he first joined Barca.

He is going to be weak and small until eventually he develops the mentality. The IQ/skill/technique is all there. He just needs to develop size and add a little heart to his game.

In 3 years he will be an amazing CB. Of course knowing Barca he will catch an ACL or meniscus soon

Eric Garcia is still going through the Eric Garcia phase at CB 😂😂

Good game against the PSG C line though, not taking anything away genuinely good game.

He's not playing against Mbappe and many other top strikers the way Cubarsi had done already in his career.

Good squad player though.

jamrock said:

Eric Garcia is still going through the Eric Garcia phase at CB 😂😂

Good game against the PSG C line though, not taking anything away genuinely good game.

He's not playing against Mbappe and many other top strikers the way Cubarsi had done already in his career.

Good squad player though.

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I think Garcia's ceiling is starting CB/RB level which he can reach

Eric Garcia is not a good CB even though he had a pretty good game vs. PSG IMO. Like him more as a RB.

Cubarsi keep making errors vs. top teams and it's gone on like this for the last 9 months. And that is OK. He's young, he will make mistakes. He struggles anticipating high balls and some passes and has a tendency to slide down to make a stop or tackle which he probably has from his youth that he need to work on.

It's also fine if he's the 3rd CB while he continues to develop. We should sign one new starting CB and consider another one. All depends on finances of course, but the club need to find a way to improve the squad next summer, and it should be an established one. I personally like Schlotterbeck if he doesn't renew with Dortmund. Will have one year left on his contract in that case.

Two things can be true at the same time. Most young players aren't great until they're in their 20s. Usually from 23, 24. Look at Nuno Mendes for example and the steps he has taken the last couple of years. Hakimi was similar. Van Dijk took his time. Pique too. Just pointing out some random players now, but you get the point.

At the same time if we are to reach our goals we also need better immediately. You can develop Cubarsi as the 3rd option or essentially alongside an established starter.

te amo barca said:

I think Garcia's ceiling is starting CB/RB level which he can reach

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Ok fair enough, I don't want to ever see Garcia as a starting CB against a class team, his solid form is getting to peoples head imo.

At RB maybe, but even then if let's say we are facing PSG full front line, don't want to see him there either.

He's proven himself to be a good utility player, flick stubbled into him at RB, but In my eyes that's all he'll ever been until I see different.