3 - Alejandro Balde
- Thread starter FC433
- Start date
iniestaGOAT
Senior Member
We don't have a choice. BALDE has to suceed.
Mendes is a beast now but 2 years ago he wasn't close to what he is now. Not saying Balde will be as good as Mendes but there is lot of time for improvement.
Need to get rid of his injuries first.
serghei
Senior Member
It's uncertain if Balde is gonna be a top class player. He is really bad in defense and has an average final product. Needs to improve a lot.
There's a reason him and Cubarsi don't get much game time for Spain. They have several better players than them to choose from on their position.
There's a reason him and Cubarsi don't get much game time for Spain. They have several better players than them to choose from on their position.
malvolio
Senior Member
Everyone raved about Mendes from his first CL match with PSG.
Balde is a bum that this forum clings to as if he is some special talent. He isn't.
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
I think injuries are hurting Baldes development a lot.
Devils
Senior Member
Mendes was also considered to be one of the best LB talents in the world even before PSG. There is a reason why they paid 45m for him.
Mendes developed and is world class in attack and defense. But being strong, physical, fast and intelligent…These traits were always there even as a talent, hence why he went for such a high transfer fee.
Balde is fast and can dribble. But as mentioned said above he’s nothing special defensively or offensively and has not really shown much improvement since he came into the first team. Average at best on both accounts on his good days but still generally looks brainless when trying to defend and even worse when trying to attack.
Nowhere near Mendes now or when compared to when they were both younger talents.
ZenI
Professor Balthazar
I never really had my hopes up that much about Balde, always thought his level was backup at most. Cubarsi on the other hand I hoped would continue evolve, at least a little... sure, he was the best thing 17 year old CB I've ever seen and probably anybody ever seen - but he sort of took a step back for me. Some of it, at least this season, is down to Flick not considering him a starter and tbh Flick messes to much with the CB's. Flick's system puts a lot of pressure on the CB's and fullbacks - yet he keeps changing the CB pairing every week. That's stupid from Flick tbh, pick 2 and let them grow into their roles.
Anyway, we need 2 fucking fullbacks next summer.
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Mendes is the best LB in the World and might be the best LB we have seen in the 2020's. His main rival in that is Alphonso Davies.
It serves no good to compare Balde with him.
Balde is a very good LB, he has injury problems but so is every LB with that style.
An argument can be made about him being a top 5 LB in the World. But the gap between being the best, and being a top 5 is really big, not just for that position or this case, but in general.
This is the era we live in, both in football or for Barca fans. There was a time when a player didn't have an argument being the best in position, means that you aren't good enough for Barca. Those days are long gone. Being a borderline top 5 is good enough.
It serves no good to compare Balde with him.
Balde is a very good LB, he has injury problems but so is every LB with that style.
An argument can be made about him being a top 5 LB in the World. But the gap between being the best, and being a top 5 is really big, not just for that position or this case, but in general.
This is the era we live in, both in football or for Barca fans. There was a time when a player didn't have an argument being the best in position, means that you aren't good enough for Barca. Those days are long gone. Being a borderline top 5 is good enough.
jamrock
Senior Member
He was definitely top 5 in the world last season when fit, as anyone in football who isn't on Barca forum would told us.
First full season he was excellent too.
He needs Two full season no injuries to be up there with mendes, who doesn't need to be the entire left wing for PSG, which is a key difference
First full season he was excellent too.
He needs Two full season no injuries to be up there with mendes, who doesn't need to be the entire left wing for PSG, which is a key difference
Home of Barca Fans
