Barca Transfers and Rumors

Birdy

Senior Member
PART II:

DEFENDING

Success % of Tackles Attempted
Dest 67.9%
Foyth 62.7%
Dalot 61.4%
Frimpong 61.1%
Meunier 53.3%
AWB 38.9%

Times Dribbled Past/90
Frimpong 0.31
Dest 0.54
AWB 0.55
Dalot 0.85
Foyth 0.89
Meunier 0.9

Pressures Attempted/90
Foyth 15.5
Dest 14.1
Frimpong 13
Dalot 11.6
AWB 11.3
Meunier 9.68

Pressures Success %
Meunier 38.4 %
Dest 34.6%
Foyth 32.6%
Dalot 31%
AWB 28.4%
Frimpong 27%

Interceptions/90
AWB 2.56
Dalot 2.1
Frimpong 1.65
Foyth 1.61
Meunier 1.21
Dest 0.99

Blocks/90
AWB 2.81
Frimpong 2.19
Foyth 2.1
Dalot 1.85
Dest 1.55
Meunier 1.03

Aerial Duel %
Meunier 73.3 %
Foyth 68.6%
Dalot 63.3%
Frimpong 46%
Dest 44%
AWB 48%

CONCLUSIONS:
1) Dest being best or 2nd best in most categories, it makes absolutely no sense to pay any money above 5-10m for any of the above players...

2) Specifically:
Defensively, the stats show Dest is better in applying successful pressure and not getting dribbled past, which are the most important traits for Barca tactics and way of preventing counters.
Blocks, interception and aerial duels do not occur in the situation our defense finds itself most of the time (not parking the bus), hence Dest's shortcomings there might not be as important.

Offensively, Dest and Meunier are the best in xG, xA generated and Shot creating actions,
while Dest and Frimpong provide more dribbles per game than the rest, and cover the most progressive distance on the pitch
Dest also has the best % pass completion.

3) The only disadvantage the stats reveal for Dest compared to the suitors, is the creation via passing in progressive distance, and inside the box.
There, Meunier seems to have the whole package, and can add something new to our attack.

4) Frimpong is stylistically very similar to Dest, looking at the stats, with minor difference. They also have the same age.
Wouldn't go for him then, since he won't add something new

5) Dalot, Foyth are below par and rather poor in anything to do with attack.
AWB is not just poor. His stats are SHOCKING in most categories

Given all the above, the only one that makes minimal sense to buy is paradoxically ... Meunier.
Not one for the future (29 yrs old), with unknown injury-proneness, and really BAD defensively (look at his stats ... Another Alba)
But, he can be a solution for those games that need creation close or around the box, where Dest is lacking

Other than that, it goes w/o saying that Dest should be kept as primary RB.
The stats are clear...
 

Zidane82

Well-known member
I would be happier with an offensive minded RB Meunier given the defensive fortress if Aroujo and Kounde ..


What about Bellerin short term on a free ?
He has been offered to us
 

vuji_31

Senior Member
That clown should not be even mentioned. He is not a football player, he is promoting his brand and some weirdo opinions, he is vegan and always injured.
 

Slevinn

Senior Member
Meunier has a very ugly style with the ball at his feet. It looks horrible. It?s like he is on stilts.
Isn?t that bad going forward (because he literally was a striker till 10 years ago) but sucks at defending although he has some physical attributes that come in handy.
Also seems to miss 10 games per season because of injuries.

So keep him far away from Barca as possible.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
Where was this urgency to buy FB's when summer started? How come we are only now trying to reinforce our weak(est) positions?
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
So those stats suggest that none of these players are a significant upgrade to Dest…?

Nah those stats are largely irrelevant when comparing players in different systems.

Dest isnt good enough and none of those other players are great either.

Dest is clueless in final third, in build up and defensively. Has some decent technique at times but doesnt have it between the ears and has no real understanding how to play RB at this point.
 
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khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Where was this urgency to buy FB's when summer started? How come we are only now trying to reinforce our weak(est) positions?

They are weakest positions because we signed players in other positions.
Other than Raphinha, we had a weakness in every other position we recruited.

We were after stop gaps and probably planned to reinforce the positions in summer 2023
 

gregorrin10

Senior Member
What about that Maffeo lad? Would prefer him to Foyth any day

Might as well just go and activate Arnau Martinez's release clause then. If we're not getting an established player, we need to put our trust in youth and potential, and there's few better and more suited to us than Arnau right now. Plus the relationship with Girona would probably even mean we could get him for less than his 20M release clause. Maybe even for under 10M, if we included Abde in the deal. Really don't understand why Xavi isn't looking at him, especially since he can also play CB and is a more of a defensive RB, which is the profile Xavi is seemingly looking for. No brainer really, and it makes me mad we're not even linked with him.
 

Birdy

Senior Member
So those stats suggest that none of these players are a significant upgrade to Dest??

Yes...

Only Meunier is an upgrade at a very specific skillset: passing and crossing in the final 3rd.
In all other categories, offensively or defensively, Dest is clear of everyone in the shortlist, plus Azpli
 

iniestaGOAT

Senior Member
Statistics are meaningless.

Dest is clueless and anybody we sign will be an upgrade over this guy.

No matter how trash they are they won't be as trash as dest
 

Messi983

Senior Member
What about that Maffeo lad? Would prefer him to Foyth any day

Has just signed with Mallorca this summer so surely off the board. Also didn't really develop as much as expected from the time he was first on loan at Girona from City and I've really liked him. Especially in that game when he man-marked Messi like I don't remember much if any player before/after him did.

Also made a mistake to join Stuttgart where he didn't play and then they've loaned him to several Spanish clubs before selling him in June.
 

FinBarcelonafan

Well-known member
.@sergisoleMD: "Bernardo would be a luxury signing, but it's more important to reinforce the right and left back positions. They have been ignored since Alves first left. You have to find the balance. It's like PSG. What use is their front three if all of them don't track back?"


Well said!
 

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