Ronald Koeman

Laporta has pretty much backed Koeman. Unless we really go to shit like lose Copa and don't qualify for CL I don't see Koeman being sacked.
To be fair we are playing with too many raw youngsters. It will take time for them to develop.

We need two CBS. Pique is old and Lenglet is crap.
We need a left back.
We need a physical DM and b2b midfielder.
We need another keeper.
We need a real number nine.
So that's SEVEN players. I'm not even factoring the fact that Messi may leave.

I don't think Koeman's continuity is safe at all. He might have been backed publicly, but that doesn't mean they won't look at other options. They have a clause they can use in his contract to move on from him without paying him a compensation.

There's going to be a lot of factors to consider going forward:

- How we end the season and if we continue to improve

- Whether Messi stays or not

- Whether we're actually able to improve the team by acquiring a striker like Haaland or a "Plan B" like Kane or Lukaku, and possibly a LB or improve other positions, this hinges on selling Coutinho, Griezmann and possibly Dembele too

- Are there any other manager they believe can actually take the team forward and be the long-term(around four-five years) answer for the club by challenging for trophies and also rebuilding it the same time, getting better step by step

Personally I'm still leaning towards giving him another season and letting his contract play out, but it'll depend on what we're able to do this summer. In any case I doubt Koeman stays past the next season. If they have someone in mind that they believe can do what Koeman is doing, but also be the long-term answer to bringing this team back to challenging for the Champions League then you might as well pull that trigger.

Now could that be Nagelsmann or Xavi? I don't know. The board and new sporting management have to make that decision. The latter will still be available in 2022, but the former might not.

He's gone

Messigician said:

He's gone

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Source or opinion?

It's funny seeing all the beta cucks be like BUT BUT he has a awful squad it's why we were mid table start of the season.

Same squad went unbeaten this year so fuck off with that excuse.

This dude has serious flaws.

Doesn't recognise the rhythm of the game, subs in fkn Roberto in for example LIKE WHY.

He persists in underperforming players luke Lenglet for many months when he was costing us points left and centre.

Would have been out of the copa if Pique didn't save his ass.

Thinks playing Dembele striker is a good idea.

Want a Dutch crap in the club like Depay and Aguero.

Plz part ways end of the season I beg.

DonAK said:

I don't think Koeman's continuity is safe at all. He might have been backed publicly, but that doesn't mean they won't look at other options. They have a clause they can use in his contract to move on from him without paying him a compensation.

There's going to be a lot of factors to consider going forward:

- How we end the season and if we continue to improve

- Whether Messi stays or not

- Whether we're actually able to improve the team by acquiring a striker like Haaland or a "Plan B" like Kane or Lukaku, and possibly a LB or improve other positions, this hinges on selling Coutinho, Griezmann and possibly Dembele too

- Are there any other manager they believe can actually take the team forward and be the long-term(around four-five years) answer for the club by challenging for trophies and also rebuilding it the same time, getting better step by step

Personally I'm still leaning towards giving him another season and letting his contract play out, but it'll depend on what we're able to do this summer. In any case I doubt Koeman stays past the next season. If they have someone in mind that they believe can do what Koeman is doing, but also be the long-term answer to bringing this team back to challenging for the Champions League then you might as well pull that trigger.

Now could that be Nagelsmann or Xavi? I don't know. The board and new sporting management have to make that decision. The latter will still be available in 2022, but the former might not.

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You can bring Xavi or Naglesman but I doubt they'd take this current squad any further. We need a few world class players and we need to develop the youngsters. That's a tall order for anyone.
Xavi and Naglesman are both unproven at this level.

Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid

Atletico 1-0 Barcelona

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus

Athletic 3-2 Barcelona

Barcelona 1-4 PSG

Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona


He’s done some great things this season in a “transition” period. But imo that’s too many big games lost. Not saying I expect to win all of those, but I’m not opposed to a different coach next season now. Hopefully they could continue the good things Koeman has done with some new players and take them to the next level.

Koeman doesnt know how to manage big games. If we win the rest of our matches and copa final i would give him another season to prove us wrong.

He's only got next season left on his contract anyway, think they'll stick with him. He will also get a couple more signings of his choice (Probably Depay unfortunately).

However if things aren't going well, I can see Laporta getting rid of him.

fergus90 said:

He's only got next season left on his contract anyway, think they'll stick with him. He will also get a couple more signings of his choice (Probably Depay unfortunately).

However if things aren't going well, I can see Laporta getting rid of him.

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If Depay is his favourite signing we should fire him

Vilarrubi said:

Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid

Atletico 1-0 Barcelona

Barcelona 0-3 Juventus

Athletic 3-2 Barcelona

Barcelona 1-4 PSG

Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona


He?s done some great things this season in a ?transition? period. But imo that?s too many big games lost. Not saying I expect to win all of those, but I?m not opposed to a different coach next season now. Hopefully they could continue the good things Koeman has done with some new players and take them to the next level.

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This pattern could have a lot of explanations.

I am lately leaning towards how our tactics and a lot of players are perfectly suitable for La liga (playing against smaller teams).

For example:
1) Messi is playing his 16th full season against the same opponents.
He knows perfectly well how to score against Getafe and Levante.
Also, majority of weaker La liga teams are latino/Spanish technical teams who rely more on technique and possession than on physique, fouls, aggression or headers.
So, to some extent, Messi got used to them and found a way how to terrorize Spanish minows.
But when we come to a CL: German or English teams are taller, faster, stronger, more aggressive than Getafe.
And what happens with Messi in matches outside of Getafe?
= he is easily tackled, outjumped or outmuscled in Europe. He is usually sulking or invisible and we lose. Yet, 3 days later against Getafe he scores 3 goals, we win La liga and people say how CL is about luck and momentum and La Liga is about consistency.

Imo, La liga is NOT about winning against big teams.
30-32 matches per season are against bad to average teams. A champion is NOT the one who plays the best against RM, but the one who finds the most efficient way to win against Getafe and Levante as often as possible.

And then we have Barca's style/Pep's stlye, which seems to be the best style against smaller opponents.
Paired with Messi's 16 years experience of terrorizing Getafe.
= and we get La Liga domination

But when Messi faces different teams than Getafe, what usually happens in the last few years?
1) Real Madrid = he can't dribble them anymore
2) CL = he is too slow for those defenses
3) NT teams = the same, he is easily neutralized by any random European defense, like Iceland, Croatia or France on the last world cup.

So, in the last few years, whenever Messi faces teams stronger, faster, better than Getafes, he is neutralized in let's say 8 out of 10 matches.

2) Suarez, while he was here:
He was banging 20-30 La liga goals, yet in a CL he scored 2-3 KO goals in a few years, iirc.

So, another monster in La liga and a WOAT in a CL.

3) Busi, the same story.
Awesome and instrumental for our play in La liga, yet an absolute disaster for faster CL opponents.

4) Mats, the same.
GOAT for La Liga and undisputed WOAT in high stakes matches.

5) Frenkie: stamina merchant who is awesome against weak La Liga teams, yet in Europe he is probably even a downgrade from Rakitic and Vidal.

Then a lot of us wonder HOW it is possible that we are winning La Ligas, yet Real is winning CLs yet stay behind us in La Liga?

What if our team is just limited and we are banging La ligas due to:
1) Pep's/Barca DNA tactics = a perfect style against minows
2) Messi knowing La liga opponents way too well
3) La liga teams playing softer football which is suitable for our slower possession football (unlike European opponents) and we can't get exploited in La liga?
= in general, WHAT IF we have just found a perfect trick how to win against Getafe/Levante as often as possible, but in general we aren't a formidable team for the highest level?

On the other hand, with RM, they didn't find a way to beat minows as consistently as we do.
But they have a better mental strength, better defense, better Gks and more different attacking options in Europe, compared to us, who's only gameplan is: dwell on a ball, pass it to Messi and he'll probably pull something.

When we face Roma or Liverpool, we can't defend against corners.
Real can.

When we face Roma or Liverpool, our only gameplan is pass to Messi and he is marked by 3.
Real for years had several attacking options: possession, fast counters or even crosses and headers.

And, of course, they have captains/leaders and they can turn around 0:1 matches, unlike us.

I hope that not too many will get mad, but what if we are La Liga merchants?
Or more precisely: what if we are Getafe/Levante merchants?
What if we are the same as Busi?
= we are perfect/suitable against one type of opponents?
And quite average when you move us from those opponents?

** this is related to Barca after 2014/2015.

Either way, losing all the BIG matches have to count masively. And no,Sociedad or Sevilla are not big matches for a club like Barcelona. Madrid aren't even all that and they beat us with pretty ease in these two matches. Juventus are atrocious, but they still beat the crap out of us at the Camp Nou. Atletico beat us too and my prediction is that we will not beat them in our remaining match either. People think that Copa will be a piece of cake,but i doubt it ll be so. If he loses Copa too, he has to go surely.

We need a new team and coach

His managing was abysmal once again. When I saw that Trincao and Martin sub for the last 15 minutes I feelt like vomiting. That "4 attackers shit" never worked and never will and he keeps on doing it again and again.

A day after...

Yes, a lot of factors went against us... Yes, Koeman was outsmarted by Zidane...

But still, the one thing that bothers me the most is that we concieded 2/3 shots on target. You simply can't compete on the highest level like that. One thing that has happened witg Koeman is that we don't fold when we conciede 2... However... Without a decent defense and MATS saving at least something... We can't compete against top teams. The days of outscoring the opponent are over.

Fixing the defense/GK and getting a 9 (either a starter or a plan B Giroud type) should be the priority.