21 - Frenkie de Jong

[JamDav1982]

The set up left midfield hung out to dry.

Bar that ten mins or so when FDJ and Pedri paired deeper the whole set up was chaotic.

Pedri felt it also in last 15 mins and had no impact.

Defence were shit on ball bar Cubarsi and with the front three staying high and Dortmund risking it going man for man and puhing full backs on the midfield were isolated and pressured heavily with numbers.

If play like that the defence have to be better on ball and front three have to make opposition pay for taking risks to pressure the midfield.

Barca need better defenders on ball and more pace up top to play like that unless front three are very efficient.

Inter will kill Barca if try that v them.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1912257081924534718

My captain!

Very glad to see this.

 

[Gazzznigga]

Fermin/Gavi being absolutely inept at controlling and "la pausa" is self evident to begin with, which is why it was expected for De Jong to fill those shoes, but he is nothing like that. Neither controller, neither final third merchant. Just good recycler of the ball, when everything ticks. At least his defensive work rate has been improved since Flick, but otherwise, he's a luxury player, who is never the midfield leader and catalyst as was expected in absence of Pedri. Looked demoralized and apathetic for most of the game. Hopefully Bernal recovers well and turns out good to be additional option in that double pivot setting to have more control in these kind of matches. Neither Gavi or Fermin will ever help with that. They're "runners".

Aptly put.
I am his firm supporter here but it is increasingly becoming clesr he needs help of others to thrive. A great player makes those around him better.

Someone mentioned that at 2-0 he looked very nervous. That is correct. At 2-0 he looked lost and confused, committing errors and unforced fouls successively. As the most experienced bargar of the 3 midfielders, your experience and leadership should have shown. Things became a little calmer only when Pedri came on.

Without Perdri, he is a barking chihuahua for now.

 

[JamDav1982]

Without FDJ beside him Pedri did nothing either once came on and did little v Leganes or Dortmund a week ago.

They all need those around them.

 

[Gazzznigga]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1912257081924534718

My captain!

Good he realised he was a major part of the shit too.
Hope to see him improve in next matches

 

[JamDav1982]

Was easily one of Barcas best players.. not that it says much.

Always looking for ball and put in a shift defensively.

Probably only quality ball forward all game from anyone when Kounde should score.

Some sloppy giveaways also and then vanished when went to AM.

 

[jamrock]

Aptly put.
I am his firm supporter here but it is increasingly becoming clesr he needs help of others to thrive. A great player makes those around him better.

Someone mentioned that at 2-0 he looked very nervous. That is correct. At 2-0 he looked lost and confused, committing errors and unforced fouls successively. As the most experienced bargar of the 3 midfielders, your experience and leadership should have shown. Things became a little calmer only when Pedri came on.

Without Perdri, he is a barking chihuahua for now.

Told them this years ago, he needs a midfield daddy was my exact words lol.


People think I hate de Jong I really don't, he's a good player that as I've said 100 times can be very good if everything around him is clicking.

What he is not is a world class player than you can rely to be the star player in your midfield, and for 85m that's the standard I have in my mind and will not lower it.

But maybe he's a late developer, either way good to very good player, can even be excellent about 3-4 games per season.

If we win the treble this season and you ask his super fan boys, who was better in us winning a treble rakitic or him?....

 

[JamDav1982]

Usual nonsense..

He has been class for months since came back to full fitness and was by far best midfielder v Dortmund a week ago when Pedri was average at best.

Was best midfielder when came on v Leganes at HT also to help Barca win game when Pedri poor so this idea he relies on Pedri is nonsense. They help one another and say as much themselves.

Tonight he did well enough in diffuclt game for Barca midfielders with the set up.

But he still put in a shift defensively and won ball back/pressured a lot and had about only moment of quality all match from a Barca player going forward when Kounde should score after his ball into box in first half.

Aye 'everything was clicking' for Barca when FDJ came back to fitness this season.. not like they were 7 points behind Real and on a run of 1 win in 8 is it?

 

[serghei]

Not as bad as others, but still not good.

 

[JamDav1982]

One of few that had any moments of quality.

Far far better than the shite some gave.

Decent game and always a presence on and off ball..until went to AM.

Across the two legs Barcas best player.. possibly Lamine due to first leg but he was so bad tonight hard to guage.

 

[Joan]

Not an easy game for him tbh. Not a great one for sure.

 

[M3ls]

 

[Gazzznigga]

Look, I have been an admirer even before Barca bought him. Unlike many here, he was one of the reasons I subscribed to a satellite channel showing the Eredivisie live matches in 2018/19. I really regarded his talent that much. But truth be told, in comparison to the investment Barca made for him, he has given a lower than satisfactory ROI. He also admitted that much recently in an interview.

Can he still turn the hands of things? Maybe and I hope so. But as the most expensive midfielder in La liga until Jude Belligham arrived and as the 6th most expensive in the world even after accepting the irrationalities called Chelsea, you should produce more that he has shown more regularly, even in his best season for Barca.

This is not a criticism, it is an objective and rational evaluation.

 

[jamrock]

Look, I have been an admirer even before Barca bought him. Unlike many here, he was one of the reasons I subscribed to a satleite channel showing the Eredivisie live matches in 2018/19. I really regarded his talent that much. But truth be told, in comparison to the investment Barca made for him, he has given a lower than satisfactory ROI. He also admitted that much recently in an interview.

Can he still turn the hands of things? Maybe and I hope so. But as the most expensive midfielder in La liga until Jude Belligham arrived and as the 6th most expensive in the world even after accepting the irrationalities called Chelsea, you should produce more that he has shown more regularly, even in his best season for Barca.

This is not a criticism, it is an objective and rational evaluation.

Nah it's a criticism.

Sarcasm.

Because here you have to spell it out sometimes, lol

 

[JamDav1982]

He covered the most ground of any Barca player.
Had the most touches and made the most passes at 90%
He made the most recoveries of any Barca player.
He created about the only moment of quality going forward with brilliant ball into box Kounde should score from.

Yes he did give ball away a few times in midfield and wasnt perfect but was Barcas best player overall.. him or Cubarsi tonight and Pedri when came on about only three that looked like could play football.

Pedri didnt come on and control the game either...

Pedri has literally spoken about how much easier it is for him on ball playing with FDJ... and we have seen it multiple times this season. It works both ways.

FDJ was Barcas best player across the two legs v Dortmund.. Yamal for first leg could have a claim but so bad in 2nd.

All the Araujo fan boys trying to deflect his latest horror show on a far superior player.