3 - Alejandro Balde

[JamDav1982]

Who is even seen as the top LBs in the world? Not even sure what names get thrown in.

Feels like a hard list to make up as is the RB top ten.

 

[serghei]

Football as entertainment industry is reactionary in nature.
If you expect otherwise, that is your issue, rather than the place.
Balde being criticised back then wasn't anything out of line. The fans criticised Lewa non stop, many has given up on Pedri by last year, Kounde got called out a lot and the list goes on. Balde didn't earn being protected when he is bad, it is that simple.

For me it's better to be very critical, than to attach yourself emotionally to the players and then find excuses for them when they fail because they are homegrown or some other overly romantic nonsense.

If you are bad, you should get called up for it. When you are very good, then you get praise. Should always be the case. Barca have a habit of not being practical and realistic.

Balde was bad for a period, then he started to come back and play top stuff, then declined a bit again, and now got injured. We'll see how it goes from here.

Should be fairly simple, you achieve big things consistently, you are big player and you get treated as so. Until you don't achieve those things, you are forever on a journey, with good days, and bad days.

 

[jamrock]

Saying a player had a poor game are is in a poor run of form, is total different from calling him the worse player in our XI and brainless.

Which is just two of the insults he's gonna.

 

[Gazzznigga]

Football as entertainment industry is reactionary in nature.
If you expect otherwise, that is your issue, rather than the place.
Balde being criticised back then wasn't anything out of line. The fans criticised Lewa non stop, many has given up on Pedri by last year, Kounde got called out a lot and the list goes on. Balde didn't earn being protected when he is bad, it is that simple.

Bro, you are someone whose views I consider balanced on this forum. There is absolutely nothing wrong in calling out a player when he performs poorly or does not measure up to expectations. It is the going extreme on such occasions that sticks out, in most cases.

I think what you are still mixing up here is you calling Balde out as the worst player in the starting X1. If this was because of a bad patch in form for few matches as all players have, it did not warrant going to that extreme in that case. Then it is correct if someone called that "reactionary". I saw his importance from the first match for Flick and had known he would be super useful for Flick's system from the day he was announced as Barca's coach.

 

[serghei]

Saying a player had a poor game are is in a poor run of form, is total different from calling him the worse player in our XI and brainless.

Which is just two of the insults he's gonna.

Nah, it's the same thing basically. Don't see the big fuss about it. Even if some said he is the worst payer in the team, the same fans are gonna praise him and love him when he delivers.

All of these things build the player in time. Every player should be aware and self critical at all times. But some aren't built like that, and the criticism they get, however justified or on the polar opposite, vastly exaggerated, is not an issue. But a welcome indicator that you need to prove yourself all the way.

You shut those people up by winning big titles and playing great.

 

[jamrock]

Bro, you are someone whose views I consider balanced on this forum. There is absolutely nothing wrong in calling out a player when he performs poorly or does not measure up to expectations. It is the going extreme on such occasions that sticks out, in most cases.

I think what you are still mixing up here is you calling Balde out as the worst player in the starting X1. If this was because of a bad patch in form for few matches as all players have, it did not warrant going to that extreme in that case. Then it is correct if someone called that "reactionary". I saw his importance from the first match for Flick and had known he would be super useful for Flick's system from the day he was announced as Barca's coach.

Exactly

 

[Gazzznigga]

Nah, it's the same thing basically. Don't see the big fuss about it. Even if some said he is the worst payer in the team, the same fans are gonna praise him and love him when he delivers.

All of these things build the player in time. Every player should be aware and self critical at all times. But some aren't built like that, and the criticism they get, however justified or on the polar opposite, vastly exaggerated, is not an issue. But a welcome indicator that you need to prove yourself all the way.

Not the same, bro. I think there is a context to these things.
For instance, Yamal has been poor for his standards in the last 2 games. I don't see anyone calling him out as the worst in the staring X1 for that. Same for when Kounde was consistently terrible before winter break. I did not see anyone ON THIS FORUM calling him worst player in the starting X1. Instead, they made excuses for him that he was overplayed and he needed rest.

You would know there is an inherent bias to this thing if you go to the immediate reactions on this same page when Mbappe scored for RM at the Copa final and those after he scored the 4th goal against Madrid. Same people who called him the "dumbest" to have ever played for Barca were the same hailing him as the " best" LB in the world just 30 minutes apart
Common!!!

 

[serghei]

Not the same, bro. I think there is a context to these things.
For instance, Yamal has been poor for his standards in the last 2 games. I don't see anyone calling him out as the worst in the staring X1 for that. Same for when Kounde was consistently terrible before winter break. I did not see anyone ON THIS FORUM calling him worst player in the starting X1. Instead, they made excuses for him that he was overplayed and he needed rest.

You would know there is an inherent bias to this thing if you go to the immediate reactions on this same page when Mbappe scored for RM at the Copa final and those after he scored the 4th goal against Madrid. Same people who called him the "dumbest" to have ever played for Barca were the same hailing him as the " best" LB in the world jus 30 minutes apart
Common!!!

Balde had a prolonged period of playing poorly and being the weakest defender in this team by a wide margin.

This is a very common thing of football. A game of emotions and overreactions. Fecking Cristiano Ronaldo got booed on Bernabeu more than once.

Just goes to show why Barca is a naturally soft club. And why this club only managed to win big things while having absolutely stellar stacked sides full of superstars and a stellar academy.

Who gives a shit if Balde was trashed harshly when he was playing bad?

And this is not about Barcaforum, but about far more high profile Barca-related media outlets. Far too soft, far to protective, far too gentle, football is not some gallantry contest.

It's actually the opposite. Barca players that are media darlings got away with so many shite performances that were not called out properly in due time. Maybe if the players got more heat for their bad performances from fans and media, they'd have learned the lesson that failing in big moments is a mark of losers, not winners. Then we watch Madrid in CL winning dem titles, and say voodoo or luck, and how much better we are but for some reason didn't manage to get where they got.

A player of the current level of Balde would be a bench player in one of our previous better sides. Let's make that clear.

Just stop. You have to roads of conduct while you aspire to be the best. Be reserved and humble until you win big (actions louder than words type of attitude), or if you take the bold road and build up the team saying how good you are before you win... fucking get it done.

Talking about which Barca player is more of a favorite for Ballon d'Or from Pedri, Raphinha or Yamal, while being scared of fucking Inter is phony as shite. And dumb. But, as said, football is not life, it's an emotional game. And since it has zero repercussions on you directly, you can fantasize and overreact as much as you like.

 

[jamrock]

Balde had a prolonged period of playing poorly and being the weakest defender in this team by a wide margin.

This is a very common thing of football. A game of emotions and overreactions. Fecking Cristiano Ronaldo got booed on Bernabeu more than once.

Just goes to show why Barca is a naturally soft club. And why this club only managed to win big things while having absolutely stellar stacked sides full of superstars and a stellar academy.

Who gives a shit if Balde was trashed harshly when he was playing bad?

And this is not about Barcaforum, but about far more high profile Barca-related media outlets. Far too soft, far to protective, far too gentle, football is not some gallantry contest.

It's actually the opposite. Barca players that are media darlings got away with so many shite performances that were not called out properly in due time. Maybe if the players got more heat for their bad performances from fans and media, they'd have learned the lesson that failing in big moments is a mark of losers, not winners. Then we watch Madrid in CL winning dem titles, and say voodoo or luck, and how much better we are but for some reason didn't manage to get where they got.

A player of the current level of Balde would be a bench player in one of our previous better sides. Let's make that clear.

What prelong period? Give me a specific time range please.

Dude has had max 3 back to back average games all season.

 

[draconifire]

Against Inter as well, as his width makes Raphina more dangerous. We will need to get a couple goals ahead in Motjuic. I might be less worried about the cup due to Madrid's abysmal form.

Ya.
Not saying we won't miss Balde. He is an important cog in our machine, and we will surely find it difficult. But I would rather it be against Inter than Bayern. Think we can handle Inter better without him, than Bayern.

 

[JamDav1982]

Folk like Gazza boy who told everyone how over rated Cubarsi, Pedri and Yamal are now complaining folk dare to criticise Balde.

Usual.

 

[serghei]

The only area where it becomes an unacceptable behavior is after a player proves himself beyond doubt. Balde didn't so far, and if some fans didn't rate him at some point, it's fair game.

Not just Balde, but all Barca players really. We have no proven world beaters atm. Everything is pending confirmation. This year's CL, next year CL and WC, these are key competitions to raise players to that level.

Take Raphinha, 2 more games like Dortmund away vs Inter and everything he did in CL so far is worthless.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Not really seen much love for Fort.

Most have been fairly critical of him and last game he played he looked a bit shell shocked and Barca had to switch up to get Cubarsi/FDJ in near him to stop him being targeted by Rayo in the build up.

Yoro got shocked first few games in for United, now he's one of their more solid players. When players aren't given a run of games can't judge if they'll adapt.

Good thing Vardrid didn't get Yoro.

 

[Gazzznigga]

Balde had a prolonged period of playing poorly and being the weakest defender in this team by a wide margin.

This is a very common thing of football. A game of emotions and overreactions. Fecking Cristiano Ronaldo got booed on Bernabeu more than once.

Just goes to show why Barca is a naturally soft club. And why this club only managed to win big things while having absolutely stellar stacked sides full of superstars and a stellar academy.

Who gives a shit if Balde was trashed harshly when he was playing bad?

And this is not about Barcaforum, but about far more high profile Barca-related media outlets. Far too soft, far to protective, far too gentle, football is not some gallantry contest.

It's actually the opposite. Barca players that are media darlings got away with so many shite performances that were not called out properly in due time. Maybe if the players got more heat for their bad performances from fans and media, they'd have learned the lesson that failing in big moments is a mark of losers, not winners. Then we watch Madrid in CL winning dem titles, and say voodoo or luck, and how much better we are but for some reason didn't manage to get where they got.

A player of the current level of Balde would be a bench player in one of our previous better sides. Let's make that clear.

Just stop. You have to roads of conduct while you aspire to be the best. Be reserved and humble until you win big (actions louder than words type of attitude), or if you take the bold road and build up the team saying how good you are before you win... fucking get it done.

Talking about which Barca player is more of a favorite for Ballon d'Or from Pedri, Raphinha or Yamal, while being scared of fucking Inter is phony as shite. And dumb. But, as said, football is not life, it's an emotional game. And since it has zero repercussions on you directly, you can fantasize and overreact as much as you like.

Lol... Calm down bro!. You are still mixing things up. There is not any reasonable person that would not support calling out a player when he does badly. What you have not addressed is whether if those bad performances made him the worst player in the starting 11, which is the point where I disagreed with Khaled.

A player of the current level of Balde would be a bench player in one of our previous better sides. Let's make that clear.

...... you could say that for practically all the players in the current squad.

Not sure there is any further thing to make out of your post though. I will await your response to Jamrock on the below

Balde had a prolonged period of playing poorly and being the weakest defender in this team by a wide margin.

 

[serghei]

Lol... Calm down bro!. You are still mixing things up. There is not any reasonable person that would not support calling out a player when he does badly. What you have not addressed is whether if those bad performances made him the worst player in the starting 11, which is the point where I disagreed with Khaled.

You understand the expression value judgment? If someone believed Balde was the worst player at some point in the team, there's zero arguments at the time to make that opinion seem wildly off. It's just someone's opinion made on personal impressions.

Look at JamDav, it's 2025 and he thinks Stegen is good.