3 - Gerard Pique

[malvolio]

Barca were worse last season with Pique in the team.

The results were clear and him in team more or less coincided with the poor runs.

Pique is not a leader and played in way to stay spare and avoid defending one on one.

Lenglet was better than him even if had more individual errors as at least he attempted to defend and do the job, Araujo.. errors but better than Pique and Garcia would probably be the same.

None of those three are clear with no question marks but none of shirk defending the way Pique does.

There is absolutely no reason to think there are no alternatives even if no player signed...which there needs to be.

Pique on evidence of last season is done but same old players with too much influence survive again.

aside from your fetish to post every single day this story about pique fucking up our season, what changes really?

as i've said - pique is the only oldie that you can realistically replace/rotate with someone from the current squad. mats, alba or busquets don't have feasible replacements.

let's play neto, firpo and pjanic then an be done with. will see how well we'll do. season is over before it started anyway with koeman staying.

 

[JamDav1982]

aside from your fetish to post every single day this story about pique fucking up our season, what changes really?

as, i've said - pique is the only oldie that you can realistically replace/rotate with someone from the current squad. mats, alba or busquets don't have feasible replacements.

No fetish just facts. Facts you dont seem to like and scream out such shite about 'fetish'

Pique is done but amigos will find a way and club will pander to them.

Will keep repeating it as often as feel relevant.

 

[khaled_a_d]

realistically, who do you think we could field?

Mats
Emerson-Pique-Kounde/Laporte-Alba
Busquets

if araujo is healthy and performs well enough he could rotate with pique. otherwise, who would be starter material? lenglet, dest, mingueza, firpo?

-MATS should have a better GK to compete with, I don't have much faith in Pena. That should not be that difficult tbh, GK aren't that expensive tbh.
-If we get a new CB (Kounde for example, my preferred option) it should Kounde/Araujo/Lenglet as the 3 CB rotating.
I used to call Pique our best CB till 6 months ago, but this isn't true anymore, age caught him badly and at 35 (during most important part of the season) he has no legs for La Liga sides anymore.

-Busquets right now is the only one that we can't upgrade tbh. It will cost a lot to get a new DM. Nico Gonzalez is our best hope, and very few knew he has existed a year ago.

 

[khaled_a_d]

No fetish just facts. Facts you dont seem to like and scream out such shite about 'fetish'

Pique is done but amigos will find a way and club will pander to them.

Will keep repeating it as often as feel relevant.

What do you suggest the club should do?
Terminate Pique contract and pay him 3 years upfront? That doesn't sound feasible.
Force him out? The question then is how?

 

[malvolio]

-MATS should have a better GK to compete with, I don't have much faith in Pena. That should not be that difficult tbh, GK aren't that expensive tbh.
-If we get a new CB (Kounde for example, my preferred option) it should Kounde/Araujo/Lenglet as the 3 CB rotating.
I used to call Pique our best CB till 6 months ago, but this isn't true anymore, age caught him badly and at 35 (during most important part of the season) he has no legs for La Liga sides anymore.

-Busquets right now is the only one that we can't upgrade tbh. It will cost a lot to get a new DM. Nico Gonzalez is our best hope, and very few knew he has existed a year ago.

- it's debatable that MAtS should have a better competitor. i mean it sounds good on paper, but it's very hard to replicate that situation with him and bravo competing for no 1. not many big clubs have that.
- agreed that pique could be rotated/benched, if we get kounde
- you left alba out
- busquets i agree, no replacement available unfortunately

LE: actually, sergio rico should be available since psg is stacked on GKs right now. we could loan him for a season or two

 

[JamDav1982]

What do you suggest the club should do?
Terminate Pique contract and pay him 3 years upfront? That doesn't sound feasible.
Force him out? The question then is how?

Tell him he is no longer part of first team plans and take it from there.

If he wants to take next three years salary that is his choice but to fuck with playing him and paying it.

Are you suggesting Barca play him as he has three years left and wouldnt leave for free?

 

[serghei]

Tell him he is no longer part of first team plans and take it from there.

If he wants to take next three years salary that is his choice but to fuck with playing him and paying it.

Are you suggesting Barca play him as he has three years left and wouldnt leave for free?

True. And if he does that, he should get nowhere near a high official position in the club after he retires. Reeks of bad character.

 

[khaled_a_d]

- it's debatable that MAtS should have a better competitor. i mean it sounds good on paper, but it's very hard to replicate that situation with him and bravo competing for no 1. not many big clubs have that.
LE: actually, sergio rico should be available since psg is stacked on GKs right now. we could loan him for a season or two

Plenty of clubs are doing it, and MATS has injury problem, so if he doesn't like it he can leave. No injury prone GK should force his well on the club, not with awful season like last one.

- - you left alba out

I am not competing for CL, and for Liga Alba is still good tbf.
He is 32 and we need replacement soon, and judging by reports we will try to get one. But as it stands we can delay the inevitable for another year.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Tell him he is no longer part of first team plans and take it from there.

If he wants to take next three years salary that is his choice but to fuck with playing him and paying it.

So, basically go on war with him and hurt the club financial status even more?
Sound good on paper, something that fans including me will love, but it won't work when the club leverage is minimum.

Are you suggesting Barca play him as he has three years left and wouldnt leave for free?

No, I am suggesting a gradual phase out.
We got a CB in Eric, I don't like him but he is highly rated and at this point the only thing Pique has over him is height. Even Eric is now faster than Pique.

Him taking a pay cut is good for the club atm, the club getting a new CB, and hopefully a new bigger addition in the position, basically relegates Pique to 4th or 5th choice. After new CB, Lenglet, Eric, Araujo.
It is clear that the plan isn't 3 at the back atm, that essentially rules Pique out of starting line up.

I think it is much easier to move those out once they see the club already moved from them, happened withh Xavi when he lost his starting spot, happened with Mascherano when Umtiti came, happened with Iniesta after Coutinho arrival.
You get a proper CB, then Pique is one leg outside the club, 2 in 2022 (when we give him a proper goodbye with fans in the stadium)

If we don't sign a CB, or if Koeman still decides to play him, then we are fucked up anyway, we have a big problem in management that is bigger than Pique.

 

[DonAK]

I'd ideally move on from Pique and convince him to call it a day, but if he still want to go for another year then cutting his salary significantly is a good thing or at least the best outcome. Now just get in a player like de Ligt or Kounde and Pique automatically becomes a 4th choice unless Koeman insists on starting him.

In that case it's a Koeman issue.

 

[Messigician]

Everyone think he will retire soon.

He said he wants to play until 40

 

[DonAK]

He can spend his remaining years in Miami where Shakira already has a residence.

 

[xXKonan]

Would not be surprised one bit if Pique, Busi, and Alba end up surviving while Roberto would be technically be made the "Fall guy" of the group as his contract expires next year and doesn't have that WC in the past status like those three did.

 

[Jadentheman]

He can spend his remaining years in Miami where Shakira already has a residence.

Either Mimi or LA. Whatever Shakira needs to be. Pique can work from home with his business projects.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

This dude needs to go (atleast on bench), it cant be coincidence that we conceded less goals without him, ciao gerard.