Barca Squad and Planning 2022/23
- Thread starter Birdy
- Start date
Givenchy
Senior Member
Incredible job by Laporta and co, has to be said. If they can finally persuade Frenkie to join United and sign Bernardo, would be looking at one of the best windows in history. I'm very happy with what we have though, amazing.
Co0ter
Senior Member
Selling Frenkie and using 80mil on Silva would be a tragedy at the end of the window. He's a great player, but not 80mil of an upgrade worth to what we have.
If we want to make our squad MUCH stronger than what bringing Silva would, it needs to be spent or saved for an LB and RB. This would also allow us to spend the next window replacing Busquets, since we know Xavi would never do it now. Dest is continuing to fail to impress and Roberto is a non factor. Playing Araujo and Kounde out of there favored positions would be a waste of their quality.
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Agree. Who'd you suggest? I don't know about RB (edit: Hakimi maybe?) but I personally like Theo Hernandez from Milan for LB.
I think Fati will have to be just an impact substitute
Messi983
Senior Member
Good luck buying Hakimi from PSG. We'd probably need to activate 10 financial levers.
And Theo has renewed contract with Milan a few months ago so pretty sure they won't let him go this or next summer. Could maybe get him in 2024 but we need to find a solution before that imo.
Good luck buying Hakimi from PSG. We'd probably need to activate 10 financial levers.
And Theo has renewed contract with Milan a few months ago so pretty sure they won't let him go this or next summer. Could maybe get him in 2024 but we need to find a solution before that imo.
Haha yeah you’re right, was thinking of him because i remember i read something about him being unhappy, lonely etc and wanted out.
Market for RB and LB is thin af so we’re gonna have to pay up either way if we want quality.
Messi983
Senior Member
I was thinking about this yesterday. How I believe Xavi sees importance/roles of players next season.
I'll use FM analogy but explain what I mean with each.
- star player (expected to start 85-90% of games when available)
- important player (75-85%)
- regular starter (60-75%)
- squad player (start 30-50% of games, also get a lot of minutes off the bench)
- backup (10-20%)
- impact sub (playing most minutes of the bench, rarely starting)
Goalkeepers:
Star player: MATS
Cup GK: Inaki Pena
Things are pretty clear here.
Defenders:
Star player: Alba (at this point he doesn't have competition, his role could diminished little if/when a LB is bought but not by much)
Important players: Araujo, Kounde
Regular starter: Azpi (if signed)
Squad player: Christensen
Backups: Garcia, Pique, Dest
Impact sub: Roberto
AC could improve his status closer to Regular starter with good performances and/or if one of Araujo or Kounde gets injured.
Midfielders:
Star player: Busquets
Important player: Pedri
Regular starters: /
Squad players: Gavi, Kessie, FDJ (if he stays)
Backup: Nico
Impact sub: Roberto
In regards to Busi obviously not something I want to see but something we can all expect to happen. Hope to be wrong though. If healthy I think Pedri will be the next in line to have almost guaranteed spot in midfield while others will have to share minutes.
Forwards:
Star player: Lewa
Important player: /
Regular starter: Raphinha
Squad players: Dembele, Ansu, Ferran
Backup/Impact sub: Auba
Didn't mention five players on the "not wanted" list neither Memphis, Pjanić or Balde (loan) who I think will all leave.
Overall it's clear we have a much improved team. Problem is pretty obvious though when you see that all four our supposed "star players" are 30+. On a bright side we'll have a lot of competition for most positions which is something we didn't have for years. We have a lot of players I labeled as squad players but who I (and themselves as well) believe are good enough to be starters.
It's up to Xavi to find the right roles that will get the best out of everyone. He wanted a big/deep squad, we mortgaged a big part of our future to give him almost all he wanted and now he needs to prove he can manage this squad.
There is absolutely no excuse to not use 5 subs in every game and also make subs early when needed because we'll always have combinations of Kessie/Gavi/Pedri and Ansu/Dembele/Ferran/Auba that could change flow of the game coming off the bench. Or at least rotate to rest players in this strange season when WC will basically divide season in two parts and most players will be away from the club for a month when Xavi and his staff won't have control over their training process etc. and some of them might come back tired or even injured.
That's why I hope Xavi will use common sense and decrease minutes of likes of Busi and Alba, maybe even Lewa to keep them fresh for second part of the season.
I'll use FM analogy but explain what I mean with each.
- star player (expected to start 85-90% of games when available)
- important player (75-85%)
- regular starter (60-75%)
- squad player (start 30-50% of games, also get a lot of minutes off the bench)
- backup (10-20%)
- impact sub (playing most minutes of the bench, rarely starting)
Goalkeepers:
Star player: MATS
Cup GK: Inaki Pena
Things are pretty clear here.
Defenders:
Star player: Alba (at this point he doesn't have competition, his role could diminished little if/when a LB is bought but not by much)
Important players: Araujo, Kounde
Regular starter: Azpi (if signed)
Squad player: Christensen
Backups: Garcia, Pique, Dest
Impact sub: Roberto
AC could improve his status closer to Regular starter with good performances and/or if one of Araujo or Kounde gets injured.
Midfielders:
Star player: Busquets
Important player: Pedri
Regular starters: /
Squad players: Gavi, Kessie, FDJ (if he stays)
Backup: Nico
Impact sub: Roberto
In regards to Busi obviously not something I want to see but something we can all expect to happen. Hope to be wrong though. If healthy I think Pedri will be the next in line to have almost guaranteed spot in midfield while others will have to share minutes.
Forwards:
Star player: Lewa
Important player: /
Regular starter: Raphinha
Squad players: Dembele, Ansu, Ferran
Backup/Impact sub: Auba
Didn't mention five players on the "not wanted" list neither Memphis, Pjanić or Balde (loan) who I think will all leave.
Overall it's clear we have a much improved team. Problem is pretty obvious though when you see that all four our supposed "star players" are 30+. On a bright side we'll have a lot of competition for most positions which is something we didn't have for years. We have a lot of players I labeled as squad players but who I (and themselves as well) believe are good enough to be starters.
It's up to Xavi to find the right roles that will get the best out of everyone. He wanted a big/deep squad, we mortgaged a big part of our future to give him almost all he wanted and now he needs to prove he can manage this squad.
There is absolutely no excuse to not use 5 subs in every game and also make subs early when needed because we'll always have combinations of Kessie/Gavi/Pedri and Ansu/Dembele/Ferran/Auba that could change flow of the game coming off the bench. Or at least rotate to rest players in this strange season when WC will basically divide season in two parts and most players will be away from the club for a month when Xavi and his staff won't have control over their training process etc. and some of them might come back tired or even injured.
That's why I hope Xavi will use common sense and decrease minutes of likes of Busi and Alba, maybe even Lewa to keep them fresh for second part of the season.
Giginho75
New member
Hard to say, but the board gave him the "10" after Leo.
It means they believe in Ansu.
If you will be right, probably he will have to change team, because the predictions on him were totally different.
Give him these first months of the new season to understand if he deserves to be in the starting eleven or not.
Fati will start every single game once fit & available.
He & Pedri are "star" players once fit as much as busquets & lewa.
More important than Araujo & Kounde.
The club has made it clear as well as xavi when both are Fit, they play.
Busquets is gonna have a better season than many expect for the simple fact that he will have more runnere around him.
Pique if he gets over is injuries will play more than most would like
He & Pedri are "star" players once fit as much as busquets & lewa.
More important than Araujo & Kounde.
The club has made it clear as well as xavi when both are Fit, they play.
Busquets is gonna have a better season than many expect for the simple fact that he will have more runnere around him.
Pique if he gets over is injuries will play more than most would like
Co0ter
Senior Member
Theo would be perfect, but Milan is not willing to or have reason to let him go unfortunately. That is part of the problem, I'm not sure who we should get that would be available. I just know we need it. I'm sure there are talented young fullbacks out there worth taking a punt on.
If Milan would sell though, he would be at the top of the list.
Co0ter
Senior Member
Considering he's been a disaster for several years now, the bar is pretty low.
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