Copa del Rey 1/4 final: Athletic Club - Barca 4-2

[JamDav1982]

The midfield def need a rest at some point.

Cant keep flogging FDJ and Gundo every game in that middle of park and they need to be fresh for when CL/fixtures turn in a months time.

Pedri can drop deeper to rest them...Ferran was better than him further up through middle as was Fermin at weekend.

Probably not tomorrow though.

 

[serghei]

Forget about rest, this is our only big chance for a title this season. La Liga is a distant chance considering the luck and ref decisions Madrid are getting when in trouble.

Go all in for Copa and CL.

 

[Windhook]

Wouldn't be in such a dire situation if Gavi wasn't injured. But him missing Gundo and Frenkie need to start every game from now on. No excuse.

Fermin can come on for 30 minutes to play the headless chicken role.

Pedri is lost in his head. Regressed tons compared to what he was.

So we have 3/4 options that could work at 60-70% capacity at any given time in 4-3-3, not talking about Romeu at all.

 

[serghei]

Wouldn't be in such a dire situation if Gavi wasn't injured. But him missing Gundo and Frenkie need to start every game from now on. No excuse.

Fermin can come on for 30 minutes to play the headless chicken role.

Pedri is lost in his head. Regressed tons compared to what he was.

So we have 3/4 options that could work at 60-70% capacity at any given time in 4-3-3, not talking about Romeu at all.

The club has 4 quality midfielders, 1 elite, 1 top, 2 good. De Jong, Gundo, Pedri, Gavi. If one gets injured, we can cope. If 2 get injured/suspended at the wrong time, the drop in quality becomes huge.

You look at Madrid, they have 8. Bellingham, Camavinga, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Diaz, Tchouameni and Ceballos.

Maybe if the stars line-up Sergi roberto could help, but he seems good in one game, and in the next he seems terrible.

 

[JamDav1982]

There is no way FDJ and Gundo can start every game from here.

Xavi needs to be sensible about it or they will drop in level or get injured.

Ferran can play in that AM/SS role he did in game the other day as can Felix, Fermin etc if they want to drop Pedri back to play deeper at times to rest players.

Has to happen cant play same players every game.

Also still a chance they can find a way to bring a player in.

 

[JamDav1982]

The club has 4 quality midfielders, 1 elite, 1 top, 2 good. De Jong, Gundo, Pedri, Gavi. If one gets injured, we can cope. If 2 get injured/suspended at the wrong time, the drop in quality becomes huge.

You look at Madrid, they have 7. Bellingham, Camavinga, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Diaz, Tchouameni and Ceballos.

Maybe if the stars line-up Sergi roberto could help, but he seems good in one game, and in the next he seems terrible.

Diaz is a wide player more or less and Ceballos?

Bellingham this season been a forward as much as a mid really.

Real would find it hard to cover Bellingham alone being out.

Also Kroos.. no one does for them what he does.

 

[serghei]

Diaz is a wide player more or less and Ceballos?

Bellingham this season been a forward as much as a mid really.

Real would find it hard to cover Bellingham alone being out.

They have so much more options compared to us it's not even funny.

Even if Bellingham is out, they can play an effective 442, Vini and rodrygo up top.

 

[JamDav1982]

They have so much more options compared to us it's not even funny.

Not in Diaz and Ceballos and they would in no way be able to replace Bellingham or to lesser extent Kroos.

They probably have 5 mids they need and one of them playing almost a false nine at times.

Modric doesnt look like player was when asked to play a lot of minutes.

 

[serghei]

Not in Diaz and Ceballos and they would in no way be able to replace Bellingham or to lesser extent Kroos.

Compared to our options, they sound amazing. Fermin and romeu are Granada level players.

 

[JamDav1982]

Pedri/FDJ and Gavi have all been injured this season and that lot largely fit for Real...

Yet folk claim only refs stopping being Barca being top..

Fermin is not bad and adds energy.. Ceballos better? Not sure about that at all or who would rather have now for what can bring.

As said I think Ferran can play that AM/SS role a decent chunk of time and from there have 2 mid spots for other players.

Whereas Real play with 4 mids every game near enough.

In current squads they probably need more mids.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Would not rest Gundo and Frenkie at the same time but yeah they definitely need rest, especially Gundo who wasnt injured and playing nearly every match

 

[Windhook]

I forgot to mention we have the versatile Sergi Roberto. But he's on/off in many games.

 

[JamDav1982]

If ever there is a time to rest players it is now and in next 5 league games be best chance to.

Then it gets more difficult.

 

[serghei]

Club needs to risk it in the league. Top 4 is secure imo, and title is a small chance. Prioritize the Cups if the team gets in the semis of Copa.

Unless Madrid slip up 2 times in the next 2-3 games...

 

[JamDav1982]

It is not some huge risk to play Pedri deeper and rest FDJ or Gundo really.

Particularly with opposition coming up.