Ernesto Valverde

[snowy]

a) How?

Out of all players in the team he's the smartest mover, has the best stamina, probably the best technique (takes the fewest touches to advance the game), is closing the channels both in offense and defense, as well as being the best support player in the team, and possibly in the world too. One of the most important things in midfield play is to provide options for teammates around you, so they can pass you the ball. Most of the time, in derbies or matches against good teams, normal passing channels are blocked by default. So, doing build-up in these cases requires players who move frequently and in a smart way. Frenkie De Jong is currently the best player in the world in this area - teammate access, teammate support, smart movement. He constantly moves within his main area (when he is not used on the fucking wing by the moron we have as manager) to receive from other players, when these players are unable to complete a pass by default. No other player in the world does this as well as Frenkie.

Simply put, when a teammate in his area of action has issues passing out, or is caught in a pressing trap, Frenkie is the only starting midfielder who immediately makes approaching moves to help him out. A pressing trap is usually done in central areas to force teams to play wide. Despite of De Jong's quality in this area of the game, we still build wide an awfully lot because the manager is crap. If you watch Rakitic, or Vidal, or even Busquets, their willingness to constantly move and help connect the compartments when there is pressure on the build-up phase is very very low.

Frenkie de Jong is possibly the only midfielder today who has enough quality to play in the first 11 in 2009-2011 Barcelona instead of Sergio Busquets. No other young player in the world has De Jong's set of qualities to be part of that midfield.

b) Our game suffers without him, no doubt. Every Barca fan I think sees that. But you have to realize that, the way this team is built, Messi and Suarez score and create enough genius plays to win most games in La Liga, with or without De Jong.

c) There is no correlation between Barcelona and United. If things improve on the bench, De Jong will instantly improve his output. Right now, he's still making a mark and is the best midfielder in the team, but his potential is that of a Ballon d'Or level midfielder.

That's why he's one of my fav players! And yes, he's been playing in a sub-optimal system. We've seen glimpses of cool sync with Ansu, Leo and a few others at times, but it's nothing close to what he was playing at Ajax with their fast passing, creative, always on the move, dynamic style.

He's like a dune buggy stuck in traffic over here. To really shine and max the fun, he needs similarly cool, high octane players like Ziyech, Camavinga, Sancho...

It's ironic, he's in many ways the perfect Barca Wile E. C, so creative and driven but he gets shoved off the cliff cuz Barca ain't playing Barca style. Visca Barca 2020!!!

 

[JohnN]

Why do you hate on him so much then? Shouldn't you hate on the board in stead?
Weird

Valid question. But the reverse is also valid. Why defend EV so much?

 

[serghei]

Why do you hate on him so much then? Shouldn't you hate on the board in stead?
Weird

What's so weird about not liking a weak manager who is average tactically? Also, I don't like the board either.

 

[TrueCule]

Valid question. But the reverse is also valid. Why defend EV so much?

Let me remind everyone that we only lost league match in the whole season 2 years ago, which was a remarkable achievement. We dominated Real in the last 2 seasons with a 10+ point gap between us and them. Which again, was an outstanding achievement. Failure in the CL was the player's fault. They weren't focused enough and thought that they're through on to the next stage when in fact there were 90 minutes left to be played. We lacked a bit of luck, which is tbh needed to make that little extra push for the CL.
Why am I still one of EV's apologist? Because I know that under his command we will continue to dominate Real in domestic competitions and that there is only a question of time when we will make that push for the CL title. We've been really close in the last 2 seasons and I think it's finally time this season to lift the trophy again.

 

[Potroh]

Failure in the CL was the player's fault.

I never knew there was such a thing in football.
Collective fault of all of the players???
The collective aspect (be it tactics, strategy, motivation, zeal, whatever) is always handled by the coach. If unsuccessful, it fires back to the coach, without exception.

Comparing a league performance to a horribly performing Real Madrid is just silly. It's a lucky period, without any merits.

 

[El Gato]

It's a lucky period, without any merits.

Lol.

 

[JohnN]

Let me remind everyone that we only lost league match in the whole season 2 years ago, which was a remarkable achievement. We dominated Real in the last 2 seasons with a 10+ point gap between us and them. Which again, was an outstanding achievement. Failure in the CL was the player's fault. They weren't focused enough and thought that they're through on to the next stage when in fact there were 90 minutes left to be played. We lacked a bit of luck, which is tbh needed to make that little extra push for the CL.
Why am I still one of EV's apologist? Because I know that under his command we will continue to dominate Real in domestic competitions and that there is only a question of time when we will make that push for the CL title. We've been really close in the last 2 seasons and I think it's finally time this season to lift the trophy again.

Let's say things are as you describe them. Let's even say that Roma was the players' fault entirely (like there is such a thing), they didn't concentrate or underestimated the opponent or whatever. Let's concede all that. Let's even say we lacked a bit of luck against Liverpool, one year after Roma, even though we had plenty of it in the first leg. Given all these things are true.

Given a chance for a repeat of that Anfield game, would you trade squads or managers?
Would Klops men win against us with EV as the coach? Would Barca lose against Liverpool if Klopp was the coach?
Give me an honest answer please.

 

[pepi]

 

[serghei]

I never knew there was such a thing in football.
Collective fault of all of the players???
The collective aspect (be it tactics, strategy, motivation, zeal, whatever) is always handled by the coach. If unsuccessful, it fires back to the coach, without exception.

Comparing a league performance to a horribly performing Real Madrid is just silly. It's a lucky period, without any merits.

Well said. Any decent manager out there can win the title with Messi Barcelona and a shit Madrid in the league. I don't see what's so crazy about it. We've won 100 points in a season where the team was managed by Jordi Roura for half the time.

We're supposed to think Jordi Roura was a great manager who steadied the ship while Tito was ill? Lol.

That being said, I do think Valverde was okay in his first season and did better than some of his detractors give him credit for. Should've been sacked after the Roma travesty though, because as Liverpool proved a year later, it was a product of crap management.

 

[Messigician]

The year is just days old, but Barcelona know that some names in particular will define how successful they are in 2020: Ernesto Valverde, Lionel Messi, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Ansu Fati and Neymar Jr. [marca]

 

[Potroh]

I do think Valverde was okay in his first season and did better than some of his detractors give him credit for.

I tend to agree but EV's 4-4-2 and his defensive view took some time to submerge in the heads of the players.
When Lucho had left all the warning signs had already been there, the problem is that EV worsened those, instead of building something new and constructive.

 

[serghei]

I tend to agree but EV's 4-4-2 and his defensive view took some time to submerge in the heads of the players.
When Lucho had left all the warning signs had already been there, the problem is that EV worsened those, instead of building something new and constructive.

Yea, 2nd season cleared all doubt about Valverde. In over his head at Barcelona. Whatever issued we had in his first season, instead of improving, they got worse. That's the clearest sign you need to replace the manager.

I can understand keeping Valverde post Roma, sort of sticking with the manager and not cut him loose at the first bad period. But as soon as he showed Roma was not an accident and he's a master at collapsing under pressure the decision had to be made.

 

[BBZ8800]

The year is just days old, but Barcelona know that some names in particular will define how successful they are in 2020: Ernesto Valverde, Lionel Messi, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Ansu Fati and Neymar Jr. [marca]

Ansu Fati, lol.

 

[Nazario1985]

EV :

Valverde on Alena

Alena has left. I didn’t think it would be so soon but he had the opportunity to go. Like in August we managed to keep him but he had a clause in his contract. Now we have one fewer player in that position so we’ll see what happens. In theory I’m not thinking about any other player leaving. We have the likes of Riqui Puig in the B team. We are counting on the first team and the B team players

All hail Barto & Abidal the real managers

 

[clemente]

Why they even ask this weasel questions if he answers it them all with "we will see what happens", 0 personallity clown.