Ousmane Dembélé

Laplacian

Senior Member
Not even sure how Dembele vs Salah became a discussion. One is an all time PL great and arguably best winger of PL era. The other is world's oldest talent.

Birdy frequently rationalizes Dembele's poor end product by telling us he's a "touchline winger", and therefor it's not his job to provide goals. I pointed out that every world class winger is capable of (and frequently do) playing on the touchline like Dembele does, alongside scoring goals at a consistent rate because they have the intelligence and finishing to be productive inside the penalty area. Salah, Neymar at Barcelona, and so on were used as examples. Dembele doesn't score not because he's a "pure winger", he doesn't score because he's a limited player with poor movement and finishing (and therefor not world class). Then Birdy and others took that and started a debate over Salah and Dembele. In other words, you can blame the debate on Birdy's irrational fixation and adoration for Dembele.

I think someone else said it perfectly, Dembele is a glorified Adama Traore at this stage.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Sure I read that in Dembeles last two seasons in La Liga he was the most productive wide player per minute and had better goals/assists per game than any others including Vini, Rodrygo and any of the Barca lads.

Cant be fucked checking really but almost certain that was the claim.

If the argument is he doesnt stay fit enough to produce enough that is a different argument to what he offers when available.
 
Last edited:

Porque

Senior Member
Por "we would be a better side with Dembele" que

That statement would be worth something if it wasn't the worst attack Barca has had in like 25-30 years outside of those initial Xavi months with Depay and co.

He's a bum of a player and you manage to find redeeming qualities in him while being the first in line to point out "tactical nightmare" Messi

It's just a fact. That's not to say Dembele is the alpha or the omega, just that Xavi has built his best attacks around him.

Bringing up Messi is skewed. Put Messi into a modern team and he is what he is. But we were talking about bringing him back and then amigo chums Jessica Alba and the Stick wanting to stay too. Fuck that.

But then again if we did bring him back then we would have had a high paying game In January against Ronaldos Al Nassr. So there's that I guess ...
 

KingLeo10

Senior Member
It's just a fact. That's not to say Dembele is the alpha or the omega, just that Xavi has built his best attacks around him.

Bringing up Messi is skewed. Put Messi into a modern team and he is what he is. But we were talking about bringing him back and then amigo chums Jessica Alba and the Stick wanting to stay too. Fuck that.

Messi (34-36 years) has been outperforming Dembele (physical prime years) by orders of magnitude at the NT level, and even by a good amount at the CL level from 21-22 onwards.

I'm (and we're) obviously not talking about Messi at his physical prime (08-15ish); every team in the world would clamor for his X-factor, regardless of how much tactics evolve. Same way you'd always find a place for Maradona or a R9.

The only argument you might have is regarding Alba and Busquets, but that's making strong assumptions. We saw Messi at Barca without Suarez, Neymar and Rakitic and co. He obviously had his close circle but it's not like he personally determined playing time and contracts for his friends. That's just the kool-aid you've doubled down on over time.
 

Porque

Senior Member
Messi (34-36 years) has been outperforming Dembele (physical prime years) by orders of magnitude at the NT level, and even by a good amount at the CL level from 21-22 onwards.

I'm (and we're) obviously not talking about Messi at his physical prime (08-15ish); every team in the world would clamor for his X-factor, regardless of how much tactics evolve. Same way you'd always find a place for Maradona or a R9.

The only argument you might have is regarding Alba and Busquets, but that's making strong assumptions. We saw Messi at Barca without Suarez, Neymar and Rakitic and co. He obviously had his close circle but it's not like he personally determined playing time and contracts for his friends. That's just the kool-aid you've doubled down on over time.

If anything I think time supports that theory. Fact is Messi is (deservedly) enjoying life and football in Miami. He's earned it.

Busi and Alba instantly joined him there.

Then the talk of Saudi, was as a package.

While if Messi returned, then surely the other two would stay know? Salary cap allowing for Messi to come I'd bet that would be the outcome.
 

KingLeo10

Senior Member
If anything I think time supports that theory. Fact is Messi is (deservedly) enjoying life and football in Miami. He's earned it.

Busi and Alba instantly joined him there.

Then the talk of Saudi, was as a package.

While if Messi returned, then surely the other two would stay know? Salary cap allowing for Messi to come I'd bet that would be the outcome.

The amount of power exerted by a player is different depending on the stature of the club and the abilities of the player.

I can just as easily point to counter-examples, when Messi was a stronger player (and presumably had a bit more influence on the day to day of a giant club like Barcelona); and in this time frame, we haven't seen him get it his way all the time. Suarez was shipped away unceremoniously which Messi has repeatedly commented he didn't like; but did Messi have the power to stop it? No. Not at a club of Barca's stature.

Messi also wasn't able to get Aguero or his other Argentina mates in at Barca during much of Messi and Aguero's prime. No Lautaro signed etc etc.

At a club like Inter Miami or Saudi, he can do whatever he wants. Because they're Sunday league clubs lol.
 

te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
We miss Dembouz, simple as that. One of the best right-wingers in the world. I mean it's only Salah, Saka and Sane. RW market is scarce right now
 

KingLeo10

Senior Member
We miss Dembouz, simple as that. One of the best right-wingers in the world. I mean it's only Salah, Saka and Sane. RW market is scarce right now

You like his playing style. I did too at one point back in 17-19.

All he's shown in last 7 years is being injured half the time (mostly in business end of season), and being a comedy in big games. Name me 7 big games in 7 years where he's been the reason we won or made a comeback.

The production and trophy cabinet doesn't match that of a top player's.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Of course Barca miss him.

He was productive and impacted the way teams would line up against Barca.

Would be Barcas most important attacking player if still there.

It is part of reason PSG went for him.. as teams wont leave him 1v1 and it stretches pitch for Mbappe.
 

serghei

Senior Member
We miss Dembouz, simple as that. One of the best right-wingers in the world. I mean it's only Salah, Saka and Sane. RW market is scarce right now

Bernardo Silva is also better. Rodrygo also better at the moment. But Dembele is up there borderline top 5-6.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Bernardo Silva is also better. Rodrygo also better at the moment. But Dembele is up there borderline top 5-6.

Different players.

Silva is not needed as a pacy RW that creates as much as likes of Dembele.

In this Barca Dembele be more effective on right for what team needs.

City can have wingers like Silva and Grealish more often as teams are shit scared of Haaland pace and KDB creativity.

Rodrygo is more or less a striker this season and by far the better finisher.
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top