chic2pimp:
More Like £23M and dude was still overpriced at that amount.
Not even Anzhi and definitely not PSG would be willing to pay £40M for Alves.
Abeg only Strikers and Midfielders cost that much. Defenders and Keepers in most part don't. Only if you are once in a gen Keeper or Central Defender.

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/dani-alves/transfers/spieler_15951.html

£40m for Alves would be a steal. How much do you think Madrid signed Coentrao for?

AjanleKoko: I think we need another Eto'o. Definitely not a small guy, but also doesn't have to be a giant. Just decent height. Fast, mobile, good with the ball, good off the ball as well.

you mean a guy like Ibra?

mbulela:
you mean a guy like Ibra?

No. Eto'o or Henry clone. Preferably Eto'o clone.
Ibra is not particularly special, just another Big Striker type. I don't think gangling strikers will work well for us.

In fact, if we have a fully-fit Messi, Villa and Pedro in the team, with Alexis and Bojan as backups, we don't need any striker. With the fullbacks pressing high, and we have the centre-backs and the holding midfielder covering the back, we will tear any team apart. Just look at 2008/9 and 2010/11. We were extremely successful because we had such a mobile front three. We brought in Ibra in 2010, and we fell short. This year it was Alexis hugging the ball way too much, not running into space at all.

Just like 2010, this year Messi had to do it all by himself, particularly in the second half of the season. And just like 2010, he's Europe's top scorer.

Zubi last night confirmed that Muniesa, Batra, and Montoya are all joining the first team. Of course, one or two of them will likely go out on loan, to make space on the bench. Montoya I think will be likely to stay, since he seems to be showing the most promise. Batra looks more like the person to go out on loan.

Expect a signing of at least one central defender and one striker.

AjanleKoko: Zubi last night confirmed that Muniesa, Batra, and Montoya are all joining the first team. Of course, one or two of them will likely go out on loan, to make space on the bench. Montoya I think will be likely to stay, since he seems to be showing the most promise. Batra looks more like the person to go out on loan.

Expect a signing of at least one central defender and one striker.

you've got mails.

mbulela:
you've got mails.

I no see am oh. Come on YIM.

AjanleKoko:

I no see am oh. Come on YIM.

i no fit YIM from my present location.
i sent the mails days back.

AjanleKoko: Here's something very interesting for Tito and Zubi to consider. It's the league table minus Messi and Ronaldo's goals.
Shows exactly how poor the team was this term. Looks like Messi is far more decisive than we all think:

You should also see the connection between winning the Pichichi title and not winning La Liga (except for the Copa del Rey that is). Ronaldo got the Pichichi last season and only had the Copa del Rey to show for it. This season, it is Messi's turn.

Messi didn't win Pichichi last season but Barca won the Champions League and the La Liga. Neither did he win in the season of everything when Barca won the sextuplet. That season, nearly all members of the team scored. What is missing in this team is clearly that Messi has been made the goal tunnel; all goals go through him in that he either assists or scores.

In a team where Busquets could only score on the very last game of the season compared to Yaya who scored regularly 4 years ago. A lot of things went wrong and only Guardiola can provide answers to several of his jaw-dropping decisions.

^^
This has nothing to do with Pep.

Messi didn't win the Pichichi last season because all three forwards were scoring. Even when Villa had his 11-game drought, Messi, picked up the slack for him.
That's similar to 2008/9 when we had at least two in-form forwards for all of the season. And we also won all the competitions that year.

This year, we simply have had bad luck. Villa broke his leg, Sanchez has struggled to fit in, as well as with injuries. Pedro has been mostly injured, and off form. So it's not a case of all goals go through Messi. Messi simply had to pick up the slack as he was the only regular player in attack. We've rotated Cuenca, Tello, Fabregas, even Iniesta and Keita, at various points in attack this season.

Let's also not forget that Messi did not play the last three or four games last season. His coach preferred to rest him for the Champions League.

More injury woes

Dani Alves fractured his collarbone today in training. He is out for the cup final.

^^Montoya would do just fine.

Meanwhile, I hope all these rumours about Drogba are just that - rumours.

We've been linked with a lot of strikers lately. From the look of things, it's like we intend on signing one. I don't see the need though. If we sign one it would be the third striker we are signing in four seasons. We are pretty stacked up front.

Clubs priorities this summer seems to be: CB, LB and one striker.

Hey guys, read something on Moanrihno about why he believes Penaldo is more deserving of the Balon D'or than Messi. according to him, Messi's 50 goal league haul counts for nothing as it didn't help Barca retain the league just as was the case with Penaldo last season who amassed 40 goals.
Well, Mourinho has no idea what it is like to
be a soccer player because he has
never been one.
Everyone is aware of his bitterness for
Barca. Get on with life Mourinho. You
won Liga. That's it - congratulations!
There's more to life than all your rants
and constant anti-Barca negative
comments. The season is over. Move on
man and give it a break. Spend time
with your family and take a break from
these negativity. I hope you learned
your lessons recently b4 Barca -
Chelsea -- When you wish other people
bad things, bad things also happen to
you too. It's Karma.

medjai:
Meanwhile, I hope all these rumours about Drogba are just that - rumours.

We've been linked with a lot of strikers lately. From the look of things, it's like we intend on signing one. I don't see the need though. If we sign one it would be the third striker we are signing in four seasons. We are pretty stacked up front.

Clubs priorities this summer seems to be: CB, LB and one striker.

They're not rumours. At least from the Drogba perspective. He has offered himself to FCB. We might actually sign him on a bargain. Remember Henrik Larssen? He was quite valuable in the end.

Of course Drogba will spend more of his time on the bench, but he might prove valuable in crucial games, just like the one we played against his current club. I like him as a person, he's got a great personality, and has made Africa proud. He has also been a top professional.

So long as we don't spend any money trying to get him.

Today's rumour: Barca have turned down the opportunity to negotiate with Van Persie.

Rumour or not, that's one decision I support. If they want to get anyone on the cheap, let 'em get Drogba.

Nice feature on how Barca B have performed this season

http://www.barcelonafootballblog.com/14428/kids-hath-eusebio-wrought/#comments

^^
Nice analysis.
Eusebio is not a good coach. They only renewed his contract because everybody seems to be leaving.
They should have promoted Oscar Garcia, who worked with a number of those boys last year. Now he's also leaving.

medjai: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/dani-alves/transfers/spieler_15951.html

£40m for Alves would be a steal. How much do you think Madrid signed Coentrao for?

Any club chairman willing to pay 40M for Alves should be sent to an asylum.
Madrid paid 30Meuros which included things like bonus fees after a certain amount of appearances and all that other things contracts usually contain.
Even at that price, the Overrated dude was still overpriced.

Confirmed tonight. Want to win the Champions League? Eliminate Barca!

AjanleKoko: Confirmed tonight. Want to win the Champions League? Eliminate Barca!

Nah what has been confirmed is that Defence solidity is key to winning Football Games and ultimately Trophies.

Can Drogba actually blend with the Barca style of play? I doubt it! And it seems any team that knocks Barca outta the Sem's automatically wins the CL.

eyoniggar: Can Drogba actually blend with the Barca style of play? I doubt it! And it seems any team that knocks Barca outta the Sem's automatically wins the CL.

Yeah. Since 08

And Chelsea won!

Congrats to Chelsea. Worthy champions of Europe, after all.
If you are able to beat the best, then you can be regarded as the best.

Back to the topic: Interesting blog about the debt of Spain's two biggest clubs, here. I must warn though, it's full of boring financial information.

Sorry, Mcleo. Dunno why the spambot got your post.

Long and short of that analysis is, our club has not been in good shape financially, for a while.

Anyways . . . Rosell's board declared a profit of about 40 million Euros this term. Savings from huge bonuses which would have been paid out if we had won the league and Champions' League, to players and staff.

In other news, Parma's Giovinco. His agent said today that he has an offer from Barca. I hope not, he's a short guy.

How do cules really think Tito will do next season?

I mean, all the backslapping aside. How do the fans believe he will do. Mind you I said fans, not 'interested third parties'.
I would like to get comments on this. Personally I think he will do okay, but won't start well, and the overall year will be without major trophies.
Then he will likely get fired, or quit for health reasons. My personal feeling.

By making Tito our new head coach, the right decision was made and I appreciate it. Although, for Tito, the team and the club, it will be a mammoth task to keep being successful. I can see many problems on the horizon:

- Although Tito has a high reputation among the culés; at the beginning of the season, he'll be the coach no one wanted. Therefore, he'll need instant success. The first 4-6 weeks of the upcoming season, even the friendlies, will be absolutely crucial. One slip-up, one mistake, one defeat, and the media will have a field-day on us and put the management under constant pressure to sack him for the entire season, especially the Madrid media will take this opportunity gladly to start harassing fires. It's basically the same situation we had with Pep in 2008 - but Peps footsteps are much bigger than Rijkaards were; a fact Pep due to his humbleness probably never really realized. And while Rijkaards departure was well taken, with Peps departure every culé in the world struggles to hold back the tears.

- Everything Tito does and achieves will be measured by what Pep did and achieved. If he fails to win La Liga and at least reach the semis in Copa and CL, no matter the circumstances, a riot will probably kick off in the clubs circle. And while I'm sure that Tito is fully aware of this, it may put up mental barriers. It might keep him from experimentation and puttting his own ideas into the team, thereby keeping the team from evolving.

- He'll need time to fully express his idea of offensive football - which he might not get. I don't trust Rosell one bit and if the situation arises, he'll throw Tito out without much hesitation. I don't believe for one second that Rosell is satisfied with this solution. Tito shouldn't expect any support from that snake. But a good relation between Tito and Zubi might compensate this.


Now that Tito has taken that challenge, he needs to be hard as nails. I'd go so far to say that this is probably the worst situation you can start as a coach. But I have faith in him, and if it were up to me, he'd get all the time he needs.

To put it in a nutshell: Mammoth task is an understatement. Tito needs to pull off a Pep.

In Tito I trust !

medjai: By making Tito our new head coach, the right decision was made and I appreciate it. Although, for Tito, the team and the club, it will be a mammoth task to keep being successful. I can see many problems on the horizon:

- Although Tito has a high reputation among the culés; at the beginning of the season, he'll be the coach no one wanted. Therefore, he'll need instant success. The first 4-6 weeks of the upcoming season, even the friendlies, will be absolutely crucial. One slip-up, one mistake, one defeat, and the media will have a field-day on us and put the management under constant pressure to sack him for the entire season, especially the Madrid media will take this opportunity gladly to start harassing fires. It's basically the same situation we had with Pep in 2008 - but Peps footsteps are much bigger than Rijkaards were; a fact Pep due to his humbleness probably never really realized. And while Rijkaards departure was well taken, with Peps departure every culé in the world struggles to hold back the tears.

- Everything Tito does and achieves will be measured by what Pep did and achieved. If he fails to win La Liga and at least reach the semis in Copa and CL, no matter the circumstances, a riot will probably kick off in the clubs circle. And while I'm sure that Tito is fully aware of this, it may put up mental barriers. It might keep him from experimentation and puttting his own ideas into the team, thereby keeping the team from evolving.

- He'll need time to fully express his idea of offensive football - which he might not get. I don't trust Rosell one bit and if the situation arises, he'll throw Tito out without much hesitation. I don't believe for one second that Rosell is satisfied with this solution. Tito shouldn't expect any support from that snake. But a good relation between Tito and Zubi might compensate this.


Now that Tito has taken that challenge, he needs to be hard as nails. I'd go so far to say that this is probably the worst situation you can start as a coach. But I have faith in him, and if it were up to me, he'd get all the time he needs.

To put it in a nutshell: Mammoth task is an understatement. Tito needs to pull off a Pep.

In Tito I trust !

You hit the nail on the head square. I just have a few things to add, and maybe a point of disagreement regarding Rosell, which is where I'll start from.

On the Rosell issue, I think he is the best president for this era. Just look at that write-up on Swiss Ramble that compares Barcelona's finances with Madrid, Manchester United, and Arsenal. We have been in bad shape financially, despite all the successes and titles, compared to our peers and rivals. All that time Pep was winning, Madrid were minting cash. There needs to be a focus on the club making profit, especially in a period when the Spanish economy is in a hole, and La Liga might sink into crisis over the TV rights issue. Just my opinion though, from a purely business perspective.

On the issues around Tito, despite all the good feeling, I think he has unwittingly put a noose around his neck. He's obviously chosen not necessarily because he's the best successor to Pep (which he is in my view), but because the board want stability and performance at a particular level. I'm not sure they are as concerned with glory as much as balancing the books, as Laporta's board was. Which is not a bad thing in itself, but just bad timing for the team.

Performance of the players has been seriously under par this season, by our standards. That elementary exercise of deducting Ronaldo's and Messi's goals from the league says it all. But for Messi's goals, this would have been the worst season for Barca since Ferrer was coach in 2002.

To worsen Tito's plight will be the fact that Madrid under Mourinho have become a well-oiled machine. I expect Mou will try to turn the screw even tighter, get in even more top players, since he's also chasing a personal 3rd CL trophy. They will be even meaner in 2012-2013.

That for me, is the greatest challenge for Tito: whether he can get anything more out of these players. Messi of course will continue to be self-motivated and brilliant, but can we say the same for a Xavi, Pique, Iniesta, Puyol, Valdes, who are all title-spoilt with Spain and FCB, as well as on the wrong side of footballing prime? Will an Alexis raise his game under Tito, will Villa rediscover himself? Will Cesc finally come good and justify the price tag and the drama surrounding his transfer?

For me, with the team in its current state, and us making little or no signings, we are not going to achieve much next season. Tito will have to build the team on the go, getting results while working to improve the team in strength and depth. I honestly struggle to see how he's going to do that and still win titles. Better for him to accept that Pep's team is over and he has to build a new one, albeit with some of the cornerstones of the former team.

In any case, in Tito I trust! Can someone find Krayola to add that slogan to the thread title?

Kits for the coming season:







[img]https://p.twimg.com/AtfgG7mCMAA_-Mc.jpg:large[/img]

I love the home kits. Looks a little like PSG. The away is too bright. We struggled on the road last season so maybe the idea is to blind our opponents.

The jersies being sampled by some stars... Home looks pretty Cool!! Not sure on the Away yet!

What about our 3rd jersey?

We have a cup to win tonight