₦airaland Forum

Copahegen will make it 2 pretty soon.

@Abdul, I told you that Kounde will be the end of Barca. He's making mistakes after mistakes. Martin and Curbasi should be at Levante.

raumdeuter:
Thou must not lose oh

Infact make una win todays game. I dey your back

Like eczema abi

seunpinky:
No room for Casado and Bernal, totally understand it’s a must win UCL game. No room for trial and errors.

I hope my CBs put in a good shift tonight.

I think Barca should win this. Martin and Curbasi will not suffer much because there's a real anchor in Garcia ahead of them.

Since nah Conte be the other coach, I'll be watching with a very relaxed mind.

3:1 or 2:0 in favour of blues 💙

RandDigital:
Don't forget to pay una's subscription 🇿🇦

You're obviously a Nigerian acting like South African. Just like the other kid Samantha.

Fremlin:
Thought he is better then cole palmer

All this unproven EPL players lol. Injuries did him dirty. He's a player I like because the talent is obviously there. Let's see what he'll do at Fulham.

Nah them Ben Johnson, Umari Hutchinson, James MCtee, Harvey Elliot, Tyler Dibling etc be this.

I wish him well ooo 😴

seunpinky:
Flick knows Eric is a better option than FDJ in the pivot role as he provides stability and solidity,unfortunately, flick does not have the resources at the back if he decides to continually play Eric as a DM. Our defense line is fragile ( asides Balde our other defenders have not had a good season — Cubarsi, Martini, Kounde) you can tell that Cubarsi is missing the leadership qualities of Inigo Martinez and Araujo has failed to stand up to be a defensive leader.

So what would u rather flick do, continue to use FDj as a DM with Eric providing leadership for the defence.

Dejong is not playing to his full potential in my opinion. I think he's better than what he's showing. I personally think ability wise, he's as good as Vitinha but his lack of discipline is why I'll not rate him close to the Portuguese masetro. No way.

To answer your question, Dejong is the best option in midfield considering Eric is currently your best defender.

I always talk about discipline in that DM/DLP and I'll make reference to a game between Barca vs Athletico Madrid in 2016. Game ended 1:1 with goals from Rakitic and Angel Corea. When Busquet was injured, Enrique summoned Andre Gomez who's originally an AM/CM. Enrique spent minutes showing Gomes something in a paper. It's like he was drawing a circle and telling him don't leave this position, just stay here, circulate the ball, simple pass, maintain your position. Something of that nature.

Gomez entered the game and did exactly what he was told and although Barca didn't win, I was impressed by what Gomez did in that game, even Enrique and Alba talked about Gomez's performance after the game. He was so good that Busi wasn't missed. That's the kind of discipline Dejong should consistently show when trusted to play DM not wandering about like an albatross.

Before Vintinha met Enrique, he was a CM. He played CM even with Enrique. It was how poor Ugarte was that prompted Enrique to switch Vintinha from CM to DM/DLP and he hasn't looked back since then. Very disciplined player.

Midfield is a rigorous job that requires so much discipline. Something Dejong lacks in abundance even though he's got the talent.

Kilishihunter:
So which sweeper DM did pi$$g use to win the UCL last season?

Vitinha!!!

PSG line up with Ruiz(LM), Vintinha(DLP) and Joa Neves(RM). The DLP/DM is Vintihhna and he sits in his position to do the sweeping work not leaving his position and wandering around like a wandering Albatross. Unlike PSG who play with a 433, You play a very open game with a 10. This makes the DM/DLP position ultra important.

In addition to this, PSG don't play ridiculous high line. And Vintihhna is a a much more disciplined DLP/DM even though his football abilities and that of Dejong isn't that far off. A quarterback equivalent i.e DM/DLP must protect his back 4. Henry talked about Pep taking him off for leaving his position to go do one or two with Iniesta, Messi and co even though he ended up scoring in that sequence. Positional football requires discipline.

When Dejong was injured or rested, Barca won multiple games in a row with clean sheets aftet clean sheets. When a journalist asked him about Dejong's return.

Flick said: Eric gives us more stability. He knows these things just that if you bench Dejong, who will play?

Xavi, Veleverda, Koeman, Satien and even Flick are all aware of his defensive unawareness.

Yarris usually designed like toys and the guy is super light. Almost like carton. I really hate the shape of the car, poor aesthetics.

I'll never like it but if you like it, go for it. It's your money and you should enjoy your money. Fuel economy is excellent. It's your money.

With all that said, my personal advice is that you shouldn't buy it.

jpmoriarti:
A simple question. Was it DM that caused Barca to lose in the semifinal last season?

This is a very simple question na lol . Yes of course. A team who concedes 7 goals in a UCL semis does not have a defensive shape period. It's why the team who conceded 6, then conceded 5 in the final. In addition to this, DM(Sweeper) is the last line of this current tactics by Flick.

The answer is a capital yes. Very bold yes. DM wasn't just one of the reasons but the main reason 😜.

Dey play!!!

jpmoriarti:
The last sentence. What a sweeping statement to make.

I tell you, Barca doesn't need to be the all-powerful team or best team in the world to win the UCL. Even lesser team, with less quality than this current Barca squad, has gone on to achieve successes in Europe.

Football is about moments. And none more so than the UCL. If we are able to control the moments that matter the most and get lucky with some little things, nothing is stopping us from going all the way. I don't think it was lack of a DM that cost us the semi-final against Inter Milan last season.

There is currently no team who does not have one vulnerability or the other. You can have all the best players in each position, but you still have this soft-under belly about you, which can easily be exploited by any capable team. Even Arsenal and Bayern were beaten at home this weekend. Every team can be got at.

Yes we need to get a DM but winning the UCL or not cannot be hinged to it. We just need to find a defensive balance and run with it.

The last time Barca won the UCL(2015) Busquet was in his prime. It's not a concidence that all the teams who won it had a disciplined DLP/DM not one who's trying to do it all by leaving his position to go find wetin no lost.

You can dominate Madrid or win Laliga ooo because Bellingham them no sabi midfield work but UCL is too delicate. One mistake and you're out. Without a disciplined DM or Dejong becomes disciplined, or someone else is trusted in that position, no UCL ooo.

Make I no talk much, knockouts is not too far

UCL = 2015-Present

UncleHaba22:
We still need a DM

Dejong against elite teams not Madrid that we'll easily outplay will always show his lapses
The midfield is always too open
If there's no pedri

You're very correct 💯

For Barca to be truly elite. They need...

1. DM. This position is the most important in the current set up. Dejong is no where near that level because his defensive awareness is wack. Not even up to that of Gavi who's technically an attacking midfielder.

2. CF. With the amount of chances generated by Flick, a fast and reliable goal scorer will make Barca more deadly.

3. CB. This position for me isn't really an issue like that considering Flick's tactics but surely there should be an upgrade on Curbasi in the market. Someone like Senesi to pair with Eric Garcia as Curbasi continues to learn and grow.

You see that #1(DM) position. Until it's sorted(Dejong finally learns to play DM, Bernal is trusted or a new signing) Barca won't smell the UCL. No freaking way!

jpmoriarti:
It's so good to see everyone chipping in and contributing their own quota towards goal. The workload is evenly distributed and the team don't rely on a single source for goals.

We have a team with eight players boasting 10+ goals+assists👏👏 A very healthy team being built to win the biggest titles. We just need to sign a defender.

Yamal my man ⭐

If Barca can get an actual right back to combine with him on the right, then get a fast reliable scorer to covert his potential assist, the boy could become something else at 21 or 20. Football isn't linear but Yamal is a star.

There was a leg over he did before taking a beautiful shot that was saved by the keeper. That leg over reminded me of Robihho and Denilson de Oliveira. Very smooth stuff.

Jamiuokolaa:
Haha

I think we still have Chelsea away and Liverpool at Home.

I go like see our approach vs minnows in like 4 games... 2 home, 2 away.

Then maybe....

Minnows like Wolves and Grimsby town abi

My apologies to Roland and Oyninda. Arteta needs to go if he doesn't win the league or UCL this season. No excuses!!!

If Amorim was the coach, United would've most likely lost this game then our brothers in Christ will tell us that the team isn't good enough to beat Wolves

seunpinky:
Not only did u goof, u have always wished Barca bad…only a handful of your predictions are in favour of Barca…Infact when we were on the 11 game unbeaten run, u became silent. Once it seems like we are losing momentum u appear to start spreading your domesday message..

Anyways, I hope you are having joy with your club Chelsea and where they sit on the league after spending millions on player transfers.

Bimmarlykay:
Oya enter.

Everybody just dey tackle me for here and quite rightly so. I gooffed with my prediction

jpmoriarti:
Give it up already 🙄🙄

I have given up.... resounding victory 🙌

Draw game. 2:2, 1:1, 0:0!

Whizlight:
😂😂. Popiziano is a big fan of mediocrity

That Baba too love Pochetino.

Jamiuokolaa:
That Glasner hype don reduce jare

I wonder which top club would even reason him when he leaves Crystal palace at the end of the season

He's like them Thomas Frank, Amorim. They won't offer much when they're the protagonist. Glanser will be sacked at Chelsea after 6months or so.

They'll be foolish to go for Glanser after calamitous Tomas Frank

Popizaino your recommended manager is getting annihilated by a university professor

Like Pochetino, like Glanser. Small club coaches

raumdeuter:
An EPL great. I think Salah has overtaken him though but him and Salah will be top 2

He's not a world great but EPL great?

raumdeuter:
Top scorer in EPL several seasons is one of the things that make players great

Is Thierry Henry great?

Like his darling and best friend Pochetino. Another Popizaino's recommended Chelsea manager flogged by a rookie who was sacked at Hull city; a dead championship club.

Game's still on sha 😂

No single capable defender in that lineup. Eric, Curbasi two weaklings, add calamitous Martin who's just a very average CB and extremely poor LB. The only positive is no Kounde who has been atrocious all season long.

I expect Oviedo to take at least a two goal lead then Barca will make try to crawl back.

2:2 draw my prediction!

raumdeuter:
He would have won 4 in a row like Pep if they gave him money

Or at least comfortably finish in top 2.

May be when he's given over £450m next season to spend, he can finally dominate. Money is all that's needed!

After winning the league, if Liverpool supported Slot by giving him enough money to spend, they won't be this abysmal.

Leyqute:
Van Dijk is truly finished. This guy is one of the most hyped defenders in the EPL. And he believes his own hype too. Pathetic.

For how many years now lol

I pity Villarreal