₦airaland Forum

Kilishihunter:
As Laporta's done what seemed impossible months back to secure us lewandoski, I'll be cheering and rooting for him to hopefully good success and individual awards
But this doesn't make me think he's a bigger Barca legend or a better/complete no 9 than El Pistolero on his day, His UCL stats are surely poor compared to Robert but anyone who can beat messi y Ronaldo to a golden boot and is in the top 5 cadre for most assists of all time is surely mercurial (My own opinion)

Your opinion is appreciated, but right now that both of us are talking Lewandoski is better and Lewandoski has been better than Suarez for almost 4 years now.
In fact, Suarez at his peak is not much better than Lewandoski. Not much...

Kilishihunter:
The case that can be maybe made for benzema is that he multitasks more than lewandoski as a striker, Passing,Assists, Dribbles, Hold up play et al, Lewa also does this too but tbh not up to benzema's level, But when we talk of pure goalscoring hehehe There's a reason why the latter is called lewangoalski, Two exceptional seasons for benzema won't change that

Lewandoski's goal scoring ability is frightening, 40 goals in all tournaments for the past 4 years abi 5 years abeg.
Benzema nah.
If Lewandoski had these numbers in Barca playing with Messi, he would have a Ballon D or by now.
It's absolutely ridiculous.

Did someone say Benzema is better than Lewandoski?
Only by small thing is Benzema better than Kane, let's not do this to Benzema, he is a good striker but he is not better than Lewandoski please.

Kilishihunter:
Succinctly put boss, Xavi has no excuse, Just deliver after all these various huge investments, This is definitely a gamble whether Laporta had money hidden somewhere while claiming broke or not, The players too also have big parts to play as it's teamwork and serious work ethic that will combine together to gel and give the food expected, Barça deserves a good season
Meanwhile how's Laporta's "doings" boding for you

So far so good, he has supported Xavi, let Xavi pay back this show of faith with winning trophies.
It will be great for us.

After all these things we have done in the transfer window, there really is no excuse for Xavi not to win at least 2 trophies and at the barest minimum reach UCL semis.
We have the attacking fire power, the midfield isn't so bad and our defence is looking hopeful with the additions of Christensen, Azpilicueta hopefully and Kounde hopefully, if Xavi goes trophiless again he ought to be sacked because this transfer window is a huge investment risk Barca has taken to position ourselves for more financial upturn in the future, Lewandoski is earning nearly 9m, Dembele and Raphinha 6m, Aubameyang 6 - 7m Christensen and Kessie that same 6m or so and so on.
winning trophies will go a long long way to posturing ourselves as a worthwhile investment for investors and will also boost our international appeal once again and boost the sale of Barca merchandise that suffered during Covid 19 and has not improved since.
We need to win trophies, it's a do or die situation right now and winning the league and reaching UCL semis will do wonderful things for Lewandoski's hopes of being a serious contender for Ballon D or.

Does anyone have the Umidigi a9 pro screen for sale?

Please who knows how or where I can get Umidigi a9 pro screen?
Thank you

This guy's head looks familiar

Kilishihunter:
Tbh one can't really trust Laporta, Forget all these we are broke stories, That deal might be far worth more or just more money to be added to the revenue we got this past season from camp nou and the highest earners being let off, Why will a team that is really broke decide to sell coutinho for just 20m (forget the wages) or offer dembele lesser than his past salary, Well all is to our advantage sha, I feel he is planning something serious

The opinion of one of my guys is that Barca isn't actually that broke but we have exceeded out salary limits. It's one thing to have money, you can buy players unfortunately even with your money, you are not to pass a particular salary limit. Maybe that's the situation Barca find themselves in. Maybe that's why we didn't go for Haaland and instead went for Auba and other forwards that can willingly accept lower wages in the short term and get higher wages in the future.

Awesome01:
Good with the ball? Nicely put. Can we now say that playing him in a more advanced position like double pivot DM with someone like FdJ could work?

It won't work.
Besides, how many times has Xavi played double pivot since he started coaching Barca?

timay1:
Guardiola didn't believe in him yet, he fought tooth and nail to convince him to sign a new contract? Come on bro.

Fought tooth and nail and still signed two new CBs? The meaning of fighting tooth and nail has somehow changed.
You see how PSG fought to keep Mbappe, they didn't sign any replacement, you see how Bayern are fighting to keep Lewandoski, you see how Liverpool are "fighting" to keep Mane? They have signed Nunez...
Garcia was still at Man City and Ake and Dias were bought for a combined over 100m

How do you know a car that is true tokunbo and another that is Naija used?

timay1:
Eric Garcia was the only player that pep really wanted to stay. I wonder who was advicing the guy then. If it was about game time, it will come eventually. I mean look at foden then and now. He's now become a very important tool with Guardiola. Eric f*cked up.

Tbf to him sha, he never envisaged Barca getting this worse

For me Garcia is a great passer of the ball and a very meagre defender as well. Like Alaba, great at passing but defending can bring tears to your eyes sometimes.
However, Garcia was still at Man City when Ake and Dias were bought, says a lot. Guardiola didn't believe in him a lot.
And what's the meaning of tbf? I thought the abbreviation was tbh or tbfh?

And Pedri is not from la Masia

OhBritannia:
Adding both lewandosky and di Maria to one team is going to be one hell of a dangerous attack.
I know they are old but these men can still play highly active football for three Years.
If drogba, Ibrahimovic can do it then they can too.
I think it kinds of makes sense now because while these players plays for the next three years, it kind of gives other Young stars like Pedri, gavi and other lamasia kids the confidence and steady experience to blend in.
It reminds me of Messi, xavi and iniesta and co with the likes of Ronaldinho, deco, Samuel etoe, zambrotta and co.
The transition between the old and the kid players is going to help these kids in Barcelona become better footballers.
The presence of lewandosky is even going to help players like Ferran Torres the more because it's good to learn from the best.
I have a feeling that one day ferran Torres is going to be one of the best top 9 in history and this is why we need lewandosky, Ferran needs that experience and learning.
Xavi should convert him to standard top 9 then the formation of 442 with ferran Torres and lewandosky will be more deadly.
I still think we need more defenders though.
Only Aruaojo is reliable for now.

Of all people to talk about it's clown Ferran?
You guys should forget that guy, he is hopelessly average. I can list 15 players within his age range that are more useful than him.
What is even the good thing you people see in this Ferran Torres? He doesn't dribble, he has the worse conversion rate in the club, he doesn't create for others, he is not fast, you can't even rely on him for the barest minimum. Omo you people should forget this guy

XaviNesta:
They were worth it, right?

If so, then he should come have a taste of it. After all, he's the best no.9 in the world right now!!

Some people call it hype but I don't know sha, but once Barca fans start hailing you on social media, or Madrid fans two things, either your form explodes or your form explodes.
Those clubs are true social media giants. It's the same thing Man utd would have been if that club was a performing club

XaviNesta:
Maybe there's something about Barcelona he sees better than the ordinary fan.

Messi winning Ballon D or
Pedri winning Golden boy and Kopa trophy
Gavi extremely likeliest to win Golden boy again
Basically, the kings of media right now are Barca.

There have been very few players better than Vinicus Jnr this season, very few even those that are older than better than him.
This season Vini was phenomenal and that is the basis for calculating player value, seasonal performances.

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Two of dem dey d same age, 21yrs.
Halaand is the better player. Halaand is more marketable , nice frame, tall & cute. Already one of the highest paid players in Europe.
Have more individual awards.
He's always the BIGGEST star in any team he plays for.

This season, Vini was better.
The only under 21 player better than Vini jnr this season was Mbappe and player value is season by season calculated. Not past records or performances

Devvy4:
So sorry bruh

Thanks enjoy yourself. Hopefully next season Xavi, Laporta and Alemany will do the needful not make us to lick stick sweet when our mates are kissing trophies

Kilishihunter:
Na wa oooh, Oga IKON these days I no dey understand you, Are you FOR or AGAINST us
Wait are you even following the latest news about Barca? We are fúcking skint

Guy look at this Madrid team, some of them were when Mourinho was manager.
From that time till now, they have been balling, some others have been pretending to ball but look at them 2 trophies in a season that we could have won at least 1.
See how Courtois has been among the best gks in Europe, Alba is better than the two LBs Madrid have, Busquets is better than Casemiro, and on and on and on. But look at them winning trophies here and there. Guy e dey pain me. Fati is better than Vinicus jnr and Rodrygo but these two, their performances this season have been nothing short of heroic. The one good season Vinicus jnr has, he is among the best left wingers in Europe only person better is maybe Mbappe yet as at September last year, the same Vini jnr had less than 6 goals in 3 years or 2 years at Madrud. Guy e dey pain me die.
We for win this Europa league, I wanted us to win it or Copa Del Rey unfortunately...

I wonder what consolation my fellow Barca fans will give themselves.
They will keep blaming Bartomeau as if Barca is the only club in depth in Europe.
I think only Man City, PSG and one other mid club in EPL are the only clubs without depth but watch Barca fans assume that they can't compete or win any sensible thing because of Bartomeau, that resigned 2 years ago

FirstbornWds:
I'm perplexed by his takes, to be honest.

I mean, the start of the season to the mid saw us all begging to even stay alive in the league because it was evident Messi was the only structure we had, coming from Koeman's first season. Now, with the GOAT gone, we had to return to the drawing board but we couldn't get our hands to function right because we were incapacitated by the economic crisis that Bart has plunged the team into. We had to rely on players that had limited abilities because we didn't have the adequate resources to bully our way into the market.

Most importantly, our impatience with veterans was actually the beginning of our downfall. Agreed, we still have some of them in our ranks but without a working structure, they seem quite useless, causing us to ax them off. I'm pretty sure Xavi would have done better if he had the same team as Valverde or even Setien. But look at what we left him... Crumbs


I'm not saying I trust him completely, especially with relapse after the international break, but I'll rather we give him till next season to see if he can turn things around but we shouldn't go around insulting as IKON as evidently done because he didn't win anything. FFS, even when Messi was with us, we experienced trophy-drought, even though it was once.

Messi went trophiless twice at Barca. Gerard Martino and Setien.
Also from the beginning of the season to the mid, we were without many players that could have massively improved our fortunes. Also like under Xavi we started struggling badly after the international break.
But you won't remember these things o

joviegghead:
"Koeman fucking won a trophy, qualified for UCL and had two players win massive individual awards under his coaching time".

This nigga be sounding like koeman was impressive
The season he won copa del rey, nigga had all the big boys. From Leo, to griez, FDJ, to whoever you can think of. Messi was covering koeman's nonsense.

Xavi doesn't have the luxury of a firing Messi. But the ones he has and still developing, we can feel the impact already. Though his slip towards the end of the season have left people doubting,he has tried.

Favoritism might be an issue tho.

Quote me, don't be scared.
After Messi and Greizman who else did Koeman have that Xavi didn't have?
Mention them, you can't because there isn't any one else and yet Greizman was loaned out and Laporte used Messi's renewal as campaign point and still didn't renew him.
The Pedri that Xavi is enjoying was brought in by Koeman, the Gavi that Xavi is enjoying also by Koeman, Araujo became a starter under Koeman too. Who has Xavi even added to Barca's team?
Jutgla has been sold, Abde no hope, Mingueza to be sold, Balde to be forgotten for Marcos Alonslow and on and on and on.
The people Xavi is developing are all products of Koeman. All of them.

FirstbornWds:
Under whose tutelage did this happen? Who was responsible for the economic situation that prevented from getting proper players? Koeman disbanded Suarez beciae he wasn't in his plans through a phone call and preferred Luuk De Jong, yet you want us to believe it's not Bartomeu?



Then to the other points you are listing, my dear... It shows how much you've lost touch with footballing reality. Imagine that you are claiming to know that Barcelona was so hit by economic crisis that we couldn't even register players, right to even some barca B players such as Collado. Xavi got Ferran only because our economic situation was bettered a bit after some master strokes by Alemany and Laporta... But nope... You don't remember that. Xavi who hasn't spent up to one season is suddenly shameless because he couldn't win a trophy when every cule's prayer was even to escape the reality of getting relegated or in the best term, at least qualified for UCL football after Koeman almost left us for the dead.

Let's not even forget that the only trophy that the Dutchman won was major because he had Messi in his rank. Worse, he finished third and had to depend on players' individual brilliance to have managed to have won Copa. But no... You had selective amnesia not to have remembered that.

Xavi's style can be subjected to criticism... Ffs, I, and some other Cules have led that agenda a lot here. We've debated that he hadn't done well in so many areas which we hope he'd realize and work on but you coming outrightly to use other coaches' achievement(s) that had stable squads and had been tested in some areas of competitiveness is completely laughable and equally disgusting.

Koeman had a slightly better squad last season than he had this season, and last season, he was still let down by the individual brilliance of players like Roberto, Lenglet and king Bumtiti.
Also last season, numerous times we needed a 9 and you remember that Dembele was at those times deployed as a 9 to varying degrees of success.
Then when this season started, our top 3 goal scorers last season were either injured, loaned out or had no contract. Our wingers were injured and all the players one could rely on were injured too.
Blaming Koeman for not having what Xavi was provided with is unfair to be honest.
Yes Xavi has tried to be honest but if Koeman had what Xavi had by January, I seriously doubt that we would go trophiless this season.
And that thing you said about Copa Del Rey being about players' individual brilliance is false and rubbish talk, Greizman, Messi, De Jong and Alba all had brilliant attacking performances, Pique, Mingueza and I think Araujo or so had an absolutely impeccable shift at the back and Busquets enjoyed himself maximally in the midfield. Or you have short term memory too?
Koeman did not disband Suarez, Koeman didn't have the power to disband anybody. Why didn't he disband Puig or Pedri like he initially wanted to? And if you read any of Suarez' interviews on his leaving Barca in none did he blame Koeman, he and Messi even Dani Alves all blamed Barca board. Not Koeman. Where TF did you even get that kind of false information?
And Suarez was last season, De Jong, Depay were this season or you have forgotten?
You are a Koeman hater, baseless arguments sha.
That's how so many of you on this group were also Valverde haters and now it turns out that Valverde is still Barca's best coach in recent memory.

FirstbornWds:
And which of these teams didn't have a proper structure and coach from the beginning of the season?

Let's not forget that the team was already declining and was relying on teenagers to carry the team. Yet you think the team is better than those ones that had veteran players playing at a high level and even a European well tested coach.

And those clubs you mentioned, which of them qualified for the UCL?

Who deprived Barca of a proper coach and structure? Bartomeau?
Suarez was sold, guess who he was replaced with? NOBODY!
Greizman was loaned out, Trincao was loaned out, Dembele and Fati were injured, Collado was not registered and the wingers Barca had were Gavi and Demir and later Dest.
Koeman basically had to beg the board to get a 9 and from making noise about Joao Felix and such, nobody was signed except Luuk De Jong.
Or you have forgotten these bits of entertaining information? When Pedri was injured and the midfielders we had were De Jong, Busquets and Nico Gonzalez? Abi na short term memory dey do that Barca under Xavi played their best matches when our injured players came back and all the kinds of players that Koeman was screaming that he needed when they were provided for Xavi, Xavi went on that winning streak?
Koeman wanted a winger and a 9 because we had no 9 and all our wingers were injured, Xavi got Ferran Torres face of movement 2022 and Aubameyang, Traore and fit Dembele who finished the season with 13 assists yet you open your mouth and say Barca didn't have a structure and a coach.
The same team that won Copa del Rey last season, half of them were tossed aside this season by either injuries or loan.
You remember when Pique and Araujo were injured under Koeman this season, when even Braithwaite was injured earlier this season?
Or you have short term memory of convenience?
You won't win trophy but you will celebrate qualifying for UCL what kind of disgusting consolation is that?
Koeman fucking won a trophy, qualified for UCL and had two players win massive individual awards under his coaching time.
Look at Xavi, pursuing Azpilicueta, Alonso and not getting rid of Roberto that we absolutely and completely don't need.
But no, keep blaming Bartomeau soon you will blame Sandro Russel or Joan Gamper

FirstbornWds:
With which squad did any of these ones win the major competition that you are talking about? Even Pep, as genius as he is, didn't win any title in his first year as manager in City, despite having a good squad.

But it's Xavi that took over a declining team languishing in 9th position and was closer to relation than top 4 that you think should be crucified? Or you'd prefer not to talk about how we played ucl football against 3 teams and could only register one shot on target under koeman.

Ikon, can you please return back to your sabbatical leave and avoid football talks for a while? You seem to have lost it.

The team that Arsenal won FA cup with under Arteta isn't better than this Barca team in any ramification.
The team that Mourinho won Conference league with is not better than this Barca team in any ramification too.
Rangers team that reached UEL finals isn't better than this Barca team but this Barca team went trophiless. Guy, if shame no dey catch you, e dey catch me.
Fucking Franfurt came to Nuo Camp and beat Barca, mehn. That was sad.
Hopefully such won't happen again

FirstbornWds:
Is there any Barcelona president that didn't make mistakes? No there isn't.

Did they do anything right? yes, they did.


The same mistakes and "right-doing" is synonymous with every president that used more than one season as a president.

However, the major fact is... The wrongs outweighs the right and that's why we are in this shiiithole we see in today. I don't see how that's a debate.

Alright this is a fairer assertion. I can agree with this.
I don't think you will continue to blame Bartomeau if we don't win a substantial trophy next season. Because at that point it's not Bartomeau again.
Even though for me, immediately a president leaves nobody should keep blaming him for what's bad two years after he left.

FirstbornWds:
We wouldn't be in this shiit we are in today if BartoEWU didn't plunge us neck deep in debts and poor economic management.

Simple.

Omo, this blame game na wa o

jpmoriarti:
You have to look at the quality of squad before you start comparing shiiit.

Xavi did well to take a broken and demoralized Barca squad to qualify for UCL. It is not always about what was won in the first season. Ronald Koeman also won a trophy in his first season but left the squad languishing in mediocrity.

Xavi has already impressed me with his methods. I am already convinced that he is the man for the onerous job. He can't transform this team within a few months.

He will have a chance to do a proper pre-season and sign players the economic situation of the club can allow.

Arteta won FA cup in his first season but could not still qualify Arsenal to UCL after 3yrs. Mou won Conference league but still cannot qualify Roma for the UCL.

I tell you that those clubs will swap those trophy for a place in the UCL.

Award for taking demoralized team back to UCL goes to Xavi.
Barjuan won his UCL match, Xavi lost.
Let's say we couldn't beat Madrid in the Super cup espana, but the losses to Frankfurt and Athletic Bilbao were solely on Xavi, he had everything that Koeman didn't have, a great defence, fit midfielders, fit wingers, a useful 9 yet he lost Copa Del Rey and Europa league.
This purple patch he enjoyed to finish 2nd is the same purple patch Koeman enjoyed to finish 3rd and unlike Koeman, Roberto and Umtiti were forgotten on the bench.
Yet even Koeman won Copa del Rey. A freaking basic bare minimum after signing Ferran Torres, Aubameyang, Dani Alves, returning Pedri, returning Dembele, Traore all players than Koeman didn't have yet he won something.
Oya, why did we still lose matches like Franfurt at Nuo Camp, Villareal at Nuo Camp, lost Rayo Vallecano at Nuo Camp and Cadiz all at Nuo Camp, what's the difference between now and last season?
Especially that loss to Cadiz that Barca were just crossing the ball like Stoke those days and hoping for the best.
Na wa o

Kilishihunter:
Lol, So because under bartomeu we were the highest revenue generating club in so, so and so years, He shouldn't be blamed for his gross mismanagement and highly ridiculous dysfunctional running of the club that it had to take the covid pandemic to expose the ruins being hidden, Was Suarez not shipped out for peanuts? Was city not ready to take Messi off our wage bill after the 8-2 spanking? Why did he refuse to sell knowing we were severly in the red and needed all the financial leeway we could get? I hear you sir
Hopefully Laporta will once again steady the tides and leave the club in a better state for sensible people to build upon this time not clowns like Rosell or bartomeu

Now you are also blaming Rosell. Man I don't know what to do with you people again.
Is it Bartomeau that is selling Ferran Jutgla to Club Brugge? Is it Bartomeau that of all people to have interest in it's Christensen that is being benched by Chalobah? Is it Bartomeau that sold Emerson Royal to sign Alves and then Azpilicueta? Is it Bartomeau that promised Haaland and then it ended in tears? Is it Bartomeau that used Messi's renewal as campaign point only to swiftly disappoint on it?
See if you want to criticize Bartomeau, criticize him on his bad decision making when Barca was swimming in wealth and the unwillingness to focus on the sporting aspect of running the club and focusing instead on money

FirstbornWds:
Best transfer window in 3 seasons? Lol. Okay... I really should leave you to clown alone

Zidane won UCL in his first season
Mourinho won Conference league in his first season
Arteta won FA cup in his first season
Flick won German cup in his first season
What did Xavi win in his first season? We came second?
Who knocked Barca out of Copa Del Rey and UEL?
Who thinks it's a good idea to sign Alonslow?
Our tears go tey sha