Any help these physically overmatched refs can get would be beneficial to the game. FIFA should do a kick starter to get retired players who've run out of money to become refs, because lawyers who ran a 5k once aren't cutting it. I'd also love to see VAR used to retroactively book players for dives. I'm not talking about embellishment, because that is a ridiculously grey area, but if there's clearly no contact and the player kicks his heels up and rolls around, booking.
Sounds like Infantino is going to propose a reform to the transfer markets. The big ones being reported are: -No January transfer window -Restructure the summer window so it ends before the seasons begin -Limit the amount of players a club can own and loan out. Which would prevent teams like Juve and Chelsea from hoarding talent.
He also talked about regulating agent fees. Some sort of salary cap. http://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-wor...fantino-backs-sweeping-transfer-market-reform
I like this as well. Hopefully it results in agents actually looking for teams that are a better "fit" for their player instead of which one gives them the biggest payout.
I'm guessing Juve will just buy the players the sell them to other teams for very cheap with a small buy back.
Yup, I agree. I think this would benefit everyone except the super agents like that PoS Raiola. Hopefully more players would get much needed development creating more good players, creating more balanced leagues.
There's ways around it to a degree. But I'd find it hard to believe Chelsea would continue to keep the 45 guys they have out on loan right now.
Well, the aim would be towards getting players in more healthy situations to prosper and develop , whilst taking away some of the power Raiola and a couple other super agents wield. Which I'm totally down for , there's no way a freakin' agent should have that much power in European football. No way.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2760246-why-barcelona-have-found-life-easier-without-neymar Jesus, pretty scathing...
Correlation vs. Causation That link implies Neymar's play made Jordi Alba get benched. They also turn their nose up at Neymar and his dad's slimey, money-grubbing tendencies. Odd that this wasn't an issue in 2015.
the only thing that i can see truly having an impact is in the dressing room. Barca looks very united and with someone like Neymar who's always looking to grab the spotlight, its gotta have a positive impact without him being there.
The team is better balanced. Having 3 strikers who contribute very little defensively put a lot of pressure on the rest of the team. MSN were great to see on a counter. Take that away and it was a lot of work for the remaining 7 on the pitch.
They didn't play defense, but you didn't dare press them, or they'd be in behind you, which is what happened against Bayern and PSG. Juve tried to hunker down and hit them on the counter, they still shipped three. The pressure that the rest of the team faced was to not screw it up and wait for the front to break things open. They're more balanced by default because their attack isn't otherworldly.
Valverde deserves all the credit. I don't think I've seen a Barca side more focused on defending. Or one that is actually willing to sit a bit deeper and absorb pressure in tough games.
He does deserve credit for implementing his managerial style and not being crushed under the pressure in the early part of the season. After the Neymar departure and the Supercopa massacre, the Barca media was foaming at the mouth.