The Importance of Being Ernesto - The 2017-2018 Season thread [R]

Dude come on... It's probably one of the most important games of the season.. [emoji29]

 

OK, did a quick one and just posted it.

 

Early news ahead of the Match Thread for Tuesday's clash in Piraeus (it is the port city next to Athens, sort of the grittier twin city with better seafood), another 20 man 'travel squad' named with many absences particularly to CBs (Pique suspended and Mascherano still recuperating from fever BUT he is traveling with the team which is great), fortunately Vermaelen is cleared and should partner with Umtiti if Masch cannot play and start (both left footed, who plays on right?), and Iniesta out again (along with Rafinha, Dembele, Vidal, & Turan) means we have exactly 18 first teamers, so we are again traveling with 2 b-teamers, Ortola and Alena who might actually be our best Iniesta replacement (not that anyone replaces Andres). Surprised we'd bring Ortola and not a CB, guessing that means Masch can play:

• Ter Stegen
• Cillessen
• Ortolá (31)
• Nelson Semedo
• Ivan Rakitic
• Sergio Busquets
• Denis Suárez
• Suárez
• Messi
• Mascherano
• Paulinho
• Deulofeu
• Paco Alcácer
• Jordi Alba
• Digne
• Sergi Roberto
• André Gomes
• Umtiti
• Vermaelen
• Aleñá (26)

 

So against both Atletico/Athletic,two high pressing fast physical teams,valverde does a tweaked 442 with gomes in between the lines on one wing.

The results were very interesting with Sergi Roberto/Rakitic/Gomes/Paulinho sitting in midfield ahead of busquets and behind Messi and Suarez.

You can call it a 3-4-1-2 of sorts.Athletic played very well but we managed a win.

I dont see us doing well with a 4-3-3 or even a 3-4-3.

 

https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/11/0...weeks-following-injuries-champions-league-tie

Roberto and Shitmes injured for a 3-5 weeks , no more roberto as RB bullshit for a month and well .. If shitmes isn't playing then we won't have any issues in the midfield unless Valverde tries to make up some new ********ed up ideas like Lucho used to do ( and with the way he is coaching till now i see him likely to do that )

 

Denis/Arnaiz/Alenya should get chances now. I forsee a great time with all of them,bench Suarez and play denis.

 

Good interview with Luis Suarez, he does not go into details on the injury but sounds happy to rest and train in the sand for the 2 weeks between games and avoid going under the knife. He also talks slump, Neymar, Valverde, etc. http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...ars-exit-and-valverde-vs-luis-enrique-6408596

 

Saw reports that he was raving about Coutinho and how great he'd be for us ?

 

Posted in the youth thread, but re-posting here in case you need a weekend Barca fix (mini estadi will hopefully be pretty full for same reason): Barca B host 2nd placed Huesca at 1:30 Eastern, 10:30 Pacific time in much of North America (so in 35 minutes).

EDIT - re-checked and Huesca is now in a 3 way tie for 2nd, and in 3rd based on Goal Differential. Top of Segunda: Osasuna 25 in 14 games; Granada, Huesca, and Lugo (?) all in 2nd with a game in hand, 23 points in 13 games. Barca is tied for 13th (of 22 teams) with 16 points from 13. Not too far from the drop zone 13 points--9 points for 19th-22nd.

 

hard to get a stream, not glitchy but no sound:
http://cdn.livetvcdn.net/webplayer.php?t=ifr&c=809369&lang=pl&eid=586068&lid=809369&ci=10&si=1

 

Liverpool have agreed to sign Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka in January after the player dismissed interest from La Liga giants Barcelona in favour of joining the Reds, according to Spanish news outlet ?Don Balon.

Looks like we ARE getting Coutinho !!

 

It's Don Balon. They create like 539 rumours per hour!!

 

Haha who wants too join Liverpool instead of Barcelona? What a joke! Liverpool will only play in Europa League next season.

 

Well IF the rumor was true the thing is the Goretzka if FREE if you wait till summer (you can sign as early as January, just wait till July 1 for him to join), or bargain priced if you sign now so he joins in January, he's younger, demands less salary, and doesn't need to start till after he adapts, so there's time to ease out an Ini or Raki as an automatic starter. Whereas with Coutinho, we pay a crap ton in transfer fees, and in salary, for a player who is expected to start right away. Oh and Coutinho is much older too.

So IF that was true it would be sad. I know Valverde said he wants a smaller squad, and only wants to sign starters, but the prices of these two players means one is a value and one is an overpay.

 

Philippe Coutinho scored and created a goal against Southampton and now has 31 assists, the third highest number of assists for the Reds in Premier League history. Only Steven Gerrard (92) and Steve McManaman (58) have more than the Brazilian.

 

Surpassed the great Jordan Henderson and moved into the top 120 overall.

 

Well the reds haven't won much and his price tag doesn't justify going for him imo, might be a younger, better and cheaper one emerging after the WC. How does his stats look for all players in all PL teams?

 

Well, see my post above yours for the stats comparison.

I think if we compare Countinho with Cesc 2011 it quickly becomes apparent how crazy Coutinho's price-tag is. Cesc was purchased for €34mn. And I know that was considered a lot in 2011, but there were other players sold for more that summer, as well as many for only slightly less. So €34mn wasn't an Earth-shattering amount even for that time.

Also Cesc was a notch better (and a year younger) than Coutinho is now. He had attractive variables - was familiar with Barca's style, EPL was stronger back then, he could play CM, etc.).

Of course Barca's situation is very different now compared to 2011, but I don't think desperation should add €50mn to a transfer fee. Liverpool is desperate too.

 

So el clasico kicks-off at 13h00 CET (7h00 ET ) on 23 December. Ugh!

Round 17 of La Liga will be spead-out over 5 days, beginning with Levante v Leganes on the Tuesday and ending with three matches on Saturday - two days before Christmas (the Galician derby, a Valencia derby and el clasico).

Then teams return to action two days after New Years'. The lack of a winter break in England is the most overrated thing in sports. Its only 10 days between matches for Barca & other La Liga rivals (who then play more matches in January).

 

Wednesday game, not much drama as we crushed Murcia t their place, but great chance to see B teamers, sadly Arnaiz may not be fit:

http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...copa-del-rey-game-against-real-murcia-6453271