Activate Another Lever and Still Lose to a Madrid Remontada - The Small Teams Thread

Well, this is the other teams thread.... And indeed Barcelona remains unbeaten this season. It's worrisome, especially if our team decides not to bring their A game against them.

 

I've just checked Alvarez' stats this season and all his goals have come as a CAM/SS and not as a lone CF. If he'd come to us he'd be competing with Jude. We'd be back to square one looking for a CF within a season.

Haaland or Osmihen suits us much better than either Mbapay or Alvarez or anyone else who isn't a CF for that matter. We have enough CAMs and SS' as it is we don't need one more.

 

Julián is a fantastic player and a born winner. He’s literally won everything you can think of, from league titles at River, Libertadores, Champions League to Copa America and World Cup titles with the seleccion. He played an integral part in many of these victories, from scoring crucial goals to being a team player. He’s got a clutch gene, where he’ll show up when you need him. Anybody that follows South American football will know this notion.

Moreover, he’s a player that every single team would be thrilled to have; he keeps his head down, does his job and has stayed humble in all his achievements.

I don’t know how anybody could look at JA and say he’s not a top class player.

 

Honestly Mbappe legitimately seems to have dropped in level. Whether it is because he spend too much time in that league, is carrying an injury or whatever. Nowhere near what he was physically…we really shouldn’t entertain this anymore.

 

Alvarez replaced Lautaro as a starter in the WC KOs and played as a lone CF making an instant impact. He also played as CF in the past; he doesn't now because Haaland occupied that space/role, at RM there is no CF of that tier.

He has that Benzema aura to him as opposed to a static CF. While I agree with you re Mbappe vs Haaland/Osimhen, I think Alvarez can be/could have been a huge addition to our forward line.

Rodrygo is a LW, and has hardly been consistent in any other position.

 

He was out of training/pre-season for +3 weeks, that can have a detrimental impact on form and physique.

 

Honestly Hendrix has bellyache about Doku for a long time now and man does he look every bit of worth what was paid.

 

I'm so happy for Mbappe. Couldn't have happened to a better guy.

 

he got one right for once

 

Really hope Guler can live up to expectation. Not gonna lie if Doku continues this path and Guler doesn't get his feet down it would suck.

 

Watched the Barca Porto highlights. Glad to see a
Ref finally penalize Gavi for his constant pulling of people and their shirts with yellow cards, would never see that in Liga. Also, VAR screwed them with not giving the handball on Cancelo but calling it before, no way that was a handball it was shoulder.

Barca is not that good. If Carlo can get the lineup right we should beat them.

 

My perfect UCL season:

1. We win
2. PSG to Europa
3. Barca gets another Bayern demolition

 

Yeah keep thinking that. some people never learn lol

Guler is three years younger than Doku though and has crazy potential as well. Getting him really sweetened the pill of seeing Doku go to City.

But these are two very different players despite both playing on the right side. Doku will be another Hazard. Guler (if he stays away from injuries) will be a new Ozil or David Silva. And you have to admit beating everyone who lurked around that 20 million clause was a boss move.

 

Just have to say again that CBS post match show with Kate Abdo, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Henry/Peter/Whoever is the best post match show of any sports on US television and by a landslide.

They are magical. I could watch them banter and take shots at each other for hours.

 

This is the difference between Barca in La Liga and Europe.

 

How’s Balotelli doing?

 

As good as a 33 year old who made a lot of mistakes in life and had a lot of injuries can do. Did I misjudge his talent or something?

 

But Barcelona looked shaky and we seemed to recover after the defeat against Atletico Madrid. We were undefeated until that match, but the team was not convincing up until that point. After the defeat, the team actually looked much better.

 

Alvarez renewed in March 2023. He was/is happy at City. End of it. He's happy playing off Haaland and more of SS than CF.

 

Yes you did

you kept pumping the dude when it was obvious he was way past it

you have a thing for mediocre exciting talent

sometimes you’ll hit

I will always give you credit for being so aware of players everywhere

but you have the hots for mediocre players

 

That doesn't stop Flo from buying more midfielders tho

 

Yea. Some said we don't need Bellingham because we had enough "midfielders". Passing on that generational talent would have been smart. Not to mention we don't have another midfielder like him.

 

No one expected Jude to be this good tbf.

 

I didn’t

but that’s because I shamelessly discriminate agains British players

 

Porto robbed