All Aboard the Flick Wagen - The 2024-25 Season Thread

Taken together with Gavi and FDJ coming back from injuries, here's hoping that Fermin comes back healthy from the stoopid Olympics.

Actually, here's hoping that Spain get bounced early from that thing.

 

Personally, I think that's a great idea - i.e. just a dedicated thread for all La Liga/CdR matches, a second thread for all CL and a third for pre-season.

 

...which is good.

I dont have any interest in seeing a 30 year old Camcelo being bought, nor loaned with an option to buy.

That said, specific to the midfield, here's hoping that there's some good luck with respect to health and availability.

 

I don't think Cancelo will cost anything apart from his salary given Man City don't have much use for him (Walker not yet showing his age) and given City's FFP issues. May be worth it as he can play so many positions and we always seem to have a major hole somewhere on the field due to injuries. Wouldn't want to see him start against Vinny Jr and LPB, but he's a completely different player than Kounde and if we are stuck in a 0-0 game and lacking creativity in attack, Cancelo can come in and provide something different.

 

Well, I suppose I should elaborate.

I don't want ANY 30 year old brought in on any sort of purchase.
I don't want ANY player bought that is 26 years old or older, TBH.

I'd rather that purchases be reserved for players that are 25 years old or younger, so that they come with relatively smaller transfer fees, and relatively lower wages, and can be later transferred out for a fee as well. Any player 26 years years old or older are welcome on free transfers, and loans.


Specific to Cancelo, I like and I rate his game well, IF used properly.

What I don't want is for Barca to pay a fee to acquire him, or to loan with an option to pay anything to sign him later. I also don't want him arriving on the 12.5MM Euros he was on for last season. [SOURCE: https://www.capology.com/club/barcelona/salaries/2023-2024/ ]

Buying older players, and then paying obese salaries is idiotic, moronic, and dumb. Its also what this club has done far too often in the past.

If he's willing to come on loan, and for, I dunno, 5MM or so, then sure. Bring him in. Otherwise, turn the page, and give the job to Balde/Fort/Valle, and move on.

 

It's like these kit designers make it their mission to find a way to screw it up one way or the other. The kit would have been fantastic if indeed the crest was on the side. Now it just looks odd, smh.

 

Given repetition ad nauseum nowadays with kits, I like this look.

The major kit manufacturers seem to recycle looks over and over again, whenever a club/seleccion have similar or the same color schemes these days.


[edit]In thinking more about this, given that 2024 is Barca's 125th anniversary, these kits seem reminiscent of the original kit, per wiki: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona_kits

I did like the white away kit with St. George's Cross across the front, though.

 

Barca/that guy can't catch a break.

I was hoping that he'd surprise, and either contribute to Barca, or be bought by someone, ANYone, to get his obese wages off the books.

This sucks.

 

Fermin scores and assists vs the DR in Olympic play.

Cubarsi accumulates 2 yellows, so he'll sit vs Egypt.

Eric has started both matches, and has looked efficient.

 

Preseason match today at 1800 CDT vs Citeh:

https://www.google.com/search?clien...2ahUKEwixupPEws-HAxXYhIkEHQO3AjcQ3_IBegQIIBAC

 

I watched the game's highlights vs City and I must say that I'm impressed with what I've seen of our youngins. Great pressing, great awareness and interplay in attack, cool, calm and collected when taking penalties. This is what you want to see even if it's "just" a pre-season game.

Also, Pablo Torre had a great game. He's so good in tight spaces and his decision-making in said spaces is also great. He can certainly pick a pass as well, great vision. Again, it's only a pre-season game but he impressed me.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5671691/2024/08/01/barcelona-laporta-president-victor-font/

I agree with much of this. There are several signs of poor leadership:

1. Unrealistic objectives, and unrealistic ideas insofar as how to get there,
2. Cronyism over professionalism within the club,
3. Either inaccurate, or outright lying to Culers

Laporta's gotta go.

 

We are supposedly doing everything possible to offload FDJ once again

 

Check the Barça Capology page:

https://www.capology.com/club/barcelona/salaries/

There, you will see that FDJ is on €37.5MM/YR. His contract runs until 2026.

There are maybe, what, ~10 clubs in the world that can offer what FDJ is worth, right?

Then, of those 10 or so clubs, how many of those NEED a CMF like FDJ?

Then, how many of those clubs would WANT TO offer a high enough wage for FDJ to turn his back on €37.5MM/year. In other words, a large enough salary for FDJ to WANT TO leave?

Basically, it's a list of zero clubs.

And thats BEFORE you add into this his injuries, and the fact that he's now a family man, and who would want to leave the city of Barcelona to live somewhere else, with their family?


TL;DR: FDJ is not leaving. If a Culer suggests this, or if a media type suggests this, they are kidding themselves, and bullshytting you.