Messi, Griezmann and the “R Word”
From the F Word and to R Word
When Messi’s departure was announced, the first thing that came to my mind was the F word. For weeks, it was the first reaction & word that came to my mind every time I thought about Barça’s situation.
Now that the transfer window is closed & I calmed down, I wanted to assess the sporting situation more broadly. But I realize it’d be a futile exercise. Since the financial aspect was clearly the #1 priority, it’s really difficult to judge Alemany & Laporta’s decisions from a sporting point of view.
THE PROCESS
As said previously, we always knew Laporta would take radical & unpopular decisions. After all, that’s what he was elected for and that’s why his charisma & track record came in handy : had Font or Freixa done the same, El Entorno of Barcelona would be about to explode. That’s one of the main reasons why key figures in the history of an organization are needed in turn-around phases (same goes for coaches) .
Barça was like that broke guy who resorted to debt for years to live above his means and is now back to a standard of living in-line with his resources. It’s a brutal return to reality. But one that will hopefully pay off in the long term. As explained in the thread below (you should click & read it in its entirety), it’ll probably be a 2-step process :
– this season : sell as many players as possible and start overturning the financial situation by drastically cutting costs.
– next season : make some sound long-term investments in players & revenue-generating projects.
LUUK De JONG (LDJ)
Obviously, comparing him to Griezmann wouldn’t make much sense. A different profile. He will provide his aerial skills & hold-up play and may be useful in specific contexts.
His prowess in aerial duels always impressed me :
He will offer Ter Stegen a target man who could win those long balls when the team struggles under pressure & the forwards are in 1v1 situations upfront.
Still, and even though I think none of them is at the required level to play for Barça, Braithwaite offers a mix of LDJ’s (physical presence in the air, capacity to play as a pivot) & Aguero’s abilities (mobility, speed, off the ball runs) but without excelling at any specific skill.
What I mean is all of the profiles in attack seem somehow incomplete. And IMHO, a winger good in 1v1 may have been more useful (only Dembélé fits that profile currently). Someone young, cheap, who doesn’t demand a starting spot. Someone like… Konrad? Or Carles Pérez ?
WHICH SYSTEM ?
Very few productive wingers or full-backs, several forwards who thrive in central positions and an impressive number of center backs : this squad seems tailored to play in a 3-5-2 system, exactly as in the 2nd part of last season.
MONEY VS PRIDE
ing Mbappé, PSG clearly improved their chances of winning the UCL with a historic trio of forwards & boosting the Qatar brand for 12 months. But that’s a luxury only those with deep pockets can afford.
And most importantly, refusing 220M€ for a player who made it clear he wants to leave and may do so for free next summer is illogical from an economic perspective. So, PSG’s management & friends celebrating it on social media seem a bit irrational to me : they focus on pride & short-term wins rather than sane management & the long-term.
GRIEZMANN AND THE “R WORD”
One day a kid asks his father : “Dad, do you know what the S word is?”. His dad says “No, what is it?”. The kid says “Shit!” and smiles proudly. The father is shocked. “You know, you shouldn’t say that word, son”. The kid nods then turns his head and starts playing with his toys, a creepy smile still on his face.
2 minutes later, the kid comes back. “Dad! Do you know what the F word is?”. The father decides to not take any risks this time. “I know it, son. You shouldn’t say that word too”. The kid goes back to playing, with a somehow sad face this time.
But 2 minutes later, the kid comes back running. “Dad! Dad ! Do you know what the R word is?”. This time the father is intrigued : he doesn’t know any dirty word that starts with R. “No, son. What is it ?”. And the kid says “Rrrreeeeaaaally fuck!”.
And I was reminded of this silly joke when I saw Barça doing whatever it takes until the last minute of the transfer window (23h59) to sell Griezmann even if it’s to one of our main rivals and for less than a fair price. That’s when I realized Barça was rrreeeaaaallly fuxxed!
If you liked this post, consider subscribing here. You can also follow me on Twitter & Youtube. Visca Barça !