Euro: Champions League Semifinals

[Ajacied]

Actually one of the Barça papers graded Frenkie high as did WhoScored. I thought Frenkie did well with the pressure. A lot of one-touch passing and a couple of really nice examples of that. He also put in a defensive shift. For me was at worst good and not remotely poor. And just doing a quick google search I'm seeing that The Guardian, The Independent, Daily Mail, The Express and the BBC all rated De Jong's performance highly and are pretty much all in line including the first sources I mentioned. I'd say the average rating of the above is about a 7.9. I also just came across this:



Stats don't necessarily equal a good performance, but I just don't see how his performance can be remotely considered poor.

I checked Dutch sources, which were more inline (a 6.5 and a 7) with mine. Compare this game with previous ones, such as his recent domestic games or Madrid/Juve and Frenkie wasn't playing even near his potential. Perhaps not poor, but certainly below average. Most his passes were safe and his dribbles were unadventurous. Don't really care much for stats. Frenkie can play much, much better, but hats off to Tottenham for playing him well.

 

[Ajacied]

Puig may become one in the future, but he's currently a B-team player. Pique started his professional career with Manchester United and Alba with Valencia, Barcelona paid transfer fees for both.

What the hell?

Alba and Pique are La Masia products.

 

[Albatros]

Alba and Pique are La Masia products.

They played there at some point of their junior careers, but both left without making the senior team. Alba was in fact kicked out.

 

[Ajacied]

They played there at some point of their junior careers, but both left without making the senior team. Alba was in fact kicked out.

No, they played there pretty much their entire junior careers. We're talking about players Barca educated within their own academy. They learned all there is in Barcelona and were already finished products when they left. They only set their last steps with Valencia and United respectively. The fact that they left in the first place was poor management, though.

 

[les Habs]

Puig may become one in the future, but he's currently a B-team player. Pique started his professional career with Manchester United and Alba with Valencia, Barcelona paid transfer fees for both.

None of which changes the fact that all three of them are products of La Masia.

What the hell?

Alba and Pique are La Masia products.

I would just leave it. Nothing new from him. Doesn't know what he's talking about.

They played there at some point of their junior careers, but both left without making the senior team. Alba was in fact kicked out.

"At some point" being the following:

-Pique spent almost 7 years in La Masia after he joined at the age of about 10
-Alba spent almost 7 years in La Masia after he joined at the age of about 9
-Puig has spent almost 7 years in La Masia after he joined at the age of 13

Rest of it is, again, irrelevant. They're all products of La Masia.

No, they played there pretty much their entire junior careers. We're talking about players Barca educated within their own academy. They learned all there is in Barcelona and were already finished products when they left. They only set their last steps with Valencia and United respectively. The fact that they left in the first place was poor management, though.

If I recall correctly they had no choice with Pique. He chose to leave and his reason was because when the Laporta regime came to power he felt his grandfather was mistreated by the club. Assuming that's genuine he got over it really quickly. Alba is another story. Yes he was released by the club, but he was playing as a winger at the time. On an interesting side note, he apparently really like Stoichkov which makes him even more likable. Anyway, he was turned into a LB at Valencia and that is when the club become interested in bringing him back. Of course he's almost a winger at times with us right now, the ITV broadcast I listened to for last weekend's match pretty much called him that.

 

[les Habs]

I checked Dutch sources, which were more inline (a 6.5 and a 7) with mine. Compare this game with previous ones, such as his recent domestic games or Madrid/Juve and Frenkie wasn't playing even near his potential. Perhaps not poor, but certainly below average. Most his passes were safe and his dribbles were unadventurous. Don't really care much for stats. Frenkie can play much, much better, but hats off to Tottenham for playing him well.

Compared to previous matches is one thing, but I still would say he had a good match. Definitely stood out compared to most other players on the pitch. Anyway, we can agree to disagree.

 

[Albatros]

How does a finished product end up with a 4th division side? Barca had zero interest in Alba until he became one of the best players in Europe at Valencia, then they invented "Barca DNA" and paid eight digits as usual.

 

[Albatros]

None of which changes the fact that all three of them are products of La Masia.

The same as Raúl is a product of Atlético or David Beckham of Tottenham Hotspur.

 

[les Habs]

How does a finished product end up with a 4th division side? Barca had zero interest in Alba until he became one of the best players in Europe at Valencia, then they invented "Barca DNA" and paid eight digits as usual.

Who said he was a "finished product"? And Barça had zero interest in Alba despite keeping him on the books for nearly 7 years? I already very clearly explained above. Became on of the best players in Europe at Valencia? I don't even know what the "paid eight digits as usual" is all about. The best part though is that you cited both Athletic Club and Madrid, particularly the latter, and yet you're making this laughable "argument" about La Masia. I'd love to know all the Fabrica products who make up the 8 players you mentioned and how they stand up to your "arguments". Whole lotta hypocritical bullshit going on, again, with your posts.

Anyway, keep trolling or talking shit, whatever it is you think you're doing. I'm done.

 

[Havre]

Then why does Poch prefer starting Sánchez over Foyth? In your opinion.

Got no idea. He uses to be a very brave manager when it comes to young players - he isn´t any longer. So he went with the "safe" option I guess.

I´m expecting Foyth to start as a right back in the return leg. The versatility of that guy is just unbelievable. If I remember correctly this was the 3rd game he has played as a right back. Already the best right back at the club. And he might even be better in that position than as a CD. Too early to tell, but I can´t believe how well he has played as right back.

 

[les Habs]

The same as Raúl is a product of Atlético or David Beckham of Tottenham Hotspur.

I wouldn't call Raul a product of Atleti really, but no, he's not the same. Not remotely close.

 

[Albatros]

Raúl was 15 when he left Atlético, Beckham 16 when he left Tottenham. What's the difference to Alba leaving Barcelona when he was 16? Because Barca marketing department retroactively comes up with a "DNA"?

 

[Evilo]

Oh, you mean Ajax south? Yeah they have a pretty good academy

I'd add Sporting Lisbon and Monaco right up there as well.

Lyon has one of the best academies in the world tbh.

 

[Evilo]

Name me the last team which fielded 6 youth players at these stages of the Champions League?

Monaco, Barca and Lyon.

 

[Ajacied]

Barca is a given.

I count only one youth product for Monaco in their CL final of 2004.

 

[Evilo]

Yeah Monaco went to CL semis two years ago. They had a few academy starters, but plenty in their roster.

 

[Evilo]

Looking it up, they had 10 academy players on their roster that year.
Lyon 2010 had 9.

 

[Ajacied]

Yeah Monaco went to CL semis two years ago. They had a few academy starters, but plenty in their roster.

Roster? Every team has youth products in his selection. I'm talking about contributing players.

Monaco again only had one that started in the semi final vs Juventus; Mbappe. Lyon only had two in their semi's vs Bayern; Govou and Gonalons.

Again, Ajax and Barca are lonely at the top.

 

[Evilo]

Yeah, that's not true. Not every team has half their roster from their academy in the CL semis. In fact, they rarely do.

For example, Monaco used Almamy Toure a lot during their CL campaign. Valere Germain played 16 CL games that year. That's twice the number Mbappe had.

As I said, they had few starters (though the team was extremely young), but pleny of contributing players.

 

[Evilo]

Looking it up, Liverpool has 4 academy players (someone correct me) on their roster.
Spurs have 2 (?).

 

[Ajacied]

Yeah, that's not true. Not every team has half their roster from their academy in the CL semis. In fact, they rarely do.

Which was the entire point of this discussion; Barca and Ajax do.

Also, when you speak of rosters. Do you mean the 18 men they take with them every match or their entire CL-selection?

 

[Evilo]

Yes, and as I said, Monaco and Lyon did too. Not sure why you wet your pants about it.
Yes, season roster, players that played in the CL, etc...

 

[Ajacied]

I asked which was the last team that fielded 6 youth products during the stages of the CL. Not who fielded 6 youth players over the course of an entire CL campaign. Not to mention mostly benchwarmers.

 

[Evilo]

You asked to name and I did.
I even said "a few starters, plenty of roster players".

Then you said every team has 10 roster academy players, which is entirely wrong, hence the Pool and Spurs examples.

 

[Savi]

Barça during the Pep era had Valdes, Pique, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Pedro and sometimes Thiago and/or Bojan starting, I think they fielded 8 youth products in the 2011 CL final which actually crazy (for this era) if you think about it