Managerial merry Go round part III

[Chimaera]

they certainly should get more out of it than he has. But I don't know if it's a better roster than City. they have a few too many square pegs that might not fit together. They also have some age issues in areas.

 

[Evilo]

City has a great roster, but not better than Barca in any position IMO. Barca's midfield is better on paper, its defense too, and up front you have Messi, Suarez, Dembele, Coutinho, Malcom, which beats anything City can line up.

 

[YNWA14]

I don't find Barcelona's midfield to be anything special at the moment, definitely not better than City's, but I still think they have the best roster on paper in the world (Messi, Suarez, Dembele is elite but Coutinho and Malcom don't measure up to any of City's attackers).

 

[Evilo]

Seriously?
Busquet, Rakitic? Nothing special?

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Yeah both of them would start at City alongside KDB

 

[YNWA14]

Seriously?
Busquet, Rakitic? Nothing special?

Busquets and Rakitic were both pretty underwhelming when I watched them this season, Busquets might be the best at his position in recent times but I think he's falling off a bit and while I've always liked Rakitic I don't have him on the level of a KdB, Silva and I'd also take Gundogan over him. I'm pretty high on Arthur but I think he is still warming to the position. I think their midfield could be a lot better and more mobile this season coming up though and I'd have them as favourites with or without Valverde. Collectively though this past season I don't think their midfield was anything special, no. I would definitely take Silva/KdB/Silva/Gundogan/Fernandinho over their group.

 

[YNWA14]

Yeah both of them would start at City alongside KDB

I think that Busquets would start over Fernandinho, but no way that I'd start Rakitic over Silva.

I think that City has the better midfield, and their attacks are comparable (minus the Messi factor, who is obviously the best player) but Barcelona really come ahead with a much better defence and keeper.

 

[Chimaera]

I don't think it's that far apart between the two, though having Messi is obviously a bigger plus than anything City can put out there. I think some of the difference is the fact that City can bring on four or five of the players of a quality that few can match. I think the starting lineup would be interesting between the two if you factored in health, though some of City's players are quite young and poised to get better in a few seasons.

I think the defense is probably closer to even if everyone's healthy, if not slightly in City's favor (though De Ligt could upset that balance a touch), though it should be said City relied an awful lot on Kompany's old carcass this year. I think some of Barca's defenders can be better than they were this season.

It's really hard to say, largely because Pep is so good.

 

[Evilo]

Busquets and Rakitic were both pretty underwhelming when I watched them this season, Busquets might be the best at his position in recent times but I think he's falling off a bit and while I've always liked Rakitic I don't have him on the level of a KdB, Silva and I'd also take Gundogan over him. I'm pretty high on Arthur but I think he is still warming to the position. I think their midfield could be a lot better and more mobile this season coming up though and I'd have them as favourites with or without Valverde. Collectively though this past season I don't think their midfield was anything special, no. I would definitely take Silva/KdB/Silva/Gundogan/Fernandinho over their group.

So your point is that this season under Valverde they've been underwhelming.
Guess what the point of the post was?

 

[YNWA14]

So your point is that this season under Valverde they've been underwhelming.
Guess what the point of the post was?

No my point is that I would take some of City's players over some of Barcelona's, and that collectively I prefer City's midfield on or off paper. That said I don't know if Valverde is the #1 problem or if sometimes these things just happen. They had a great domestic season and knockout competitions can always be tough. Winning the league comfortably, making the CL semis (and nearly winning) and making a domestic cup final isn't underwhelming I'd say. The manner in which they lost the semis was a bit difficult, but just as most things went their way in the first leg a lot of things just went Liverpool's way in the 2nd. They seemed up for it at the start but I feel like there was a bit of a mental break when the goals started coming for Liverpool and that's more down to the players than the manager IMO.

 

[les Habs]

LOL, great stuff. Guardiola must be shaking his head at the lack of a mention for Arthur.

I think we should settle this once and for all. Valverde to City for the next five years and Guardiola to Barça for the next five years.

 

[les Habs]

Valverde should be fired and Barca's roster is more talented than any in the game.

I would say one of the most talented and arguably the most talented, but yes, Valverde should be sacked.

 

[Chimaera]

I don't think there's much difference between saying one of the most talented and the most talented. They're certainly in the discussion if not the most talented.

The central point is that Pep would be doing much better with the roster.

 

[YNWA14]

I don't think there's much difference between saying one of the most talented and the most talented. They're certainly in the discussion if not the most talented.

The central point is that Pep would be doing much better with the roster.

Maybe more dominant in the league (where they are already dominant anyway), but he was ousted in the CL last season pretty emphatically by Liverpool and this season by Spurs who they were massive favourites against (with very comparable level of teams).

 

[East Coast Bias]

Maybe more dominant in the league (where they are already dominant anyway), but he was ousted in the CL last season pretty emphatically by Liverpool and this season by Spurs who they were massive favourites against (with very comparable level of teams).

Now do the other 76 games vs English teams over the past 2 years.

edit: ah dammit i didnt read the first sentence...

 

[HajdukSplit]

Gasperini will remain at Atalanta next season despite speculation he would leave for Roma

 

[Il Mediano]

Gasperini will remain at Atalanta next season despite speculation he would leave for Roma

mmm, don't blame the guy really. He took a minnow to the CL, and they built that entire program in his image. The guy is a living legend there.

Why leave that for Rome?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Spalletti sacked is now official

So Juve, Inter, Milan and Roma all looking for new managers. With Inter it looks certain that Conte will go there. Remaining three is up in the air. Sarri fave for the Juve job but it doesn’t appear Chelsea will sack him so compensation will be involved

 

[DatsyukOwns]

Conte confirmed as Inter's head coach.

 

[Corto]

I think that Busquets would start over Fernandinho, but no way that I'd start Rakitic over Silva.

I think that City has the better midfield, and their attacks are comparable (minus the Messi factor, who is obviously the best player) but Barcelona really come ahead with a much better defence and keeper.

It's very different.
Valverde plays Rakitic and Busquets as a double pivot basically, and both have to cover so much ground defensively.
While they did look spent at the end of the season, they've been rocks for Barca ever since Xavi/Iniesta fizzled out.
In their 5 years together, they've won 4 La Ligas, 4 Copas and a CL.
I think it's a bit of recency bias when people are quick to judge them based on their last few games and their CL semi (which is funny, because they got further than City).

Personally, I think Busquets is possibly the greatest pivot to ever play the game, very rarely does someone who plays basically DM have his composure and skill. And while peak Silva a beast, peak Rakitic is a phenomenal player as well.
(they are different players though, Silva might work better in Pep's system)

Barca's team has some issues, but their last two CL campaigns ended badly in one-off games. I don't want to say flukes, because it's unfair to Roma and Liverpool, but Barca had both ties won really. Dembele had a golden chance to put them up 4-0 in injury time in Barcelona.

Coutinho hasn't worked out for them, Dembele had injury issues just when he was starting to take over games, they're a bit older and come core players need more rest (Suarez, Rakitic, Busquets, even Messi), but I do think people are quick to dismiss them based on literally 2 games in 2 years (away games in Rome and Liverpool).
Outside those two games, they've either dominated opposition at their best, at squeezed out wins when they were mediocre (not unlike City or Liverpool this season in the EPL).

TLDR; if I were a manager who needed to make a 3-man midfield of City/Barca, I'd go with Busquets-KDB-Rakitic, and I'd be confident going up against any team.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Sarri is seriously odds-on in betting markets to join Juve, and most pundits are saying it's very likely. I really hope that the Europa League win has changed his mind - he looked totally ecstatic after that match, which has me happy.

If he goes, it'll almost definitely be Lampard. As long as he brings Jody Morris with him, that's kinda okay by me. With the transfer ban, integrating youth is gonna be crucial to the next season - I have faith in them to do it.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Sarri is seriously odds-on in betting markets to join Juve, and most pundits are saying it's very likely. I really hope that the Europa League win has changed his mind - he looked totally ecstatic after that match, which has me happy.

If he goes, it'll almost definitely be Lampard. As long as he brings Jody Morris with him, that's kinda okay by me. With the transfer ban, integrating youth is gonna be crucial to the next season - I have faith in them to do it.

Yeah, I think it's going to work out. Lampard is probably one of the few managers out there that would get flexibility in staying at Chelsea for longer than the typical manager, and whoever takes over needs that with the transfer ban. Lampard and Morris are familiar with the Chelsea youth, especially Mount.

 

[koyvoo]

Koeman rules himself out of Barcelona running

 

[Evilo]

Travesty he was considered.

 

[Chimaera]

Lampard won't succeed if they don't back him to the extent that Chelsea need an overhaul. Heck, no one will be successful if they can't get backing equivalent with moving up the table.