giorno
boob novice
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2016
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- Real Madrid
Spend €50m on a 16 year old. When he finally turns 18 and joins the team, he has a very promising few months playing a specific position, while showing great difficulties playing anywhere else. The season is a disaster, so what do you do? Sign a guy an accomplished 28 year old world class player who likes to occupy the same positions, is very expensive, and will essentially relegate the kid on the bench for the foreseeable future unless the kid in question quickly learns to play elaewhere - all while demanding the kid in question be a big part of the plans for the seasonThe Hazard stories were there last summer as well and the courtship has been longer than a year. Zidane has always wanted Hazard since at least 2017, so am unsure about why you'd lay this at Flo's door. Flo has his flaws and eccentricities, but the Hazard signing is more about giving Zidane a player he's coveted for several years.
Not really thought it through i'd say...
The whole defence is out of position because they're taking attacking positions to help move the ball. Kroos botches and easy first touch and gifts them a short counter while our transition defence has no chance to re-set. Sure the blame falls on everyone involved, but the main culprit there is KroosEh? Kroos lost the ball, but Dani was out of position and not holding formation. That's criminal when you're holding on to a hard-earned 1-0 lead with just minutes left to play and the opposition has suddenly started a very good high press in search of an equaliser. If he'd held position, he'd have been able to snuff out the chance. A creative player can always lose the ball. The defender that's not in position has to be held accountable, specially in this context.
Asensio was to be the starter. Also Vinicius, Rodrygo and Brahim were all going to see minutes mostly thereThe right side was fine - with Bale. My point exactly - since Zidane wanted Bale gone, who would we have been seeing if he'd had his way?
I guess he must have had assurances by Florentino about it. Still, yeah, that is naiveIf he built his plans assuming United would bend over and give him Pogba, he's not only a fool but a very naive one at that.
We don't have infinite money. If the club tells him they expect vinicius and rodrygo(€100m total in transfer fees alone) to figure prominently, then those two(plus brahim, who Zidane rates) are going to take up the back up minutesHere, I'd argue that Zidane was silly not to sign a RW. Unless he was betting on Asensio staying fit and playing every single game, he was always going to face this situation. Now imagine if there was no Bale. You're actually putting the James injury down as an issue - but Zidane wanted him sold too. How many holes was Pogba going to fill exactly?
Pogba would have fixed the hole in midfield, by adding pace, physicality and real quality in transitions
Well, not really. One would expect Benzema, Jovic, James and Bale to score their share of goals. If we they do their job and Hazard repeats last season, we'll be fineHazard is a lot of things - but "prolific goal scorer", he is not. He also does tend to blow hot and cold and will have to have a season far better than any he's ever had for him to make the difference.
That's what makes it a minor miracleAnd yes, Barca are led by a completely incompetent manager, so expecting issues there is reasonable - but they still have Messi and both Griezmann and Neymar (increasingly likely) can win games with moments of brilliance too.