Griezmann - Barcelona player

Eddy_JukeZ

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Don't want him.

He needs an optimal situation to fit in and I don't think he's worth shuffling the team around at this moment.
 

DoomSlayer

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This guy is too overrated and Barca exposed him like I thought they would. He is literally a player that is average as a winger, average as a striker and average as a pure attacking midfielder. He's a glorified Dele Alli with better first touch and dribbling. Can only be useful when positioned directly behind the striker in a game where two man forward lines are rare. Even as the second striker, at no point in his entire career was he a top ten player in the world like some are saying here. He simply took the glory of the Atletico set up and defence. They used him in literally the only way he would be world class and that in addition to the fact that Atleti as a team reached the UCL final convinced people that he was much more than he was. I'd go as far as to say, Diego Costa for Chelsea had more impact than Griezman has ever had on any team in his career. Very overrated player.
I agree with you. Class player in Atletico, good for France, but he needs the whole setup to be tailored around him, in order to excel.
 

fps

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This guy is too overrated and Barca exposed him like I thought they would. He is literally a player that is average as a winger, average as a striker and average as a pure attacking midfielder. He's a glorified Dele Alli with better first touch and dribbling. Can only be useful when positioned directly behind the striker in a game where two man forward lines are rare. Even as the second striker, at no point in his entire career was he a top ten player in the world like some are saying here. He simply took the glory of the Atletico set up and defence. They used him in literally the only way he would be world class and that in addition to the fact that Atleti as a team reached the UCL final convinced people that he was much more than he was. I'd go as far as to say, Diego Costa for Chelsea had more impact than Griezman has ever had on any team in his career. Very overrated player.
Agree with most of this, though he's a much better player than Deli Alli with much better touch and movement.
 

Ali Dia

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Thank feck we saw the light and decided to invest our time and money into younger/pre peak level players again. The downside of these mega transfers is huge and creates a negative atmosphere around the club. If you look at the top 10 most expensive transfers of all time there’s 3 recent barca flops stuck right in the middle of them. It’s lazy management to just assume throwing big money at peak players is the answer. There is value out there if you find talented players who can still be coached and moulded. I was always fairly sure he’d struggle to fit into Barca’s team as he needed to be the main man. Dembele I thought was a cracking signing I’ll admit. I think he’s probably still unplayable on his day.
 

tjb

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Agree with most of this, though he's a much better player than Deli Alli with much better touch and movement.
I mean....it's Dele Alli. What I don't understand with him is why he can't adapt his game like Thomas Muller. On face value they are very similar, but Muller uses the same quality touches, movement and positioning to make himself effective in multiple positions. Some times, differences like this come down to will and hard work.
 

Class of 93

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This ship has sailed and for good reason. Griezmann's best position is the same as Bruno and while it could be argued they are at similar levels, one is only going to get better and the other worse. Both at Atletico and France, he plays behind a front man. He's an exceptional player, just not suitable for us. Buying the players that fit the system, rather than the other way around is what has made Liverpool so successful and something we can honestly learn after the Sanchez fiasco (another player for the LW, when our RW was the pressing need)

On Barca players I would take, maybe a cheeky loan with an option to buy for Dembele? There's a serious player in there and he would fit like a glove in our counterattacking system on the RW. Obviously there are the injury concerns, but can be mitigated by the loan option.
 

JPRouve

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I mean....it's Dele Alli. What I don't understand with him is why he can't adapt his game like Thomas Muller. On face value they are very similar, but Muller uses the same quality touches, movement and positioning to make himself effective in multiple positions. Some times, differences like this come down to will and hard work.
Who told you that he can't? He has played different roles for France, Atletico and Real Sociedad.
 

Bwuk

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I’d take him on a season long loan if possible but wouldn’t pay a transfer fee.
 

Icemav

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This ship has sailed and for good reason. Griezmann's best position is the same as Bruno and while it could be argued they are at similar levels, one is only going to get better and the other worse. Both at Atletico and France, he plays behind a front man. He's an exceptional player, just not suitable for us. Buying the players that fit the system, rather than the other way around is what has made Liverpool so successful and something we can honestly learn after the Sanchez fiasco (another player for the LW, when our RW was the pressing need)

On Barca players I would take, maybe a cheeky loan with an option to buy for Dembele? There's a serious player in there and he would fit like a glove in our counterattacking system on the RW. Obviously there are the injury concerns, but can be mitigated by the loan option.
What counterattacking system? We are now the kings of Tiki Taka.
 

kouroux

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He deserves all the criticism. He was acting all cocky once comparing himself to Messi/Ronaldo and how he treated the Atletico fans the season before he left was a disgrace
 

flappyjay

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Suarez and Griezmann upfront with Messi as the 10, to no one surprise Antoine has a good game. As it was said here on redcafe you can't buy this guy and shoehorn him anywhere, you have to play him conditionins that suit him to see his best.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Suarez and Griezmann upfront with Messi as the 10, to no one surprise Antoine has a good game. As it was said here on redcafe you can't buy this guy and shoehorn him anywhere, you have to play him conditionins that suit him to see his best.
Lot of players are like that. The guy is a no 10 or striker not winger.
 

Sylar

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Wonder how he would have been with United under Jose after winning Europa (if Zlatan didnt get injured and thus the need for a striker / Lukaku)
 

amolbhatia50k

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He's been absolutely awful for them. I thought he was a poor signing despite rating him very highly as he just didn't fit Barcelona. But didn't expect him to be this poor.
 

treble_winner

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Wonder how he would have been with United under Jose after winning Europa (if Zlatan didnt get injured and thus the need for a striker / Lukaku)
I think the original plan was always Zlatan playing as target man, with Griezmann attacking the space Zlatan created.
The moment Zlatan was injured, that whole original plan was scraped as well.
 

Cloud7

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I'm glad this move hasn't worked out for him. I make no secret of the fact that I really wanted him at United when we were linked with him and was upset that it didn't work out and that he went to Barcelona. The whole dicking around with 'la decision' just made it even more annoying.
 

archiebald

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Extremely puerile antics and a bit of an asshat but also a class footballer. Sad to see his prime years go to waste at Barca - sounds like an oxymoron but it is what it is.
 

ReallyUSA

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I am happy he is floundering. Tone deaf, egotistical, and overall goof. Wanted him for the team after we won the Europa, but it went to shit.
 

Lay

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Destined to not win trophies at club level. Minus one Europa League
 
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How bad has he been at Barca?

looked like a great fit at United at one point, but his attitude really came to the fore the summer after, and it looks like he could have been another problem signing. A mix of Di Maria, and Sanchez.
 

Footy van de Geek

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He comes across as absolutely terrified of Messi. Not wanting to upset him. Arse licking.

Messi is, in my opinion, the best player of all time. But his player power and the player dynamics at Barcelona are all wrong. It's why they find themselves in the situation that they are. They are clinging on to Messi, fearful of what will happen when he leaves or retires.

As good as Messi is, him leaving will be good for that club in terms of rebuilding. More responsibility shared among players. Step out of his shadow.

I would liken it to Ruud leaving United.
 

Judas

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He'd have been brilliant here if he'd come in 2017, its a shame how its worked out for him, I get why he went to Barca, but it never looked a good fit.

The way he talks about Messi just adds fuel to the fire that off the field Messi is seemingly a total knobhead.
 

tenpoless

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Making a movie based on la decision to talk about "footballers moving" yeah right. It's about you we know that.
He's so dramatic what the feck.
 

kouroux

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He comes across as absolutely terrified of Messi. Not wanting to upset him. Arse licking.

Messi is, in my opinion, the best player of all time. But his player power and the player dynamics at Barcelona are all wrong. It's why they find themselves in the situation that they are. They are clinging on to Messi, fearful of what will happen when he leaves or retires.

As good as Messi is, him leaving will be good for that club in terms of rebuilding. More responsibility shared among players. Step out of his shadow.

I would liken it to Ruud leaving United.
Not anymore, we know he'll leave and wanted to leave. There is no obligation for Griezmann to suck up to him, he's being genuine. It really is that simple
 

AshRK

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I never understood his hype. Glad we didn't shell out 100m on this hair dresser. Fecking ordinary player.
 

Pep's Suit

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No chance he can turn it around at Barca. And the same could be said about Coutinho and Dembele. Barca must be super-desperate to move them or they won't be able to sign anyone, I think. Only free transfers like Garcia, Depay.
 
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No chance he can turn it around at Barca. And the same could be said about Coutinho and Dembele. Barca must be super-desperate to move them or they won't be able to sign anyone, I think. Only free transfers like Garcia, Depay.
United have wasted a LOT of money, but that’s about £400m on those three on transfer fees alone?
 

GoldanoGraham

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dodged bullet by us.......can you imagine having him and Pogba together at the club......they would have caused chaos together
 

Sylar

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I think the original plan was always Zlatan playing as target man, with Griezmann attacking the space Zlatan created.
The moment Zlatan was injured, that whole original plan was scraped as well.
Yeah. I wonder how that would have affected our game second season under Jose. I think Griezmann at the time was quality and would have worked well in a 4411 type formation and would have benefited Pogba (probably would have seen Pogba / Matic as the cms). This was around 3 or 4 years ago (and greizmann is still under 30 right now).

Also would have been interested in seeing Zlatan for us second season without an injury. I reckon we dont get Sanchez either.
All ifs and buts of course.
 

treble_winner

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Yeah. I wonder how that would have affected our game second season under Jose. I think Griezmann at the time was quality and would have worked well in a 4411 type formation and would have benefited Pogba (probably would have seen Pogba / Matic as the cms). This was around 3 or 4 years ago (and greizmann is still under 30 right now).

Also would have been interested in seeing Zlatan for us second season without an injury. I reckon we dont get Sanchez either.
All ifs and buts of course.
I view Griezmann as a rich man's Lingard (Same playing style, different quality). We can review the matches with Zlatan and Lingard both starting in Jose's 1st season as a benchmark for what was to come, I guess?

You are right about how we wouldn't need to touch Sanchez because we would have Griezmann already as a marquee signing. Still he wouldn't have solved our lack of presence on the right wing. When we went for Sanchez, lots of the CAF assumed he was coming to fill in our right wing anyway.
 

DWelbz19

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He made the complete wrong move. The current iteration of Messi with Griezmann will never work. Especially under a manager like Koeman. The season before they also had Suarez! Don’t think any manager could get all 3 of them working in a competent system together like that.

I think the move came too late, too. He really should’ve left when he did his documentary the first time around.