Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is planning for two more transfers this summer: a left wing attacker and a centre forward. These are the transfer short lists for both positions (in order of preference):
Left winger
1. Robinho (Real Madrid - 24)
2. Arshavin (Zenit - 27)
3. Silva (Valencia - 22)
Centre forward
1. Adebayor (Arsenal - 24)
2. Drogba (Chelsea - 30)
3. Berbatov (Tottenham - 27)
Catalan sports paper Sport has today exactly the same centre forward short list.
Read more:
Looking for a centre forward
Looking for a left winger
The short list
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Looking for a left winger and a centre forward
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21 comments:
Ok, now quite clearly some of those options are more ideal than others, but in the the real world, if we could get one out of both of those lists, we'll be an improved side, I don't care if people do whinge pie in the sky, those are all excellent players for those positions. Shame the more ideal ones are less likely.
Among offered players, Silva / Berbatov combination seems decent. Of course, if both are available for reasonable prices. Berbatov could be mybe brought including swap deal for Eto'o and Silva's worth is somewhere around 25M €. Drogba also provides good short-term option but I doubt Chelsea is willing to let him go just like that.
It is really annoying fact that Barca actually sold players to both Tottenham and Chelsea this summer and couldn't do anything like a swap deal or at least use it as an advantage to get one of theirs.
They could at least bring Malouda (as a backup for left wing position) in Deco deal as a counterweight. Their value is somewhat equal and Barca could use him better than those 10M € received for Deco.
Moreover, I still cannot digest this sudden interest for RM's Robinho. He is a rivals player, he is a injury prone, inconsistent and would cost a fortune.
I am not pointing to former RM's politics of bringing star players but Barca should really splash out on a world class attacking option. Bringing Aguero or Benzema wouldn't ruin balance in team and would mean a whole difference between good and world-class Barca. Attacking trio of Aguero on the left, Messi on the right and Berbatov / Henry / Drogba in center could destroy any defense. On a few occasions, Aguero ruled out joining Real Madrid but didn't refuse an idea to join Catalan side. Besides, if Real manages to bring CR7, my opinion is that Sir Alex will immediately move for Aguero so Barca should act now.
WELL...WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT THIS?
Its interesting list but i will suggest something new...what about getting no one, or at least only getting a striker but no winger, y?i tell u..
I kind of understand emotional responds supporting more transfers-better team screams, but we need to keep in mind one thing, the team already have tooo many midfielders in xavi, iniesta, & hleb. if barcelona will play two
defensive midfielders using keita and toure, then only one of the other three players will play (saying xavi).
If so then playing iniesta on the left flank is better than getting any winger, first because he is great quality on the wing (if he enhance crossing), and secondly because he can bounce back to get possession and help defensively.
So he is much better (and fully tested) than arshavin on the wing of the team , and its non sense to pay 15 millions for a player who is not really tested on highest level and who will end up on the bench (noting that zenit demand even more than 15 M).
as for silva, he is a quality but cost too much, and will he offer better than iniesta on the wing, iniesta was able to cover ronaldihno absence (aside of lack scoring rate, which is the same with silva), but he improved the team defensively and in possession every time he played on the wing.
for robihno i don't need to comment because he is not even an option.
xavi in midfield, iniesta on the left and hleb rotating with them. if needed henry can play in some games on the left (and that will also give henry more games to play if the team signed another striker, so he switch between 2 positions, even if iniesta/hleb will b the main wingers).
that will solve another concern and that is, how pepe will keep all his
players happy, he already have a HUGE squad that will offer depth, but at the same time will be a challenge.
using the players versatility (which is something barca has more than any other team in the world) using it wisely will balance depth, efficiency and squad satisfaction. and for that i say to EYE Berbatov / Henry / Drogba combination u mentioned is a disaster my friend, u mean each player will play 1 out of every three games of rotation? meaning 11 games in the league...not possible.
last but not least, if barcelona will have a squad of 23 first team players, then it will not only create difficult situation to rotate them, but also will raise a question about what is the use of promoting young talents from Barca B, when those players will not only find it impossible to play some parts of the games, but even will find no space for them to train with the rest of the squad.
Still if u insist...i will go for the youngest,and that is silva and ade. without excluding crespo as a short term, and cruz from blackburn who has a reasonable price.
First, I doubt that Pep will use 2 defensive midfielders. Yaya is a first-team choice and keita was brought to provide a backup since Edmilson left or in case of Yaya's prolonged recovery or new injury.
However, I believe that the system will remain same - 1 robust defensive midfielder providing cover to 2 more technical and pass-players (Xavi - Hleb / Xavi - Iniesta). However, I don't agree that the left winger position is not so critical even through Iniesta can be used there as well as Hleb and Henry is also not stranger there. Problem is that none of them is a true left winger rounded capabilities of crossing, dribbling, assisting and scoring. We could bring in David Silva, pay 30-35M € to Valencia and still get a player who doesn't fit that description. Besides, having 3 players (Xavi, Iniesta and Hleb) for 3 positions (2 x CM and a LW) is quite risky.
There are not so many players capable of combining all mentioned and we just offloaded one of them to Milan. True, he was not even near his top form. Examples are also CR7 and Van Persie but both are not options, neither I suggest signing any of them.
Option is, as I said, option is Aguero (even through he is declared as a second striker or an attacking mid) or patching winger position with available players. 25M € for Arshavin is a huge gamble and it will be impossible to sell him for anything but peanuts once when he's 28 after (eventually) unsuccessful campaign.
Last, notice that backslash in "Berbatov / Henry / Drogba" which means OR. I said that striker position would be occupied by Henry and EITHER Drogba OR Berbatov.
its so simple guyz the best duo will be berba and silva cmon i mean its really not that hard;..... what do u guyz think?????
Ideal world, Adebayor and Arshavin.
Less-than-ideal, Drogba and Arshavin.
Robinho would be a mess, and very, very expensive. Silva would be more expensive than Arshavin for the same kind of player, and Arshavin seems to have more pace.
I'd even be happy with the most fiscally sensible pairing of Arshavin and Berbatov.
Time will tell, but given that Spurs are fighting up a storm against Man U for their tapping up of Berbatov, I'm not all that sure he's still for sale, unless Spurs just don't want him to stay in the Prem if he leaves.
i've watched berbatov lots and he is too lazy for barca. plus he doesn't play as a lone striker, he always had keane to support him. yes he is technically good but he has no pace. i really hope we don't sign him we don't need a grumpy lazy player, remember early in last season when he used to just sit on the floor whinging?
drogba is good but too old, but if price is right would be a good short term solution, but i hate the fact that he is a diving cheat.
ade is the best option if they are going to insist on this no 9 position, if barca are patient then arsenal will lower price.
robinho won't happen, arsharvin is very risky but a fan, silva would be great i under 30 mil. think how good the spain midfield was in the euro? get silva, yaya instead of senna and we're there.
well Eye i can tell u this...if barcelona play CL games with 1 DM, keeping kieta on the bench, and having messi and another (zero defense contribution)winger then now i say it in future u will c it,barca will do nothing in CL, now some people will say they already did before and all that...but again time will tell if i am right or wrong, beside that will not be better offensively either.
regarding iniesta potentials on the wing...i don't really lock myself in the nominal position of the player, as a combination of attributes he is better than all the wingers suggested, silva is not really a scorer, arshavin is not even a certain quality until he prove it thats if he can.
beside, kieta can also play as a CM, and by pushing one of the CD/DM players like marquez or pique or caceres forward (when needed) that will also release some stress from defense.
I am not saying a winger is not good to get, but if not reasonable transfer (quality/vs price) then we r not in a bad position to accept being abused.
what i am so sure of is that barca need to use some players in more than more position for better rotation, or else remember my words...the snow ball will roll and dissatisfaction will cause the squad lot of mess.
I said it before it happen...and again, time will tell.
I think the best duo to get is Robinho and Berbatov.
For Robinho i think real fans wouldn't be very happy if we take him away from them so if they are not happy Im very happy and hes a god player. Berbatov would fit well here as would Ade because hes young and maybe he can learn to play in barca cause hes no were now thnx. LAmi
if that list for left wingers is right, i'm happy, because neither Robinho nor Silva are possible. Arshavin is the right guy for the right price, and he wants to come.
then, if we must buy a center forward, it should be Adebayor (expensive) or Berbatov (cheap). i'd say Berbatov is our best bet on a short contract.
For left wing I want Silva or Arhsavin. Robinho "Robinho would be a mess, and very, very expensive."
And for a forward I prefer Drogba. He is tupical beast when he got the ball. But we'll see. It has a lot of time.
Drogba may be getting old, but he's still a class Berbatov. He's a perfect player to fit into the plan Pep has made. Would very much like to see him, though Berba would be fine too.
On the other hand, Adebayor shouldn't even be a possibilty.
where is Thiago Neves?
I agree that in an ideal world an Arshavin/Adebayor combo would suit Barcelona best. But I still have reservations about the price. I just can't stomach paying 20mil for Arshavin to be a "rotational" player off the bench. Nor can I fathom 30+mil for Adebayor just because he happens to be an "ideal" fit for the club, but doesn't possess the world class skills of a player who commands such a figure. Even for a club like Barcelona 50+mil is a ton of money. I just hope they invest it wisely.
silva and berbatov sounds like the most possible best idea, but id take robinhi and drogba
ZLATAN! <- hes great
if we want to spend much money on the winger.Then why not to go for Quaresma ?
Berbatov is leaving his club so he will be the easiest to sign and I rate him as the best between the 3 proposed players.
Berbatov would be great, but i think Barca should try to get Zlatan. Inter wants Drogba and Eto'o, so I think Barca should try to trade Eto'o with Zlatan plus some cash.
And as a left winger i think Barca should buy Ribery, Silva or Quaresma.
But Quaresma sounds unlikely because of his last visit in barca. But why not Ribery he's a class player who always deliver, he has many of the same qualeties that Ronaldinho had.
I would say Silva and Adebayor or Pavluchenko. Maybe Pavluchenko would be a better choice because Adebayor might be too expensive.
arshavin and berba
Why not Ribery and Ibrahimovic??
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