A Cule's Words

 Overall- There was nothing consistent throughout the match, but Barca managed to be the better team in every aspect. Barca pressed high, won a lot of balls and played without relying on Messi to produce something. It was, after all, a good win for Barcelona. Player Ratings-  Neto- 7.5 Not really an exhausting match for him, but he did not make mistakes and that's the most important thing.  Roberto- 7 Again, not much to handle and he held the position while Alba made those runs.  Pique- 8 A really composed presence at the back which surely helped. Another good performance from Pique, how are we supposed to replace this man ? Lenglet- 7.5 Another regular performance, handling out the pressure and keeping the clean sheet. Jordi Alba-9 A really energetic performance from Alba. Again, with performances like this, how can we try to kick him out of the team ? Sergio Busquets- 7 He played good. But I won't give him higher than 7 because Frenkie is DYING. A double pivot cons...

 Ronald Koeman. The captain of the first European champions team of Barcelona. The scorer of the winner in the final, this alone would have got him in. As things stand though, he has sent away the third highest goalscorer in the club's history and is up for a challenge. He could climb this ladder real quick.  He is probably the most well poised to change the history right now. He could, though walk outta the door after this season and not write a single extra thing in the history, and that is the reason he is low. So, I just hope Koeman can do something good in this season. I just hope. Lineup Prediction for today's game against Villareal- Neto, Jordi Alba, Roberto, Pique, Araujo, De Jong, Pjanic, Coutinho, Trincao, Dembele, Messi.  There could be changes, there are many players right now. I just want a positive start and statement.  I need a strong performance from three of these players. They are De Jong, Araujo and Dembele. This should go just fine.  That's i...

 It's no secret that Barca are going through a period of "transformation". But, how have they fared until now ? Luis Suarez-  By far the biggest name to go out of the door. Luis Suarez has been released to Atleti for a record shattering 6 million Euros. Yeah, not very good. A player with around 200 goals for the club is sold for a price of a teenager to a major competitor. That's business. But thinking ahead, except money-wise, this was a wise decision. I think Koeman is too stubborn to play him after he decided that he is not in the plans, and it would just add to the uneasiness in the dressing room.  Arturo Vidal- The warrior has officially left guys, and he proved many of us wrong. I took it for granted that he was here to warm the bench and he turned out to be the only lively presence on the field. I still don't prefer the way he plays, but he kept us alive in many matches, with the energy and tackles. That said, we would have to come back to a technically ade...

The fixtures could not have been much worse for Barcelona. But we need to remain optimistic.  Villareal, Celta Vigo, Sevilla, Getafe, Real Madrid, Alaves, Atletico, Osasuna. This is not ideal for a team trying to find their feet again and going through a period of transition. The signs have been positive, but this fixture list is too harsh. But, let's focus on the first match shall we ? We may have dismantled them not long ago, but we need to remember a few things, this is a new season, new manager, new squad and after a disaster for Barcelona, whereas Villareal had a pretty good season. By their standards that is. They will be high in potential, with a GREAT midfield, which, obviously, is their strength. But, against a similar opposition, Barca usually shows their class. They are, still, a class above Villareal in terms of talent, midfield, creativity and forward line. This may be a great chance for Barca to get off a great start to a season. And this season, it's more importa...

 FC Barcelona won the Joan Gamper Trophy yesterday and there were some major take-aways.  1. We have improved.  We could not have predicted the changes that Koeman made with this Barcelona side and I am pretty much on the against side of the debate for most of the things, but, the performance, the intensity, the fluidity, all have improved, and it's really good to see. Although Koeman prefers experienced players, going by his choices, he has brilliantly managed the players, we can obviously see the result on the pitch. The movements are good. The chances are coming and the prospects excite me.  2. I was wrong.  We NEED a good striker. If Griezmann does not improve on his finishing, we seriously need finishing touch to the brilliant moves we create. Whether that's Lautaro or any other good striker. Imagine this- Haaland has a 64 million buyout clause, you could possibly get him for 55 million, if he improves his distribution and link play, he'll be as good as sua...

 Barca won 3-1 (again) against Girona.  Girona played okay, but not enough to stop a great team at three goals. We need to change SOMETHING. I do not know what. I guess I will figure it out in a few days. Koeman, as expected, put his best XI on the field. But, there were some problems in the XI.  1. How can Busquets be on the field ?          See, I love Busquets, but you know what, I am saying it, his time on the field should be much lesser. De Jong and him occupy the same spaces, so De Jong is not getting enough time to develop and his lack of confidence was continuously visible today.   Riqui and Alena were watching from the stands. This is not ideal.  2. Griezmann could not play as a number 9. He did not impress me. I hope this changes or we can deploy Messi or Ansu at that position.  Not everything was bad though, Trincao...... HE WAS SUPERB. Taking on defenders, running from deep positions, giving options, great passing, ...

 Carles Puyol - He had to be on this list, the captain of the greatest Barcelona team to kick a ball. Carles Puyol has been a great servant to the club. Along with being an iconic player in the folklore, Puyol was also technically adept for the grimmest of defensive nightmares. This gained him respect and popularity among the world's finest. He was pivotal to barcelona's success in the three champion's league triumphs he was part of. Since joining la Masia at 17, he has never left the club. Well, he has retired but clearly has a special place for Barcelona and it is reflected. 20 trophies is not a bad haul and he achieved it while being the captain, well almost all of them. He will always be remembered for the warrior-esque challenges and thumping headers.  Matchday 5-  I can't imagine anything, but for the sake of it,  Eibar V/S Real Madrid. That's it !

 F.C. Barcelona is a great club and community, with a huge fanbase and widely regarded as a superclub alongside Real Madrid. Who, then, are the people who carved this club's history and future ? 10. Andoni Zubizarreta The goalkeeper in the famed dream team of early nineties, Andoni Zubizarreta was rock solid at the back and has made many crucial saves in his relatively short career at Barcelona. Along with the 4 consecutive la ligas, he claimed a total of 15 trophies for Barcelona. Not a huge number, but his importance was immense. Cruyff always envisioned him as his ideal goalkeeper. This says a lot about his abilities. Along with his record for most clean sheets in laliga, where the likes of Victor Valdes, Iker Castillas could not reach that milestone in many more matches. HE HAD TO BE HERE. Match Day 4-  Alaves V/S Villareal Alaves aren't that bad, but on paper, Villareal is a beast.... but they'll lose.  That's short... but that's it !

 Koeman has been clear in his plans, he wants to move forward from the traditional 4-3-3, and deploy 4-2-3-1, a more attacking formation. Maybe this works out, maybe it doesn't. Let's see.  The Problem Koeman is trying to fix-  He is soving the problem of stagnant and non-creative midfield. Well, to be fair, the midfield did seem more lively than before in this match. But, at the same time, the finishing drops, because there's only 1 forward, it's much less likely to score goals galore. If the wing- midfielders came a little closer to goal both horizontally and vertically, this could be fixed. Which they did. And that is why, I feel, Koeman is fairly good at his job. However, he must consider that not all players could fit into that dual base in the midfield, the dual socket, which, fortunately, De Jong and Riqui did perfectly. I think it's all going too fine in the first game and we need time to judge this formation. We also need to keep in mind that the lack of cr...

 Overall - The team was, as expected, a little off that match sharpness, and some players really weren't their true selves. We started off brightly, with Dembele pouncing on a loose ball to score the opener. The things got a bit slower, some opportunities came and went, then Pique was fouled in the penalty box and Griezmann tucked away the penalty. The lead was halved though, as Gimnastic pulled one back with a gorgeous strike. The second half was much better, with the new signings showing their worth and Coutinho working well in between. Another penalty was awarded in the early minutes of second half and Coutinho stepped up and scored a soft penalty.  Performance rating- 6.5/ 10  This was nice from a pre season point of view, but we need to improve considerably if we are to compete for the titles. It probably is too early for that, but I think Koeman's main motive was to test the formation that we followed today. Which was 4-2-3-1. To see which players play well in this ...

 Changes will be made to La Liga and EPL only.  So, let's start with EPL and then dive deep into La Liga.  Nothing to change in the teams, I think Man City still have much more horsepower than anybody else.  Top Scorer- Pierre Emerick Aubameyang Top Assist- Kevin De Bryune La Liga-  Still, no change, but.... I am more doubtful of Barcelona with Messi, than without him. The sheer amount of expectations, pressure and hinderance that man can cause is evident from the seasons gone by. I do not know what Koeman is thinking, but he better not consider Messi as a different player than rest (which he is).  Top Scorer- Lionel Messi Top Assist- Lionel Messi Table-  1. FC Barcelona 2. Real Madrid 3. Atletico Madrid 4. Sevilla 5. Villareal 6. Real Sociedad  [ IAMBACKINGAWAY] 7. Valencia 8. Real Betis 9. Granada 10.Getafe 11. Osasuna 12. Valladolid 13. Athletic Club 14. Alaves 15. Cadiz 16. Celta Vigo 17. Eibar 18. Levante 19. Huesca 20. Elche Many interesting...

 The last ten days have been the series for best teams of the decade, and one of them, particularly F.C Barcelona, has been subject to tremendous updates. Let's analyse them all.  1. Lionel Messi stays, but also not.  Technically, Lionel Messi is staying at the club, but he is not happy. Even if he performs, as he always does, this is not ideal for a player who has had this legacy at a club. Now, this was the time to take a brave decision. Bartomeu, as he is most familiar of doing, bottled it. Nothing can separate him from the sack now. The motion of no confidence, I hope, will get passed and he'll be out.  2. Griezmann, Coutinho stay, Depay still in sights. Well, only Koeman knows what he is doing, but I do not think he is doing it right. They are not heeding any interest in their player Emerson. They want Hector Bellerin who has a habit of getting injured. They want Depay which could mean Ansu Fati being very unhappy. They want Wijnaldum while they want Vidal to ge...

 F.C. BARCELONA The best team in Europe this decade, according to me, was F.C Barcelona. The trophies are there, the joy of watching beautiful football is there and the single best club team to ever have been built is there. Nothing left to be asked.... except for the dramatic demise of this club in the last two seasons. And this might be the reason for many people putting their choice as Real Madrid, and I can totally understand that, but just remember that they, too, have been so much below their standards.  Trophies-  7 La Ligas 5 Copa Del Rey 5 Supercopa De Espana 2 UEFA Champions League 2 UEFA Supercup 2 FIFA Club World Cup Runners up- 4 La Ligas (So, top 2 every year of this decade..) 3 Copa Del Reys 3 Supercopa De Espana That is even more ridiculous, like it or not, than Real Madrid's haul. Add to that 2 Continental Trebles, a season with 5 out of possible 6 trophies, 5 Ballon D'ors, 15 appearances on the podium of the Ballon D'or, numerous Fifpro world 11 appearan...

 Real Madrid- This is the single most controversial listing in this list... the dominating European side, scintillating to watch, enough talent to blow up any defense, but this also shows how competitive La Liga has been. This is third mention and you know who's gonna top it all off.  Trophies- * You can get the idea of the gigantism of this club by knowing the fact that it has separate wikipedia page for it's trophies * 3 La Ligas 2 Copa Del Ray 4 Champion's League 3 Supercopa De Espana 3 UEFA Supercup 4 FIFA Club World Cup THAT IS HUGE.  Runners up -  4 La Ligas 1 Copa Del Ray 1 UEFA Supercup 2 Supercopa De Espana Well, they aren't immune to losses too. But, they have been majestic. A bit too good for second ? Maybe. But for me, they are second because of lack of consistency. they were good, but not good enough. That's it then. 

 Bayern Munich- The reigning treble winners come at the last position on the podium, with innumerable trophies won, dismantling team after team, breaking Dortmund's hearts again and again. Bayern have been almost as consistent as Barca and Real Madrid, if not for their 2016-18 slump, and when they have been in good form, they have burst confidence of many teams. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, and the list goes on.  Trophies - 9 Bundesligas 6 DFB Pokals 5 DFB/DFL Supercup 2 UEFA Champions League 1 UEFA Super Cup 1 FIFA Club World Cup 2 European Trebles. Runner ups 2 DFB Pokals 1 Bundesliga 2 UEFA Champions League 1 DFB/DFL Supercup So, A decorated club with a SOLID history. I am always left in awe when I study German teams. They have such great fanbase, with values over money and Bayern Munich are no stranger to that. They are a club of great stature and fully deserve to be here. 4 European finals is not easy. While they haven't spent a lot of money, they have spent it wise...

 Atletico Madrid- Do I even need to say anything? The eternal challengers and the gritty winners. Diego Simeone’s side have been arguably the most consistent side in terms of how they play, even more so than Barcelona. Even the players have been mostly the same, or at least performing the same task. Simeone was appointed in 2011 and they have been as steady as a ship on the road.  Trophies- 1 La Liga 1 Copa Del Rey 1 Supercopa De Espana  3 Uefa Europa League  3 Uefa Super Cup Special awards-  1 Globe Soccer special Award (2014) 2 times Globe Soccer best club of the year (2012, 2018) IFFHS The world’s club team of the year 2018 Runners up- 2 La Liga 2 Uefa Champions League  1 Copa Del Rey 2 Supercopa De Espana That’s a lot of trophies. And runners up.... they’ve been at the nastiest of stages. That Ramos header, and more recently, the Valverde red card... they have been a top, top side for a long time. The team that defeats the defending European champions, ...

 Juventus  Yes, Juventus could only make a fifth place. I would have loved them to be in the top 3 but forget it. They have disappointed on many occasions. And, haven’t really impressed in the league either for the past few seasons. Winning is not everything, although it is what counts.  Trophies- 9 Serie A  Let that sink in. 9/11. 4 Coppa Italia 4 Supercopa Italiana Runner ups- 2 Champions Leagues.  Many trophies, the only difference them and the top 3 is champions league . A club that has not won champions league in a dominant manner don’t deserve to be a top 3 team. However, the mid decade was a very, very dominant period for them. Solid in defence, enough goals to win. Great mentally, great physically. This is the reason they are here. This is the reason they could reach two UCL finals. Great. But not enough. 

 Chelsea F.C. Chelsea have been unquestionably a top side for the best part of the decade. Along with domestic titles, Chelsea have also competed at the European level. With a pragmatic approach which is filled with tactical prowess by the " Special One " for a good amount of time, Chelsea were hard to beat, to  say the least.  Trophies - 3 times PL Winners 1 UEFA Champions League 2 UEFA Europa League 3 FA Cups 1 EFL Cup Along with this, they have achieved 3 Doubles.  Runner Ups - 1 PL 2 Community Shield 2 FA Cup 1 EFL cup That is a very solid amount of trophies for a club and it is largely due to the takeover by Abramovic, as the haters will be happy to point out, but, you have to see Paris Saint Germain, recent Barcelona and Real Madrid, Manchester City that money doesn't bring trophies automatically. Chelsea is a great club with glorious history and in the past season, played some scintillating football under Frank Lampard, who was a key player in most of those tr...

 Manchester City- Seeing Man City at 7 is not a usual sight anymore, but this may well be your reminder how good this decade has been for many clubs. Including Man City. It is their best decade since the 1890s and here we are, talking about Man City as favourites in all competitions they walk into, or at least the top 3. This is a huge step for a club that has been a relegation fighter for the entirety of it’s existence, of course with some exceptions. Domestically, they had a GREAT decade, given the monetary power that backed them up, it should have been the case. This decade, they were the best side in England domestically. I can’t say no. But they have failed, time and time again, in the European tournament and that is what has dragged them.  Trophies- 4 times PL champions.  2 FA Cups  5 EFL cups.  3 Community Shields  That’s a lot of trophies in a competitive league. Even if it is not as competitive as La Liga. Now, as you can see, no European trophy th...

 Liverpool-  A historically great club, Liverpool have had some great seasons in the last decade. Some disappointments (hello Gerrard) and some lowly finishes, though, have cost Liverpool of being superior.  Trophies-  1 Champions League,  1 UEFA Super cup 1 FIFA club World Cup Should I include the pl? Yes!  1 Premier League.  Runner up- Pl- 2  UCL - 1 So, not many trophies there, why are they here then ? Maybe Valencia deserve to be here? No. They have been playing some nice football this decade. Although not my taste, they have been playing good. Along with that, they have come very very close to lifting many more trophies, 3 to be exact, which would make their trophies almost double. And in many people’s perspectives, they were deserving to win them. So, they are here. 

 Paris Saint Germain- What ? Champions League Finalists in the 9th place? Yes. First off, the final was in this decade, but even if it was in the last one, I wouldn’t have gone higher than this. They won many trophies, maybe only less than Barca and Madrid, but you really have to consider the behind the scene situation. While Barcelona had to defeat the likes of Real Madrid, Atletico, Valencia, Sevilla, and a new good team every season, Paris have had no competition in the seasons they have won, when they had a slight competition they lost, to the likes of Monaco ! I mean, when I think of it, they don’t even deserve to be here. But, for the sheer amount of trophies they have won, they are here.  Trophies-  7 times Ligue 1 Champions  Coupe De France- 6 Coupe De La Ligue- 6 Trophee Des Champions- 7 Along with this..... they have had ..... 6 domestic double and 4 domestic trebles, while claiming a quadruple in all of those 4 years too. That, even if it is Ligue 1, is im...