[Nemesis]

Originally posted by R4M:
He lost, between others, the Camp Nou match against Barcelona

I meant Real MAdrid...barcelona lost that match and did the worse match I had seem in ages (and coming from the 2nd Van Gaal tenure in Barcelona, its quite a bit).

[runronnirun]

i really can't see Henry playing the impact sub/first reserve role or settling for just being first choice in the cups, would make no sense at this stage in his career at all.

[Nemesis]

Originally posted by Nick OGS20:
i really can't see Henry playing the impact sub/first reserve role or settling for just being first choice in the cups, would make no sense at this stage in his career at all.

I'm far from knowing how Henry will be used in Barcelona. But what I'm saying is my take on it and what the media is saying for now. I think he will play a lot of matches on the first team. Just not most of them in,at least in the league.

Don't forget he's got a serious problem with his ankle that would prevent him playing all the matches anyway.

So, my bet: MEssi and Henry will be the players that are going to compete (initially, who knows what happens during the season...maybe injuries or low performances from Eto'o change the equation later on) for a first team spot. Now and then Eto'o will be taken out and Henry will play for him, but it won't happen too many times (if eto'o is playing well), or Can Barça will explode with his anger.

And ronaldinho, I repeat, in my opinion, won't be the one to be in that "in and out" game unless he really is a disgrace -and I'm sure he won't be next season. Ronaldinho will play in the left or in the middle, but WILL play. He's the only guy up front that's out of the discussion in my opinion. I mean, he has seldom lost any match where he could play with Barcelona last 4 years, has he been fit or not, in good form or not.

I can't see that changing.

[retired_kimmymarlo]

R4M, I hope you stay involved in the thread.

the Henry signing, to me, points at one of two things - either a switch in tactics to accomodate the 4 attackers, or one of the 4 attackers leaving to allow the 4-3-3 to be used.

[Nemesis]

Originally posted by Andy Jordan:
R4M, I hope you stay involved in the thread.

the Henry signing, to me, points at one of two things - either a switch in tactics to accomodate the 4 attackers, or one of the 4 attackers leaving to allow the 4-3-3 to be used.

I can see the first thing happening. I don't know how the hell it will happen as the team won't be compensated when on the defensive, but I can see it happening.

I can't see the second. I repeat what I said before: henry was only a step from coming to Barcelona last season, after the CL final. HE didn't because he decided not to. But he was with a foot at Barcelona.

BAck at the time there was no plan whatsoever to sell any of the three cracks at Barcelona. This season's repeated interest by AC Milan in purchasing either Eto'o or Ronaldinho, and the atrocious results of the season, have brought talks about one of both leaving. But Laporta himself has confirmed they will both stay. Ronaldinho has confirmed he wants to, and will stay. Eto'o has confirmed he wants to, and will stay.

Given all that, I can't see neither of them leaving. Even less because any of both leaving would be a disgrace. Ronaldinho and Eto'o are at their best age. Henry is 30 and his star is going to decline soon. Who knows when..this season, next season, in 2 seasons...but for sure will decline sooner than any of both Dinho or Eto'o.

Selling any of both would be a ruinous mistake under any measure. Even more when Henry himself stated he wanted to com to Barcelona because Eto'o and Ronaldinho are here. If he now comes and one of them leaves, Henry will feel cheated (and rightly so).

BTW I can't see Ronaldinho leaving anywhere but AC Milan. And I can't see Ronaldinho leaving to Milan without a deal including Kaká (for several reasons, one of them being stealing Real Madrid's long-time wet dream in front of their noses), for the price tag would be atrocious otherwise. And quite frankly I don't know what Milan would think about that transfer. I know I'd rather have Ronaldinho than Kaká on my team, that's for sure, so I hope it doesn't happen that way.

And if that happens, we will be left again wondering where will the four stars play, only it will now be Kaka instead of Dinho.

Eto'o is a personal bid by president Laporta (he brought him even while Rijkaard didn't really ask for him, and against the open opposition of Sandro Rosell). And Laporta has explicitly said Eto'o (and Dinho) are staying at Barcelona. If either of them is now sold Laporta's image will suffer a lot. And knowing more or less the guy, he won't let that happen (unless it involves the deal with Kaká, wich solves nothing in our current debate).

Messi is out of the question, and I guess I don't need to give reasons about it. 20 year old wonderkid doing what he does, he's out of the market for good.

[retired_kimmymarlo]

I agree completely with the above.

I want to see Deco leave because I think he fancies himself to be a more integral part of the team than he actually is. to be blunt, the rest of the team should be water carriers for Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Messi, and Henry. if that doesn't work, we can try something else. however, I don't think there has been a collection of four attackers so supremely gifted at the same club in a very long time. can anyone come up with examples that prove me wrong?

[Nemesis]

Originally posted by R4M:

I can see the first thing happening. I don't know how the hell it will happen as the team won't be compensated when on the defensive, but I can see it happening.

come to think of it and...


<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">---------Xavi/Iniesta----Touremessi-----------Ronaldinho---------Eto'o-----------------Henry</pre>

I recall Eto'o's match in the Championship league finals. Dinho played up front stepping back to send balls both to giuly and Eto'o coming from the wings. Eto'o covered his wing really well going all the way down to the left back position for defensive duties if needed.

Messi also does it, and works a lot defensively when he's needed down in the defence.

I think the system is still somewhat lacking on strenght on the DM position, if Toure doesn't prove himself worthy in that spot. Maybe if deco stays (and he stops being an a$$ about the trainings)...and with dinho as AMC...

Lads, I think I found the philosopher stone...what do you think?

[Nemesis]

Originally posted by Andy Jordan:
I don't think there has been a collection of four attackers so supremely gifted at the same club in a very long time. can anyone come up with examples that prove me wrong?

nearest example I can think of in the near past would be Figo-zidane-raul-ronaldo. They played three years together.

They won nothing their last two years together but I guess that was because of figo and Zidane aging, Raul's performance going down the abyss, and Ronaldo's (and generally speaking a,all real madrid's) infamious life outside of the pitch.

And of course, due to a stupidly bad work done on the defence and midfield lines. Barcelona is doing a good job strenghtening both of them.

[retired_kazzy2]

I really like that system personally. Think Arsenal could use it, and variations of it effectively this season too, albeit if we make one, possibly two signings.

[retired_kimmymarlo]

Originally posted by R4M:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Andy Jordan:
I don't think there has been a collection of four attackers so supremely gifted at the same club in a very long time. can anyone come up with examples that prove me wrong?

nearest example I can think of in the near past would be Figo-zidane-raul-ronaldo. They played three years together.

</BLOCKQUOTE>yeah, I came up with them as well, but frankly our forward line is better and I'd take Messi over an at-his-peak, at Barcelona Figo any day.