Village Idiot

I must be blind, but I still don't see this "3 at the back" formation we're supposedly going to play. Yesterday we played with Alba-Piqué-Bartra-Montoya at the back for the majority of the game.

Why are Monaco selling so many big players? The rich fella backing them stopped funneling money?

We lost 0-1 to Napoli because of a keeper blunder, but I'm starting to see what Luis Enrique wants to implement. Shorter possessions, more risks taken going forward. It's a bit closer to what we played in 2008, although the players aren't used to it yet (this is just the second proper preseason friendly anyway).

Michu at Napoli? I really haven't been paying attention to international transfers this year.

I mean, our FBs have pushed up a lot, but they always do that. There's been speculation in the press about Luís Enrique going 3-4-3, but if he plans to do so he hasn't done it today.

We haven't been playing 3-4-3. It's been 4-3-3 both halves, closer to 4-6-0 since most of our natural forwards are all injured/on holidays/banned for biting people.

Another year at Barça B; he's just spent a season there, and playing at Liga Adelante it's a fairly good level for a lad his age. He looked pretty assured today, mind, but it's just a friendly. Hoping to see him get at least a few first team games this season before stepping up next. Still absolutely stand by this too : He impressed me and many others, including coaches and scouts, massively. He will be a world-class player, mark my words. He's my favorite young player at Barça (even more than Deulofeu), I'm really looking forward seeing him in our midfield in the years to come.

Another year at Barça B; he's just spent a season there, and playing at Liga Adelante is a fairly good level for a lad his age. He looked pretty assured today, mind, but it's just a friendly.

We've played much better in this second half, Rakitic-Xavi-Samper in midfield :wub: Tempo's been much quicker, too. I hope this is how Lucho wants us to play.

He was ours, he's class

Adama is starting for us today; as a Battlestar: Galactica fan, I hope he makes it

We were linked with him a few years ago - granted that's not a guarantee with our transfer record, but hey...

Premaradonas, even.

For all the purposes aimed at making things intense?

First options are meaningless; the player can always refuse your contract offer.

Casillas had an excellent chance of riding into the sunset after starting in their tenth CL win, imho (and his third win). He's in a very uncomfortable place now.

Diego López to Monaco. That paves the way of Navas to Madrid.

Incidentally, word is that Xavi has gone back on his decision to leave Barça this season, and will announce so on Monday. Dunno if that means he'll keep the captaincy or Iniesta will assume it as planned.

He was injured quite often, when he was fit he played. He was clearly important, churlish to suggest they won't miss what he gave them. Wouldn't surprise me if they got him on loan again though. Nah, he's staying at Barça. With Alexis sold, Suárez banned and Neymar crocked, he's probably going to be in our starting XI at the beginning of the season.

Apparently just until Christmas, when the MLS starts.

I mean, I'd be happy with buying Mathieu for something sub €10m and having him as an option in the bench. But paying €20m and making it our sole CB signing this season (he's a natural LB ffs!). Man, Zubizarreta is ridiculous, pissed me off as a keeper and pisses me off as a DoF.

Ah FFS.

Benzema complements the likes of Bale and Ronaldo very well, imho. I agree he's underrated, even the Real Madrid fans I know don't seem to like him much.

You can grow as a club while not completely replacing a single outstanding individual. They are not going to find anybody as influential as Suárez for that position, so why not just get somebody capable in there, and look to build strength elsewhere?

Liverpool are gonna get squeezed now that clubs are aware they got so much for Suárez.