Last update 10 March, 2014 by Julio Muñoz
The defeat of FC Barcelona has posed us a dilemma. Is the Catalan club coming to an end of the cycle? Is time running out for the Puyol, Valdes or Xavi? What happen, that neither Messi or Neymar are capable of performing even half of what is expected of it? We could answer all of this and open debate to speculation. However, in Hanged by Football, we are left with another question that opens another window to controversy: Do some Barça players have enough level to wear the elastic three-time champion of Europe??
Evidently, nobody disputes about it about Iniesta, Messi, Xavi but, and the rest? In Hanging for Soccer we discovered some players who, bad that it weighs, have a dubious place in a supposed transatlantic world football:
- Sergi Roberto: Xavi's replacement, the man who supposedly was the club's commitment to renewal for the next few years to the detriment of Thiago. Still young, does not seem to convince at all when he goes out to the field. Still without self-confidence, without success in the long step and little or nothing seems to unbalance. There is room for better and much, but, Are we facing another "eternal promise"?
- Javier Mascherano: his best times seem to have passed. Misses, inaccurate passes and an enormous ease in losing the opponent's mark put him into question. The "little boss" must improve very and much to not allow scenes like those experienced in Zorrilla, where Javi Guerra was a constant martyrdom.
- Alex Song: physical deployment and arrival were the guarantees with which he came from London. Here neither one thing nor another. Even, has performed better in backward positions pretending to be a false center-back. The Cameroonian has no continuity and that's difficult, but in any case its contribution is rather scarce.
- Dani Alves. He has gone from being one of the best right-backs in the world to a drain and a headache for his coach. Their rises to the attack leave a huge gap to fill in the cons. He comes down late and the ease with which his rivals overwhelm him invite us to think that the Brazilian has his days numbered at Can Barça.
- Neymar: from Brazil spectacular images were sold with goals dribbling against not a few rivals. In Spain, reality dictates otherwise. He hardly finds it easy to get away from the opponents and is easily covered by the defenses. Does not destabilize, and much less, has a nose for goal. Are we facing another Robinho?
- Martin Montoya: a side that meets, who could play in any First Division team. But Barcelona is something else. Requires a different player and Montoya doesn't seem to be.
- Bartra frame: we are facing the same case of Montoya. A compliant center-back with more and more minutes due to Puyol's recurring injuries but who has not just made the final leap. A great club needs a great center-back and Bartra seems, for now, stay in a good central.