Simon

Am I an expert? No. Absolutely not.

Do I love football, talking about football, and consuming an unhealthy amount of it?

Absolutely.

I also like Barca.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

WHAT STRIKER SHOULD BARCA SIGN AND WHY JULIAN ALVAREZ IS THE DREAM TARGET - A thread.

At this point, it seems rather unlikely that Julián Álvarez joins Barcelona. The Argentine has been one of Barça’s absolute priority targets all summer. But why?

When discussing potential strikers for Barça, I think it’s important to first understand what kind of player Julián actually is, and therefore what profile Hansi Flick seems to value at No. 9.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

Not necessarily imo. They’re very different players suited to different game states.

Fermín is more vertical, has a fantastic connection with Lamine, and moves around the pitch dynamically. He adds another gear to the Hansi machine.

Olmo gives you more control. He connects the game, adds fluidity and forms little relationships all over the pitch.

His Supercopa final against Madrid in Hansi’s first season is a great example. Barça were 5-2 up, had just conceded and were down to 10 men after Tek’s red. Olmo came on and was phenomenal, providing the control to effectively freeze the game.

Olmo isn’t the flashiest, isn't as good as Fermin at creating goal threats, but I feel like he makes everyone around him better.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

He was considered a discard, but anyone who watched Araujo knew he had the quality to be stellar at Liverpool.

It was never about a lack of ability. It was about the pressure around him and a profile that simply didn’t fit Hansi’s Barça.

Here’s my longer take on it:
https://t.co/o0xJ7C1RSH

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

Hi Liverpool fans! Here's what you need to know about your new centre-back, Ronald Araújo. 1/8

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@TouchlineX @goal It’s been barely a month and we’re already getting news like this. It was bound to happen eventually, but I didn’t expect it this soon.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@OneFootball All three red cards were for denying clear goalscoring opportunities, with Huijsen being the last man.

Some of that is on him, but he’s also playing in an unstable, unbalanced and poorly organised team that constantly leaves him exposed.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@BarcaUniversal Remember how much it hurt that Christensen was suspended and couldn’t play as our… STARTING DM against PSG in 2023/24?

Look how far we’ve come.

No disrespect to Andreas — great baller — but the evolution is wild.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@433 Ultimate nemesis? How many times has he lost to them in the Champions League?

Kudos to him for always picking up points against them in La Liga, but in Europe this story seems to end the same way every time…

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@11synergy Pedri–Frenkie–Rodri does sound saucy. But Pedri–Gavi–Rodri sounds even better to me. Technically superior to almost any midfield out there while still bringing an insane level of intensity.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@barcacentre @joaquimpiera For a bit of extra context, Ali Barat also represents JJ Gabriel. Make of that what you will.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@BarcaUniversal Lamine after the growth spurt is basically the same height — maybe even slightly shorter — than the dribbling king himself, Ronaldinho.

Just saying.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@Barca_Buzz Pedri, Rodri and Gavi against the toughest opposition could be the secret sauce.

Gavi might never be the best on the ball, but he raises the intensity without really lowering the overall football level. That balance could be huge in the biggest games.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

1,162 minutes in the Champions League. 8 goals. 6 assists.

2 assists in the final vs Inter. A goal and assist in the semis vs Arsenal. 2 assists in the quarters vs Villa. A goal vs Liverpool in the RO16.

And that’s before you even get to the relentless pressing, chance creation and frankly immeasurable impact on the entire PSG attack.

An all-time great Champions League campaign from Dembélé worthy of a B'Dor winner.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@SkySportsPL Time to start asking questions about United’s physical prep. Lack of attitude is one thing, but this looks bigger than that. Someone clearly dropped the ball in pre-season.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@TouchlineX Haven’t watched BVB this season yet. Is Jobe really that good?

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

Whether it’s true or not (probably not), it would make a ton of sense. Wirtz doesn’t seem fully settled at Liverpool, and Bayern was reportedly his first choice when he decided to leave Leverkusen, but Leverkusen refused to sell him there.

Some players just get homesick. Sometimes they just want to play in their home country.

A move to Bayern just feels like the natural endgame.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

The perception might be skewed simply because of expectations. When you sign Rodri, you expect the best No. 6 itw. Nothing less.

Gordon and Adeyemi didn’t generate anywhere near the same hype, and so far they’re exceeding expectations. Naturally, people view them more fondly.

But yes, Rodri is the club’s best summer acquisition — an absolute monster signing. There’s even an argument he’s THE transfer of the summer in general, not just for Barça.

That Sevilla win doesn’t happen without him — or, at the very least, it becomes incredibly painful.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

As a Barça fan, it’s admittedly delightful watching Madrid burn right now.

But Barça will always need a strong Madrid, and Madrid will always need a strong Barça. Always.

Maybe Madrid’s current mess is partly a consequence of Barça’s crisis. They got comfortable, stopped feeling the pressure, didn’t notice the cracks — and suddenly, chaos.

It can happen to Barça too. The moment you get too comfortable is when you stop seeing the problems coming.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

@BarcaUniversal I have a feeling that if Lamine wins the B’Dor, everyone at the club — including the star players — will immediately switch gears and start pushing Raphinha for next year’s.

Imagine the flex of having two different players win the B’Dor in back-to-back years.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

There’s seriously a case that Mbappé is the most toxic player itw.

Your team has been a mess for three straight seasons, things coincidentally go sideways when you arrive, and your response is to launch a campaign reminding everyone how incredible you are and why you deserve a freaking Ballon d’Or — when, objectively, you don’t even deserve it.

Wild stuff.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

Carlo, Alonso, Arbeloa and now Mourinho. No manager can save this club if the goal is to keep everyone happy.

At some point, the club has to choose.

Either you pull the plug on Vini and build 100% around Mbappé — let him play off the left, put Espi in the XI, and give him a midfielder behind him who can cover for him.

Or you pull the plug on Mbappé and try to get back to factory settings from before the Frenchman arrived.

And this whole situation is damaging players like Arda too. He’s being asked to be responsible for ball progression AND chance creation, when that shouldn’t be his burden alone. The lack of a genuine playmaker who can progress the ball and add fluidity is still baffling.

The club wanted Rodri, who would literally change lives in Madrid, he said no, and then they signed no one. What happened?? Maybe the midfield was already too crowded. Still baffling.

At some point Mourinho or Pérez will HAVE to make a genuinely bold decision.

[Simon @Hi_I_am_Simon]

RDZ is one of the most overhyped coaches itw. And I’m not saying that just because of this terrible start at Spurs, but we're talking about a guy who believes in one very specific way of playing and doesn't really have a Plan B when Plan A fails.

Baiting the press when teams know not to press against you just isn't going to cut it. Ange was scrutinised for his stubbornness, but ultimately he adapted and got Spurs a trophy. Can De Zerbi do the same?