18 Yard Box has a look at the Pros and Cons of the transfer of the season.
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| It will be captivatng to see the two maestros link up |
A saga which has been going on since the past 3 to 4 years
has finally come to an end. Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, better known as
Neymar, has agreed a deal with Barcelona which will see him ply his trade for 5
years with the Catalan giants.
Amidst the talks of Bayern Munich upstaging Barcelona as the
new super power at the European stage, Barcelona chiefs had to play their trump
card to draw the world’s attention towards themselves. The signing of the 21
year Brazilian international has caused a great buzz in the footballing fraternity.
However, Barcelona, who are known to stick with their La
Masia graduates rather than spending heavily, are a side which relies on
individuals who stick to playing like a team. It remains to be seen whether the
move is a gamble or a well crafted one.
18 Yard Box’s Rishabh Ghai takes a look at this move from
both the angles.
PROS
Compared to the Brazilian legend Pele, Neymar’s style of
play reminds one of a certain Ronaldinho in the Barcelona team. Primarily a
left winger, Neymar is a versatile player who can play as a striker as well as
on wings. What makes Neymar a special buy is also his ability to play as a
number 9. Being a player as versatile as he is, Neymar could very well fit into
the fluid system which Barcelona deploy. At an age of just 21, Neymar has
electric pace to run past his opponents and also the trickery to create magic.
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| Neymar's trickery could allow him to get past defenders |
In Barca, who play a 4-3-3 formation, Neymar could find himself
on the left hand side of the three pronged attack. His responsibility will be
to create as well as score goals from that end. His ability to cut inside alongwith
his eye for goals could see him do wonders for the Barcelona attack. Moreover,
Messi, who prefers a more fluid role upfront, could just drop a little deeper
to get Neymar involved in the play.
With the Barcelona midfield ageing and having not found a
suitable replacement for Xavi as of yet, Barcelona could very well confine
Iniesta, who has turned 29, to a deeper role thereby freeing the likes of
Tello, Pedro, Messi and Neymar to create havoc upfront. Thiago Alcantra looked
to be a player for the future. However, he has not lived up to the demands of
this talented side. Cesc Fabregas has also been a disappointment and looks to
be heading out. After two unconvincing years, Alexis Sanchez could be very well
be on his way out of this club alongwith David Villa who also has not impressed
after his comeback from a long term injury. This could very well present a
brilliant opportunity to the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year to
showcase his talents.
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| How many more years can he give to Barcelona? |
Another boon of this signing is the psychological boost that
the team gets, having signed one of the most prized possessions in world
football. This along with the increase in the shirt sales could generate huge
amount of revenue for the club. This signing also shows the intention of
Barcelona that they are not ready to give up their number one spot too easily.
CONS
One of the main reasons Ronaldinho was allowed to leave Barcelona
was Pep’s wish to change the club’s policy of having out and out wingers. Ever
since then Barcelona’s front three compress more allowing their full backs to
make overlapping runs. This has been quite successful for the Nou Camp side.
However, if Neymar is to be given a Ronaldinho role, it would mean Barcelona
resorting to the Frank Rijkaard formula which could backfire considering the
squad they have right now.
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| Could Neymar emulate the Catalan legend? |
Another problem with Neymar’s game is his ability to close
down and track back. The Spanish based club were taught a bitter defensive
lesson this season by the Bavarian giants and adding Neymar does not give
protection to the full backs. Neymar has not been known for his defensive work
and still has plenty to learn.
The supporters could have heavy expectation from the former
Santos man and failure to perform immediately could lead to the fans turning
against him. Being young, he needs to be handled with much care and Tito
Vilonova will be well aware of this. He still needs to do plenty to prove
himself in the European circuit and could take time to produce the kind of
results which he has been doing for Santos day in day out.
Another cause for concern is his passing abilities. Neymar
needs to do plenty of work to improve his range of passing if he has to fit
into this Barcelona side. This side works as a well oiled machine in which a
single rusty part could cause the whole system to malfunction. Neymar needs to
be wary that he is not that rusted part.
"This side works as a well oiled machine in which a single rusty part could cause the whole system to malfunction. Neymar needs to be wary that he is not that rusted part"
Acquring Neymar at a fee of 25m Euros could lay contraint on the Barcelona manager should he want to further strengthen his squad. Barcelona are in a dire need of a central defender with Carlos Puyol ageing and Gerrard Pique underperforming. Although Barcelona do have the youngster Marc Bartra, he still needs to hone his skills and create an impression. Barca also do not have world class full backs to match the likes of Jordi Alba and Dani Alves. Although, Eric Abidal is fit, his body has taken heavy toll due to his health problems and he would leave this summer. Adriano has been the utility man for the Catalunya club but they need a defence which can not only pass the ball but also stop the attacks of the opponents. Thus signing Neymar could backfire and disturb the balance of a well knit team.
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| The two need better replacements at the back |
Much has been debated and discussed. But the fact remains that come August, Neymar would play for Barcelona beside, arguably, the best player of the world. An attack which poses such threats will surely be tormenting for the opponents. However, whether this buy works wonders for Barcelona or pegs them back in the quest for European glory remains to be seen.
Written By,
Rishabh Ghai
Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International, contributor for AIS and a writer and editor for 18 Yard Box.
Follow Rishabh Ghai on Twitter
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