Gerard Piqué

Incredible the number of people turning their noses up, Pique would a massive improvement on the current bunch of average Joes. At least he doesn't absolutely shite it when in possession. He'd be a great signing, and if Hummels followed in the summer that would be perfect.

I agree.

People should read the following out

Evans and Blackett

and then ask themselves again why they're against Pique.
 
If we could land Pique it would be brilliant. That said, I seriously doubt any early-mid season stories. Just click bait.

Any deal for Pique would be subject to a serious fall out with the Barca hierarchy that through his grandfather he has been ingrained with since birth and the serious development of Montoya and Bartra, given their transfer ban. Can't see this happening before the ban ends without any of that.
 
Incredible the number of people turning their noses up, Pique would a massive improvement on the current bunch of average Joes. At least he doesn't absolutely shite it when in possession. He'd be a great signing, and if Hummels followed in the summer that would be perfect.

Probably something to do with the internet hard man mentality of snubbing players who previously left us. There are also a good number who don't want the likes of Ronaldo or Pogba at OT.
 
Probably something to do with the internet hard man mentality of snubbing players who previously left us. There are also a good number who don't want the likes of Ronaldo or Pogba at OT.
There are more than enough valid reasons to deny all of these players and it isn't to do with being a 'hard man'.
 
His positioning would get pulled to pieces in the Premier League. Struggles aerially and struggles for pace.
 
There are more than enough valid reasons to deny all of these players and it isn't to do with being a 'hard man'.

Whatever it is, it certainly doesn't have anything to do with football as they are all fantastic players.
 
I agree.

People should read the following out

Evans and Blackett

and then ask themselves again why they're against Pique.

Because we need a genuinely world class CB, not one who is regressing by the season.
 
Because we need a genuinely world class CB, not one who is regressing by the season.

Come on then, names. Who is out there and attainable? Bear in mind I think we can all agree we really need 2 of them.
 
Come on then, names. Who is out there and attainable? Bear in mind I think we can all agree we really need 2 of them.

Hummels, for sure. After that it gets harder, but there are a fair few defenders better than Pique. Anybody who watches Barca regularly will see he's nowhere near the level of three years ago.
 
Don't want Pique at all, but fact is there are just bugger all decent gettable CB's around just now, the stupidity of letting Vidic go is really biting us just now.

I know it's all well and good with hindsight but Vidic, with Godin, or Garay who we could have easily got would have got us sorted, with Jones, and Evans as adequate back up.

Couldn't we just chuck a few quid, and Felaini at Athletico and get Miranda, & Godin, or better just get Godin and persuade Brussia to part with Subotic if we promise to leave Hummels alone.
 
I reckon the perception that Pique has lost form isn't very different from the likes of Iniesta, Messi, Dani Alves, et al not being the players they were 3 years ago. Barca as a whole are not nearly as good now as back then, so its natural that their players are going to have lost something.
 
Assuming we could bring him in for 20m I'd pull the trigger on Pique.

I have no given up on Jones and Smalling at all at CB, although I have given up on Jonny "Bonehead Mistake" Evans. We don't need a destroyer in the mold of Stam. Jones just might get there. Blackett, who's only 20, just might get there by the end of the season.

What we need is an experienced CB, who understands not to panic and who plays the ball intelligently out of the back. Pique is that CB.

But if Barcelona want 50m for him they can fukk off. Shakira would never stand for living in Manchester so it aint gonna happen anyway, but he would be a good buy at 20m and reasonable 120ish/week wages.
 
Ppl don't want Pique? He'll be our best defender immediately, has tons of experience at the highest level (it indeed doesn't get higher), is still young, knows the club and has actually always respected us and said good stuff about us.
He is just a level below the very best defenders who we have no chance of getting. Not that I believe we'll get Pique either, but still who knows!

My eyes hurt everytime I read ppl mentionning Hummels. Even the BVB supporters have given up now and can't be bothered explaining anymore that Hummels isn't leaving them. And once he decides to try something else, Barca and Madrid will have at least as much a chance as we will, but that won't happen in the next few years anyway.
He loves Dortmund, Klopp made him one of the best, if not even the best defender in Europe, he has been winning trophies, just won the WC, Dortmund don't need to sell at all, really absolutely no reason for him to leave.

Godin might be more gettable than Hummels, but that doesn't mean he wants to come or leave Atletico.

And that's it. Which other top defender is available?

Plus considering LvG actually wanted the average and always injured Vermaelen, Pique should be a dream for him.
 
We definetly trying to become the club with the hottest WAG's, if we seal Pique and Ronaldo we will be the Real Madrid of WAGs
 
Don't they have a transfer ban?
Yep, spanning the next two transfer windows I believe? Can't see them parting with Pique when Mathieu, Mascherano, and Vermaelen will be 32, 31 and 30 respectively when they can next be active in the market. Not to mention, there defensive frailties still look apparent.
 
I'll be serious and just say that at this point in time, I'll accept any defender as long as they manage to stay fit the entire season. Evans, Jones and Smalling are injured for about 60 games combined each season.
 
Ppl don't want Pique? He'll be our best defender immediately, has tons of experience at the highest level (it indeed doesn't get higher), is still young, knows the club and has actually always respected us and said good stuff about us.
He is just a level below the very best defenders who we have no chance of getting. Not that I believe we'll get Pique either, but still who knows!

My eyes hurt everytime I read ppl mentionning Hummels. Even the BVB supporters have given up now and can't be bothered explaining anymore that Hummels isn't leaving them. And once he decides to try something else, Barca and Madrid will have at least as much a chance as we will, but that won't happen in the next few years anyway.
He loves Dortmund, Klopp made him one of the best, if not even the best defender in Europe, he has been winning trophies, just won the WC, Dortmund don't need to sell at all, really absolutely no reason for him to leave.

Godin might be more gettable than Hummels, but that doesn't mean he wants to come or leave Atletico.

And that's it. Which other top defender is available?

Plus considering LvG actually wanted the average and always injured Vermaelen, Pique should be a dream for him.

Pique or Smalling/Jones/Evans/Blackett.
It's embarrasing to even ask the question.

He'd also bring a winning mentality too, which is invaluable.

Having Falcao, Di Maria, Mata, Rooney and VP in attack and the defence we have is like already huge biceped goon only working on that area, and leaving his woefully chicken legs as they are.
 
I think Pique would be a great signing. Madness people writing him off.

He was brilliant at the Euros in 2012 without Puyol. Fact is he needed Puyol because he was the only centre back next to him. Alves has gone off the boil and he's got Mascherano next to him, who is not a CB. Barca don't press as much as they used to.

He needs a coach like Van Gaal though. Pep wasn't impressed with his off the pitch antics in his final year.
 
Maybe he needs a new challenge like Fabegras who became a bench warmer in his last days there.

Eh? He started 85 games in his final 2 seasons at Barcelona. Started a lot of big games too (to the detriment of their team).

Not sure saying Piqué is a benchwarmer is right either, he's not been ever present but when he's just now over his hip injury and Luis Enrique is rotating often, it's understandable.
 
I don't know. Louis may floor him again, as he famously did once - and he may end up injured along with the rest of the crocks.
 
I don't know. Louis may floor him again, as he famously did once - and he may end up injured along with the rest of the crocks.

He's been a bit of a crock himself lately so yeah, definitely would fancy his chances with your injury curse :D
 
I could understand people saying they wouldn't take him back when Rio / Vidic were absolute beasts.

But now, now our defence is a shambles, an absolute shambles. How anyone wouldn't take him back is literally beyond me. Years of overrating Jones / Smalling along with hoping they would overcome their constant injuries, has come to the fore.
 
I can understand why people wouldn't want him back, certainly. In my book he isn't a top class defender regardless of circumstances, as it were. He was brilliant for Barca in a certain set-up - but that set-up was something most teams can't afford to use. He has weaknesses as a defender - very obvious ones too.

But what the feck is our set-up at the moment? That's one question. And is he a better, more experienced, more accomplished defender than pretty much anyone we have on our books at the moment? That's another question. And the answer is probably yes.
 
He played really bad since Shakira is his girlfriend. I dont know if he is available, but his form dropped massively. I would still take him though, we have to get in the top 4. Would still be our best defender, lets be honest, we wont find a better and experienced defender on the market.
 
LvG's Holland thoroughly exposed him. Surely he couldn't have been impressed watching that performance?
 
I just don't think he's that great defensively. He's a ball player, and plays in teams with incredibly good midfielders. One of his main jobs is to carry the ball out from the back and move it forward.

I would far rather a physical beast, someone like Diego Godin who would also be far cheaper.
 
LvG's Holland thoroughly exposed him. Surely he couldn't have been impressed watching that performance?

They exposed Ramos too.

Also any defender would have trouble with Robben running at them with no protection.
 
Are those saying no to him just bitter about how his first spell ended here?

He's far better than anyone we have at the minute. His composure and ability to bring the ball out from the back would bring a different dimension to us.
 
Don't see how people are against adding Pique to our defence.

I don't think it's a realistic target as Barca won't want to sell and if they did, it would make us spend record fee for a defender. But forgetting all that and the whole Shakira nonsense, looking at him as a player, he would be a great signing. Is he the best CB in the world? No but we need to improve and that's what he will do to us.

The Barca defenders are much like the United ones in the sense that all the attention and focus is on the attacking side and the big names that win the games. So the defenders at the back, when they make a mistake, it's over scrutinised as it is usually costly and the fans can't blame their favourite names for the loss, so the blame goes to the defenders. Pique has made mistakes before, just like any CB but I have also seen him do great jobs on some of the best strikers going around.

Again, I don't think it's a realistic move for a few reasons but in regards to just the player, he would be a great signing.
 
Been thinking about this more and more over the past few days. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Hasn't played the last couple of games for Barcelona. I'm jumping on this bandwagon early.
 
The only issue is Barcelona's transfer ban, unless they've someone in the academy to replace him that is. Their defence is shite enough, be a bit mad to sell one of the centre-backs during a transfer ban.