Incorrect, Zlatan is a much better player.
Glad to have cleared that up.
Actually it is you who is incorrect,Eto was far far greater than that streak of misery at Barca.
Do people here really think that Guardiola didn’t know Eto’o was any use when he was offloading him?
Eto’o had been causing problems behind the scenes and Barca were more than happy to get rid of him. On his day he’s superb, as is Zlatan, but he did a fair amount of sulking last season before turning it on in big games. He’s a smashing player but Guardiola was quick to intervene before he had the detrimental effect that Ronaldinho and Deco had.
Cracking article from Sid Lowe by the way.
Good post, Rocko. We witnessed one of the greatest individual performances in football history by Messi last night, yet the usual suspects would prefer to return to the petty Zlatan / Eto’o squabble.
Maybe he was, but on what i’ve seen to date Eto is a much better player. He’s been sulky on the pitch as well, but so has Zlatan.
Anyway, its all about messi, he’s the great one.
Oh listen to the two sports snobs, poindexters of the sporting world.
Far be it for me to question Pep but a few things require pointing out:
- Ibrahimovic cost Barcelona 38 million plus Eto’o.
- Eto’o has a better proven record on the highest stage than Ibrahimovic, who has not delivered on the European Stage. This is in comparison to Eto’o’s two Champions League final goals.
- I am not sure if people are actually saying that Pep was crazy to get rid of Eto’o in principle but the deal reached was outrageous. Eto’o is a more proven player than Ibramhimovic.
[quote=“farmerinthecity, post: 364282”]
Far be it for me to question Pep but a few things require pointing out:
- Ibrahimovic cost Barcelona 38 million plus Eto’o.
- Eto’o has a better proven record on the highest stage than Ibrahimovic, who has not delivered on the European Stage. This is in comparison to Eto’o’s two Champions League final goals.
- I am not sure if people are actually saying that Pep was crazy to get rid of Eto’o in principle but the deal reached was outrageous. Eto’o is a more proven player than Ibramhimovic.
[/quote]Thank you Farmer,your points are well thought out and more importantly true!
farmer on the ball here.
Pep signed Zlatan for 2 reasons. 1 was to move on Eto’o which is fair enough, but the main reason was to give Barca a plan B, which they came very close to needing at times last season in the huge games when teams can try and sometimes nearly succeed in shutting out Barca (ie Chelsea at the Bridge). So far Zlatan has failed to do this, but I guess there’s still time. Zlatans time at Barca will be judged on the big games when Plan A fails, which is basically the point of the season that Barca are approaching.
- Barca were getting rid of Eto’o at any price. His ambition was clear when he entertained the notion of joining Manchester City. He was happy to leave too. His time was up. Barca had already accepted City’s bid, they also needed another striker but they were offloading Eto’o whether they could get Zlatan or not. He had already had a big falling out with Rijkaard and looked like doing the same again. Guardiola decided to get rid of him before he caused damage.
- World Cup > European Stage. Neither have fired at that level. Eto’o has played for better teams than Zlatan until now, hence his CL final appearances. He was an excellent player. It doesn’t mean he’d have continued to fit in there.
- Eto’o had proven himself alright and, to repeat, was an excellent player. That doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t have been sold and it doesn’t mean that Zlatan wasn’t a good buy. Look at the two transactions separately. Eto’o was getting sold for whatever money to anyone who wanted to pay his wages. Barca decided they wanted someone with more ambition who would fit in better. They weren’t doing the deal to make a profit, they were doing a deal to remain the best team in Europe. They’ve probably succeeded.
Exactly, IIRC Etoo had only one year left on his contract as well…
Messi = greatness
I don’t know whether you have skillfully evaded my predominant point intentionally, or if you indeed agree with me.
I’ll look at the two transactions separately. The word is that Eto’o was valued at 30 million which means that Ibrahimovic was valued at 68 million.
68 million? You can’t in a million years tell me that he is worth that.
Indeed Barca are interested in being the best in Europe, and are the team to beat, but they could have got someone much superior than Ibrahimovic for that amount of money. Torres, Villa, they could have almost got Ronaldo…
That’s irrelavant. Doesn’t mean that you spend vastly over the odds for a player who has never delivered on the European stage.
I think bringing Eto’o into it is a distraction. Assuming they would have sold him to anybody for around €20m, they paid around €65m for Zlatan. I have to admit I don’t watch much Serie A, so what I had seen of him was in Champions League and at major international championships, and I never saw anything to suggest he was worth anything near that. I’ve seen nothing this season to suggest it either.
Think you are being harsh on Ibrahimovic considering the teams he has played for up to this point have fallen short and all the blame of that cannot be placed on him for that…You aren’t a fan and that is fair enough but the fact of the matter is that Pep wanted him(pulled out of a deal to sign Villa just to get him) and that Etoo had to go as he was a negative voice in the dressing room…he was absolutely flying a few months ago when he was fully fit and has been hampered by injury in the past couple of months, when he is back close to full fitness he will be outstanding again…
I have seen Ibramhimovic play in the flesh once for Inter in what was a last 16 European Cup tie - surely the pinnacle of when a player needs to deliver. He was marked out of the game by Jaime Carragher.
He played for the Italian champions on both occassions - of course he should be delivering. It wasn’t a case of him putting in an honest shift and lack of progression not being as a result of his brilliance, he patently failed to deliver in each of the big matches he played.
And to pay 68 million for that is absolutely crazy to me…
As Puke says, Zlatan’s only getting fully fit again after a recurring right ankle injury that’s impacted him over the past couple of months. Still though, he’s been a resounding success this season with his goals and assists. As I said when he signed, I love the sheer variety of goals he scores - this compilation of his Barca goals emphasises that with headers, freekicks, flicks, lobs, volleys, chips, placed and thrashed efforts. Of course, he also has the winner in the first El Clásico encounter of the season and Champions League goals too. He’s an absolute joy to watch but I’m not too sure a number of those criticising him actually watch much La Liga - at least they post on specific games anyway.
When City bought Samaras I watched a youtube compilation of him. Ever since youtube compilations can suck my ballbag.
As I pointed out above, Barca bought Zlatan to give them that Plan B that Pep felt they needed in tight spots. When he starts to give them that, then he will be a success. They were mincing teams in Liga without him last year, flat track bullying will convince of nowt.
He’s scored winners in a number of games, including El Clásico - that’s not flat track bullying.