Game Changers or Failures ? Stoichkov’s Three
Recent reports have come to light that club legend Hristo Stoichkov recommended three Mexican players to Bartomeu only to have the Barcelona President say these players didn’t fit the Barca Philosophy. Here at ETO, we took to the task of figuring out whether these players would have actually helped Barcelona this year or not.
Hirving Lozano
For this area we will look at Chucky’s stats from his time at PSV and not his forgetful season at Napoli. Barca went into the season with just two left-wingers, Fati and Pedri. While Fati has been a revelation, he is only 17 and still a work in progress. Chucky was coming off a season at PSV where he had 56 goal involvements in 60 games played. Of those 34 were goals and 22 assists averaging a goal involvement every 87 minutes or one per game. Only two Barcelona players averaged more than that this season, of course Lionel Messi and Carles Perez. Chucky would have made an immediate impact for Barcelona down the wings spreading the field, creating more room for Messi and maybe even Griezmann. So, in this case, Lozano would have helped Barcelona.
Diego Lainez
Now Diego Lainez’ stats weren’t that great even in his time in America, but what Lainez has is a fearlessness to take on defenders. In this instance that wouldn’t play into Barcelona’s philosophy of ball possession and passing. However, when down on the score, Barcelona become predictable and opponents can take advantage of that( see Bayern vs Barcelona). This is where a player of Lainez’ characteristics would benefit Los Catalanes. As a sub he can inject energy and unpredictability into the squad which Barcelona desperately needed down the stretch of La Liga and Champions League, if for this reason alone, Lainez would have been worth the risk.
Cesar Montes
El Cachorro was the odd name on the list, however once you look at Barcelona’s depth Chart, you quickly realize that Los Cules only had four CB’s, Pique, Umtiti, Lenglet, and Araujo. Montes’ would have added depth to Barca’s back line and helped with rotations to give an aging Pique and injury prone Umtiti much needed rest. Defensively he posts solid numbers in Liga MX averaging close to six defensive duels won per game since 2015, with an average of 63 percent. Montes’ height, 6’3, also makes him a solid aerial defender winning almost five aerial duels per game with a success rate of 65. Where Bartomeu was wrong is when it comes to El Cachorro not fitting the Barca way in his passing. Montes averages 29 passes per game with a success rate of 83 percent and five long passes per game with a 49 percent accuracy. Not only would he fit in, he would thrive.
Would these three players have saved Barcelona from its recent implosion? Maybe, but not only would these signings have added to Los Azulgranas on the field, the commercial effect it would have for the team would have helped with the current financial issues it is having, and with Bartomeu not likely to get reelected, it may have saved his job.
