The Optimists vs pessimists thingy

Asensio is a big miss btw, that may prove painful in the future. Regardless of the fact that we have many quality youth in that department. — Ramzi ⚽Ⓜ (@footballmood) December 5, 2014

Question: Will you happily give Barça's full squad to any club and have their squad in return? That brings perspective, not cherry picking. — Ramzi ⚽Ⓜ (@footballmood) May 4, 2017

But lets pass to now, they have some depth in the offence third. Beside that, meh. Their depth is fine, not amazing. Ours is ok, not bad. — Ramzi ⚽Ⓜ (@footballmood) May 4, 2017

I don't really like Paulinho's transfer (assuming it happens), but I am not sure people saying he is bad actually watched him enough. — Ramzi ⚽Ⓜ (@footballmood) August 12, 2017







Transfers, depth, and Future



When we try to improve depth adding 2 french internationals, Portuguese international and a decent league striker, All young,THAT deserves chance.



One of the main mistakes Barcadrid fans make while comparing depth with RM, is that they pick the worst scenario possible for Barcelona and the best scenario possible for Real Madrid and go crazy.

Quick question: Where will Ceballos move next? Impossible to assume he is getting unnoticed. Any hints so far? — Ramzi ⚽Ⓜ (@footballmood) February 25, 2017

Some will understand a statement not as it is clearly written but the way it fits their urge to argue their extremist rage against anyone who does not curse everything and repeat after them "SAD! DOOM! BAD BAD SAD! We are no more winners! We need to make FC Barcelona great again! SAD..."



And much more talks to talk, but the point is there, so, that's all.

You can always check latest rants on @FootballMood









There is nothing new about current Barcelonica planet state of mind, we've seen it happening over and over again. We experienced it in the last couple of seasons with Rijkaard, after Pep's departure, throughout Lucho's time, and all the time in between.From the "Xavi passed it, he can't defend or score" to "Iniesta is not up there" (mostly after Rijkaard's era decline). To doubts about Pep after a struggling start, that went to an extend of accusing him being racist for using a flop like Busquets over Yaya, to #LuchoOut after couple of months of having him as a manager, and the list is long.I've read the "end of cycle" argument more often than Messi scored during that period. After every decline. After every defeat. We read "Real Madrid's era", "Bayern Munich era", and all kinds of eras more times than one can count throughout that timeline.And throughout all that period, FC Barcelona kept on recovering and winning. Making it more and more exhausting to adapt the "we are dead" argument throughout every successful season with the "We won!" celebrations same people jumped to at the end of such seasons. But you can always get philosophical about it, digging too deep into it to a level where there is no light to actually see.So, why bothering responding when the team engineered a response on the field over and over again, braking every so-called era and snatching titles? Pessimism is a deep-rooted aspect in Barcelonica planet and goes way far beyond "twitter era" and it's agendas.Simply because, you are left with two bad options on twitter when you browse daily mentions. Either you get along and get into endless fruitless discussions on daily bases, or you just ignore it all and it seems that it sends two kinds of messages: "You are right, pessimists, keep showering my mention with that insightful wisdom", or (as some pointed out to me): "You thought you know better, so you ignored my attempt to engage with a discussion about it" (as I've been told, which is strange).So, this post, which was supposed to be a twitter thread, is there basically to pin it on my twitter account and it saves me all this fuss.1) Is it really an optimist vs pessimist thing?2) Were the so-called pessimists right, and the rest of us were wrong?3) Should we mourn FC Barcelona's future once and for all?4) What is the value of starting a debate built originally on myth and lies?Check my twitter mentions to find predictable arguments about how to celebrate "The pessimists", as they call themselves, "victory" after Real Madrid's win.If you are one of those giggling after RM result. If the first thing you thought about was "Hooray! other fans were wrong". Reflect. That tells us, Barcelona fans, enough about you to not even bother.First thing first, they want to claim it is between "pessimists" who were "proven right" and "optimists" who were claiming all is perfect.That's the narration that fits them. Making a Trump-like argument:"Extreme right Vs extreme left" (in context, not nature). And that is either an intentional mean-spirited lie, or an unintentional short of sight.It fits them, being extremists, to label the rest as being on the opposite extreme. Because in their eyes it is just black or white. You are either with us or that's it! You are the opposite. You know, like all radicals with extreme agenda.And now that many "Pessimists" as they call themselves crowned me (somehow) one of the so-called "optimists" camp. it's time to expose the myth.Is it so? Are we "the others" blind supporters who praise everything and have no critical insight?Though, I should note, while the "pessimists" are more or less one block (Simply: All is bad. Done.), I can't claim to represent the rest as there is way more diversity there and disagreements, case by case. So I'll just take my part.Was I someone who had zero critic, board supporter, all is perfect fan? Anyone who claims so is either a liar, manipulator, or has no clue. SimpleAs mentioned before, my opposition to this board is well documented on internet. Way before Rosell even arrived to power. BEFORE current whiners.In fact, with some fans, we created a private blog a week after Rosell's win, contacted Penyas to check how to react. Naive, but telling.We opposed basically most of the board club decisions. The membership changes (And Barça Beeckman story here ), The sponsorship deal , buying Cesc, Asensio, Neymar's deal, Bartomeu taking Rosell place without elections, etc... You will find it all on twitter (many are good digging there, go ahead!)The position toward the current board is clear. Rehearsing it over and over again every day for followers appease and retweets is not my thing. Same as, not acknowledging any positives that may happen (just because I oppose them) is ridiculous. In fact, only when you give credit for the good part you have the credibility to be critical about the bad. That's the deference between whining ranting machines and objective rational opposition.If they sign Umtiti, it is not: "Meh... somehow they got that one right, but FRAUD! THIEVES! DOUGLAS! ABRAKADABRA!"Nope. It's simply: "That was a good one." Easy. Try it. Then when it is about other stuff, punch!As for the team,you won't find us chanting: "Getting Douglas to the team was our dream!"And two years before Thiago's departure, when Pep was there, I published a post that if he agrees signing Cesc, Thiago will leave. Etc...When it come to managers, my criteria is to give ANY manager a season chance to adapt and transmit his ideas. Regardless what I think about that manager. I make my point before hiring him, then wait a season to evaluate.Yet, talking about always agreeing with the board, I opposed hiring Lucho, but when it happened, I stayed honest to my principle.And yes, I thought Lucho was doing fine during the first season (before winning titles) considering the mess he inherited. Yet,demanded more.Now if anyone followed my position on Lucho's last season, it is clear I was one of the most critical from day one. Too much for "optimist". I do believe a big part of last season's shortcoming was on the technical department side, more than the resources available.Here is a sample from just one game:But for the agenda extremists, it doesn't work to be objective when something is right, while opposing the overall board's direction.So, no, it's not Optimists Vs Pessimists. As they want it to sound like. It's "Radical" Vs "Balanced". And balanced does NOT mean being right. It just means painting an opinion AFTER analysis, not having pre-decided position then tailoring an argument for it.Just like that guy who waited 7 years to claim an "I told you so" victory while the game was still on. Asking me, how does it feel? Well, it sucks. My team just lost against an eternal rival. Oh, that's not what he meant. I see...Proven right? How so? Because we lost a preseason title? or failed to win La liga for once?That's like spending a whole year predicting "Tomorrow it will rain". Of course, one day it will. That doesn't make you a weather expert.So, to avoid that horoscope-like trick where people only remember when it happens and forget the 90% times it turns fake, lets review:During the mentioned 7 years, EVERY SUMMER, those intelligent experts argued "this season is it!", we're winning nothing! We're shit! DOOM!7 years of disrespecting our squad and w*nking RM's "superior brilliance". Let's check the record. Especially the one that defines quality: La Liga. How many titles had we won during the seven years and how many had we lost?7 years of hunting for a collapse, claiming we are inferior to any team we lose against (psg?), whining all season, then celebrating winning. Almost every year of the 7 years.That's also like saying "Iniesta passed it" for 4-5 years, "Rakitic is shit" (since we got him), that other team has way better midfielders, and during all the years our midfield either dominated (most often) or went toe to toe with that other club midfield, but now after a preseason game where we were catastrophic, well, they were right. After, like, 5 (?) years?Now here is a solid prediction, and punch me if it doesn't happen: "They will end up saying one thing or two that make sense, in the coming 7 years"How was that proven right for 7 years? Future? The ones they call "Optimists" never said we are set for 1000 years of glory. We successfully evaluated seasons, one by one.Last season THEY repeated same 7 seasons narration: We ain't winning a shit. I (now that they address me) predicted competing for La Liga.True,we did not win La Liga, but we were competitive toe to toe. Had better head-to-head results vs top 6, lost liga via games we shouldn't.They got so upset (and now singing songs about it) when I tweeted this:They were actually more upset than Real Madrid fans. Thing is, 1) none of them dared to say they won't mind switching squads. How can you give up MSN to start with? and 2) At the end of La Liga, we had better head to head results against top 6 of the league than RM, which defines quality, though it questions depth (Supporting the argument that we lost the league to them because they have more depth).Wait! But didn't I say last season we had better depth than Real Madrid? I have to. They are repeating that over and over again. Well, no. I didn't. This is what I tweeted:Somehow that meant our depth was better. More over, How dare I doubt their depth beyond attack? That's where Barcadrid fans lost their pants! "Are you kidding?!"Well, again and again, opinions aside, and lets go to facts: How was RM's transfer direction this summer?To their credit, they acknowledged that issue and are trying to fix it. Offloaded the backup LB who barely contributed, the back up right back who was a joke, replaced the LB, got a defender, a DM, a CM who plays more in the middle third than James. You welcome.In the CL, they had their summer "it will rain today" daily "we won't win" argument, you know, the same one thru 7 years. I didn't say we'll win CL, the opposite. And even more:Instead of casual argument, I was specific: Vs Juv, I clearly noted if we play 3-4-3 (Popular then), we have no chance. THAT's being right.Now to coming season: I liked hiring Valverde, Prefer eriksen but ok with Coutinho, Like Dembele. CLEARLY Didn't like Paulinho transfer, even with Barcadrid fans continuously ranting otherwise:But for Barcadrid fans, you have to be an extremist radical. You should not like him, and you should say he is shit. I won't insult myself calling a Brazilian international "average", even if I don't like getting him. Full stop.And why will I consider next season a failure already, just to please Barcadrid extremists? Judging next season already as doom is naive. Squad ain't complete yet. New manager, new setup, etc...If we get no more (good) players to cover Neymar and strengthen other needs, we will struggle. No question. But we are not there yet, are we? What if we got 3 excellent players to boost current squad quality? Well, then there is a good chance we recover well, even if it takes till January for all pieces to come together. maybe not. The point is, it is WAY TOO EARLY to run whining like headless chicken throwing fists and punching shadows.Note that pep's start with Barca was worse than Valverde's (so far),we know how it ended. Two months to Lucho's era and #LuchoOut was trending, then we won it all. For Valverde, the jury STILL out.Regarding the style, we've seen many positives in pre-season. It is not tough to regain some of our football identity. The spine of the team is still there to transmit it to the future.So, if not having a pre-decided opinion, no matter what, is right, I love being wrong. I have no agenda. I judge by piece. On time.They signed very well. Young players with potentials. But, history taught us that such transfers can go more often like an Illarramendi than an Asensio. They come thru a celebrated carnival with lot of promise and leave thru the back door.Ceballos is another player I like a lot:Yet, he is an U21 international for Spain, who had off seasons before a good one at Betis. Why taking it as a certainty he will meet expectations and set the world alight for Real Madrid when a yound midfielder you hate (unlike each and every manager that coached him, and some of the biggest clubs that wanted him) at FC Barcelona had more successful seasons in his boots before joining FC Barcelona and played a vital role in Portugal's successful campaign to get crowned as Europe's champion? Again, worst scenario Vs best scenario fits the extremist Barcadrid fans more.Well, I can flip it and say, our young players will blossom next season after a season of tough adaptation while their signings will fail. Viola! Much better! Fact is, too early to pass a judgement.Another aspect when it come to transfers is that we suffered access of startup quality before and that switched lots of transfers off. Who would've dared to join FC Barcelona as a midfielder when Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta were at peak? None. They went elsewhere. Same as last summer many forwards (like G.Jesus and Dembele before him) hesitated to join FC Barcelona, staring at MSN's quality.Even Morata, an all and all Madridista ran out of that club escaping competition, while BBC played less matches together than MSN (Bale/Benzema injuries, and C.Ronaldo's age).Many more factors contribute in getting transfers than football PC games may teach.Now, we are seeing a change, with players craving to join the club with no fear to fight for position, players who (would've) hesitated before. That's a cycle for ANY team after a brilliant round, and we are now at that point.And of course, we've been reading for a while that FC barcelona lost it's appeal, then whenever we wink toward a player he goes for a strike at his club demanding that dream of a move. Lighten up FFS...A couple of good transfers, an evolution for some of the young players we have, and we are set for another adventure. It may not happen, or it may. Why losing faith already? I don't get it.But it is really not about the state of the club, but more about who wins twitter championship, as the reactions after the loss against Real Madrid showed.Barcadrid fans, somehow, consider it a war against the fans who are not willing to beat that extremist drum. It's about scoring points on twitter, not on the league table.You score your points there when FC Barcelona lose, and consider it a point for the rest of us when FC Barcelona wins.And for that, We like the position we are in as fans, and we don't want to be in your place in such equation, "winning" or "losing"Few will actually read and come up with valid feedback worth discussion or at least disagreeing to with mutual respect.Most will be too lazy to read and will just rehearse casual reactions that I clearly addressed here.Some will nitpick one word or sentence, take it out of context and try to trigger an argument about it. Like they did with the Paulinho thingy.