Barcelona Escola Friendly last night

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You folks done with the pissing match? Vista is basically a formation of independent teams so some may be good or bad. To each their own. Barca is not 4 months old, this is a new location but the training is suppose to replicate the mothership. With that being said, don't be fooled that wearing a "Barca" jersey will suddenly turn your kid into messi. Most of the kids in that program was from Evergreen which was not competitive. You pay a premium for the name and probably get worked by most of the clubs in the area. They have a few teams playing this weekend in Williamsburg, let's see what they can do.

The training with this group of kids is only 4 months implemented. Don’t be so stupid, these are kids and training isn’t magic, it takes time.

They have trained together as much as any other team. He shuffle happens every year so the give me that BS, none of these kids are new to travel soccer. Keep paying for the brand.

You won a scrimmage congrats.

So I'm actually the one that posted about the scrimmage, the other guy just happens to see that every year now a team has plenty of new players, so the time together shouldn't matter. Also, the scrimmage was for 2005-2004 boys, they have been playing soccer, and travel soccer certainly, for at least 4-5 years. I think a lot of people did see the brand, and looking at their DC progress in past clubs, decided to take a gamble on the branding. Only time will tell if the FCB Escola here in Loudoun is after enrollments, or if their academy products really do turn out to be awesome players. I wouldn't have my kid join if he were HS age, the FCB group are too new to the US scene to know about college opportunities and the like; on the other hand a 6-8 yo would be perfect to start and see what they're like at 10-12 yo level. It would be a very expensive experiment, but I'm sure somebody in the area has the discretionary income to go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You folks done with the pissing match? Vista is basically a formation of independent teams so some may be good or bad. To each their own. Barca is not 4 months old, this is a new location but the training is suppose to replicate the mothership. With that being said, don't be fooled that wearing a "Barca" jersey will suddenly turn your kid into messi. Most of the kids in that program was from Evergreen which was not competitive. You pay a premium for the name and probably get worked by most of the clubs in the area. They have a few teams playing this weekend in Williamsburg, let's see what they can do.

The training with this group of kids is only 4 months implemented. Don’t be so stupid, these are kids and training isn’t magic, it takes time.

They have trained together as much as any other team. He shuffle happens every year so the give me that BS, none of these kids are new to travel soccer. Keep paying for the brand.

You won a scrimmage congrats.

So I'm actually the one that posted about the scrimmage, the other guy just happens to see that every year now a team has plenty of new players, so the time together shouldn't matter. Also, the scrimmage was for 2005-2004 boys, they have been playing soccer, and travel soccer certainly, for at least 4-5 years. I think a lot of people did see the brand, and looking at their DC progress in past clubs, decided to take a gamble on the branding. Only time will tell if the FCB Escola here in Loudoun is after enrollments, or if their academy products really do turn out to be awesome players. I wouldn't have my kid join if he were HS age, the FCB group are too new to the US scene to know about college opportunities and the like; on the other hand a 6-8 yo would be perfect to start and see what they're like at 10-12 yo level. It would be a very expensive experiment, but I'm sure somebody in the area has the discretionary income to go for it.

Congrats on your team and your choice of clubs. You won a scrimmage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You folks done with the pissing match? Vista is basically a formation of independent teams so some may be good or bad. To each their own. Barca is not 4 months old, this is a new location but the training is suppose to replicate the mothership. With that being said, don't be fooled that wearing a "Barca" jersey will suddenly turn your kid into messi. Most of the kids in that program was from Evergreen which was not competitive. You pay a premium for the name and probably get worked by most of the clubs in the area. They have a few teams playing this weekend in Williamsburg, let's see what they can do.

The training with this group of kids is only 4 months implemented. Don’t be so stupid, these are kids and training isn’t magic, it takes time.

They have trained together as much as any other team. He shuffle happens every year so the give me that BS, none of these kids are new to travel soccer. Keep paying for the brand.

You won a scrimmage congrats.

So I'm actually the one that posted about the scrimmage, the other guy just happens to see that every year now a team has plenty of new players, so the time together shouldn't matter. Also, the scrimmage was for 2005-2004 boys, they have been playing soccer, and travel soccer certainly, for at least 4-5 years. I think a lot of people did see the brand, and looking at their DC progress in past clubs, decided to take a gamble on the branding. Only time will tell if the FCB Escola here in Loudoun is after enrollments, or if their academy products really do turn out to be awesome players. I wouldn't have my kid join if he were HS age, the FCB group are too new to the US scene to know about college opportunities and the like; on the other hand a 6-8 yo would be perfect to start and see what they're like at 10-12 yo level. It would be a very expensive experiment, but I'm sure somebody in the area has the discretionary income to go for it.

I've never known a team that turned over 90% of its roster in a year. Yes kids get added to teams but generally core players stay intact. Some kids leave, some kids come in but don't act like it is normal after U9 for a team to have such a high rate of churn. Most of these kids have never played together and to say differently is ignorant at best.

[Anonymous]

FCBESCOLA u12 parent here. Drove down to Williamsburg and both teams from he club got their asses handed to them. The only scores both team made was when they played each other. Embarrassing and don’t give me that line that they are at a development age. We don’t need them to win, but look like a damn soccer team for god sake!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCBESCOLA u12 parent here. Drove down to Williamsburg and both teams from he club got their asses handed to them. The only scores both team made was when they played each other. Embarrassing and don’t give me that line that they are at a development age. We don’t need them to win, but look like a damn soccer team for god sake!

Did you really believe they stood a chance?

1. The Escola needs more talent. Barca arrived much to late to draw upon a larger player pool. By the time Barca had their tryouts pretty much every club had completed theirs. Most people were not just willing to walk away from their situations for the unknown.

2. Overall lesser talent being exposed to a very patient and methodical process of learning true possession soccer. If playing possession was easy every club would actually teach it. But just playing possession doesn’t magically transform a ragtag group of average talented kids into a soccer juggernaut. It is very easy to make a possession team look bad. Playing possession takes lots of overall team skill and discipline. If you lack the technical ability to move the ball quickly and precisely out of the back and aggressive team will lock you down in your end and you’ll never see the other side if the field. This is why teams play long ball and are successful with it.

I wouldn’t put to much stock into their results at a tournament.

[Anonymous]

I agree with your first point, but unless you saw the games I don't think I can agree with your second point at all. It's not the points or the win/losses, it was the overall execution and yes, that could have been because lack of talent. But they looked clueless and I can understand if you aren't as "talented" but when you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you...all is lost. I spent 2 days watching something that was called soccer even though it looked liked a cheap knock off version. If you weren't there, then you are just assuming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with your first point, but unless you saw the games I don't think I can agree with your second point at all. It's not the points or the win/losses, it was the overall execution and yes, that could have been because lack of talent. But they looked clueless and I can understand if you aren't as "talented" but when you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you...all is lost. I spent 2 days watching something that was called soccer even though it looked liked a cheap knock off version. If you weren't there, then you are just assuming.

I'm sorry but at U12 if they looked that clueless on a soccer field that has more to do with the previous 4-5 years of soccer "training" than it has to do with the last 4 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with your first point, but unless you saw the games I don't think I can agree with your second point at all. It's not the points or the win/losses, it was the overall execution and yes, that could have been because lack of talent. But they looked clueless and I can understand if you aren't as "talented" but when you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you...all is lost. I spent 2 days watching something that was called soccer even though it looked liked a cheap knock off version. If you weren't there, then you are just assuming.

I'm sorry but at U12 if they looked that clueless on a soccer field that has more to do with the previous 4-5 years of soccer "training" than it has to do with the last 4 months.

Exactly, U12 should have a basic idea. Were these kids even travel players prior to joining the Escola? If no travel experience prior, than 4 months is not going to fix anything overnight. If they had prior travel experience than something went wrong with the education they received in the prior years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with your first point, but unless you saw the games I don't think I can agree with your second point at all. It's not the points or the win/losses, it was the overall execution and yes, that could have been because lack of talent. But they looked clueless and I can understand if you aren't as "talented" but when you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you...all is lost. I spent 2 days watching something that was called soccer even though it looked liked a cheap knock off version. If you weren't there, then you are just assuming.

I'm sorry but at U12 if they looked that clueless on a soccer field that has more to do with the previous 4-5 years of soccer "training" than it has to do with the last 4 months.

Exactly, U12 should have a basic idea. Were these kids even travel players prior to joining the Escola? If no travel experience prior, than 4 months is not going to fix anything overnight. If they had prior travel experience than something went wrong with the education they received in the prior years.

stating the obvious here, but it could also be that in four months the players completely lost their ability to play soccer due to Barca's training/teaching that's so different they're re-learning the game. for a 11/12 yo it sounds like he's over-thinking things if "you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with your first point, but unless you saw the games I don't think I can agree with your second point at all. It's not the points or the win/losses, it was the overall execution and yes, that could have been because lack of talent. But they looked clueless and I can understand if you aren't as "talented" but when you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you...all is lost. I spent 2 days watching something that was called soccer even though it looked liked a cheap knock off version. If you weren't there, then you are just assuming.

I'm sorry but at U12 if they looked that clueless on a soccer field that has more to do with the previous 4-5 years of soccer "training" than it has to do with the last 4 months.

Exactly, U12 should have a basic idea. Were these kids even travel players prior to joining the Escola? If no travel experience prior, than 4 months is not going to fix anything overnight. If they had prior travel experience than something went wrong with the education they received in the prior years.

stating the obvious here, but it could also be that in four months the players completely lost their ability to play soccer due to Barca's training/teaching that's so different they're re-learning the game. for a 11/12 yo it sounds like he's over-thinking things if "you look like you don't even know what to do with the ball when it gets to you"

Not sure if serious or sarcastic. I seriously doubt that Barca could have such a profound affect in just 4 months.

[Anonymous]

I would *think* it was sarcasm, especially if the coaches are taking a hands-off approach to tactics.

I've seen other clubs in which players regress because the coaches give them baffling instructions.

[Anonymous]

taking a bunch of random kids with varying skills levels and from a hodgepodge of places right before the U12 year and teaching them the barcelona way is just putting lipstick on a pig.

What people forget is that the real barcelona has the best talent coming into their youth academy from all over the world. When you start with world-class youth players, if there is such a thing, you can do a lot of things with them.

If you take a mix of below average, average, and above average players (by american standards, not spanish standards) living in northern virginia as the core of your program, you're going to get a very different end product.

When you see a barcelona youth team, you have to remember for every ONE player you see, there are like 100 rejects who are actually very good players.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, the boys really get started on their pathway at 4 years old in other countries around the world. By 8 years old, your fate has already been decided if you will be accepted into a professional academy or not. So the 5-6-7-8 years, kids are eating, sleeping, and breathing soccer. Much of their progress just happens playing the game or training at home with a parent or sibling, or in the local neighborhood.

If you don't get into a big academy, you get a few years as a last chance to get a foot in the door, and certainly by U12, you pretty much know where you stand.

to say you will START the process at U12 is ridiculous. Adding on top of that, the players are middling and wouldn't have even been selected for anything significant at U9 anyway.

$$$ though and selling the brand...

[Anonymous]

They are go up against kids that neighbors and perhaps ex teammates, we aren't talking about Barca Academy vs Arsenal Academy here. We went up against the 2nd/3rd teams from SYA and SOCA, two very well know teams in VA and you would have thought they were destined for EPL from what you saw.

I don't consider myself an expert, but I've played and watched soccer all my life. I understand the possession game and building from the back, but some of the decisions from the players was just bazarre. Someone who doesn't know soccer knows that you don't pass into 3 defenders, get wide on the attack, and leverage 2 v 1 or in some cases 3 v 1 situations. I saw a 3 v 1 situation and the at the 2nd pass, the kid passes it out back into traffic. Call it hands off coaching if you'd like, but the lack of adjustment was bad.

Before you blast me, the other teams we played did build from the back and in many instances would connect 3-4 times before striking. It was NOT punt and run so if these local clubs can do it, why not FCB.

Kids on the team are mainly from Evergreen, but we do have Loudoun, SYA, Herndon, etc kids on the team. They have all played travel and many have decent foot skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are go up against kids that neighbors and perhaps ex teammates, we aren't talking about Barca Academy vs Arsenal Academy here. We went up against the 2nd/3rd teams from SYA and SOCA, two very well know teams in VA and you would have thought they were destined for EPL from what you saw.

I don't consider myself an expert, but I've played and watched soccer all my life. I understand the possession game and building from the back, but some of the decisions from the players was just bazarre. Someone who doesn't know soccer knows that you don't pass into 3 defenders, get wide on the attack, and leverage 2 v 1 or in some cases 3 v 1 situations. I saw a 3 v 1 situation and the at the 2nd pass, the kid passes it out back into traffic. Call it hands off coaching if you'd like, but the lack of adjustment was bad.

Before you blast me, the other teams we played did build from the back and in many instances would connect 3-4 times before striking. It was NOT punt and run so if these local clubs can do it, why not FCB.

Kids on the team are mainly from Evergreen, but we do have Loudoun, SYA, Herndon, etc kids on the team. They have all played travel and many have decent foot skills.

Decision making under pressure is different than in practice with low pressure. Barca purposely trains with limited pressure specially to train where and how to see the lanes for passing and the proper movement. Over time the defensive pressure is increased to mimic game speed. So if the kids are limited in their skill set it isn’t unreasonable that under actual game pressure that they would cave in and make bad decisions.