Griezmann afronta primera gran prueba con el Barcelona

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Seguramente cuando Antoine Griezmann levantó el celular en marzo para escuchar a los representantes del FC Barcelona que quieran negociar con él, nunca le dijeron que iba a llegar a ser el líder. Tampoco que iba a tener la responsabilidad de liderar al equipo.

En un hipotético caso, solo iba a ser el tercer caminante culé en el frente de ataque. Con los ojos azules y con una daga en su poder para asestar todos los golpes que pudiera. Sin embargo la responsabilidad mayor era entenderse rápidamente con Messi, y asociarse con Suárez en la búsqueda del gol.

No le mintieron los directivos catalanes. Solo que al llegar, el francés tuvo que trabajar en la pretemporada sin sus mayores referentes. Y cuando le correspondió debutar en La Liga, no tuvo a Messi por lesión y después perdió a Lucho Suárez por la misma situación.

Y la cosa no acabó acá. Coutinho se marchó cedido al FC Bayern Múnich, y Ousmane Dembélé estará cinco meses de baja por una rotura fibrilar en el bíceps femoral del muslo izquierdo.

Los planetas se alinearon para lo peor en el inicio de temporada blaugrana. Solo está sano y salvó el recién llegado campeón del mundo, un hombre que supo liderar al Atlético Madrid a dos finales de Champions League, a ganar una Liga y la Europa League.

Un debut poco alentador

San Mamés fue una pesadilla. El nuevo templo vasco desnudó al Barcelona de un Ernesto Valverde sin ideas. Griezmann partió por derecha junto a Dembélé y Suárez. Luego, con la lesión del uruguayo, se plantó como centrodelantero y se vio limitado. No le llegaron balones claros y él tampoco hizo algo para buscarlos.

Careció de volúmen ofensivo, a pesar de pagar tres pelotas de los postes. Fue un Barcelona espeso, con fragilidad en el medio sector y que tuvo en Rafinha Alcántara su mejor hombre en la cancha.

Las ironías de todo esto es que el brasileño, hermano de Thiago Alcántara, pudiera salir cedido o traspasado a otro club español.

Llegó el momento de Griezmann

Mientras todo se resuelve, Antoine debe ejercitar sus hombros y cargar su mochila. El peso que tendrá por estos días será, capaz sea posible, el más grande que va a tener en su carrera: cargar al FC Barcelona. Recibirán al Real Betis, y todavía ‘Grizzu’ no sabe quiénes serán sus compañeros de combate en la primera fila de guerra.

¿Para eso pagaron €120 millones, no?

Escrito Por: Raúl Zambrano Cabello | @RaulZambrano7

Foto: Alejandro Villegas /@AlejandroVG32

 

Lea y escuche mas sobre La Liga española y el fútbol europeo en general visitando SportsVenezuela.com o escuchando nuestros podcast en el perfil en Cinco Razones Deportes Network

Dolphins practice report: 8/19/19

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The Miami Dolphins get ready for the third week of the preseason. Hear from the players after Monday’s practice

¿Fue un fracaso la Era Coutinho en el Barcelona?

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Phillipe Coutinho llegó al FC Barcelona luego de varios veranos de rumores que lo acercaban a la disciplina azulgrana.

El Liverpool de Inglaterra aguantó lo mas que pudo a su estrella, y finalmente acabó cediendo a los deseos del diez brasileño, quien claramente quería mudarse a jugar con uno de los mejores equipos del mundo.

Coutinho era el relevo ideal de Andrés Iniesta, y el FC Barcelona invirtió como nunca para que el brasileño fuese el segundo de Messi, y a futuro, quien fuese tomando la batuta del proyecto una vez que Messi pase a un segundo plano.

Llegó en el mercado de invierno y no pudo disputar la Champions League con el Barça, pues ya había jugado algunos minutos con los ingleses en la competición, en el último año que esta regla estuvo vigente.

En La Liga y en la Copa del Rey fue clave para terminar de amarrar ambas competiciones, e incluso en la final de la copa, abrió las puertas de una espectacular goleada con una asistencia en el primer gol.

Parecía que se estaba dando una sucesión sin muchos sobresaltos, con un Coutinho protagonista ya, para despedir a Andrés Iniesta por todo lo alto.

El FC Barcelona sufrió la debacle de Roma y Coutinho no pudo hacer nada al respecto.

Un año y un mes después, el propio Coutinho, ante su ex equipo, sufría algo similar tras desperdiciar una ventaja inicial de 3 a 0.

Pero poco fue precisamente antes, en un momento de felicidad, que se vio claramente que la relación Coutinho-Barcelona no era la mejor. Sobretodo con la afición culé, que fue muy dura con el mediocampista brasileño.

Un gesto tapándose los oídos tras hacerle un golazo al Manchester United fue la clara señal de que si no llegaba la Champions League tan deseada, Coutinho podía ser uno de los sacrificados.

El Barcelona sobrevivió al juego de ida con el Liverpool en las semifinales de la copa europea, y con un golazo de Messi, terminó goleando en un partido que podía haber terminado empatado a dos goles por bando.

La debacle de Anfield Road con Coutinho (además de Messi y Suárez) como protagonista, fue una herida que dejó boquiabierta la confianza del grupo.

El Valencia selló la salida de Coutinho

Tras la eliminación de la Champions League el barcelonismo veía la final de Copa del Rey como un pequeño consuelo, y un partido que debía ganarse sí o sí.

En frente, el Valencia celebraba sus 100 años de vida, y quería regalarse esa Copa, que el Barcelona había conseguido hacía ya cinco años consecutivos.

Este partido fue el último partido oficial de Coutinho con la camiseta del FC Barcelona.

Sin Suárez fuera por lesión, ni Coutinho ni Messi pudieron derribar el muro del equipo che, y por falta de acierto, el FC Barcelona se quedó con otro sabor amargo en la boca.

La era Coutinho: un final antes de tiempo

La era Coutinho se puede resumir en títulos, y en fracasos, pues quedó a deber en varios momentos claves, sobretodo en su segunda temporada, que se suponía sería la de su despegue.

Consiguió tres títulos (dos ligas y una Copa del Rey), aunque en dos de ellos el brasileño solo fue protagonista en la segunda mitad de la temporada.

Se va Coutinho, por ahora, pues fue cedido al Bayern Munich con una opción a compra, y a mi me queda la sensación de que se dejó de creer en él muy rápido.

Para Coutinho, el Barcelona ya es cosa del pasado, aunque podría volver en un año si el equipo alemán no ejerce su opción.

La llegada de Griezmann y la gran cantidad de opciones que tiene el FC Barcelona en el medio campo práctiamente dejaron fuera de los planes de Valverde a Coutinho, quien además llegó fuera de ritmo competitivo, como varios de los sudamericanos, tras disputar y ganar la Copa América Brasil 2019.

El Barcelona tuvo como titulares en la media cancha a Sergi Roberto y Carles Aleñá en el debut liguero de esta temporada que terminónen derrota en Bilbao.

Queda la sensación de que alguno de esos puestos en la creación del equipo debió ser del brasileño.

El empeño de Valverde en utilizarlo pegado a la banda limitó el potencial y la llegada del 10 a las áreas contrarias, y la salida de Coutinho, el fichaje mas caro de la historia culé, debe ser anotado como otro fracaso de Ernesto Valverde.

Ojalá regrese y pueda ser el sucesor de Messi, con o sin Neymar…

Five questions with Marlins rookie pitcher Jordan Yamamoto

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Jordan Yamamoto is a rookie pitcher with the Miami Marlins who was part of the package the team received in return for Christian Yelich in 2018. He made his Major League debut this season on June 12 and is seen as a major part of the Marlins rebuild. We discussed his experiences leading up to his rookie season.

5R: What was your MLB Draft experience like?

JY: I was actually sleeping when I got drafted. The draft happens and you’re six hours behind in Hawaii so it was like eight o-clock in the morning in the offseason right after high school so I didn’t want to wake up. My agent called me and said, “Hey, you’ve been drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers, congratulations!”

5R: Take us back to when you found out that you were being traded to Miami. Where were you when you heard the news?

JY: I was actually eating lunch in my neighborhood watching “Law & Order”. I got the call from the farm director of the Brewers and he said, “You’ve been traded.” It never hit me until I got on a plane and headed to Florida.

5R: As a rookie establishing yourself within the Marlins, it seems like your minor league days are over. There’s an account on Instagram called “Minor League Grinders” that showcases videos submitted by the players of what the journey is like, whether it’s the peanut butter & jelly sandwich diet, working out in a locker room shower, bus rides, etc. What has been your “Minor League Grinders” moment?

JY: Has to be in Clinton, IA, when I was there in 2016 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The locker room was the old locker room before and they wouldn’t sweep the ground so all we had to do was grab all of our towels and lay it on the ground so we could walk around because if not you’re like walking on the warning track. It was just kind of rough. Our visitor’s locker room in our old stadium in Helena (which no longer has a MiLB team) never had bathroom doors in the stalls, which is crazy.

5R: What’s your mindset when dealing with adversity?

JY: For me, it’s the sun rises and it’s a new day. That’s how I grew up. My dad would say “flush it” and that was a key word because you can’t change the past in anything you do in life. The only thing you can do is use that to better your future. That’s what it comes down to. You have to try to stay consistent because the lower lows you get, the higher highs you get, it’s going to be a lot harder to stay consistent the whole time.

5R: You’re also a skilled barber and have given your minor league teammates fresh cuts during the season. Where did that passion come from?

JY: I grew up in art. I grew up painting, drawing, sketching, all this stuff. One year I was like, “I’m gonna try it,” and it just became natural. I started watching YouTube videos and it all just went from there. It’s hard to find a barbershop every city you go to in the minor leagues because you travel so much. It’s hard to trust some guys, especially if you don’t know them because a haircut can make or break two weeks. Especially for guys in the minor leagues because they like to go out and have fun but if you go out with a pretty bad haircut then you can’t add it to the club. It’s just more for them and on top of that, they don’t make too much money, it’s more of a, “here, you don’t have to spend $40-50 on a haircut, I’ll just do it for you.”

Josh Rosen has produced mixed results in his quest to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback.

Josh Rosen nothing special, but he should start over Fitzpatrick

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The Dolphins’ second exhibition game was typical of the preseason – a lot of ugly.

Unfortunately, Josh Rosen, in his first game action for Miami with the starting unit, couldn’t rise above his offensive line’s shortcomings or his own inconsistency to elevate his case for the starting quarterback job.

Rosen wasn’t all bad or all to blame for the inability to get the Dolphins in the end zone in six possessions during the first half at Tampa Bay.

He also wasn’t anything special.

That’s in line with what has been apparent all along, through offseason workouts, training camp and a week ago playing with the second team against the Falcons.

An extended opportunity Friday with the first unit didn’t change the equation. It reaffirmed it.

Elite talent shows early

A million years ago Dan Marino stepped on the field and the immediate reaction was, wow! Most of the elite NFL quarterbacks since then have given the indication quickly.

Some dropped balls blunted Rosen’s cause Friday. But on fourth down at the Tampa Bay 2, he had Isaiah Ford open in the end zone and threw a sinker that didn’t get there.

That was the time to seize the moment. It eluded him.

Rosen has shown the talent to be a better NFL quarterback than his predecessor, Ryan Tannehill. He has an arm, instincts and pocket presence that Tannehill lacked.

But he’s done nothing to suggest the Dolphins should hand him the keys to the franchise and end their quest for a quarterback to lead them into the future. That remains top priority for next year’s draft.

Nonetheless, Rosen should be the starter going into this season. Because what are you going to learn from 36-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick leading a team that’s a babe in the woods?

We’re not seeing any of that old Fitzmagic anyway. Fitz’s one eye-opening moment from his limited preseason action has been bowling over a Buccaneers DB.

Gotta love Fitzpatrick, but his gritty leadership is not taking this team to the playoffs. He’s an ideal backup and example for Rosen to follow.

Youth shows on offense

This is a developmental season. This is the time to find out what they have in Rosen and see if he can grow with the other youthful components of the offense.

The long climb ahead for that group was evident against the Bucs. Rookie guards Michael Deiter and Shaq Calhoun have struggled, though Pro Football Focus gave Deiter high marks for pass protection Friday.
Run blocking was poor for the whole line. Even receiver Preston Williams, the hot item of the summer, showed how green he really is with a couple of dropped balls.

Overall, the most encouraging sign from Friday’s game was how well the defense played, even with notables such as Xavien Howard and Reshad Jones sitting out.

Not surprising, considering defense is coach Brian Flores’ forte. It furthered the hope that Flores and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can produce a collective greater than its components.

There were four sacks and a forced fumble. Rookie Christian Wilkins was solid up front and second-year linebacker Jerome Baker was a force on the blitz – Baker needs to be better at finishing his chances, though.

No point in starting Fitzpatrick

Still, the intrigue circles back to the quarterbacks.

Difficult to understand Flores’ thinking in saying Fitzpatrick will likely start week against Jacksonville. Usually the third game of preseason is a dress rehearsal for the starting unit.

Of course, every coach wants to believe he’s chasing a championship. If the Dolphins were in that position this season, Fitzpatrick, the experienced hand, would be the safer and logical choice.

Asked about the intangibles of grit and leadership that are Fitzpatrick’s strengths, Flores said, “Yeah, it plays into the evaluation, but at the end of the day it’s about production on the field.

“[Fitzpatrick] had a good scramble, made a couple good throws. Josh [Rosen] made a couple good throws, Jake [Rudock] made some good throws and they made some not so good decisions. It’s all a part of the evaluations.”

For a team looking beyond this season, the only way to truly evaluate Rosen is to give him a chance to flop or fly in the regular season.

If they go with Fitzpatrick, it means they’ve already ruled out Rosen.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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Top 3 performers from preseason Week 2 – Dolphins at Buccaneers

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As is always the case, there were a lot of ups and downs for the Miami Dolphins in their second preseason game. They pushed their way to a late fourth quarter lead, but the Buccaneers took advantage of the Miami backups on defense and managed to kick a winning field goal, defeating the Dolphins 16-14. But the preseason is not about record, it’s about evaluation. So here are the top three players for Friday night.

Sam Eguavoen, LB

This is not even a contest. The best player on the field for Miami all night was the former CFL standout. Consider where Eguavoen came from, and it’s astonishing he’s made it this far. Eguavoen comes from the CFL, as previously mentioned. There, the rules are different, the field is larger, it’s a whole different animal. Nonetheless, Eguavoen has unseated Raekwon McMillan as a starter on the defense even before his injury, and he’s proving he deserves that.

Eguavoen made six tackles, two for a loss, and forced a fumble against the Buccaneers on Friday. It’s been a long time since the Dolphins had a linebacker with that kind of playmaking ability. He’s undoubtedly going to make the team, and it’s well-deserved. This preseason game against Tampa Bay only confirms Eguavoen’s ability.

Charles Harris, DE

Just when it seemed all hope was lost for the former first round pick, he has a game like this. Charles Harris consistently applied pressure, and even managed to set the edge on his way to four tackles and 1.5 sacks against the Buccaneers. Never has he been more physical. Surprisingly, he looked more like a well-rounded defensive end more than just a pure speed pass rusher. For Harris, that’s a major accomplishment.

The Dolphins coaching staff is clearly working on his pass rush technique and the strength of his hands, and it appears to finally be paying off. Miami needs pass rushers, and Harris improving takes some of the pressure off the coaches and front office, and puts it on opposing QBs.

Patrick Laird, RB

Surprisingly, the best running back of the evening was the one who has the least impressive reputation. Patrick Laird, an undrafted free agent out of Cal, showed shiftiness and power that no one could have predicted. It makes one question why he hasn’t been getting more looks higher up on the depth chart. Laird ran the ball seven times for a total of 51 yards, and he also caught two passes for a total of 16 yards and Miami’s only touchdown of the night.

Laird’s numbers would have been even higher but there were some unfortunate holding calls on the backup offensive linemen. Nonetheless, even with the numbers as they are, Laird was by far the superior running back. He still has Mark Walton and Myles Gaskin ahead of him, but Friday’s preseason performance should put an idea in head coach Brian Flores’s head that Laird needs more looks.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung