Barcelona Player Grades for 2016-17: Andre Gomes
When his transfer to Barcelona was announced, it came as a surprise. Andre Gomes off a solid campaign the season before with Valencia and a Euro 2016 championship was a move out of left field. Nevertheless, the young Portuguese saw plenty of action for Barca this season in his 25 appearances and scored three goals, assisting one and completing nearly 90% of his passes per whoscored.com.
Gomes’ first season at Barca was an up and down one and it really came down to two factors: confidence and learning the system. When a player signs for Barcelona they essentially have to learn their footballing alphabet all over again. Thierry Henry was once quoted as saying that at Barcelona you have to learn football all over again. For Gomes, a central midfielder, this was a truth he had to learn the hard way.
As the season went on Gomes featured mostly as an interior midfielder and at times a pivot in Luis Enrique’s 4-3-3. At times his lack of pace proved to be an issue such as in the first leg of the round of 16 matchup with PSG but as Gomes was given more and more chances, he showed that with time, he will be comfortable in the system.
Despite being given the full confidence of the manager, Gomes at times seemed to play in a very timid manner. He played almost as if he was afraid to make a mistake. When the boos at Camp Nou from supporters rolled in, this became more of an issue for him early on. But as the games went on and that first goal came, he played with more confidence. The high points of the season for Gomes came after being involved in Messi’s winner in Madrid and scoring in the Copa Del Rey Final.
There is no doubting Andre Gomes’ talent. The only person that will stand in the way of his success is himself. If Ernesto Valverde gives him the same chances that Luis Enrique did, he will only grow as a player.
Gomes’ first season at Barca was an up and down one and it really came down to two factors: confidence and learning the system. When a player signs for Barcelona they essentially have to learn their footballing alphabet all over again. Thierry Henry was once quoted as saying that at Barcelona you have to learn football all over again. For Gomes, a central midfielder, this was a truth he had to learn the hard way.
As the season went on Gomes featured mostly as an interior midfielder and at times a pivot in Luis Enrique’s 4-3-3. At times his lack of pace proved to be an issue such as in the first leg of the round of 16 matchup with PSG but as Gomes was given more and more chances, he showed that with time, he will be comfortable in the system.
Despite being given the full confidence of the manager, Gomes at times seemed to play in a very timid manner. He played almost as if he was afraid to make a mistake. When the boos at Camp Nou from supporters rolled in, this became more of an issue for him early on. But as the games went on and that first goal came, he played with more confidence. The high points of the season for Gomes came after being involved in Messi’s winner in Madrid and scoring in the Copa Del Rey Final.
There is no doubting Andre Gomes’ talent. The only person that will stand in the way of his success is himself. If Ernesto Valverde gives him the same chances that Luis Enrique did, he will only grow as a player.
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