Ivan Rakitić

RMU ReBorn said:

stop tagging people as fan boys just because they defend them from unreal hate and bias . How long will you keep on doing this . I don't care about Rakitic or Busi ,i want to see Barca do well . For that Busquets is a liability and doesn't offer anything at all compared to Rakitic , who isn't Mackalele Illuminati himself but would do a better job at the moment than Busi . Sell Rakitic if we can bring in better players , don't care .

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DonAndres said:

Fake stats? Propoganda?

https://www.whoscored.com/Players/44721/History/Sergio-Busquets

Busquets in La liga 17/18 averaged 1.6 aerial duels per game. Rakitic averaged .7 aerial duels per game, less than half that. So you're the one with the fake stats. Busquets covered .5km per game more in the WC, which is the only comp i know of that has cumulative distance covered stats in recent history and is the most recent tournament that both of them played. And for that tournament Rakitic was seen as "fantastic" while Busquets was "shit, old, lazy" and yet he still covered more distance per game.

Key passes is completely irrelevant for Busquets. He doesn't ever play advanced up the pitch, he doesn't ever take set pieces like Rakitic does. He still manages to progress the ball more than Rakitic tho, despite those crosses/long balls every now and then that donate him a key pass. You said "all of the past doesn't matter, only last season", well Busquets defensive stats were clearly superior to Rakitic's last season in every single way. Tackles, interceptions, aerial duels won, tackling %, aerial duel %. La Liga doesn't record distance covered but I wouldn't be surprised if that was in Busquets favor too, contrary to the fraudulent belief that Rakitic is running rings around him in workrate.

Funny how you equated Rakitic to Modric in the WC too lol. He wasn't even as good as Mandzukic or Perisic, especially in the KO stages. Both of them have triple Rakitic's goals, scored them all in KO stages and not group, they both had assists unlike Rakitic. Both of them were practically level with Rakitic in tackles/interception contribution, both of them also had the same or more distance covered per game than Rakitic. Mandzukic had more than double the aerial duels per game. Both excelled especially in the KO stages where Rakitic was only good against Russia and relatively poor against both England and France. Scoring the last pen in those 2 pen shootouts have created insane revisionism for his WC performance.

No player gets hyped up as much as Rakitic does for doing so little. The way people talk about him here you'd think he was a top 5 midfielder and top 10 Balon worthy candidate, dude is one of the big problems in our squad along with Suarez, Pique, Alba, and Busi.

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xXKonan said:

It's true Busi is going through a hard time however labeling Rakitic like he's the more important player than he is just pure hogwash.

Rakitic is a good player but Busi, himself was the reason our Midfield functioned as long as it has with Iniesta and Xavi declining. Rakitic slid in under Lucho Because he was given a pretty simple role and that was to help support Alves and Messi who did the creating and attacking for the most part.

Busi has flaws like his Mobility and Physicality, but in terms of pure football talent and IQ it's not even a contest. Play Rakitic in a lone DM role against a team that can press and close down and you will see the massive difference between the two.

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DonAK said:

Yeah, I mean believe me, I've seen young and older people say some crazy shit. Just peep into Barca reddit if you want to see for yourself. Don't think it's a particular age group, but more the case about people being......people lol

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RMU ReBorn said:

Both Rakitic and Busi played in a double pivot role last season and it's not as if Rakitic was playing a advanced role . So key pass isn't relevant . Having ability to take set pieces isn't bad to have , Xabi Alonso used to take set pieces as well ( Now don't be surprised if you come up with argument that i Compared Raki with Xabi ) . It's not Rakitic's fault that Busi can't take set pieces or can't even shoot on goal even if his life depends on it . These are the factors that leads to a crucial goal . So Rakitic provides much more than Busquets in attacks . Oh and you completely ignored chances created , take ons , forward passes ( aspect in which Raki gets slaughtered here ) . Also the ability to give long balls isn't something bad to have either . which again shows that Rakitic can be versatile compared to one dimensional Busquets

Are you seriously saying that Busi had a better world cup than Rakitic ? . . Jees . Mandzukich is the tallest player in that croatian squad and it's obvious that he will win more ariel duels . Rakitic was indeed as important to croatia as Modric in midfield and you are comparing players based on goals scored ? How far can you stretch your stupid argument to prove that you are right . ? Rakitic was excellent against Argentina , Russia .Had a average first half against England and stepped up big time in the second half and his long ball led to Perisic's goal in second half which again you will ignore because it'snt a cute pass or Peptastic pass that you can masturbate on

Rakitic had a better defensive stats in La liga last season . And he did won more ariel duels as per squawka . But then again you will keep on saying that only interception matters , key passes doesn't matters because Rakitic shits all over him in that Go ahead , i am waiting And about Busi progressing the attack ,he still had less forward passes than Rakitic last season . Again your own opinion doesn't change facts and stats

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RMU ReBorn said:

It's not as if Busi alone as a Dm is setting European football on fire . Those days are gone . Busquets is a liability these days and the so called footballing IQ isn't aiding him at the moment . Even with that he wasn't better than Rakitic creatively last season , were both played similar role in double pivot. The simple role you were talking about was something which would have been complicated with a player like Cesc .

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Judoman said:

You are right of course. It was an ignorant statement (which shows it is universal), based on my temper, which occasionally gets the better of me.

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DonAndres said:

http://www2.squawka.com/comparison-...squets/862/862/315/0/p#aerial_duels_won#total

Man I have no clue what you're on about. Even squawka, which is a relatively shite source, says Busquets had way more aerial duels last season.

Ofc interceptions and tackles matter for defense.... You literally said he was better in defense, and then "go on Andres pull up the defensive stats" which is what I did exactly. Busquets shat all over him in defensive stats last season and defensive performance in general in La Liga. Total revisionism to say otherwise.

Key passes have no relevance at all to defense. So idk how interceptions and take ons/key passes have anything to do with each other. You're all over the place and make no sense. I don't care that Rakitic technically made more forward passes. Hell forward passes is such a useless stat when anything above 0 degrees is considered "forward". Busi is and has always been better at breaking lines.

Rakitic was not as important as Modric or even close. Ridiculous to suggest that. Mandzukic and Perisic were better and it's not just goals that says that. They also had more assists and created almost as many chances. Also worked just as hard in covering distance and making defensive contribution. Then there's 3 goals on top of that in the more crucial stages of the competition rather than just a group stage goal against a woeful Argentina team. The long ball before Perisic's goal? Completely inconsequential and routine pass, didn't create anything resembling a chance or even noteworthy space to create a chance, that was all from the cross by Vrsaljko. Seriously, you have no argument here.

I'm not continuing this shit anymore. You've been proven wrong on virtually every level and I guess you've just chosen glorifying Rakitic as your hill to die on. Good for you, doesn't make any of it true.

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xXKonan said:

Funny how last season the only reason Rakitic started to perform was when Valverde pushed him into a double pivot because he had Busi next to him doing most of the dirty work with the ball while Rakitic for the most part was the safe Midfielder of the two.

He was beginning to look like a Liability in a Midfield three and he was one of the biggest reasons the Midfield was being cut through so easily on the counter. He's not some sort of Defensive Beast, not by a fucking long shot.

Hell the funny thing is Lucho himself was experimenting using Gomes with Iniesta. There was a time before Iniesta got injured vs Valencia that Rakitic was seeing less game time and didn't even start in the league for nearly a month because Lucho was thinking of Gomes being a starter.

There were a bunch of rumors surrounding Rakitic at the time as well with City considering trying to bring him in. It screamed Rakitic's agent trying to put pressure on Lucho to pick him again. Hell Lucho even said in a press conference that Rakitic is probably not willing to jump off a cliff for him anymore.

With Iniesta being injured and Gomes ended up being crap pretty much got Rakitic his spot back. Lucho left and Valverde came in, and Rakitic was still not performing as well as he should. After Dembele's injury, Valverde switched to a 4-4-2 with Rakitic in the middle and that's why he started to perform well.

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RMU ReBorn said:

Bollocks again . Interceptions and tackles matters . Who is denying that . Either your eyes must be bleeding or you haven't read my post properly . Interceptions and tackles matters as much as duels won be it ariel or anything , take ons , blocks , clearances , cutting down the passing lanes , covering distances etc . Both played similar role last season and Rakitic was better in both attack and defense . it wasn't even a contest . Did i said that key pass has any relevance to defensive aspect ? why don't you sit back , relax and read my post properly? . Key passes was mentioned when you brought in so called superior IQ of Busi. But then just because Raki shits all over him in that aspect you keep your narrative away from that and key pass becomes irrelevant because Busquets can't even shoot ,take set pieces and give long balls . And yeah Rakitic's forward passes are irrelevant and not useful despite creating more chances , key passes , assists , successful take ons than prime Pirlo of Barcelona last season

And Mandzukich better than Rakitic in world cup ? Delusional much Nothing more to say . Perisic was shit till the semi final and didn't had a consistent tournament were as Rakitic was solid against all the teams except France . exceptional against Russia &Argentina . Each and every team that plays world cup are good enough to compete at higher level and Argentina had quality players in their setup and did scored 3 past France with Varane and Umtiti . Rakitic had Messi's numbers in that match and he was all over him . Take that with a pinch of salt .

Again his pass that led to the transition from defense to attack which lead to Perisic goal vs england is nothing spectacular to you as it wasn't the typical cute peptastic pass.Anyone who understands football would rate that as a top pass which initiated the attack . Oh Yes you proved me wrong boy . Now sleep peacefully

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DonAndres said:

"Rakitic had a better defensive stats in La liga last season . And he did won more ariel duels as per squawka . But then again you will keep on saying that only interception matters , key passes doesn't matters because Rakitic shits all over him in that".

^Your own words, bringing up key passes when talking about defense. All over the place, you need to think clearly.

You keep parroting that Rakitic was incomparably better in both offense and defense, when neither is true. Idgaf about chances created or any of that, because that is not the role Busquets has ever played or needed to play, he progresses the ball better than Rakitic and is the spine of our buildup. We actually NEED offense from Rakitic and he provides barely any.

Goals: Mandzukic 3 vs Rakitic 1: one of which was the winner in the semifinal, goal in the final, and crucial equalizer in R16. Opposed to a 90th minute 3-0 goal in the group stages.
Assists: Mandzukic 1 vs Rakitic 0: took the ball down the wing and a great cross to score vs Russia. Better than any chance Rakitic created the whole tournament.
Key Passes: Mandzukic 1.3 vs Rakitic 1.4
Tackles/Interceptions: Mandzukic 2.3 combined vs Rakitic 2.4 combined
Aerial Duels: Mandzukic 4.3 vs Rakitic 1.9

But ok. It's delusional to praise the guy who scored or assisted in EVERY knockout game for Croatia and matched or surpassed Rakitic in practically every meaningful stat.

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DonAndres said:

This is just false. Why does a pass get glorified just because it's chipped/long? They are still a VAST majority just switched from fullback to fullback, tediously.

That is save for those lob throughs which are definitely no routine part of his game, because when's the last time he's done something like that against a team that wasn't Alaves? They were playing scared and refusing to press us but also having way too high of a line for a "parked bus".



Lol, difference is I didn't pull the observation out of thin air and just randomly assign it to players. Arthur was engaging in associative play around the box in the middle. He literally assisted Coutinho's goal by setting up a central attack rather than just spreading it perpetually to the wings. It wasn't just the assist but also his one-two with Suarez that led to that comically shit bicycle. He was playing comfortably at the perimeter of the area pressing the center defense with his buildup, like Iniesta used to do. He also is just faster with his decision making and doesn't encourage a defense to get settled the way Rakitic/Busquets do.

Barca isn't RM where passing it to the fullback is the answer 9/10 times the way Rakitic does. And there is NOTHING you can actually come up with a reason to explain why "we were better with Dembele off". We were better with Semedo off going forward but not because Bob became some crucial addition to our creation. Busi was off for a grand total of like 5 mins, prior to which we already scored the 2nd and were looking better. So yeah great logic there.

See what you're doing with that whole list? You're just making shit up, assigning 0 reason at all, and then trying to equate it to my claim as if you've proven anything. Arthur had a REAL impact on the pitch, unlike your imaginary "Dembele held us back" or whatever.

And Rakitic did have a solid game, but he is not new age Pirlo with long balls just like he's not the new Schweinsteiger "covering every inch of grass carrying our defense". That shit gets thrown around like he's some perfect all round midfielder. Seems like we'd have been destroying the CL year after year if this was the case, but it is clearly anything but that. His defensive shortcomings are just as high as Busi's, only you fail to notice how often he gets totally burned 1v1 and is just chasing his man. Or how he was losing possession with dangerous mistakes like Roberto in the first half.

Busquets has become the forum's new target while Rakitic is all so perfect in every which way these days. Busi at least can still be excellent in the CL from time to time. He was superb in both legs against Chelsea, unlike Rakitic who might as well have been Paulinho. And then vs. Roma both were terrible but Rakitic redefined terrible in that game moreso than any of the others.

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