Sergio Busquets

Aryagorn said:

Well that's not true. He did win a WC and a EC with Xabi playing right beside him

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He underperforms now almost every time wihen Rakitić is playing next to him in 4-4-2, meanwhile when he plays as the only DM, he is pretty great.

EC and WC were a long time ago and there was probably the best attacking midfield ever in front of them.

FCBfan22 said:

He underperforms now almost every time wihen Rakitić is playing next to him in 4-4-2, meanwhile when he plays as the only DM, he is pretty great.

EC and WC were a long time ago and there was probably the best attacking midfield ever in front of them.

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Yeah well that's the problem. The blame has to be taken equally by under performing Rakitic and the old age Iniesta or even the lack of pressing from up top fro that matter or the stupid 4-42 formation!

Moral of the story is: Busi has shown he can be part of a double pivot in a 3 man mid field unlike the popular belief here or may be just your opinion


I don't think we can call even Rakitic as an under performing player considering how he has helped us win a treble by scoring in a CL final while playing in a 3 man mid field

FCBfan22 said:

He underperforms now almost every time wihen Rakitić is playing next to him in 4-4-2, meanwhile when he plays as the only DM, he is pretty great.

EC and WC were a long time ago and there was probably the best attacking midfield ever in front of them.

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+ Xabi Alonso was a miles, miles better player than Rakitić.

Like I said we either have to bench Rakitic or Busquets. Just dont think these 2 can co-exist side by side.

Busquets still provides alot of control and distribution in the centre park but in a 442, Busi is very limited and have to turn defensive which is not his forte at all. Rakitc on the other hand benefits from a double pivot, but in games where we need to stretch the opponents and switch to a 433 he can't deal with the pressure of bringing the ball forward, especially if it's possession football. Very very limited.

I think we should just try:

433 (My strongest 11)
Suarez-Messi-Dembele
Coutinho-Busi-Arthur
Alba-Umtiti-Lenglet-Semedo/Roberto

OR

Dembele-Suarez-Messi
Coutinho-Busi-Arthur

and if we see the game out more defensively:
433/442
Coutinho-(Kante?)-Rakitic-Dembele

4231 is a no-no. Messi cannot play CAM in big games and Dembele is not a wide midfielder.

I dont see Busquets getting dropped from the starting 11, and EV would be very hesitant to drop Rakitic. It would fail in big games tho and we dont have a wide midfielder for 442, especially with the Busi-Raki double pivot. Best option now is to stick with 433, accomodate with Busquets instead of Rakitic, benefits both Messi and Dembele.

Interesting to see how EV would utilise this bunch before he will be shown the exit for another CL failure.

BBZ style post, I know.

How is Busquets so important? He has been a HUGE liability in the CL especially. Slow, muscled of the ball easily. Doesn't cover enough ground. This is 2018 not 2011.

If Valverde wasn't such a wimp Pique, Busquets and Suarez would be riding the bench.

Barcilliant said:

How is Busquets so important? He has been a HUGE liability in the CL especially. Slow, muscled of the ball easily. Doesn't cover enough ground. This is 2018 not 2011.

If Valverde wasn't such a wimp Pique, Busquets and Suarez would be riding the bench.

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Are you serious?
Busquets is still the best midfield in his role.
Technically, tactically and mentally.
No doubt.

Giginho75 said:

Are you serious?
Busquets is still the best midfield in his role.
Technically, tactically and mentally.
No doubt.

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Totally agree .

I actually dread the day Busqs retires more than Messi ..

Zidane82 said:

Totally agree .

I actually dread the day Busqs retires more than Messi ..

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Busi was always an underrated player, but in the last couple of years he has become so overrated on this forum, its crazy. This hipster thinking that he is more important than Messi is idiotic. I agree that Busi is still the best DM in the world, but only in a system where he plays with technically great players like Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, etc. With the players Barca currently has he is a liability and not as important as he once was. He slows the play down to much, I would like to see a midfield trio of Roberto, Coutinho and one of Arthur/Raki/Vidal this season, none of them offers what Busi does but our transition would be much faster, and much more effective against defensive opposition.

Zidane82 said:

Totally agree .

I actually dread the day Busqs retires more than Messi ..

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Busquets is very replaceable. Guy looked like a worldbeater with Xavi but soon got exposed. Can't lead a midfield.

Busquets seems to be a polarizing figure, and I think each has valid points.

He is the most cerebral, disciplined and skilled CDM in the world. However he also is a little bit slow and lacks some aggression/physicality.

I think in he right grouping he can be part of the best midfield in the world, but in the wrong group he can contribute to our midfield being overrun/out-physicalled. I think that is why bringing on complimentary players is vital. Busquets, Rakitic and Coutinho only make a world class midfield if you add a 4th midfielder who is athletically imposing box to box type in the mix 4-4-2 OR you in a 4-3-3 where two of the forwards also work their butts off defensively (like Suarez and Neymar did in the most recent treble season).

This additional dynamic was not available to the team last year. Sergio Roberto in the midfield is not this player. Rafinha is not this player (though I think it would be wise to keep him--I like him a lot better than Denis or Gomes and he is more proven than Arthur).

I was excited about the discussion on moves for Kante, Pogba, Rabiot and Savic-Milinovic to compliment some lacking elements to our midfield options (people forget the trouble Pogba caused us in the CL final and you saw for France how disruptive he can be to opponents. However I am sure all proved too expensive/impossible (would like a run at Saul too but with 150 mil release clause just not plausible). And that is where plan B came in, exploring Pareja, NZonzi and then springing for Vidal. If Vidal is 90% of what he was he is definetly the best of this plan B group and a better all around player than Paulihno, the latter with a lot more flaws in composure on the ball, quick touches and passing/vision.

However the addition of Vidal (if a 4-5-2 is still used) AND Malcomb may be a great compliment to Busquets/Rakitic/Countinho core (if we use the 4-3-3 it will be clear Dembele or Malcomb would have to work their butts off defensively or the other guy gets the place). Vidal is a champions league elimination round signing pure and simple (OK maybe needed for the Classico and vs Atletico as well). I like it.

Barcilliant said:

How is Busquets so important? He has been a HUGE liability in the CL especially. Slow, muscled of the ball easily. Doesn't cover enough ground. This is 2018 not 2011.

If Valverde wasn't such a wimp Pique, Busquets and Suarez would be riding the bench.

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None of this is true. The team playing awful in certain games exposed busquets a bit more but it would have been the same if any midfielder was there including kante. Rarely see him getting bullied off the ball and he is quicker than people think. It's just his running style that makes him look slow. Wouldn't swap him for any defensive midfielder. I do worry about Suarez these days though. Hopefully valverde won't be afraid to start Malcolm ahead of Suarez if he deserves it or hopefully Suarez comes back looking fit and trim and his touch is where it was a few years ago

eaman said:

None of this is true. The team playing awful in certain games exposed busquets a bit more but it would have been the same if any midfielder was there including kante. Rarely see him getting bullied off the ball and he is quicker than people think. It's just his running style that makes him look slow. Wouldn't swap him for any defensive midfielder. I do worry about Suarez these days though. Hopefully valverde won't be afraid to start Malcolm ahead of Suarez if he deserves it or hopefully Suarez comes back looking fit and trim and his touch is where it was a few years ago

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I think Busi does lack mobility. I have no problem with him in possession, but if you compare his recovery runs with Casemiro and Kante it's not so good.

Busi is a limited DM. He is like a 9/10 in certain aspects of a DM but as bad as 4/10 in the remaining ones.

While you have other players like kante, casemiro who are 7/10 in most of the aspects and turn up with an overral of 7/10 as compared to busquets' 6.7/10.

Using bbz methods here

Andrew M said:

I think Busi does lack mobility. I have no problem with him in possession, but if you compare his recovery runs with Casemiro and Kante it's not so good.

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Casemeiro is not more mobile than busquets. Both are around the same level of mobility. It's all alot easier when your teammates are playing well around you in big champions league games like casemeiro had and in big la liga games like busquets had. It was really that one game away to Roma that screwed us and made people question busquets. Why not question casemeiro for the numerous games that real lost in the league

eaman said:

Casemeiro is not more mobile than busquets. Both are around the same level of mobility. It's all alot easier when your teammates are playing well around you in big champions league games like casemeiro had and in big la liga games like busquets had. It was really that one game away to Roma that screwed us and made people question busquets. Why not question casemeiro for the numerous games that real lost in the league

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C'mon, Casemiro is a better athlete and gets around the pitch better.