Adrien Rabiot

I was not against us signing him for a free provided that we did not miss out on FDJ (looks likely to not happen luckily), that the board would part ways with Rakitic (looks likely to happen) this upcoming summer, Busquets suddenly not backtracking and claiming that he has not 2 seasons left at the highest level but 5 (looks unlikely to happen), that Rabiot's sign-on fee and wage demands would not be too outrageous (whether the rumored numbers are outrageous or not can be open for a discussion) but seeing this farce unfold in the past few months, I am now completely indifferent about him arriving or not and more inclined to give Puig (genuine talent that I rate way above Aleñá) or go for another midfielder if needed.

Yet I am not going to backtrack and now claim that Rabiot is a bum like certain users here have claimed who I doubt have watched him too many times. The QSG fans here will obviously try to pretend that he is a bum, now that he looks likely to leave, but the QSG board is certainly not agreeing with them given how desperate they were to renew with him.

Anyway it has been quite on his front which leads me to believe that he is no longer a priority. Hard to know with this board though and this might change next month.

BBZ8800 said:

Rakitic will be sold this summer.
Busquets could be gone soon.
Denis, Rafinha, Munir, Paco, Samper.

Also, not too many people are mentioning that, but I guess that one out of Malcom/Coutinho will leave a team this summer.
Possibly both.

That's a lot of money and lot of wages.

In 2 years, the only "sure" midfielders here are De Jong and Arthur.
And we need 5-6 midfielders.

Rakitic will be gone, Busquets 33, Vidal 34.
No one knows how Alena or others will develop.

Even with De Jong, Arthur, Rabiot, Alena staying here in 2 years, we will still have 1-2 "free spots" in midfield.

Not to mention that he still offers a different profile to De Jong and Arthur who are quite similar.
And Alena is another Barca's DNA midfielder.
Not to mention Puig.

That is again quite a lot of physically lighter midfielders who will have problems with defending corners or crosses against Roma and similar teams.
I won't even mention a regular defending in some De Jong-Arthur-Alena/Puig trio against teams like Atletico, Liverpool and similar.
So, Rabiot still remains an interesting and a different option.

Click to expand...

How different of a profile is Rabiot from Arthur and De Jong? Genuine question.

I see what you mean. I think we will buy Vidal/Kante/Keita type of midfielders down the road.

Luftstalag14 said:

How different of a profile is Rabiot from Arthur and De Jong? Genuine question.

I see what you mean. I think we will buy Vidal/Kante/Keita type of midfielders down the road.

Click to expand...

Too similar when you think about it. Rabiot's height and past appearances as a DM might make you believe that he is some physical beast or a duracell rabbit on the pitch but that is actually not the case. He is a quite refined player with above average technique, great dribbling for his size and a great eye for a pass. He is a textbook CM IMO but for that we have Arthur and FDJ who can play that position. So I have a hard time understanding, when thinking about this possible transfer in detail, why he should be the target OVER every other option out there. The only factor that I can see, is him coming for "free" to make him "block" all other options out there.

I rather (100 times more) try to sign the replacement (long-term) of Vidal who might have this season left and the next one on the highest level before he declines at the elite level. Ndombélé fits the profile but that option is impossible with FDJ's arrival. It was always either one of them.

BBZ8800 said:

Rakitic will be sold this summer.
Busquets could be gone soon.
Denis, Rafinha, Munir, Paco, Samper.

Also, not too many people are mentioning that, but I guess that one out of Malcom/Coutinho will leave a team this summer.
Possibly both.

That's a lot of money and lot of wages.

In 2 years, the only "sure" midfielders here are De Jong and Arthur.
And we need 5-6 midfielders.

Click to expand...

all our players that will be 27 or younger by the end of 2019 or 1992 players and younger.

Coutinho (92)--------??--------Dembele (97)
-------Arthur (96)----------???
------------------De Jong (97)
??----Lenglet (95)-------Murillo (92)---Semedo (93)
------------------Ter Stegen (92)

subs:
Alena (98)
Malcom (97)
Sergi Roberto (92)
Umtiti??? (93)

we should be covered for the next 4 years with these players if we choose to keep them.

i hear your point about the midfield needing more reinforcements probably by 2020/21 summer but right now the striker and left back are more immediate priorities,

Leo_Messi said:

Too similar when you think about it. Rabiot's height and past appearances as a DM might make you believe that he is some physical beast or a duracell rabbit on the pitch but that is actually not the case. He is a quite refined player with above average technique, great dribbling for his size and a great eye for a pass. He is a textbook CM IMO but for that we have Arthur and FDJ who can play that position. So I have a hard time understanding, when thinking about this possible transfer in detail, why he should be the target OVER every other option out there. The only factor that I can see, is him coming for "free" to make him "block" all other options out there.

I rather (100 times more) try to sign the replacement (long-term) of Vidal who might have this season left and the next one on the highest level before he declines at the elite level. Ndombélé fits the profile but that option is impossible with FDJ's arrival. It was always either one of them.

Click to expand...

Yeah, my thought as well. Hopefully similar players like Ndombele will emerge next year or so for us to pursue.

correct me if im wrong but didn't Rabiot also say he doesn't like playing DM? i'd love to see an Arthur-Frankie midfield with a CDM Fernandinho type.

i also think we really lack energy in the middle (luckily we have some with Vidal) so Kante could also be an option but he doesn't bring the height we may lack. 1 things for sure though, Rabiot isn't needed if we only plan on selling Rakitic

Givenchy said:

correct me if im wrong but didn't Rabiot also say he doesn't like playing DM? i'd love to see an Arthur-Frankie midfield with a CDM Fernandinho type.

i also think we really lack energy in the middle (luckily we have some with Vidal) so Kante could also be an option but he doesn't bring the height we may lack. 1 things for sure though, Rabiot isn't needed if we only plan on selling Rakitic

Click to expand...

FDJ-Arthur-Coutinho or a B2B midfielder (say Pogba) or a prime Vidal. Sexy.

I don't believe that we will need a defensive minded midfielder if we get FDJ so that would rule out Kante as much as I like him as a player profile and player. FDJ and Arthur is more than enough to cover the DM and CM position. We need a Iniesta, Coutinho like player (offensively minded midfielder) to compliment those two (not yet lost all hope on Coutinho in that position, in particular with a new manager and those two guys playing behind him) or a B2B in the mould of prime Vidal or Pogba.

Actually Pogba would fit perfectly alongside FDJ and Arthur. Theoretically speaking, if we parted ways with Rakitic next summer (looks likely regardless) AND Busquets, we could mount an offensive on him but unlikely to occur however I could see it work very very well. Either that or find a clone of a prime Vidal.

Or go all in on Puig or Aleñá.

In any case a constellation of FDJ and Arthur offers ample of opportunities and is a DAMN good start in terms of constructing a midfield.

ebieymjunior said:

If we sell both Coutinho and Malcom we'd only have Messi, Suarez, Dembélé (3 forwards) left, which would be highly idiotic though

Click to expand...

Even in THIS moment, WITHOUT Coutinho and Malcom, we have 4 forwards:


Prince might stay.
Or we'll buy/loan someone similar.

Or if 1 out of Malcom/Coutinho will be sold, we would have:
1. Messi
2. Suarez
3. Dembele
4. possible Prince
5. one out of Coutinho/Malcom

So, far from only 3 forwards left.

Luftstalag14 said:

How different of a profile is Rabiot from Arthur and De Jong? Genuine question.

I see what you mean. I think we will buy Vidal/Kante/Keita type of midfielders down the road.

Click to expand...

If you are coming from the "idea" that we need to turn the page and go back to Pep's style, then we don't need Rabiot.
Then De Jong, Arthur, Alena, Puig is the way to go.

But since EV, the board and some fans don't think that we can play with exact copies player-by-player like in 2009, then Rabiot is a good addition.
Just look at the board's signings and EV's midfielders in the last few years:
1. Rakitic, more defensive minded midfielder than Pep's type of a midfielder
2. Gomes. Another midfielder who is physical on paper, and different than Pep's players. But he failed.
3. Arda, on paper, he looked like a hardworker in AM and like a thug. Far from Pep's style, right? But he failed.
4. Paulinho. Another physical midfielder, a different type than Pep's midfielders, right?
5. Vidal? Again, a warrior, awesome in defending, quite different to Pep's midfielders.

The only Barca's DNA midfielder signed in the last few years is Arthur.

So, if you look at a wider picture, the board and our coaches are not interested ONLY in Pep's type of midfielders, contrary to our forum who would like to field Coutinho/Alena/Puig-Arthur-De Jong in 2020, right?

In that sense, Rabiot is a different profile to Arthur, Puig, Alena, Coutinho.

Arthur 806 minutes, 7 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 cl
Rabiot 1064, 35 tackles, 10 tackles, 18 clearances
De Jong 1291, 24 tackles, 27 in, 24 cl
Coutinho 1113, 8 tackles, 7 in, 1 cl

Tackles:
30 minutes needed for 1 tackle, Rabiot
54 minutes needed for 1 tackle, De Jong
115 minutes Arthur
139 minutes Coutinho

Interceptions:
48 minutes needed for 1 interception, De Jong
106 minutes Rabiot
159 minutes Coutinho
269 minutes Arthur

Clearances:
54 minutes needed for 1 clearance, De Jong
59 minutes needed for 1 clearance, Rabiot
806 minutes Arthur
1113 minutes Coutinho

Or combined: Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances:
Rabiot stops an opponent's action each 16,8 minutes
De Jong stops an opponent's action each 17,2 minutes
Coutinho stops an opponent's action each 70 minutes
Arthur stops an opponent's action each 73 minutes

So, you see, this season, Rabiot is stopping the opponent's actions MORE OFTEN than even De Jong (who played as a CB in some matches, right?).

Vidal: 717 minutes, 27 tackles, 11 int, 6 clearances
Rakitic: 1552 minutes, 16 tac, 36 int, 14 clear
Busi: 1554 minutes, 47 tackles, 31 int, 7 clear

So, this season we have these midfielders:
Vidal, 16,3 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Busi, 18 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Rakitic, 25 minutes needed top stop 1 action
Arthur, 73 minutes needed to stop 1 action

And now, when we play with Busi-Raki-Vidal, we play with 3 defensive minded midfielders who are stopping 1 action in 16+18+25 minutes.
And we conceded 1 goal in 5 matches with that midfield trio.
Does that sound like a coincidence (a low number of conceded goals when these 3 guys play together)?

On the other hand, when Arthur plays, who needs 73 minutes to stop 1 action in defense, we are conceding around 1,50 goals as a team when he is on a field.
We are getting a better midfield and a nicer play for the eye, but obviously a weaker defense, both on an eye test, individual stats and a number of goals conceded as a team.

And now, even when "a lighter defender" Arthur plays, he is surrounded by 2 out of 3 (Busi, Raki, Vidal) to compensate for his lack of defending.
And now, guys on a forum would go even further: sell Raki and play with let's say: De Jong-Arthur-Alena/Coutinho.
A million dollar question is: who will defend in that trio, except De Jong who again isn't the most physical guy out there?

I can already see replies: but we will be so good in attack that the opponents won't be able to get the ball from us...
Lol. Is this a simplified version of a football for 13 year olds?

So, the problem is: we have 3 defensive midfielders currently in Busi, Raki, Vidal.
With them gone in a few years, our only defensive guy will be De Jong.
Imo, we will buy not only 1 Rakitic's type in a future, but probably 2 of them.
And then, look at the stats, Rabiot is stopping even more actions than De Jong.

In that sense, Rabiot is miles ahead of Arthur, Coutinho, Alena, Puig in terms of defending and stopping the opponent's attacks.

Not to mention things like defensive crosses, defensive corners and similar.
Where we conceded goals from headers and corners from Atletico, Juventus, Roma in the last 3 consecutive CL defeats.

Imagine De Jong-Arthur-Puig midfield.
How on Earth will you defend against Roma's or Juve's players who have 7-8 players in a team with 185-193cm?
Then we will again have Alba and Semedo marking their players with 193 cm because no one in a team can jump and defend corners.

Against Leganes and Girona at home, we can play with light players and without too much defending.
But against Atletico and in a CL, I just can't see how will Arthur-Alena/Puig duos will be able to concede less than 3-4 goals in every away CL match.

BBZ8800 said:

Even in THIS moment, WITHOUT Coutinho and Malcom, we have 4 forwards:

Prince might stay.
Or we'll buy/loan someone similar.

Or if 1 out of Malcom/Coutinho will be sold, we would have:
1. Messi
2. Suarez
3. Dembele
4. possible Prince
5. one out of Coutinho/Malcom

So, far from only 3 forwards left.



If you are coming from the "idea" that we need to turn the page and go back to Pep's style, then we don't need Rabiot.
Then De Jong, Arthur, Alena, Puig is the way to go.

But since EV, the board and some fans don't think that we can play with exact copies player-by-player like in 2009, then Rabiot is a good addition.
Just look at the board's signings and EV's midfielders in the last few years:
1. Rakitic, more defensive minded midfielder than Pep's type of a midfielder
2. Gomes. Another midfielder who is physical on paper, and different than Pep's players. But he failed.
3. Arda, on paper, he looked like a hardworker in AM and like a thug. Far from Pep's style, right? But he failed.
4. Paulinho. Another physical midfielder, a different type than Pep's midfielders, right?
5. Vidal? Again, a warrior, awesome in defending, quite different to Pep's midfielders.

The only Barca's DNA midfielder signed in the last few years is Arthur.

So, if you look at a wider picture, the board and our coaches are not interested ONLY in Pep's type of midfielders, contrary to our forum who would like to field Coutinho/Alena/Puig-Arthur-De Jong in 2020, right?

In that sense, Rabiot is a different profile to Arthur, Puig, Alena, Coutinho.

Arthur 806 minutes, 7 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 cl
Rabiot 1064, 35 tackles, 10 tackles, 18 clearances
De Jong 1291, 24 tackles, 27 in, 24 cl
Coutinho 1113, 8 tackles, 7 in, 1 cl

Tackles:
30 minutes needed for 1 tackle, Rabiot
54 minutes needed for 1 tackle, De Jong
115 minutes Arthur
139 minutes Coutinho

Interceptions:
48 minutes needed for 1 interception, De Jong
106 minutes Rabiot
159 minutes Coutinho
269 minutes Arthur

Clearances:
54 minutes needed for 1 clearance, De Jong
59 minutes needed for 1 clearance, Rabiot
806 minutes Arthur
1113 minutes Coutinho

Or combined: Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances:
Rabiot stops an opponent's action each 16,8 minutes
De Jong stops an opponent's action each 17,2 minutes
Coutinho stops an opponent's action each 70 minutes
Arthur stops an opponent's action each 73 minutes

So, you see, this season, Rabiot is stopping the opponent's actions MORE OFTEN than even De Jong (who played as a CB in some matches, right?).

Vidal: 717 minutes, 27 tackles, 11 int, 6 clearances
Rakitic: 1552 minutes, 16 tac, 36 int, 14 clear
Busi: 1554 minutes, 47 tackles, 31 int, 7 clear

So, this season we have these midfielders:
Vidal, 16,3 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Busi, 18 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Rakitic, 25 minutes needed top stop 1 action
Arthur, 73 minutes needed to stop 1 action

And now, when we play with Busi-Raki-Vidal, we play with 3 defensive minded midfielders who are stopping 1 action in 16+18+25 minutes.
And we conceded 1 goal in 5 matches with that midfield trio.
Does that sound like a coincidence (a low number of conceded goals when these 3 guys play together)?

On the other hand, when Arthur plays, who needs 73 minutes to stop 1 action in defense, we are conceding around 1,50 goals as a team when he is on a field.
We are getting a better midfield and a nicer play for the eye, but obviously a weaker defense, both on an eye test, individual stats and a number of goals conceded as a team.

And now, even when "a lighter defender" Arthur plays, he is surrounded by 2 out of 3 (Busi, Raki, Vidal) to compensate for his lack of defending.
And now, guys on a forum would go even further: sell Raki and play with let's say: De Jong-Arthur-Alena/Coutinho.
A million dollar question is: who will defend in that trio, except De Jong who again isn't the most physical guy out there?

I can only see replies: but we will be so good in attack that the opponents won't be able to get the ball from us...
Lol. Is this a simplified version of a football for 13 year olds?

So, the problem is: we have 3 defensive midfielders currently in Busi, Raki, Vidal.
With them gone in a few years, our only defensive guy will be De Jong.
Imo, we will buy not only 1 Rakitic's type in a future, but probably 2 of them.
And then, look at the stats, Rabiot is stopping even more actions than De Jong.

In that sense, Rabiot is miles ahead of Arthur, Coutinho, Alena, Puig in terms of defending and stopping the opponent's attacks.

Not to mention things like defensive crosses, defensive corners and similar.
Where we conceded goals from headers and corners from Atletico, Juventus, Roma in the last 3 consecutive CL defeats.

Imagine De Jong-Arthur-Puig midfield.
How on Earth will you defend against Roma's or Juve's players who have 7-8 players in a team with 185-193cm?
Then we will again have Alba and Semedo marking their players with 193 cm because no one in a team can jump and defend corners.

Against Leganes and Girona at home, we can play with light players and without too much defending.
But against Atletico and in a CL, I just can't see how will Arthur-Alena/Puig duos will be able to concede less than 3-4 goals in every away CL match.

Click to expand...

I appreciate you explaining it to me but if you like Rabiot primarily because of his seemingly more defensive-capable profile than the likes of Arthur (but not much more than De Jong though), and I agree absolutely that we will need to defend, then why not go for a full-fledged physical defensive midfielder? From what I have watched Rabiot last season he can play DM but he was not that great at it and he did better when he was playing CM.

BBZ8800 said:

Even in THIS moment, WITHOUT Coutinho and Malcom, we have 4 forwards:

Prince might stay.
Or we'll buy/loan someone similar.

Or if 1 out of Malcom/Coutinho will be sold, we would have:
1. Messi
2. Suarez
3. Dembele
4. possible Prince
5. one out of Coutinho/Malcom

So, far from only 3 forwards left.

Click to expand...

My point is, IF we sell BOTH of them, we'd need to buy anyway (incl. Prince, cause you know, he's on LOAN), which would be a waste. And you're kind of proving my point

I hope this turd keeps on hiding behind his mother's skirt and never comes close to Barcelona.

BBZ8800 said:

Even in THIS moment, WITHOUT Coutinho and Malcom, we have 4 forwards:

Prince might stay.
Or we'll buy/loan someone similar.

Or if 1 out of Malcom/Coutinho will be sold, we would have:
1. Messi
2. Suarez
3. Dembele
4. possible Prince
5. one out of Coutinho/Malcom

So, far from only 3 forwards left.



If you are coming from the "idea" that we need to turn the page and go back to Pep's style, then we don't need Rabiot.
Then De Jong, Arthur, Alena, Puig is the way to go.

But since EV, the board and some fans don't think that we can play with exact copies player-by-player like in 2009, then Rabiot is a good addition.
Just look at the board's signings and EV's midfielders in the last few years:
1. Rakitic, more defensive minded midfielder than Pep's type of a midfielder
2. Gomes. Another midfielder who is physical on paper, and different than Pep's players. But he failed.
3. Arda, on paper, he looked like a hardworker in AM and like a thug. Far from Pep's style, right? But he failed.
4. Paulinho. Another physical midfielder, a different type than Pep's midfielders, right?
5. Vidal? Again, a warrior, awesome in defending, quite different to Pep's midfielders.

The only Barca's DNA midfielder signed in the last few years is Arthur.

So, if you look at a wider picture, the board and our coaches are not interested ONLY in Pep's type of midfielders, contrary to our forum who would like to field Coutinho/Alena/Puig-Arthur-De Jong in 2020, right?

In that sense, Rabiot is a different profile to Arthur, Puig, Alena, Coutinho.

Arthur 806 minutes, 7 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 cl
Rabiot 1064, 35 tackles, 10 tackles, 18 clearances
De Jong 1291, 24 tackles, 27 in, 24 cl
Coutinho 1113, 8 tackles, 7 in, 1 cl

Tackles:
30 minutes needed for 1 tackle, Rabiot
54 minutes needed for 1 tackle, De Jong
115 minutes Arthur
139 minutes Coutinho

Interceptions:
48 minutes needed for 1 interception, De Jong
106 minutes Rabiot
159 minutes Coutinho
269 minutes Arthur

Clearances:
54 minutes needed for 1 clearance, De Jong
59 minutes needed for 1 clearance, Rabiot
806 minutes Arthur
1113 minutes Coutinho

Or combined: Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances:
Rabiot stops an opponent's action each 16,8 minutes
De Jong stops an opponent's action each 17,2 minutes
Coutinho stops an opponent's action each 70 minutes
Arthur stops an opponent's action each 73 minutes

So, you see, this season, Rabiot is stopping the opponent's actions MORE OFTEN than even De Jong (who played as a CB in some matches, right?).

Vidal: 717 minutes, 27 tackles, 11 int, 6 clearances
Rakitic: 1552 minutes, 16 tac, 36 int, 14 clear
Busi: 1554 minutes, 47 tackles, 31 int, 7 clear

So, this season we have these midfielders:
Vidal, 16,3 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Busi, 18 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Rakitic, 25 minutes needed top stop 1 action
Arthur, 73 minutes needed to stop 1 action

And now, when we play with Busi-Raki-Vidal, we play with 3 defensive minded midfielders who are stopping 1 action in 16+18+25 minutes.
And we conceded 1 goal in 5 matches with that midfield trio.
Does that sound like a coincidence (a low number of conceded goals when these 3 guys play together)?

On the other hand, when Arthur plays, who needs 73 minutes to stop 1 action in defense, we are conceding around 1,50 goals as a team when he is on a field.
We are getting a better midfield and a nicer play for the eye, but obviously a weaker defense, both on an eye test, individual stats and a number of goals conceded as a team.

And now, even when "a lighter defender" Arthur plays, he is surrounded by 2 out of 3 (Busi, Raki, Vidal) to compensate for his lack of defending.
And now, guys on a forum would go even further: sell Raki and play with let's say: De Jong-Arthur-Alena/Coutinho.
A million dollar question is: who will defend in that trio, except De Jong who again isn't the most physical guy out there?

I can only see replies: but we will be so good in attack that the opponents won't be able to get the ball from us...
Lol. Is this a simplified version of a football for 13 year olds?

So, the problem is: we have 3 defensive midfielders currently in Busi, Raki, Vidal.
With them gone in a few years, our only defensive guy will be De Jong.
Imo, we will buy not only 1 Rakitic's type in a future, but probably 2 of them.
And then, look at the stats, Rabiot is stopping even more actions than De Jong.

In that sense, Rabiot is miles ahead of Arthur, Coutinho, Alena, Puig in terms of defending and stopping the opponent's attacks.

Not to mention things like defensive crosses, defensive corners and similar.
Where we conceded goals from headers and corners from Atletico, Juventus, Roma in the last 3 consecutive CL defeats.

Imagine De Jong-Arthur-Puig midfield.
How on Earth will you defend against Roma's or Juve's players who have 7-8 players in a team with 185-193cm?
Then we will again have Alba and Semedo marking their players with 193 cm because no one in a team can jump and defend corners.

Against Leganes and Girona at home, we can play with light players and without too much defending.
But against Atletico and in a CL, I just can't see how will Arthur-Alena/Puig duos will be able to concede less than 3-4 goals in every away CL match.

Click to expand...

With all due respect, many of your posts here contain a lot of fallacies, outright nonsense and absurd claims just to somehow be a contrarian against the invisible "tiki taka purists" who are nowhere to be seen on this forum. Nothing personal here as not all your posts are like that and I enjoy reading some of your posts so don't take it personally.

Can you tell me how RM managed to dominate your beloved CL with a midfield trio consisting of a 1.85 meter tall Casemiro as their only DM, a slow and physically weak Kroos and a tiny and slow Modric? Or how we managed to dominate world football with a slow but tall and thin Busquets and small midgets in Xavi and Iniesta who were neither strong nor fast? Your outlook of football is too simplistic and primitive and it shows repeatedly in your views here. A midfield, while being incredibly important, is just 1 part of a team's skeleton. If you have the right skeleton and fundament, even on paper, a physically "weak" midfield, is no stopping block from achieving success and the two most succesfull club teams in this century (us and RM) have proven that time and time again. As well as the Spanish national team and France with their Kante, Matuidi and Pogba midfield.

FDJ-Arthur (two more defensively orientated midfielders) and a 3 midfielder (say a physically strong B2B like Pogba or a prime Vidal) is a perfect midfield on paper that has everything. FDJ-Arthur and Aleñá/Puig can easily work in many matches. Not sure what your simplistic examples of possible encounters against Atlético and Juve in the CL have anything to do with anything as it would be logical for any sane person not to use such a midfield away from home for instance. Similar to how Pep often used Keita in away games in CL alongside Busquets and Xavi or Iniesta. FFS.

As for Rabiot, I was one of the few ones, alongside you and a select few others here, who could see Rabiot working. However when you think about it (you want the club to buy him for him to add some physicality) he is not the right solution for this as he is not a duracell rabbit on a pitch nor particularly physically strong nor does he want to play as a DM. So the question now is, is he worth "blocking" everyone else for him to arrive or are there better, more dynamic and physically stronger options out there? I am inclined to believe that after rethinking this entire possible transfer now that FDJ looks certain to arrive.

BBZ8800 said:

Even in THIS moment, WITHOUT Coutinho and Malcom, we have 4 forwards:

Prince might stay.
Or we'll buy/loan someone similar.

Or if 1 out of Malcom/Coutinho will be sold, we would have:
1. Messi
2. Suarez
3. Dembele
4. possible Prince
5. one out of Coutinho/Malcom

So, far from only 3 forwards left.



If you are coming from the "idea" that we need to turn the page and go back to Pep's style, then we don't need Rabiot.
Then De Jong, Arthur, Alena, Puig is the way to go.

But since EV, the board and some fans don't think that we can play with exact copies player-by-player like in 2009, then Rabiot is a good addition.
Just look at the board's signings and EV's midfielders in the last few years:
1. Rakitic, more defensive minded midfielder than Pep's type of a midfielder
2. Gomes. Another midfielder who is physical on paper, and different than Pep's players. But he failed.
3. Arda, on paper, he looked like a hardworker in AM and like a thug. Far from Pep's style, right? But he failed.
4. Paulinho. Another physical midfielder, a different type than Pep's midfielders, right?
5. Vidal? Again, a warrior, awesome in defending, quite different to Pep's midfielders.

The only Barca's DNA midfielder signed in the last few years is Arthur.

So, if you look at a wider picture, the board and our coaches are not interested ONLY in Pep's type of midfielders, contrary to our forum who would like to field Coutinho/Alena/Puig-Arthur-De Jong in 2020, right?

In that sense, Rabiot is a different profile to Arthur, Puig, Alena, Coutinho.

Arthur 806 minutes, 7 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 cl
Rabiot 1064, 35 tackles, 10 tackles, 18 clearances
De Jong 1291, 24 tackles, 27 in, 24 cl
Coutinho 1113, 8 tackles, 7 in, 1 cl

Tackles:
30 minutes needed for 1 tackle, Rabiot
54 minutes needed for 1 tackle, De Jong
115 minutes Arthur
139 minutes Coutinho

Interceptions:
48 minutes needed for 1 interception, De Jong
106 minutes Rabiot
159 minutes Coutinho
269 minutes Arthur

Clearances:
54 minutes needed for 1 clearance, De Jong
59 minutes needed for 1 clearance, Rabiot
806 minutes Arthur
1113 minutes Coutinho

Or combined: Tackles/Interceptions/Clearances:
Rabiot stops an opponent's action each 16,8 minutes
De Jong stops an opponent's action each 17,2 minutes
Coutinho stops an opponent's action each 70 minutes
Arthur stops an opponent's action each 73 minutes

So, you see, this season, Rabiot is stopping the opponent's actions MORE OFTEN than even De Jong (who played as a CB in some matches, right?).

Vidal: 717 minutes, 27 tackles, 11 int, 6 clearances
Rakitic: 1552 minutes, 16 tac, 36 int, 14 clear
Busi: 1554 minutes, 47 tackles, 31 int, 7 clear

So, this season we have these midfielders:
Vidal, 16,3 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Busi, 18 minutes needed to stop 1 action
Rakitic, 25 minutes needed top stop 1 action
Arthur, 73 minutes needed to stop 1 action

And now, when we play with Busi-Raki-Vidal, we play with 3 defensive minded midfielders who are stopping 1 action in 16+18+25 minutes.
And we conceded 1 goal in 5 matches with that midfield trio.
Does that sound like a coincidence (a low number of conceded goals when these 3 guys play together)?

On the other hand, when Arthur plays, who needs 73 minutes to stop 1 action in defense, we are conceding around 1,50 goals as a team when he is on a field.
We are getting a better midfield and a nicer play for the eye, but obviously a weaker defense, both on an eye test, individual stats and a number of goals conceded as a team.

And now, even when "a lighter defender" Arthur plays, he is surrounded by 2 out of 3 (Busi, Raki, Vidal) to compensate for his lack of defending.
And now, guys on a forum would go even further: sell Raki and play with let's say: De Jong-Arthur-Alena/Coutinho.
A million dollar question is: who will defend in that trio, except De Jong who again isn't the most physical guy out there?

I can already see replies: but we will be so good in attack that the opponents won't be able to get the ball from us...
Lol. Is this a simplified version of a football for 13 year olds?

So, the problem is: we have 3 defensive midfielders currently in Busi, Raki, Vidal.
With them gone in a few years, our only defensive guy will be De Jong.
Imo, we will buy not only 1 Rakitic's type in a future, but probably 2 of them.
And then, look at the stats, Rabiot is stopping even more actions than De Jong.

In that sense, Rabiot is miles ahead of Arthur, Coutinho, Alena, Puig in terms of defending and stopping the opponent's attacks.

Not to mention things like defensive crosses, defensive corners and similar.
Where we conceded goals from headers and corners from Atletico, Juventus, Roma in the last 3 consecutive CL defeats.

Imagine De Jong-Arthur-Puig midfield.
How on Earth will you defend against Roma's or Juve's players who have 7-8 players in a team with 185-193cm?
Then we will again have Alba and Semedo marking their players with 193 cm because no one in a team can jump and defend corners.

Against Leganes and Girona at home, we can play with light players and without too much defending.
But against Atletico and in a CL, I just can't see how will Arthur-Alena/Puig duos will be able to concede less than 3-4 goals in every away CL match.

Click to expand...

LMAO.

Nothing against you BBZ, but dude asked you what profile, what kind of player Rabiot is and you wrote a book based on tackles, interceptions and clearances statistics.
Mate sorry for being harsh but it's pathetic.

It seems pretty clear that you don't watch Rabiot's games, you just watch his whoscored page. And that's a player you like, you actually like players that you don't watch simply based on their stats. I mean what's your favorite part about football ?

That's genuine questions don't get me wrong.

BBZ doesn't watch football, he simulates it in his brain computer

I would give Oriol Busquets and Puig their chances rather than signing Rabiot. We can then go for a player who can offer physique and height if needed later. Those type of players are not difficult to find.