Ivan Rakitić

[MessiCam]

I fail to see why Roberto is not starting ahead of him. He is just as good a passer and works harder...

 

[BBZ8800]

Yeah great assist but for the most part he was poor this match.

In games like this where it can make and break your hopes in getting into the WC etc, he should be doing much more than he has shown. He should be there helping Modric in stamping out authority and making your presence known and instead of hiding and playing it safe mentality.

It just gets on my nerves that he's like this, hes playing like a guy that simply does not want any responsibility and would rather play the game at his own pace. He's a limited player that's true but it doesn't fully excuse his showings.

It's like Donak said it just reeks of arrogance. and it will be like this since Valverde will playing him in most games.

He was a different player in the past.
He was never the next Xavi, but he was way better than the current Rakitic.

In Schalke and Sevilla he was very good. In a Croatian NT team, he was always very good.
Lately, his body turned a back on him and he looks like a 40 years old. He can't run, he can pressure the opponents, he isn't tackling as hard as in the past.
But also, it also seems as if his motivation is totally gone.
He is not interested in forward passes and attacking at all.
Plus, imo, I have a feeling that he turned into a slightly more arrogant player and that fame took it's toll.
He just acts differently than how he acted 5 or 10 years ago. He has some sort of that vibe: fuck off guys, I don't need to run anymore. Do you know who I am? I am playing for Barca.

Anyway, for people to see how he was a different player, this is from December of 2013, Barca vs Sevilla:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izlbMh92P9Q

He was somewhat faster.
He was better in duels, he was better in tackles.
Majority of his passes were forward passes. He played risky.

Some will say: maybe he is instructed to play safe at Barca.
But then, he plays "safe" and like a crap for a Croatian NT team also, so something happened with him. It is not just Barca's instructions.

He is way weaker both on a physical and mental level than a few years ago.

 

[Kragod]

Anyway, for people to see how he was a different player, this is from December of 2013, Barca vs Sevilla:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izlbMh92P9Q

He was somewhat faster.
He was better in duels, he was better in tackles.
Majority of his passes were forward passes. He played risky.
.

All im seeing in this video is the legend Xavi playing in Barcelona and Pique making a fool of himself in the 79th minute. Not to mention the abysmal defending from the equalizer.

 

[Aryagorn]

Utd want Rakitic-Martial swap...... Stupid rumor yeah. But God I hope it's true

 

[Neymessi]

^That would be perfect.

 

[FCBfan22]

Utd want Rakitic-Martial swap...... Stupid rumor yeah. But God I hope it's true

Dear board,

[youtube]ZXsQAXx_ao0[/youtube]

 

[draconifire]

Utd want Rakitic-Martial swap...... Stupid rumor yeah. But God I hope it's true

I don't know, martial comes off to me a lazy player, doesn't work hard. Would be a problem for us if he comes.

 

[DonAK]

Bench please.

Please bench him.

 

[Albo]

Douglas was better than current Rakitic.

 

[messi2140]

Solid game so far.

25 backpasses
3 failed forward passes
1 yellow card
2 amazing tackles on Griezamann

 

[fergus90]

Every manager has a player whom he plays every game, despite the fact 99.9% of the world can see he's doing fuck all. Unfortuntately its Rakitic in this case.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Terrible game. This guy is useless building up the play. We need more creativity.. Iniesta is doing everything he got, but no help for him from Raki.

 

[CatalinR10]

we've come at the point where gomes is more of an offensive threat than rakitic

 

[KingLeo10]

king rakitic. lord of the seven ways of safe passing, protector of the useless possession stat, first of the frauds.

 

[NorthernVictory]

Sad excuse for a player at the moment.