Ivan Rakitić

[xXKonan]

Says we got offers from PSG and Monaco for Rakitic, but the relationship between club and player is solid so no chance he's leaving. I could understand PSG but Monaco? doesn't really seem like a player they would target unless they are in desperate need of a Veteran in the middle of the park.

 

[George_Costanza]

If they pay well then

 

[BBZ8800]

We need a creative midfield to break a parked bus.

Or we need to move away from a slow transition and slow backpass build up play and then we won't face parked buses that often.

But for that to happen, some core players should speed up their game and some newly bought midfielders shouldn't play as if they just came back from 2010' with a timemachine.

... or you can play against parked buses and try lots of things which again won't work because we can't even cross into the box against parked buses.

So:
1. Our tactics are forcing teams to park a bus
2. and when the opponent parks the bus, we can't break it due to (short players in attack and some technically meh players in midfield) profile of our players.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Or we need to move away from a slow transition and slow backpass build up play and then we won't face parked buses that often.

But for that to happen, some core players should speed up their game and some newly bought midfielders shouldn't play as if they just came back from 2010' with a timemachine.

... or you can play against parked buses and try lots of things which again won't work because we can't even cross into the box against parked buses.

So:
1. Our tactics are forcing teams to park a bus
2. and when the opponent parks the bus, we can't break it due to (short players in attack and some technically meh players in midfield) profile of our players.

Barca is fine against parked buses. They have lost very few matches vs parked buses for a few years now and last years league was comfortable enough.

The matches that have cost Barca have largely been against very motivated, aggressive and pressing teams that jumped on mistakes during a segment of the game (away legs vs Roma, Juve, PSG; thinking of a couple times Athletic or Celta bombed us in league or the Spanish supercup a couple years ago).

Barca has largely been outstanding the last few years except for small portions of games that ended up costing big--particularly CL--but La Liga was lost the year before last with other blown leads.

More defensive, fatigue and mental gaps during some really important mid/late season game stretches that poor tactics.

 

[Mario_Croatia]

125 million? If it is true, I would sign it with both hands.

 

[DonAK]

Rakitic & Busquets last season . Back pass maestro . 442 is not just down to Dembele being injured . Busquets at this age cannot thrive in 433 unless we get someone who can run his soaks off for 90 minutes . Rakitic is replaceable but make sure ,you do that with someone who is capable of doing what he did last season

pic

If you put the metrics to per 90 minutes it suddenly gets a lot closer which kinda looks bad on Rakitic.

You know why? Because he's supposed to be a key CM while Busquets is a CDM and always been that.

That is hardly spectacular, at all actually.

 

[Tekkers]

What elite midfields did Rakitic come up against in the WC? In the UCL he always comes up missing when the team needs the midfield to assert itself on the game.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

What elite midfields did Rakitic come up against in the WC? In the UCL he always comes up missing when the team needs the midfield to assert itself on the game.

Anyteam that qualify for world cup are elite and had to work their ass off to even qualify . Russia knocked out Spain , that had Busquets ,koke and Isco in midifield . So you are not the one who decides which team is elite and which team isn't . In Ucl it was never his job to create . He was given a specific role which is to cover for players who are slow . If you believe Rakitic is the one player that is putting a lid on Barca's UCL chances then you must be watching a different game all together

If you put the metrics to per 90 minutes it suddenly gets a lot closer which kinda looks bad on Rakitic.

You know why? Because he's supposed to be a key CM while Busquets is a CDM and always been that.

That is hardly spectacular, at all actually.

Not even close . And Rakitic is not a Cm in 442

It was Rakitic who was baby sitting Busi because of his lack of mobility . That's why Rakitic has better defensive score . I am not even talking about attacking aspects ,which Rakitic dominates in every area . Haven't mentioned Ariel duels were Rakitic is way ahead . Rakitic was Barca's third best player in La liga last season , after Messi and mats

 

[DonAK]

Not even close . And Rakitic is not a Cm in 442 [ img]https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/38775119_2010458748985791_3567815614661656576_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=d0f2c740177550e2adeb1f9b60e0c50e&oe=5C0F7A77[/img]

Then he offers little value to the team. Vidal would already be an upgrade then. Does the same things, but is more dynamic as a B2B Midfield, a lot more mobile and a quicker.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

Then he offers little value to the team. Vidal would already be an upgrade then. Does the same things, but is more dynamic as a B2B Midfield, a lot more mobile and a quicker.

From the above mentioned stats , it's evident that one who offers less in attack and defense is Busquets . Both plays as double pivot in 442 . If there is someone who should be benched it's Busi not Rakitic .

 

[DonAK]

From the above mentioned stats , it's evident that one who offers less in attack and defense is Busquets . Both plays as double pivot in 442 . If there is someone who should be benched it's Busi not Rakitic .

Busquets is a CDM, Rakitic is not. He's supposed to add way more in the build up phase and in creation than he should. So no, I would not bench Busquets, I would rather bench Rakitic for Vidal if we're to play a 4-4-2. You keep the true CDM in the team and add a more dynamic player who can play the same role as Rakitic, but is way more aggressive, willing to make a pass or cross and is more mobile and faster to keep up with the high tempo in key fixtures.

I know you love Rakitic and will defend him till death, but if he's going to play as a DM there's little point to start him, especially over Busquets.

 

[Barcaman]

If you put the metrics to per 90 minutes it suddenly gets a lot closer which kinda looks bad on Rakitic.

You know why? Because he's supposed to be a key CM while Busquets is a CDM and always been that.

That is hardly spectacular, at all actually.

You either dont know what youre talking about or you are doing it to strictly shit on Rakitic for no reason.
He was basically second DM last season and more than few times even playing instead of Busquets as well. That and he probably covered most ground than most if not all our players. So, essentially his role here is waterboy and he adapted to that eventhough he was never about that and never complained.

 

[BBZ8800]

We need to accept a few things:
Busquets:
-- good in taking the ball out from our box into the opponent's half. When he is not there, we often suck in that area.
On the other hand, against counters and big teams, he is lately horrible in defending due to his pace
Rakitic:
-- not that good in getting the ball out from our box to an opponent's half
-- but he covers way more ground and imo defends better than Busi (don't look only at tackles in stats). Raki makes a team "cohesive"

In the near future, I would rather bench Busi that Rakitic.
Rakitic could be a Cdm, helped by Arthur, who could get the ball out of our half.
Or, Arthur could be a Cdm, helped with Rakitic as a Cm.

When people say that we can't replace Busi, that is only in a part with getting the ball from our box into an opponent's box under a pressure.
That could be solved either by Arthur, by counters, fullbacks, wingers who can run etc.

But, if you want a slow TikiTaka buildup with 100 passes from our box to the opponent's box, then Busi is irreplaceable.

I think that when Busi will be gone, it will be exactly the same as with Iniesta in the last 2-3 years:
A team will be equally as good/bad with or without them.

Raki has his pros and cons.
Busi has his pros and cons.
Arthur has his pros and cons.

The only thing that is sure, those 3 are all too slow to play together against big boys.

What elite midfields did Rakitic come up against in the WC? In the UCL he always comes up missing when the team needs the midfield to assert itself on the game.

You mean, Rakitic goes missing surrounded with turtleslow-pasthisprime Iniesta, Busi, Luis, Messi and similar?
Raki goes missing the same as the hole team against any bigger team.

He wasn't any worse than the best player in the world, more or less.
Raki went MIA is less matches than Messi.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

Busquets is a CDM, Rakitic is not. He's supposed to add way more in the build up phase and in creation than he should. So no, I would not bench Busquets, I would rather bench Rakitic for Vidal if we're to play a 4-4-2. You keep the true CDM in the team and add a more dynamic player who can play the same role as Rakitic, but is way more aggressive, willing to make a pass or cross and is more mobile and faster to keep up with the high tempo in key fixtures.

I know you love Rakitic and will defend him till death, but if he's going to play as a DM there's little point to start him, especially over Busquets.

Both played similar role in a double pivot last season . It's not as if Rakitic played advance role . It clearly wasn't . especially in 442 , a formation in which we played 90% of the season . Rakitic had way better attacking & defensive contribution even by taking per 90 minutes metrix. I don't know why you are moving the goal post from one point to another so that Busquets gets the advantage over Rakitic. Yeah you are right Rakitic isn't a natural Dm, yet he outperformed natural Cdm ( Busi ) in each and every aspects last season ,be it in attack or defense .

Busquets was so poor that he couldn't notch up better numbers compared to a make shift DM . No Xavi no party eh ? I get that he is a La masia boy , Barca legend and a Pep favorite . So you will defend him like there is no other Dm to replace him . I do love him for what he has done for Barca, but you know it's time to move on .

Rakitic isn't irreplaceable either . There are players who can be an upgrade to him ,be it Pogba , Kante or Pjanic . I don't mind swapping Raki for Pogba . No player is bigger than the club . . I stand for the club and it's goodwill .

 

[Barcaman]

I am not even fan of Rakitic but fact is he sacrificed himself and is doing the dirty work. Reckon Vidal can play his role and if he does well - great.
But whatever happens we most probably will go on with 2 defensive midfielders as Messi will be Messi and Suarez lost much of his pressing. If we'll play with Dembele, it'll be even more challenging to maintain good defensive shape.