Player of the season (Excluding Messi)?

[oggmar]

busquets above masch? please. masch has turned into one of the best CBs in the world this season. i know everyone here develops palpitations thinking about busquets for some odd reason, but please try to be objective.

And Busquets has been one of the best midfielders this season, whats your problem?(Sorry for double btw).

 

[Aryagorn]

Busquets is like Messi in a way.. It's not fair for other footballers to have to compete with them. So I voted Masch

 

[Pepe Silvia]

busquets above masch? please. masch has turned into one of the best CBs in the world this season. i know everyone here develops palpitations thinking about busquets for some odd reason, but please try to be objective.

Just because people may not agree with your opinion, doesn't mean they aren't being objective. I voted Busquets because he was responsible for so much this season, as was Mascherano in his first season as CB, and hardly faltered. Busquets was unquestionable in his ability to hunt down attackers and keep them away from our defense (all while keeping our midfield shape) when Xaviesta, Cesc and others hit rough patches due to injuries/formations etc. He picked up a lot of slack that was left behind by others. Mascherano did the same thing, and I almost voted for him as well, and it was only splitting hairs that had me choosing Busquets over him. It's not such a far-fetched idea that Busi would win this poll like you're making it seem.

 

[woobie]

I voted for Biscuits because I think he was phenomenal this year.

(And this may be a broken record thing and may annoy some folks but I still have a hard time agreeing that mascherano is anything more than a decent centerback.)

 

[UberNjufer]

busquets for me no doubt,no diving this year either which is great

 

[xaviniesta]

no dissing monster masch, you are amazing, but:

 

[Pepe Silvia]

I voted for Biscuits because I think he was phenomenal this year.

(And this may be a broken record thing and may annoy some folks but I still have a hard time agreeing that mascherano is anything more than a decent centerback.)

I think it was a mix of his discovered versatility and heroics at stepping up in such a demanding position at our club and doing very well (freakishly well in spells). So yes, he did have some "wtf was that" moments, but he's not a CB so that was expected. The logic is, if he did this well in his first season at such a demanding position, how might he perform with a full off season and season under his belt at CB? Along with all that, it's his footballing intelligence, capacity, and positive attitude that keep him learning and have most people salivating at the fact that he can only improve. And improve he will. He embodies what it means to be an FCB Player.

 

[woobie]

Pepe, not getting your logic on even considering Mascherano a long term option in the center of defense. Maybe I'm just being dumb about it but while the emergency measures worked, it doesn't mean to me they should be continued. (fwiw I use the same argument with friends who are Athletic fans about Javi Martinez as a cb). Also don't agree about Mascherano being the embodiment of an FCB player (that to me would be alternately Xavi or Puyol), but I am remembering the whole West Ham debacle and the way Mascherano left Liverpool. Not especially classy in either instance IMO. So yeah, don't count me a fan.

(+1 cookie for xaviniesta for finding a good Biscuits photo that also includes parts of both Javi Martinez and Fernando Amorebieta.)

 

[Hellsangel]

Macherano!! Brings a smile to my face everytime I watch him play? Not many players do that for me

 

[ivan22]

It was a tough choice between mascherano and bisquits. they deserve it both. mascherano was really outstanding this season. he was rocksolid for the whole season, nothing to complain.but busquets is just one level above him, he has something magical, something you dont expect...I can't really tell you what it is. busquets always comes up with something new, like a "WOW"-effect. maybe it has to do with the positions they're playing. I really dont know...

 

[el tren]

Masch was overall nice, but made his key mistakes in key matches. Busi on the other hand is the archetype of a holding midfielder, that is actually much more than just this with his anticipation to switch between roles and positions. And he was a very consistant performer.

 

[Durden]

Iniesta
Masch
Busi

 

[Pepe Silvia]

To each his own woobie. I really don't recall the way he left either previous club but the way he rode it out on the bench, keeping a tight lip in the press while hardly getting any start time to me showed the proper sacrifice and paying dues needed to integrate at Barça. But yeah, Masch and Busi were both stellar imho this season.

 

[Meitux]

mascherano for the most games played very well but in chelsea real madrid games we saw that he isnt great in positioning and that could be vital and costly at the same time. but of course that's not his main position so we cant blame him too much

 

[hellsangel1]

Busquets. It's incredible the way he controls the game. People that know the game appreciate the things that he does for Barca.