14 - Marcus Rashford

kilian said:
It was a shit decision by Flick not to start him today. He's not perfect and has his brainfart moments, but a much better winger than Fermin, let alone Bardghji.
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Should Rashford under normal conditions start on LW or even RW? Yes, he should. Flick knows that too.

Flick also knows that he needs the money for other positions to strenghten though. And that's why he is giving Fermin game time on that left wing. He is thinking mid-term, not short-term. When everybody is healthy Fermin will find it hard to play the big games.

Now is not only the time to win the championship. It is also the time to test things for Flick due to the comfortable situation in the table.
 
So Flick knows Rashford is better but he decided to play worse players and experiment in the 1/4 finals of CL? Sure, seems belivable. Amazing how many people here are searching for excuses for this lazy bum.
 
Barcaman said:
I do rate Rashford but have to notice he had acres of space to make that cross.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2050857990236909660
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JamDav1982 said:
Thats was a top class ball with no back lift and he recognised the run Lewa was making off the defender.

Compare it to many others from Barca when get more time to cross..
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+ from my pov it looks just as much as Rashford gesturing with his left hand to Lewa to make a run into space. Overall a very impressive assist, he had the composure to wait a bit for the moment to arrive and executed it perfectly.
 
Rashford and Yamal are the best crossers of the ball from those wider areas Barca have.

If Rashford leaves and no 9 with physical presence/height it decreases that type of goal.

Barca have scored a lot of goals from crosses under Flick.
 
I wouldn't put it past Barcelona to try and offload Raphinha for a big sum since he is nearly 30. But it is very risky to do that. I think if this summer it doesn't happen, next summer we will be tempted even more.

The problem is Flick (or the blessing is the better term). He is not having it imo. Imagine his pressing system without Raphinha in big games. Would be just like the disaster on Camp Nou vs Atletico.

The problem with offloading Raphinha is you have no guarantees that you can bring Alvarez. So you could end up without Raphinha, and with no Alvarez. And then we're in deep shite.

We simply have to resist this urge to try and cash in. We are dealing with enough squad problems to fix, let's not create a bigger one by being stupid. The window is not going to close for a good transfer of Raphinha in Arabia. At 33-34 is gonna still be very competitive.

We can't sign top players, we move on just like we did until now. With Ferran, with Raph, Yamal, etc. Meaning with the 3 time Spanish champions in the last 4 seasons.
 
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Too much is made of Raphinhas pressing and what brings defensively.

He is over presses a lot and leaves gaps also.

The game CL at Camp Nou turned on the red card more than anything.

The game away to Atletico in cup was worse and that was more because neither Fermin stayed on left at all and they attacked Balde at will... among other things.
 
Why do you think Flick put Fermin off position and benched Rashford in the AM decider in CL? Weak, inconsistent defensive contribution by Rashford allowing AM time on the ball. The more time on the ball you have, the more you can expose a defense like Barca's.
 
Barca last season conceded 6 goals in 2 home games vs Atleti with him and Raphinha goals/assists contribution vs them was last season was lower than Ferrans.

The big players make a difference and more chance going through but too much is made as if he would have shored up the defending in those games also.

Newcastle the round before could easily have scored 4 or 5 across the two legs with worse attackers also.

Flicks system concedes a ton of chances with and without Raphinha is the reality. With and without any of them really.
 
I'm talking about big games in CL. The relevant number is Raphinha creates an average of 3 goals per CL tie played since he signed. He creates more goals than the entire team scored vs AM over 180+ minutes.

He is one of the biggest difference makers in CL, one of the most clutch players in the world.

We just won both Osasuna and Getafe away, relatively easy, without both Raphinha and Yamal. But in CL, it's a different story. The problem is not in the league, but in Europe, in big pressure games vs stronger sides.
 
As said Atleti scored 6 in 2 home games last season with Raphinha and that is relevant to team played.

CL big ties?

Newcastle could easily have scored 4 or 5.
Inter scored 7.
Dortmund scored 4.

Thats not to say it is Raphinhas fault but he isnt making some huge difference defensively when there in these biggest ties to goals conceded.

It is very difficult for any player to do that and Raphinha is given a ton of freedom as he is not a great dribbler and is more or less a second striker a lot of the time.

That also leaves gaps but the pay off for Flick is the production.
 
JamDav1982 said:
Flicks system concedes a ton of chances with and without Raphinha is the reality. With and without any of them really.
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True to some extent. We concede many chances with or without Raphinha. Without we just do consisderably worse defensisvely. Again, if there is no difference defensively, why has Rashford been benched despite his good offensive numbers. What's the matter, the cat got your tongue? :)
 
serghei said:
True to some extend. We concede many chances with or without Raphinha. Without we just do consisderably worse defensisvely.
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No.. dont do considerably worse defensively.

As just said.. conceded 6 v Atletico in two home games and 10 in the two ties vs Inter and Dortmund in CL.

Newcastle should have scored 4 or 5 and with worse attack also.

It is same more or less whoever there and Raph as given such a free role impacts defensive shape of team also but pays it back in goals/assists for most part.
 
Rashford been benched for one reason only. Poor, erratic workrate off the ball defensively compared to Raphinha. Hence why Fermin has been played there, a more intense player off the ball.
 
serghei said:
Rashford been benched for one reason only. Poor, erratic workrate off the ball defensively compared to Raphinha. Hence why Fermin has been played there, a more intense player off the ball.
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And still Barca concede a ton of goals with Raphinha to make out team is a lot tighter defensively isnt true.

Fermin with work rate and finishing probably is one of the closest to Raphinha and Rashford pace and versatility off the bench is a big bonus also.
 
The data doesn't agree with you. This season, goals conceded with Raphinha, 0.9 pg. Goals without 1.8 pg. late March stats.
 
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