Rassvet
Well-known member
Kroos would have been worse than Rakitc
Ernesto Valverde
- Thread starter Messigician
- Start date
Kroos would have been worse than Rakitc
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Rassvet
Well-known member
Kroos is better individually but we needed Rakitic's profile more
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Take the tough decisions to punt Busi or Iniesta then as 2016 Kroos to now has been levels above those two.
Thinking need runners to cover Busi and Iniesta text book thinking that gets Barca in mess it is.
There is a ton of midefielders that could have done the plugging the gaps role Raki did in 2015. There is next to none bar maybe Modric that has had the technical level of Kroos in that time.
Choosing runners to cover for inferior players ahead of technically top midfielders is type of shite Barca did.
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
In 2015 it was already foreseeable the midfield would just get worse from there. Rakitic was a good addition, although not someone who could carry long-term. Iniesta was getting old, and well Busquets is Busquets so at 28 he already played like he was 38 
Arda and Gomes transfers failed spectacularly, Rafinha was injured all the time and it all went downhill from there.
Arda and Gomes transfers failed spectacularly, Rafinha was injured all the time and it all went downhill from there.
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BBZ8800
Senior Member
People often say how we need the right coach and the right system.
But what if that can't work without Xavi-Iniesta?
Look at how many midfielders we tried since 2012 and more or less, people were disappointed with all of them:
Song, Rakitic, Arda, Gomes, Denis, Coutinho, Paulinho, Vidal, Arthur, Pjanic
Rafinha, Roberto, Samper, Alena, Puig
My question is: can Barca at all play successful "Barca way" without absolute top class players like prime Xavi-Iniesta-Messi?
But what if that can't work without Xavi-Iniesta?
Look at how many midfielders we tried since 2012 and more or less, people were disappointed with all of them:
Song, Rakitic, Arda, Gomes, Denis, Coutinho, Paulinho, Vidal, Arthur, Pjanic
Rafinha, Roberto, Samper, Alena, Puig
My question is: can Barca at all play successful "Barca way" without absolute top class players like prime Xavi-Iniesta-Messi?
You have a suggestion how to set up these players successfully? If not the problem may not be the "Barca way".
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
It doesn't have to be "Barca way." Just modern attractive attacking football with high pressing. Almost all of the top teams are doing it. None of EV's defensive-oriented tactics to mask the low defensive work-rate of the core players.
Which kind of is the "Barca way"... and makes his whole narrative so freaking ridiculous. 2009 was not within our philosophy? It's mad. And it's not like Barca-like midfielders are not succeeding right now. How about Kimmich? He wouldn't be out of place.
Biggest transfer mistake (for me) recently has been Rakitic instead of Kroos in 2014. And guess who's more of a "Barcelona" midfielder. The truth is it's mostly about quality, and when you miss one of the handful great midfielders per generation it hurts*.
*But you can always go the Klopp/Liverpool route and brute force your way to 1 League title in 30 years.
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Rakitic is perhaps not the greatest technical midfielder around, but i dont think he belongs in the same category as the others on the list.
Rakitic was a successful signing for Barcelona, surely.
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
I mean you can't seriously look at that list and somehow get to the conclusion "the Barca way" was the issue
The only world class players there are Rakitic, Vidal and Pjanic. Rakitic was good when he was signed, and he performed until he lost his legs. Vidal was already washed-up when we got him, Bayern let him go for a reason. Pjanic similar was already past it, and on top of it Koeman didn't seem to rate him at all.
It's surely no coincidence none of these players suddenly started to shine after leaving Barca.
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