Xavi Hernández

[JamDav1982]

Araujo lacks the positioning and calmness to read situations early that VVD has and is not even remotely close to him on the ball.

Can still improve but will never get to VVD level as wont ever be that good on the ball.

 

[Catta]

Araujo lacks the positioning and calmness to read situations early that VVD has and is not even remotely close to him on the ball.

Can still improve but will never get to VVD level as wont ever be that good on the ball.

Positioning and calmness comes mostly from experience, and Araujo has improved massively with the ball since Xavi took over. If he continues improving at this pace, he can reach can Dijks level, or at least come very close to it.

 

[JamDav1982]

Positioning and calmness comes mostly from experience, and Araujo has improved massively with the ball since Xavi took over. If he continues improving at this pace, he can reach can Dijks level, or at least come very close to it.

For some it comes with experience not all.

He has improved a bit with the ball but nowhere near the top passers out from the back. Wont ever get close to VVD on the ball that is near enough impossible.

 

[Catta]

For some it comes with experience not all.

He has improved a bit with the ball but nowhere near the top passers out from the back. Wont ever get close to VVD on the ball that is near enough impossible.

Why would it be impossible. Five years ago van Dijk was nowhere near the player he is today.

 

[mc_lovin]

For some it comes with experience not all.

He has improved a bit with the ball but nowhere near the top passers out from the back. Wont ever get close to VVD on the ball that is near enough impossible.

There were Van Dijk videos on youtube with clown music before his transfer to Liverpool. He improved massively with ~26/27.

 

[JamDav1982]

Why would it be impossible. Five years ago van Dijk was nowhere near the player he is today.

He was always class on ball.

Watched him in Scotland and to be honest couldnt see him being a Barca level player as he switched off too much.

Looking back now he probably found it too easy and struggled to stay focused but always had that class on the ball.

Araujo cant learn to be that level at this stage.

 

[DonAK]

Araujo won't be as good as him passing-wise, but the rest he definitely can get to.

 

[Joan]

Araujo's main problem is his positioning. If he improves on that, I'll be happy and he'll be among the very best CBs in the world.

Passing comes 2nd for me.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

For some it comes with experience not all.

He has improved a bit with the ball but nowhere near the top passers out from the back. Wont ever get close to VVD on the ball that is near enough impossible.

With Xavi I am not worried about his passing. It has improved a ton already where he started.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Araujo's main problem is his positioning. If he improves on that, I'll be happy and he'll be among the very best CBs in the world.

Passing comes 2nd for me.

I agree and in LaLiga he can make some bad habits because he is so quick/strong compared to any opponent. He can recover from his mistake fairly easily, so he hardly ever needs to be positioned 100% correctly.

 

[Andresito]

Araujo is a bit more aggressive compared to VVD who usually contains his attacker and let's him do a move first before putting in a tackle. He's so good at anticipating. There was a Youtube video of VVD explaining how he does it, he looks the attacker in the eyes rather than at his legs.

Don't think Araujo will reach VVD's defensive leadership either. He can be a captain absolutely but I think he's going to need a smart CB next to him, not necessarily to get the best out of Araujo himself but rather the whole back line.

Otherwise Araujo can definitely become a defensive titan with his physical tools. The two of them would make a monstrous pairing.

 

[te amo barca]

VVD concedes many chances by just backing away and letting the forward take a shot. He is quite a cautious CB really. Araujo is more aggressive and makes more mistakes as a result. It?s all about balance really. Araujo would complement Van Dijk well.

 

[KingLeo10]

VVD and Araujo would be like an upgraded Rio and Vidic.

Would need a special attacker to score on the duo.

 

[serghei]

More like a Rio+Vidic freak genetic combination + another Vidic.

 

[Andresito]

Safe to say Araujo is easily in top 10 CB's currently, partly because of the gap with many generational greats born in 80's being on decline. But there aren't many current CB's I'd swap him for.

Would not take Kounde or de Ligt in a straight swap for example. Can't really think of a team that wouldn't have him as a starter either.