11 - Raphinha

[Masetro10]

Y'all were complaining about raphinha and every turn and talking about how poor he is.

Lol

Me and @serghei were the ones ride with raphinha for season one and 1 or 2 other guys.

Now the entire forum is a fan, typical reactionary from Barca forum.

If it was up to 98% of the forum, Raphinha would be sold a long time ago, not for financial reasons, but because he wasn't "good" enough.

Bunch of bandwagonist, 😆.

Don't worry I'm still not on the bandwagon. Not because he doesn't offer good things. But because if we want to win big we need higher quality wingers

 

[Co0ter]

Raphinha is very good both wide and in AM. Rubbish to say wasn't good wide since he had the best end product per 90 mins played in the entire team probably.

His problem last season was injuries and being benched too often and too early by Xavi. His efficiency was always there. People still ignore the fact that we won the title in 2023 due to his clutch goals and assists late in the season.

When you recall many of his crucial plays that season, where were they done from? Towards the middle of the park and closer to goal, or out wide?

He was not clutch from out wide and was mostly useless there. This is not debatable. Just because it says RW or LW on the line up sheet doesn't mean that when he had a good moment it was actually from out wide.

I like Raphinha a lot, but he needs to be closer to goal and involved in the middle where his runs and pressing are most effective. Isolating him wide on the wing was total shit tactics and man management by Xavi.

I think Flick will have him tuck in if he plays him on LW, letting the LB provide 99% of the width. Could do it on the right, but not nearly as effectively since although Kounde has been a great defensive RB, he doesn't offer much going forward.

 

[draconifire]

The guy is like a Jacked-up Pedro. Runs a lot, does the dirty work, and was thankless. I loved that about Pedro.

Now as I was saying all summer, we don't need Nico as of this season and can wait a year more. And with Olmo in the team next season I think Flick is looking to try:

Nico/LW ----- Olmo ----- Yamal
-------Raphinha------

Imagine the insane overlapping and combination we can play up top. We won't have a poacher with an instinct, but Olmo with good enough goal output, and Yamal playing centrally while improving his scoring, plus a left winger having a knack for goals (one downside of Nico as of yet).

The amount of confusion the opposition defense will have.

 

[FCBarca]

Energizer bunny like Pedrito but nowhere near as clinical a finisher or link up player

 

[draconifire]

I was talking about him as a workhorse. I think he can reach Pedro's level of finishing. Pedro played with Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi beside him, you will always get more opportunities to score in that system. But I think Raphinha will fair good, he won't be a detriment.
Link up not so much, Pedro was amazing for that.

 

[Barcaman]

Wish Flick used more fluidity as switching Lamine and Raphinha places for some parts of the game could be useful weapon.

 

[jamrock]

When you recall many of his crucial plays that season, where were they done from? Towards the middle of the park and closer to goal, or out wide?

He was not clutch from out wide and was mostly useless there. This is not debatable. Just because it says RW or LW on the line up sheet doesn't mean that when he had a good moment it was actually from out wide.

I like Raphinha a lot, but he needs to be closer to goal and involved in the middle where his runs and pressing are most effective. Isolating him wide on the wing was total shit tactics and man management by Xavi.

I think Flick will have him tuck in if he plays him on LW, letting the LB provide 99% of the width. Could do it on the right, but not nearly as effectively since although Kounde has been a great defensive RB, he doesn't offer much going forward.

Bro he literally only played out side out title winning season, where he won us 15 points directly.

 

[Co0ter]

Bro he literally only played out side out title winning season, where he won us 15 points directly.

You're missing the point.

I'm perfectly aware he was played out wide that season. My point is he was mostly ineffective WHEN out wide, and when actually securing us those points with key actions it was not from out wide- not from a wide dribble, not from winning a 1 vs 1 out wide etc It was when he was closer to his teammates and towards the middle of the pitch.

Playing far out wide wasn't helping him provide clutch plays, it was hindering him from making more.

 

[draconifire]

You're missing the point.

I'm perfectly aware he was played out wide that season. My point is he was mostly ineffective WHEN out wide, and when actually securing us those points with key actions it was not from out wide- not from a wide dribble, not from winning a 1 vs 1 out wide etc It was when he was closer to his teammates and towards the middle of the pitch.

Playing far out wide wasn't helping him provide clutch plays, it was hindering him from making more.

With Xavi, if I remember correctly, he kept his wingers very rigid, providing width, they were not very flexible, plus they used to be high up the pitch while building.
With Flick, I see the wingers are more inverted and the Fullbacks are being used to provide that width.
I think Raphinha is more suited for this type of play.
And I agree with your assessment, that Xavi's system was a hindrance for him.

 

[Co0ter]

With Xavi, if I remember correctly, he kept his wingers very rigid, providing width, they were not very flexible, plus they used to be high up the pitch while building.
With Flick, I see the wingers are more inverted and the Fullbacks are being used to provide that width.
I think Raphinha is more suited for this type of play.
And I agree with your assessment, that Xavi's system was a hindrance for him.

I think Flick for sure figured the wingers isolated out wide on both sides was ineffective, particularly with Raphinha. He's doing a good job so far playing the players to their strengths. I'm hoping he cooks up something good once all or most our players are healthy.

 

[JamDav1982]

Bro he literally only played out side out title winning season, where he won us 15 points directly.

This tired old argument that is poor maths and if applied FDJ got 9 point that season from DM and Barca were out the CL if not for Ferran Torres last time round.

Out wide with Raphinha the team looks less balance.. can see the balance Yamal brings despite him having less goals/assists than Raphinha/Torres or Felix last season... he is the best RW/attacker by a country mile.

It is the reason Xavi preferred Dembele to him also when both available.

 

[FCBarca]

I was talking about him as a workhorse. I think he can reach Pedro's level of finishing. Pedro played with Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi beside him, you will always get more opportunities to score in that system. But I think Raphinha will fair good, he won't be a detriment.
Link up not so much, Pedro was amazing for that.

But you have to be clinical, which as much as I love Raphinha, he has not been consistently yet. He’s not Dembélé but he’s not Pedro either. Pedro didn’t need a boat load of chances and while Raphinha has boundless energy, he’s super wasteful

After the cantera kids, the foreign players I prized the most in this team last season were him, Araujo & Gundo. I was in attendance at Montjuic in that debacle where Araujo had the inexplicable red and then Gundo proceeding to throw him under the bus publicly in the post match

Then there was the Brasilian. He was visibly angry and many might see it as part of the PR for a professional athlete but I saw a player gutted like I was. He had been relentless in his efforts until the final whistle and in a parallel world where it was 11v11 and Barca went to the Semis, Raphinha probably would’ve garnered MOTM

I’d even be happy with a LW with his numbers but the dynamic of the team is very one sided when he plays there or cuts in. Big reason for me why Nico would’ve been ideal there. Still, he is absolutely the sort of professional you covet in your team

Yet, oddly enough, it’s also why I push for his sale since he has high value and we shouldn’t struggle to get a good fee for him from many clubs. His best position is RW and he will never displace the current 17 year old so can he transition to LW effectively enough? We saw moments even at the end of last season where that was possible but then there’s Lewy who cannot turn the clock back as a pressing & mobile enough partner in the attacking trident.

Maybe that’s what Flick might be thinking to use him as his Mueller but Ansu should be targeting that as a way to get into the rotation

 

[draconifire]

.......

Maybe it's a character flaw in me, but I will always have rose-tinted glasses for players who give their all like 110% for the club, even though they may not be great at it. He, Pedro, and Bob, they all fit this bill for me. They may not be the best at it, but they give it their all.

I always have a hope players like these will eventually improve on what we are looking for.

 

[Horatio]

Maybe it's a character flaw in me, but I will always have rose-tinted glasses for players who give their all like 110% for the club, even though they may not be great at it. He, Pedro, and Bob, they all fit this bill for me. They may not be the best at it, but they give it their all.

I always have a hope players like these will eventually improve on what we are looking for.

Except when it’s griezmann?

 

[draconifire]

Except when it’s griezmann?

I didn't really watch much of Barca during his stint. Honestly.
And knowing how he plays and how much he gives, I might have the same opinion.