14 - Javier Mascherano

[AURELIUS]

Despite the position he started with in football was as a midfielder, what he thrives at as a player is being a destroyer, not a creator. He's a natural defender, I believe he is more of center back than a midfielder, might sound a bit crazy but I'm starting to believe so.. and as we know in Barca our defenders must also pass the ball well, and have a good touch, which he understandably acquired playing in mid which is why he fits in like a glove in our defense. Not good enough for our mid, perfect for our backline.

Mascherano started out in River Plate's junior sides as a centreback. He was deemed as he progressed through the junior sides as not being sufficiently tall to be a competent centreback and was moved forward as a defensive midfielder.

At River Plate you learn to pass the ball. I don't understand the surprise people have when observers say I did not know he could pass so well. However at Barca the midfield protects him to a degree. He would be exposed in other sides for height and not being fully conversant with the offside rule.

 

[evilhita666]

However at Barca the midfield protects him to a degree. He would be exposed in other sides for height and not being fully conversant with the offside rule.

That's a very good observation, and that's the cause of the dissent in the idea of using him as a CB for his NT...

 

[Darko]

true,he really just needs to improve on offside

 

[barcelonista]

However at Barca the midfield protects him to a degree. He would be exposed in other sides

Sounds like you're describing Pique.

Come at me, Meta.

 

[Kerrybai]

Liverpool must be kicking themselves when they see him play for us

 

[evilhita666]

Liverpool must be kicking themselves when they see him play for us

But they have Lucas! Hahaha!

 

[AL-MALKI]

This guy is great and all but I don't want to see him in CB the next 2 matches

The goal today is his mistake and this is not the 1st time over the few previous weeks,
Messi just got up from the twist he gave him the ball then just started running with no
aim failed to cover the diving $hit

 

[gingerless]

poor game for me... why was our defense so panicked? a couple of needless chances they almsot gave chelsea, plus that goal could have been so easily avoided

 

[Kerrybai]

This guy is great and all but I don't want to see him in CB the next 2 matches

The goal today is his mistake and this is not the 1st time over the few previous weeks,
Messi just got up from the twist he gave him the ball then just started running with no
aim failed to cover the diving $hit

Hardly his mistake alone. Alves could have done a better job tacking Ramires.

 

[AL-MALKI]

Hardly his mistake alone. Alves could have done a better job tacking Ramires.

I don’t think so Dani was way up during the turnover but maybe Adriano could of done a better job still I see it as Masche mistake

 

[TornAndFrayed]

Masche was indeed responsible for not covering Drogba in time. That said the rest of his performance was okay, as was his passing

 

[elvisng1005]

He and Messi got mistakes in Chelsea's goal. He did play like a defensive midfielder more than a defender in that situation, runing after the ball instead runing after Drogba.

 

[abual3bed1]

the goal was all Leo's fault, he lost the ball where he shouldn't.

 

[gingerless]

messi had to drop deep to get the ball and as he's not used to playing deep he is a big risk taker in making passes up front (where it is less risky than losing the ball deep) so i guess somewhat sub-consciously he tried to pull off something risky and it ended up costing us. point being, he shouldn't have to drop deep to get the ball in the first place.

 

[iced1776]

the goal was all Leo's fault, he lost the ball where he shouldn't.

No goal is all one players fault, Barca still had numbers on Chelsea after the give away. Bottom line is that Masch made a run to cover the near post instead of staying with Drogba when Puyol very, very clearly already had that space covered. Puyol even tried to point Masch to the back post when Ramires received the ball but it was too late. As amazing as a ball winner as he is, he still needs to work on some of his positioning, its not the first time he's been caught out this year.

messi had to drop deep to get the ball and as he's not used to playing deep he is a big risk taker in making passes up front (where it is less risky than losing the ball deep) so i guess somewhat sub-consciously he tried to pull off something risky and it ended up costing us. point being, he shouldn't have to drop deep to get the ball in the first place.

There's only so much he can do when Meireles never leaves his side for a second all game and they constantly pack 6 players into the middle of the field where Messi usually operates.