14 - Javier Mascherano

[ThwiX]

Would Barta/Pique be a better partnership be better than a Pique/Masch one? I doubt it.

A prime Masch would be the most important CB against Man City as he the best at reading the game and covering ground against teams that break.

Would be a much better partnership. Man City will destroy him with their height and if you can't agree with that, you're not even worth arguing with.

 

[CatalinR10]

Good game today.

 

[Trickykid]

His best game in a while, but he still managed to make silly errors and make me faint a little.

Yeah, he did have those moments where your heart skips a beat. His trademark tackling was on absolute point tonight, though, and I feel those rather make-or-break high field tackles to disrupt counters with, were one of the reasons Tata played him tonight.

Bartra still deserves to start over him.

Oh, you really must be wetting yourself in sheer frustration and anger over that performance, eh?

 

[darthvader7888]

Would Barta/Pique be a better partnership be better than a Pique/Masch one? I doubt it.

A prime Masch would be the most important CB against Man City as he the best at reading the game and covering ground against teams that break.

Bartra has been in far better form than Masch this season. It would be a much better partnership.

Oh, you really must be wetting yourself in sheer frustration and anger over that performance, eh?

Nope. Bartra has been in much better form this season (and is an actual CB) and therefore deserves to start. One game doesn't change that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Would be a much better partnership. Man City will destroy them with their height and if you can't agree with that, you're not even worth arguing with.

Pique/Barta are too similar for me and neither of them will cover and read the game the way Masch does.

Citys height? Are they bigger than Atletico and Real players who never dominated set pieces this season?

 

[Flavia]

Yeah, he did have those moments where your heart skips a beat. His trademark tackling was on absolute point tonight, though, and I feel those rather make-or-break high field tackles to disrupt counters with, were one of the reasons Tata played him tonight.

Those tackles are why I wish Tata would try him as a dm eventually. He played 5 min as a dm today, but not enough to know if it'd work.

 

[Galning]

He is not a defender.

 

[André]

Awesome performance

 

[Trickykid]

Those tackles are why I wish Tata would try him as a dm eventually. He played 5 min as a dm today, but not enough to know if it'd work.

I wouldn't mind seeing that either, but I'm just afraid that the consequences of altering out entire base would be too much of a risk take. In any case, at the moment Tata seems too conservative to actually make a change like that, for better or worse.

 

[Meitux]

Those tackles are why I wish Tata would try him as a dm eventually. He played 5 min as a dm today, but not enough to know if it'd work.

It won't work, well i think so at least. It's not coincidence that he has played very few games as defensive midfielder in Barcelona and only found a place in the line up because he was used in CB position. He's a player as you say who tackles and then gives the ball straight after, certainly not the type that Busi is and that benefits our general gameplay.

 

[Sumlit]

I don't think he is a lone CDM material for this team. Playing lone CDM for Barca is very different than playing CDM for just about every other team out there. You must have positional awareness and ball interception ability without leaving your feet because you are the last and only line of defense infront of your CBs. Alongside that, you must also have the technical ability to initiate offense quickly and sharply.

Mascherano not only leaves his feet far too often for tackles, but he does not have the offensive sharpness to initiate quick play.

 

[CatalinR10]

Mascherano has accepted Benitez' offer to join Napoli next summer. Napoli want him already in January, but that seems unlikely. [il mattino]

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

And Paolo Cannavaro wants to leave Napoli. Swap

 

[mazp]

How much can we ask from Napoli? I'm thinking at least 25M the same amount we paid for him. You get the sense it's probably his final season at the club. With Bartra and probably a new CB in the summer, and the fact he hasn't exactly hidden his desire to reunite with Benitez.. Seems like he's a goner.

 

[CatalinR10]

How much can we ask from Napoli? I'm thinking at least 25M the same amount we paid for him. You get the sense it's probably his final season at the club. With Bartra and probably a new CB in the summer, and the fact he hasn't exactly hidden his desire to reunite with Benitez.. Seems like he's a goner.

Don't think we will get so much for him considering that even he would like to move to Napoli.