eye-switcher
Banned
+1!
14 - Javier Mascherano
- Thread starter nebeer
- Start date
+1!
Antimadridista1
New member
Double pivot of Busi - Masche. At least, Lucho has to try it
Ursegor
World Champion
Can't play midfield for Barca. Moves the ball in slowmotion, offers limited vision, has technical difficulties at times like the miscontrolled ball which forced him to get booked. No amount of heart, tackles and space covering can hide that he won't be the same player for Barca in midfield.
evilhita666
Barçapocalypse NOW!
Of course he can do it, just not as a lone DM...
Kerrybai
New member
Underated post.
CatalinR10
Senior Member
Lomar1o
Active member
he can. not every la liga or even cl team will press him like germany did in wc finals, not even mental stress will be the same in most of barca matches. along with busquets he CAN play in important games. against weaker teams he can even do it alone if needed. he won't be the same player for barca if barca continues playing like they do now, if barca change their style masch will be an immense defensive asset which we require a LOT more than a player with good passing since we already have others who can handle passing. we don't need to adjust players to our style, we need to adjust our style to the players.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
True.
He is awesome in defending, but just horrible in passing and building up.
Also, I have a feeling that he "goes crazy" when the match enters "dangerous minutes", like Minutes 85'-90'/91'/92'/93'.
In Minutes 1-85, he was just average in passing and controlling the ball, as always, but from Minutes 85-93', he was like "a bomb".
His every pass was strange and risky, and every time he got the ball, I was scared that he will make a mistake with a risky/horrible pass that will lead to a counterattack and a Goal.
Something like when he plays for Barca and when we lead 2:1 and when he plays shortpasses in our box in the 92nd Minute because the coach "told" him not to lose Possession.
He has some problems in realizing when it is allowed to hoof the ball forward and when you should play shortpasses and keep the Possession.
If he will be our Dmc in the next Season, then we surely aren't going to play a Possession football.
He is just nowhere as good enough for our (current) style in terms of passing, controlling the ball and "cool headed" passing/building up/controlling the game decisions.
Alik
Moderator
His passes aren't "horrible". They are not the riskiest either. He had the highest pass accuracy in the tournament at a stage.
eye-switcher
Banned
actually his passing was very good both in the quarter final and the semi-final and some where really nice through balls
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Try to look again the final match from Minutes 85-93 before extra time.
He wouldn't be good in our current Possession/Tiki-Taka style.
Fans on this forums claimed how Curtois or some other Gks are not good enough for Barca because they aren't too good in playing with feet.
And after that, fans would be satisfied with a "technical" abilities of Mascherano in our midfield.
For most of the tournament, Argentina didn't have too much control and possession in midfield.
Mascherano is one of the reasons for that and he is suited for Argentina's style.
They had 2 strong lines of defense and in the attack they relied on individual brilliance of attacking trio.
But their possession and build-up game in terms of Possession and slow build-up (Barca's style), wasn't too good.
Defensively he was awesome, but Barca's players (even defenders and Gks) always needed even good technical abilities.
Masch doesn't have those for Barca's (midfield) level.
Last edited:
BBZ8800
Senior Member
I have a found a video of a whole match:
http://www.matchhighlight.com/full-...any-vs-argentina-world-cup-2014-full-matches/
2nd half, click to a Minute 89-93 of 2nd half:
-- 89:40: why holding the ball for so long? If he lost the ball, the action would led to a counterattack and a decisive goal in the 90th minute
-- very risky and unneeded
-- 90:34, Masch could have passed the ball to his teammates in a much better and less risky way
-- his pass wasn't too good, his teammate also makes a mistake with not controlling the ball too well, and again, a dangerous counterattack in the 91th minute of the World cup final
Those are just some, but he does those in every match, too many times, especially in critical moments.
I can't imagine Busquets or Xavi losing the ball and getting in risky situations like that in the minute 90. Especially in the final of Champions league or World cup.
http://www.matchhighlight.com/full-...any-vs-argentina-world-cup-2014-full-matches/
2nd half, click to a Minute 89-93 of 2nd half:
-- 89:40: why holding the ball for so long? If he lost the ball, the action would led to a counterattack and a decisive goal in the 90th minute
-- very risky and unneeded
-- 90:34, Masch could have passed the ball to his teammates in a much better and less risky way
-- his pass wasn't too good, his teammate also makes a mistake with not controlling the ball too well, and again, a dangerous counterattack in the 91th minute of the World cup final
Those are just some, but he does those in every match, too many times, especially in critical moments.
I can't imagine Busquets or Xavi losing the ball and getting in risky situations like that in the minute 90. Especially in the final of Champions league or World cup.
Guys, don't compare Masc's passing and decision making with Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, etc. These guys are flirting with perfection. Masc is only one level below, making him better almost everybody else out there.
Masc is better defensively than Busquets - he reads just as well but has more speed and quickness to get there. So he makes Barca less vulnerable to counterattacking.
With Argentina, why does he hold on to the ball a little too much sometimes? Trying to make the perfect pass in a team bereft of midfielders and defenders who can do so.
Masc is better defensively than Busquets - he reads just as well but has more speed and quickness to get there. So he makes Barca less vulnerable to counterattacking.
With Argentina, why does he hold on to the ball a little too much sometimes? Trying to make the perfect pass in a team bereft of midfielders and defenders who can do so.
Home of Barca Fans
