evilhita666
Barçapocalypse NOW!
He was just brutal! This guys deserves a fucking statue!
14 - Javier Mascherano
- Thread starter nebeer
- Start date
DonAndres
Wild Man of Borneo
Of course his defensive qualities are awesome but our play was slower than usual (very few shots/chances in the first half) and Mascherano was a part of that. I am loving the role he's played in the team's performances over the entire season though, at CB and DM. His versatility, leadership, defensive abilities, and attitude can't be appreciated enough.
Icarium
Lifestealer
Having masch and busi in the same team is awesome. Defensively masch is brilliant, he tackles the shit out of you. He will literally stop every counterattack. Busi doesn't offer much physicality. But with busi our passing game is much more awesome, he finds player in great position. He makes passes without looking, ultimately confusing defenders, he is the master of deception. Busi is running hot and cold right now, but if he shows some consistency we have 2 best DM's in the world.
DrPepper
New member
He's not even the best DM at Barca.
"Tackling is not really a quality, it's more something you are forced to resort to when you don't have the ball. (...) I can't get into my head that footballing development would educate tackling as a quality."
Why did he need to tackle in the first place? Probably because his initial positioning was not ideal.
dakt
New member
Chainsaw
Killahead
Such a dumb quote. Who said that? Mr. Special again?
DrPepper
New member
A Spanish world class footballer that is a multiple European and World Champion. Obviously it applies mostly to sliding tackles but it's definitely true to an extent.
Sorry but I simply don't see the Mascherano hype. Being superb at the World Cup with a team that played extremely defensive and with a low block means very little when it comes to Barca.
To stop counters you don't even need a physical DM who has mastered the art of tackling. Positioning, anticipation and the organisation of the pressing itself is much more important.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
He is good defensively and in tackles, but our game lacks in a lot of other areas when he is on the field.
The same as like when we play Pedro-Suarez-Messi instead of Msn.
Mascherano is not bad, but he is weaker than Busi in passing, linking up, he slows down the play, he need a few touches all the time, teammates don't pass to him as much as they pass to Busi.
Our midfield always struggles more in a creative way when he is on the field.
Again, the same as with Rakitic and Rafinha.
Masch is not a bad Dmc in general, but Barca with Masch at Dmc and with Busi at Dmc are 2 different teams.
With Busi we get some things, and lose others, with Masch the same.
Busi should be our No1 pick, and Masch should play at Dmc only when we need to rest Busi, or when we need to give minutes to Mathieu or Bartra.
He should be a key player as a Dc, and a squad player as a Dmc.
The same as like when we play Pedro-Suarez-Messi instead of Msn.
Mascherano is not bad, but he is weaker than Busi in passing, linking up, he slows down the play, he need a few touches all the time, teammates don't pass to him as much as they pass to Busi.
Our midfield always struggles more in a creative way when he is on the field.
Again, the same as with Rakitic and Rafinha.
Masch is not a bad Dmc in general, but Barca with Masch at Dmc and with Busi at Dmc are 2 different teams.
With Busi we get some things, and lose others, with Masch the same.
Busi should be our No1 pick, and Masch should play at Dmc only when we need to rest Busi, or when we need to give minutes to Mathieu or Bartra.
He should be a key player as a Dc, and a squad player as a Dmc.
Xabi Alonso
Chainsaw
Killahead
Mascherano's quality tackles and in general his defensive contributions were well admired ever since he was playing for River Plate. It was only since his Liverpool days which they've become known worldwide. Tackle is not only quality, it's an art. The timing and positioning should be spot on at the right time to make the right tackle. It's not only about his World Cup match saving tackle against Robben, or his tackles last night, or the one he did against Lord Bendtner some years ago at Camp Nou. Masche has been doing this for a long time.
And I'm not surprised Xabi Alonso doesn't consider tackling a quality, as his tackles usually end up on the opponent's legs. Ofc thuggery is not considered quality.
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