I didnt say at all,and it is a fact that he doesnt have serious abilities to be at barcelona like his positiong cost us many times and created problems,and especially in a team like barcelona which doesnt have many tall men,he is useless in aerial battles
5 - Iñigo Martínez
- Thread starter te amo barca
- Start date
JamDav1982
Senior Member
I dont agree that his positioning is weak. He can be a bit rash and try to win the ball a bit early but if that leads to 1/2 mistakes in a season then fair enough it is outweighed byt the amount of times he pulls it off.
He is the best reader of the game defensively in the Barca squad - only Busquets comes close.
Pep would not have played him as CB all that time if he thought his positioning was weak.
Paganinisrvnge
New member
People underestimate Mascherano after all he's done? 
If Mascherano were a bit taller, he could be top 5 CB in the world. His tackling is some of the best tackling in the world it's just he sometimes makes stupid mistakes or gets beat in the air too easily.
To me, it's embarrassing that Busquets and Pique are pretty tall and supposed to help out in the air but they're both so poor. Puyol is WAY better in the air and he's a good bit shorter than either of those 2.
If Mascherano were a bit taller, he could be top 5 CB in the world. His tackling is some of the best tackling in the world it's just he sometimes makes stupid mistakes or gets beat in the air too easily.
To me, it's embarrassing that Busquets and Pique are pretty tall and supposed to help out in the air but they're both so poor. Puyol is WAY better in the air and he's a good bit shorter than either of those 2.
Semi-Neutral
Sir Alupp Heynrguson
You really like ignoring Pique, don't you?
And the only thing "good" about Mascherano is his tackling, everything else is average.
Indignado
New member
This
and this. Mascherano's positioning is very suspect against great teams.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Its not his positioning. Try and understand the job he is given in the team. He is told to leave the back three and try to win the ball early.
He made a mistake against Milan doing that but he was class in that game and also set up a goal by doing this.
Pep -
"I never expected him to give us as much as he has: his value is unimaginable," Guardiola admitted. "He has been spectacular as a player and a person. Javier Mascherano is the best signing this club has made in four years."
Co0ter
Senior Member
You have to understand that at first, Mascherano was STEPPING IN as a cb. He was playing there once in a while to help us out, and that made him very valuable- it still does. However, Masch is not a cb and it is clearly evident now that he's been pretty much played as one for us. He makes mistakes (sure, so does everyone) but he makes a lot of fundamental mistakes. Like going for a header but bailing on it last second or misjudging it- everyone knows most midfielders do that all the time, mostly because they just want to contest it so the opponent doesn't clearly win it, in the end neither winning it. Sometimes this is his mentality, except he forgets that he has no one behind him as a cb.
It's small things like that, that has cost us games and almost cost us other goals. Don't get me wrong, imo he's done far better than we could expect for a DM being forced to play as a CB, but the fact stands- we should and deserve better in defense. It's not his fault, I'd be happy buying a WC CB and keeping him as our 3rd option....but I don't think he'd stay on the bench more than not.
I agree with some posters, height isn't everything when it comes to aerial battles. Puyol is better than Pique, and Pique is probably 3-4 inches taller. Busquets is absolutely USELESS in the air.
For CBs, you need a beast that gives his all and wins battles (formerly Puyol) and someone great in the air.
- We currently have neither.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Pep made those comments when Mascherano had been playing center back for well over a year and was arguably the first choice. He was 100% talking about him as a center back and not about his versatility as he never used him as DM anymore.
He has been the best CB in the past two seasons and the player Pep rates as his best signing at Barcelona.
Co0ter
Senior Member
I don't care what Pep said a year or two ago. I've been able to watch the past 2 seasons myself, and that's all I need.
Edit: I think people watch Barcelona play, but they don't really understand HOW we play. Everyone throws around tiki taka and possession play- you are correct. Some people even say we are weak vs counter attacks and set pieces- once again, you are correct.
But when it comes to signing or using players, people mention players who don't fix our problems. Mascherano is not a fix, he is a bandaid. He is short, not terrible in the air but not good, and he is weak when it comes to marking on set pieces...he gets shoved around and can't get to the ball over his man. He's not slow, but he's not fast. His positioning most of the time is ok, but he gets careless often and leaves the line to press forward to win the ball. Sometimes this is ok....in the middle of a counter-attack, not so much. During a counter, you need to hold your defensive form and force them to make a mistake, no commit to the player with the ball and open up passing lanes.
He is a decent CB, and would be an even better CB for certain teams. Not for Barcelona though.
Last edited:
JamDav1982
Senior Member
He said it a year ago. You not care all you like but it is the opinion of the best manager in the world who works closely with those players every day.
I know whose opinion is more relevant.
You think that Pique and Puyol have been better this season than Masch?
Co0ter
Senior Member
No I don't. But you are comparing one player who is 35, barely played and has had multiple injuries the past two seasons. The second player just had probably the worst season of his career.
That's not saying much.
Pep's opinion would change a lot after seeing Mascherano play as a full-time, first option CB all season. He looked pretty good, but only because the others were shit. Read my previous edit for a bit of an explanation why.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
He had already done that and played CB for well over a year by the time Pep made those comments.
Mascherano works very well in a back three. infact if you made an ideal back three out of everyone in the world he'd be in it. He is the stopper who goes out leaving the other two behind to deal with anything that comes between the lines. In a back four he's a liability especially when with pique, which is what Barcelona use the majority of the time. His positioning is not so good and it costs us. He also lacks aerial ability so now both centre backs piqué and Mascherano can't Win air balls.
To partner piqué the other centre back must complement his weaknesses. He must be good in the air have a decent amount of pace and be able to be the stopper centre back (pique is the covering centre back who intercepts any loose passes) but with positional intelligence and good decision making, which Mascherano lacks.
To partner piqué the other centre back must complement his weaknesses. He must be good in the air have a decent amount of pace and be able to be the stopper centre back (pique is the covering centre back who intercepts any loose passes) but with positional intelligence and good decision making, which Mascherano lacks.
Last edited:
Home of Barca Fans
