5 - Iñigo Martínez

[JamDav1982]

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.

His positioning is not suspect - he leads Barcelona in stats like interceptions and balls recovered etc.

He can look like he is being drawn out of position when he goes to try and win a ball early but it doesnt come off but that is his role in the team in a back four and a back two.

Thats just s consequence that Pep etc were willing to put up with as in the long run 2/3 mistakes a season doing that are out weighed by the good points.

His strengths are -
1. His will to win
2. Best passer of a ball in defence
3. Best reader of the game defensively
4. Quickest CB

Why on earth people want to get rid of a guy who has been the best defender in the squad for the last two seasons is beyond me.

He was massively missed in many of the big defeats this season.

 

[Hamzah]

I don't want to get rid of him. You misunderstand me. Also his positioning is poor. When he is not rushing out and he is expected to maintain the line he often is not in position and it leads to a goal. He is very good at interceptions which is a different skill altogether.

I just feel his skills are better used in a back three than in a back four, especially when partnered with pique.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don't want to get rid of him. You misunderstand me. Also his positioning is poor. When he is not rushing out and he is expected to maintain the line he often is not in position and it leads to a goal. He is very good at interceptions which is a different skill altogether.

I just feel his skills are better used in a back three than in a back four, especially when partnered with pique.

Tackles and interceptions are two different stats.

He leads in interceptions and I dont see how the best reader of the game defensively is poor positionally.

What games have you in mind where his positioning has cost goals?

 

[Hamzah]

He is good in tackles and interceptions because he has good reading of the game, this does not mean he has good positioning. It's more to do with reactions and his agressive mentality. His positioning is not so good, especially when the opposition is on the counter attack. In situations where the team has successfully got behind the fullbacks and is looking to cut the ball back into the box he is in the wrong position and the opposition scores.

 

[JamDav1982]

He is good in tackles and interceptions because he has good reading of the game, this does not mean he has good positioning. It's more to do with reactions and his agressive mentality. His positioning is not so good, especially when the opposition is on the counter attack. In situations where the team has successfully got behind the fullbacks and is looking to cut the ball back into the box he is in the wrong position and the opposition scores.

He was better at defending on the counter attack than Puyol, Pique or Bartra.

Go and look at the 3-1 home defeat to Madrid - Puyol and Pique had no shape or the home game against PSG or the two games against Bayern.

Cant totally blame the defenders for this this season though as the two attacking fullbacks have left them exposed and pulled all over the shop in the bigger games.

What games do you have in mind where Masch has left the defence exposed due to his positioning?

 

[Hamzah]

To be honest with you, I'll have to rewatch the highlights of the big matches again. I don't remember the individual goals very well. I will reply when I've had time to do that.

You're right about the fullbacks. Both attacking at the same time causes problems and I think only one should attack while the other stays behind, leaving a back three to deal with any counter attacks.

Also, just because he is the best of a bad lot does not mean its acceptable. We need to find a centre back that brings these new qualities to the defence.

 

[JamDav1982]

To be honest with you, I'll have to rewatch the highlights of the big matches again. I don't remember the individual goals very well. I will reply when I've had time to do that.

You're right about the fullbacks. Both attacking at the same time causes problems and I think only one should attack while the other stays behind, leaving a back three to deal with any counter attacks.

Also, just because he is the best of a bad lot does not mean its acceptable. We need to find a centre back that brings these new qualities to the defence.

He has made some high profile errors this season on trying to win the ball early - Madrid and AC Milan come to mind. The flip side of that is in both those ties his defensive aggression and passing have led directly to goals.

Its not just his actual play that is important - he has that will to win, will give everything asked of him, considers it an honour to be at the club and by all accounts is a very positive character off the pitch. Players like that Barcelona need to keep for so many reasons.

I agree a new leader type defender is needed but from there it is a battle for who partners him - Pique or Masch.

 

[Hamzah]

At the moment you'd have to say Mascherano is preferable to pique, although i think if pique plays to his potential he is better than Mascherano. If a new centre back has aerial ability, pace, and discipline to stay behind while Mascherano pressures and good positional skills to complement javier then it could be a great combination. If the fullbacks are more conservative aswell we could have a solid defence next season.

The trouble is finding an available centre back that has this.

 

[Gilberto]

Pique or Masch, that's a difficult one. Right now, I think everybody will agree with me when I say Masch. He is more aggressive (in a positive way), more experienced and a better overall player. However, we know what pique is capable of and he is younger so he is probably better for the future. What do you guys think?

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Not difficult for me at all, the only things that would make you pick Mascherano over Pique is his tackling and his drops in concentration, in every other regard Pique is better. Pretty vastly as well.

 

[JamDav1982]

Not difficult for me at all, the only things that would make you pick Mascherano over Pique is his tackling and his drops in concentration, in every other regard Pique is better. Pretty vastly as well.

Masch is a quicker, better reader of the game, better passer, more aggresive.

He has been better than Pique for two seasons.

 

[Co0ter]

Tackles and interceptions are two different stats.

He leads in interceptions and I dont see how the best reader of the game defensively is poor positionally.

What games have you in mind where his positioning has cost goals?

Knowing when to step up to intercept a ball is a totally different skill than knowing how to position yourself in a flat 4 or during a counter attack.

 

[Neal Faradinho]

Masch is a quicker, better reader of the game, better passer, more aggresive.

He has been better than Pique for two seasons.

He is not a better passer

 

[Semi-Neutral]

better reader of the game, better passer

Disagree with both of those. When Pique is in his Piquenbauer form, he is amazing at interceptions and tackling, one of the best I have ever seen. Being more aggressive isn't necessarily a good thing, especially for a CB. I agree that Mascherano has been better, but Pique hasn't been anywhere close to his best.

 

[JamDav1982]

Knowing when to step up to intercept a ball is a totally different skill than knowing how to position yourself in a flat 4 or during a counter attack.

I know that and feel free to points to where Masch has been more guilty of that than the other defenders.