5 - Iñigo Martínez

[JamDav1982]

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.

Masch is the betters passer of a ball than Pique and by a good bit, especially his long passing.

He is also a vastly better reader of the game.

 

[JamDav1982]

He is not a better passer

He is a better passer his long passing is class and leads to many more attacking situations than Pique.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Pique is an excellent reader of the game, he has made so many crucial interceptions over the years. Not to mention reading the game in a midfield role and in a center back role are much different.

 

[Co0ter]

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

You keep comparing him to our other defenders. They have been shit. Once again, it is not saying much!

Pique has been anything but vastly better than Masch. He was total shite this season with glimpses of how good he can be, Masch was so much better overall.

One thing I will agree with you on is we need a defensive full-back. Honestly, Alba looks great and the future- plus he's young. I'd cash in on Alves and bring in a solid defensive RB or groom Montoya into one.

 

[JamDav1982]

You keep comparing him to our other defenders. They have been shit. Once again, it is not saying much!

Pique has been anything but vastly better than Masch. He was total shite this season with glimpses of how good he can be, Masch was so much better overall.

One thing I will agree with you on is we need a defensive full-back. Honestly, Alba looks great and the future- plus he's young. I'd cash in on Alves and bring in a solid defensive RB or groom Montoya into one.

Totally agree about cashing in on Alves to fund a new center back.

I am only comparing him to other defenders as people seem to think he should be allowed to leave ahead of those players.

 

[JamDav1982]

Pique is an excellent reader of the game, he has made so many crucial interceptions over the years. Not to mention reading the game in a midfield role and in a center back role are much different.

"He was a key player on the team. Mascherano is in amazing shape, almost no fouls committed in recent games. Javier reads the game incredibly. He does it like no other" - quoted Guardiola The Independent.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

I think we understand that Pep likes Mascherano by now.

 

[JamDav1982]

I think we understand that Pep likes Mascherano by now.

That was to show who he rates as the better reader of the game and its not Pique.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Pep isn't an all-knowing god, please don't state his opinion as fact. I do understand that you'll trust a "the best manager in the world" over "some random guy on the Internet" (mostly because you've been saying it constantly), but please don't just say "Pep says something which supports my opinion, therefore I'm right."

 

[JamDav1982]

Pep isn't an all-knowing god, please don't state his opinion as fact. I do understand that you'll trust a "the best manager in the world" over "some random guy on the Internet" (mostly because you've been saying it constantly), but please don't just say "Pep says something which supports my opinion, therefore I'm right."

It points to the opinion of Masch being the better reader of the game if it is what Pep thinks. Not 100% but much more likely.

 

[DonAK]

Pep isn't an all-knowing god, please don't state his opinion as fact. I do understand that you'll trust a "the best manager in the world" over "some random guy on the Internet" (mostly because you've been saying it constantly), but please don't just say "Pep says something which supports my opinion, therefore I'm right."

Yep. Its not like Pep's Hleb or Chygrynskiy turned out well for us.

Pep surely knows a lot more than all of us here, but as you said, he can never be correct all the time.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yep. Its not like Pep's Hleb or Chygrynskiy turned out well for us.

Pep surely knows a lot more than all of us here, but as you said, he can never be correct all the time.

He was right more than wrong though and although some of his signings may have been poor his thoughts on players he had worked with for 3/4 years will be more accurate.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Right, but blanket statements like "he does it like no other" translated from a different language from a manager of a team aren't going to convince me. I'm sorry, but as good of a manager as Pep is, I don't consider him to be always right.

This is the Pique I'm talking about, pace, tackling, passing and aerial ability all included.

 

[DonAK]

He was right more than wrong though and although some of his signings may have been poor his thoughts on players he had worked with for 3/4 years will be more accurate.

Sure, but he was not always right and no one will ever be. A player can have a couple of great seasons and then vanish.... Like a false dawn.

Though I got to say that Masch has been superb for us barring the howlers which even the best CB will make once in a while, but Masch will never be someone to rely on in big matches IMO. I wont sell him now, but maybe next year if we get a good bid, although if he is stopping Bartra's progress then surely we should cash in now, but Tito should be able to avoid a situation like that with more rotation.

 

[JamDav1982]

Right, but blanket statements like "he does it like no other" translated from a different language from a manager of a team aren't going to convince me. I'm sorry, but as good of a manager as Pep is, I don't consider him to be always right.

This is the Pique I'm talking about, pace, tackling, passing and aerial ability all included.

You seriously think Piques strengths include aerial ability and pace?

Pep was right and he saw players every day. His opinion is far more valid than mine or yours.