5 - Iñigo Martínez

[JamDav1982]

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.

Cant rely on him in big matches? He has generally been brilliant in the big matches - that belied has no real foundation.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

You seriously think Piques strengths include aerial ability and pace?

Please watch the video

 

[JamDav1982]

Please watch the video

I watch him every week I dont need an edited youtube video to base opinions on.

Pique was utterly abysmal this season in the big games.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

this season

I did say that Mascherano has been better this season, yes?

I'm talking when Pique played his best football.

 

[JamDav1982]

I did say that Mascherano has been better this season, yes?

I'm talking when Pique played his best football.

This season and last Pique has been poor, Pep dropped him many times in his last season.

Two years ago I agree Pique was the better player.

 

[Darko]

watched some footage of him as I have seen just a few of Real Sociedads games and tbh he looks superb,not physically incredible but he doesnt have to be because he always seems to be in the right place at the right time,concentrated and just a great defender,just what we have been lacking(countless times have our opponents just walked past our defense),I say snap him up ASAP

 

[DonAndres]

Mascherano has done very well under the circumstances he's been given. He actually is probably our best defender consistency wise, but even then he's very flawed in some aspects.

- His tackling his amazing, the only real part about him that would constitute a "world class" CB

- His positioning is very suspect and he gets disconnected with the backline often by straying forward to make a tackle and then leaving acres of space behind him for opposition attackers to run into. It's not just a 1-2 errors per season kind of deal, he's done it around 10 times this season I'd say.

-Aerially he isn't horrible compared to others in our squad. He has aggressiveness and tenacity aerially, just lacks the height which at times causes a problem.

-He's not injury prone at all, one injury doesn't change that. He's reliable in that sense.

Overall his pros outweigh his cons and it's not like there is anyone else much better in our squad. Pique has great positioning but gets wrecked in 1v1's, has the aerial ability of a 9 year old girl, and can become an attackers bitch pretty easily at times. Puyol has aerial ability and leadership but he's lost a ton of speed, stamina, and can't avoid injuries for his life.

 

[darthvader7888]

Mascherano has done very well under the circumstances he's been given. He actually is probably our best defender consistency wise, but even then he's very flawed in some aspects.

- His tackling his amazing, the only real part about him that would constitute a "world class" CB

- His positioning is very suspect and he gets disconnected with the backline often by straying forward to make a tackle and then leaving acres of space behind him for opposition attackers to run into. It's not just a 1-2 errors per season kind of deal, he's done it around 10 times this season I'd say.

-Aerially he isn't horrible compared to others in our squad. He has aggressiveness and tenacity aerially, just lacks the height which at times causes a problem.

-He's not injury prone at all, one injury doesn't change that. He's reliable in that sense.

Overall his pros outweigh his cons and it's not like there is anyone else much better in our squad. Pique has great positioning but gets wrecked in 1v1's, has the aerial ability of a 9 year old girl, and can become an attackers bitch pretty easily at times. Puyol has aerial ability and leadership but he's lost a ton of speed, stamina, and can't avoid injuries for his life.

I'd still go with Pique-new CB over Masch-new CB as the starting CB pairing next season. We can rely on Masch against Sevilla, Getafe, etc, but he's unreliable in big games due to not being an actual CB. You're right that he's done well under the circumstances though.

 

[Zebulun]

NOT convinced by this martinez, bartra keeps bailing him out

 

[DonAndres]

NOT convinced by this martinez, bartra keeps bailing him out

Bartra's just as poor or even more poor than Martinez, not positioning himself behind Martinez if he can't get the ball.

 

[JamDav1982]

Bartra's just as poor or even more poor than Martinez, not positioning himself behind Martinez if he can't get the ball.

No way, those two chances were down to Martinez and nothing to do with Bartra.

 

[Mr Hulot]

Can we all agree that when Barta outperforms you and tries to clean up your mess, you are not worth 30 million?

 

[DonAndres]

A single game and 2 long balls, he's been great throughout the rest of the tournament yet that goes unnoticed? The first one was offside anyway.

As for those chances they were primarily Martinez's to deal with but Bartra easily could've put in more effort to help cut them out.

 

[JamDav1982]

Can we all agree that when Barta outperforms you and tries to clean up your mess, you are not worth 30 million?

He was never worth 30m and I think a lot of people got carried away with naming him and it grew momentum.

12/15m max and even then as a punt that he can develop into a first team player.

 

[DonAndres]

Not worth 30, that's just the effort from Sociedad to keep him. He'd be around 20 in value and that is a bargain for a player with his talent whereas some of you who are only watching the u21 tournament are unsatisfied with him over one game.