ASordidGod
New member
Rabiot's not even strong though, from what I've seen, or even good defensively. The only way I wouldn't mind him is we sold Rakitic, and even then I'd be ambivalent.
Adrien Rabiot
- Thread starter Lutece FC
- Start date
Rabiot's not even strong though, from what I've seen, or even good defensively. The only way I wouldn't mind him is we sold Rakitic, and even then I'd be ambivalent.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Rabiot is not THAT strong, but he couldn't be LESS strong than Alena, Puig, Oriol, Denis, Rafinha, Coutinho.
From current (younger) guys only Arthur has some strength.
From all current players, only Arthur can defend. Ok, and Oriol.
Anyway, I am reading on this topic often how Rabiot is slow, average in defense, not too strong.
But whenever I check back his match AGAINST US, he looks way faster and way stronger than any of our midfielders in that match
(not to mention a good old: but he is young and he will improve a lot):I know that he is not a typical Barca's DNA player, but we always had CDM-CMs like: Cocu, Davids, Motta, Van Bommel, Edmilson, even Keita, Rakitic, now Vidal.
In a 3men midfield, except in Pep's era, we always had at least one guy like Rabiot, slightly different than typical Barca's DNA midfielders.
ASordidGod
New member
Rabiot is not THAT strong, but he couldn't be LESS strong than Alena, Puig, Oriol, Denis, Rafinha, Coutinho.
From current (younger) guys only Arthur has some strength.
From all current players, only Arthur can defend. Ok, and Oriol.
Anyway, I am reading on this topic often how Rabiot is slow, average in defense, not too strong.
But whenever I check back his match AGAINST US, he looks way faster and way stronger than any of our midfielders in that match
I know that he is not a typical Barca's DNA player, but we always had CDM-CMs like: Cocu, Davids, Motta, Van Bommel, Edmilson, even Keita, Rakitic, now Vidal.
In a 3men midfield, except in Pep's era, we always had at least one guy like Rabiot, slightly different than typical Barca's DNA midfielders.
Oh we can't have all of the same type of mid I agree, but then that's kind of the point in that Rabiot's not different enough to be worth it. As in, the attributes our younger mids lack, he doesn't possess sufficiently to compensate, if that makes sense. We need someone either really strong, or someone really fast, or someone really good defensively, y'know, alongside more typically 'Barca' type players. Not Rabiot who is basically a tall technician. Imo.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Mundo Deportivo, board's paper, writes this morning that Psg could accept to sell Rabiot in the next two weeks since he doesn't want to extend his contract.
Barca will wait for 2 weeks or sign a contract with Rabiot in January as a free agent.
Rabiot is even willing to sit on stands for one year and not play at all, if needed.
In some other cases, if a player would do this to come to us, we would read replies: oh, this guy loves Barca so much. He is doing everything he can to come. Gotta love him!
But since Rabiot doesn't possess classic Barca's DNA skills, we don't see too many of these "he loves Barca so much" posts
Barca will wait for 2 weeks or sign a contract with Rabiot in January as a free agent.
Rabiot is even willing to sit on stands for one year and not play at all, if needed.
In some other cases, if a player would do this to come to us, we would read replies: oh, this guy loves Barca so much. He is doing everything he can to come. Gotta love him!
But since Rabiot doesn't possess classic Barca's DNA skills, we don't see too many of these "he loves Barca so much" posts
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
Your fetish with tall, physical players is turning into a very disturbing one bbz.
Paris United(the by far most reliable PSG source) claim he's pushing PSG to offer him more money than what Barca have.
Sounds like he's okay staying or going as long as it's to the highest bidder. Not much Barca love there.
Paris United(the by far most reliable PSG source) claim he's pushing PSG to offer him more money than what Barca have.
Sounds like he's okay staying or going as long as it's to the highest bidder. Not much Barca love there.
Vilarrubi
New member
Anyway, I am reading on this topic often how Rabiot is slow, average in defense, not too strong.
But whenever I check back his match AGAINST US, he looks way faster and way stronger than any of our midfielders in that match
That's no unique attribute of Rabiot though.. nearly every midfielder in top European football has been faster and stronger than Iniesta/Busi/Rakitic.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
@BBZ8800
I find it strange you think Busquets might be a liability and then are proposing to replace him with basically the same player that's much inferior and doesn't want to play as a DM?
He definitely isn't a lot faster than Busquets. He's faster for sure, but that's because he's younger whereas Busquets has been slowing down lately. To say he's a lot faster is exaggerating.
Moreover as I pointed out, he want to play as a more attacking midfielder when he has less key passes and creates less chances than Seri did at Nice LOL.
I find it strange you think Busquets might be a liability and then are proposing to replace him with basically the same player that's much inferior and doesn't want to play as a DM?
He definitely isn't a lot faster than Busquets. He's faster for sure, but that's because he's younger whereas Busquets has been slowing down lately. To say he's a lot faster is exaggerating.
Moreover as I pointed out, he want to play as a more attacking midfielder when he has less key passes and creates less chances than Seri did at Nice LOL.
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DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
1. He want to be a bona fide starter.
2. The signing bonus will be huge
3. The salary will be very high
4. His mentality and entitlement is an issue with his entourage being toxic
5. He want to play as a #8 and we need better pace, mobility and ability to penetrate defences in that position
Anyone thinking he'll come and accept being a rotation option obviously know very little about Young Prince Adrien and his demands.
This is a guy who isn't even the best midfielder in his current team, but acts like he's one of the best midfielders to have ever graced France.
I have this simple opinion:
You either sign an established World Class midfielder as a starter or a World Class talent that fits the team and the way football is evolving these days which is more fast-paced football, that you can integrate as a starter later.
If you want an AM/CM then get yourself a Pogba or Eriksen.
If you want a WC talent then get yourself de Jong who should stay in Netherlands this season.
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BBZ8800
Senior Member
MD have wrote this 3 hours ago:
https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20180815/451328306576/barca-rabiot-psg-fichaje-marceado.html
I have wrote already, for me EVERYTHING is a skill.
Of course, not all skills have the same importance and passing is more important than muscles or height, but at the end of the day, every single skill counts longterm.
Look at Messi:
When he was young, he had dribbles 100/100 quality, and pace let's say 80-90/100.
And he was a GOAT.
Today, when he lost pace, his dribbles aren't that good anymore.
Without pace, he can't get into position to shoot as easily as before.
So, yes, his technique is the most important skill, but now, without pace, he is starting to struggle.
So, pace helps.
Further: motivation or mental strength.
Technique is more important.
But while Messi was in his prime with awesome pace and technique, he could have survived with a weaker mental strength.
Today, when he lost pace, guys with a weaker technique (CR7) can play as good as him, even though they have weaker technique.
Due to motivation, mental strength.
So, those skills are also skills.
Technique is a no1, but everything counts.
Further, you and some members have lately made a shift and now our scapegoat is suddenly a lack of movement.
The same as how suddenly in the last 1-2 years, the scapegoat on this forum was: a lack of a controller, and a controller will fix everything, ouch.
While I agree that a controller could help.
And I surely agree way more that we lack off the ball movement and mobility, but I hope that it won't turn into an alibi for everything.
In the last 20-25 years of watching Barca, my main wish was: slightly more strength.
And again, even though our current team lacks mobility, mobility ALONE won't turn us into a CL winners.
We need both: technique, more pace, more mobility, SOME muscles, SOME height (so that we don't have 10 guys with 175 cm defending corners against Bayern, Chelsea or Roma who have 8 guys with 188cm or taller), some aggression, more mental strength, more motivation.
About mobility alone, imo, we had tons of times in the past: technical and mobile players and we were beaten like little kids in the middle of the field due to a lack of strength and physical skills.
I know that Catalinutz is angry every time I post Chelsea's match from 2005' for the 100th time, but take a few minutes and think about that lineup:
Midfield:
Xavi: extremely mobile
Deco: world class, very very mobile
Gerard Lopez: quite mobile
Young Iniesta: very mobile
Etoo: the most mobile player in the world
Ronaldinho: quite mobile
Fullbacks: Gio: insanely mobile
Belletti: quite mobile
So, you see: this team had tons of technique and skill.
The only average player is Gerard Lopez, but even he was once the most talented Spanish young player when we bought him, like Asensio currently, let's say. He never reached expectations at Barca, though.
So, all these players are technical, fast enough and mobile.
But, in this lineup we seriously lack: height and strength in midfield:
Xavi 170cm
Iniesta 171cm
Deco 174cm
Gerard Lopez 182cm, but he had a weak physique, like Busquets or Frenkie
So, 4 short guys.
4 physically weak midfielders.
4 midfielders without too much aggression and thugish traits.
Also, we were horrible in every arial duel.
So, imo, matches like these are examples how technique and mobility alone is not the answser.
We need some pace, muscles, some height, some crazy thugish players.
Now, for the 100th time, look at how a team filled with nice, schoolboy, short, technical, mobile players coped with technical&physical&thug top team.
Our players were falling down in every duel like traffic cones:
Or, you were young, you didn't watch those matches live: Valencia:Barcelona semis of a CL in 2000.
Do you know how that match looked like? EXACTLY the same as any Atletico:Barcelona match in a Champions league lately:
We played nice, slow and technical.
And they played like crazy, thugs, flying all over the field.
They were faster than us in every single duel.
They were more aggressive in every single duel.
They seemed stronger in every single duel.
Also, our team looked lost, confused and as if we didn't know what is happening and how to respond to that physical game and fast tempo.
And as always: bang, bang, Barca conceded 3-4 easy goals in away matches.
More or less, like lately, vs Roma, Psg, Juve, Atletico.
It is like watching the same match over and over.
I know, some guys will now reply: but during Pep we won without physique and aggression.
Yes, but we had prime Messi to kill every opponent.
Remember, before Messi, Barca won 1 CL title in 110 years, in 1992 in a somewhat lucky way.
So, the ONLY TIME EVER when our "Barca's play" actually worked is when we had prime Messi. And... prime Xavi, prime Iniesta, prime Busi, prime Alves...
So, imo, there is around 1% chance that our style of play without Messi, Xavi, Iniesta will suddenly will CL trophies.
And I am not saying: let's turn to Stoke.
But we should evolve and do what Rijkaard did: instead of playing Xavi, Iniesta, Deco, Gerard, in the next year he played with Oleguer (CB) as a RB to be more defensive against big teams.
And in the middle, he played 1 or 2 thugs in EVERY CL match: Edmilson/Motta/Van Bommel plus 1-2 lighter guys Xavi/Deco.
So, I am not saying: we should play with 3 Rakitics.
But also, for me, dreaming how we will play with Arthur-De Jong-Alena is a pure comedy gold.
In that sense, please, MOBILITY ALONE is not the answer.
Real had lots of mobility with Modric, Isco and guys, but improved a lot when they bought Casemiro to add some muscles, height (185cm), aggression, thugishness etc.
Modric-Isco alone were not good enough.
But if you pair Modric and Isco with Casemiro, you have a winning formula now.
If you pair: Deco, Xavi and Iniesta=we will get outmuscled in a CL.
But if you add Edmilson and Van Bommel into a mix=you have a winning formula.
So, imo, a lot of you have turned away lately from some muscles and physical skills into only: mobility and off the ball movement.
So, enjoy one more short video of a good old Barca eaten alive by a crazy running and aggressive CL team:
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Raketa10
Senior Member
I agree with you completely but it’s clear why we are trying to sign him. He is not on the level of Pogba but he is a good player and the price for him could be very low (for today’s market) since this is the last chance for PSG to sell if he refused to sign a new contract.
Eriksen would cost over 200 mil and IMHO he isn’t worth that amount of money. Pogba on the other hand is way superior to Rabiot but I bet MUN would want at least 150 mil and there is no way they will sell before next summer. So you face 200 or 150 mil bid which could also be refused since I doubt Tottenham or MUN would sell now or 40 mil for Rabiot which could be accepted. If we manage to sign Rabiot for 40 mil now or for free in January the risk is low even if he fails here.
For me the biggest problem with his signing apart from his character is the fact that Alena and Arthur should get a fair amount of minutes this season which will be pretty hard if we sign Rabiot.
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[MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION]
I don t know where you see a decline in Messi s dribling. The guy has not lost anything, infact he improved vision, passing and free kick shooting. I wouldn t even say
that he lost anything physically. I just don t see it.
I will agree, that he looks like he lost a part of motivation. I think this influences his (lack of) movement. I don t agree, that this part of mentality is a skill. It s hard to stay motivated once you rich the top and
he went there, like no footballer in history.
Physically he is more than capable to play anywhere in the attacking half. Motivation though...that s another story..
I don t know where you see a decline in Messi s dribling. The guy has not lost anything, infact he improved vision, passing and free kick shooting. I wouldn t even say
that he lost anything physically. I just don t see it.
I will agree, that he looks like he lost a part of motivation. I think this influences his (lack of) movement. I don t agree, that this part of mentality is a skill. It s hard to stay motivated once you rich the top and
he went there, like no footballer in history.
Physically he is more than capable to play anywhere in the attacking half. Motivation though...that s another story..
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
But why would you spend 40m on Rabiot when you can save that money for de Jong or a big transfer next season?
He's not that good and we already covered his physical profile with Vidal and have a similar, but better player in Rakitic.
I understand that it's a market opportunity, but that doesn't mean it makes sense, at least to me.
Rabiot want to play as a more advanced midfielder, but his production is significantly worse than Jean-Michael Seri's. You need your advanced midfielder to be able to get past players, be decently fast and agile + have some end product when it comes to creating chances and making key passes and if you check up Rabiot's stats there you'll see how unimpressive it is.
On top of that, with his demands about wanting to start you'll see a reduction in not only Arthur and Alena's minutes, but also less minutes for Vidal and Rakitic.
This is not a guy who is going to be happy being a rotational option or bench player 50% of the time. Just look at his antics with France where he'll prob not get called up as long as Deschamps is the NT Coach.
I see more problems than solutions with Rabiot.
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Raketa10
Senior Member
[MENTION=15376]DonAK[/MENTION] I see your point but what many of you forget is that our two main midfielders Raki and Busi are over 30 and they will for sure start to decline. Lets try to look at this from a different prospective.
If we don’t count Coutinho as a midfielder currently we have Busi, Raki, Vidal, Arthur, Alena, Samper, Denis and Rafinha and Puig in B team. Let’s also assume we sign De Jong next summer that’s 9 + Puig which is way too much but there is the OTHER side of the story.
Out of this 9 who are our sure bets for the future? Let’s say Busi will be here for at least 3 more years. Raki on the other hand could easily be sold next summer. Denis, Samper and Rafinha will also FOR SURE be gone this or next summer so if we sell Raki we could easily be left with Busi, Vidal, Arthur, Alena, De Jong and Puig.
Now that doesn’t look too bad if Alena, Arthur, De Jong and Puig develop as we all want to but I doubt they all will. If 2 out of those 4 develop in world class players I would be more than happy. Puig is also way to young to put that big burden on his back and he needs at least one more year with B team before we can conclude anything. We should also bare in mind that we don’t know will Vidal manage to stay healthy or not.
So If we take all of this into consideration signing Rabiot on a free deal in January makes sense even if we manage to get Pogba next summer. To be fair it would be ideal to wait until January to see how things are going with Vidal, Arthur and Alena. That’s at least my opinion. I am also aware that’s a lot of ifs but maybe that’s the way our management is thinking right now. They are for sure planing 1 or 2 seasons in advance and not only this one.
If we don’t count Coutinho as a midfielder currently we have Busi, Raki, Vidal, Arthur, Alena, Samper, Denis and Rafinha and Puig in B team. Let’s also assume we sign De Jong next summer that’s 9 + Puig which is way too much but there is the OTHER side of the story.
Out of this 9 who are our sure bets for the future? Let’s say Busi will be here for at least 3 more years. Raki on the other hand could easily be sold next summer. Denis, Samper and Rafinha will also FOR SURE be gone this or next summer so if we sell Raki we could easily be left with Busi, Vidal, Arthur, Alena, De Jong and Puig.
Now that doesn’t look too bad if Alena, Arthur, De Jong and Puig develop as we all want to but I doubt they all will. If 2 out of those 4 develop in world class players I would be more than happy. Puig is also way to young to put that big burden on his back and he needs at least one more year with B team before we can conclude anything. We should also bare in mind that we don’t know will Vidal manage to stay healthy or not.
So If we take all of this into consideration signing Rabiot on a free deal in January makes sense even if we manage to get Pogba next summer. To be fair it would be ideal to wait until January to see how things are going with Vidal, Arthur and Alena. That’s at least my opinion. I am also aware that’s a lot of ifs but maybe that’s the way our management is thinking right now. They are for sure planing 1 or 2 seasons in advance and not only this one.
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