Vidal had a good game today. Numerous interceptions and all. Too bad he had no support from the mid field. Poor lad gets the ball but does not find an outlet to make the pass! And he's good offensively too.
I blame Lucho for not playing him for so long.
Today Lucho should have started Roberto as well as Vidal..... Rakitic should have played RCM dumping Arda into the bench where he belongs!!
Too bad we have a stubborn guy for coach who can't seem to digest the fact that the player that he pushed the board to sign does not fit our team..... he still starts him to save his own face!
Imo, Vidal would be better (the same as Gomes) if they would get 4-5 matches in a row in a best lineup (but also in the SAME lineup), to click with key players, and also to have more support and better players around them.
A classic MSN, Iniesta-someone-Busi, Alba-Pique-Umtiti/Masch-Vidal lineup would help even to Vidal.
Vidal played 4 times in the last Month, and these are defensive and midfield lines in those matches:
1. Alba-Umtiti-Masch-Vidal
2. Alba-Mathieu-Umtiti-Vidal
3. Alba-Pique-Umtiti-Vidal
4. Digne-Mathieu-Pique-Vidal
1. Busi-Rafinha-Gomes (Rcm)
2. Busi-Turan-Rakitic (Rcm)
3. Masch-Gomes-Denis
4. Rakitic-Turan-Denis (Rcm)
In these 4 matches, Vidal played with RCB near him:
-- Umtiti, Umtiti, Masch, Pique
CB pair:
-- Umtiti+Masch, Mathieu+Umtiti, Pique+Umtiti, Mathieu+Pique
Rcm on his side:
-- Gomes, Rakitic, Denis, Denis/Gomes
Cdm close to him:
-- Busi, Busi, Masch, Rakitic
A guy has zero chances to improve and develop some chemistry and understanding (in movement) with his teammates when more or less, IN EVERY SINGLE game he plays with a different Rcb, differnt Cb duo, different Cdm (Busi's injury) and a different Rcm close to him.
In one match, he has to defend with Umtiti.
3 days later with Pique.
3 days later with Mathieu.
How to develop chemistry, understanding, mind reading etc?
In one match, Cdm is Busi, then Masch, then Rakitic.
RCM close to him with whom he should connect the best is Gomes, then Rakitic, then Denis.
He is weaker in defense, but also, he has zero chances to improve with the current Lucho's management of crazy rotations.
Imo, the same could be said about Denis and Gomes.
Denis plays some matches on the left, some on the right, and he plays with a different Cm partner in each match.
Gomes plays on the left, on the right and as a Cdm often.
With a different CM, CDM, LB and RB partner all the time.
In one match Gomes starts to connect with Vidal, then he has to play with Roberto in the next match.
In one match he clicks with Iniesta, then there is Rafinha/Arda/Raki/Denis near him in the next match.
Totally insane.
Lucho has too many players on his disposal and we all know that he has problems with rotations, picking priorities and similar.
Vidal, Gomes, Denis, they can't click with a team in these circumstances.