Andrés Iniesta

[Sumlit]

Fair enough. Of course if he came here he would have to play the offensive CM part, which he can do very well.

Btw what is Rafinha's role anyway? I never really figured.

Barca need CMs with projection, but still that they be CMs. Moreso now, that the focus is on forward play, they need complete CMs. Coutinho is a talented player and a talented midfielder, but I just don't think he'd be ideal for any of the CM roles for us. We need more rounded CM types, with offensive projection yes, but strong CM skills.

Rafinha was an experiment at CM that hasn't quite worked out. He was a more attacking focused player in La Masia, but played a little deeper and more versatile role at Celta, and played well, so that gave some hope he could mold his game for the CM role. That obviously hasn't worked out, at least so far. He just doesn't have the feel for the role/position.

I personally think he should be used in a more attacking role, rotate with the forwards. Rafinha could be a better version of Isaac Cuenca.

 

[Ini8]

Rafinha had a decent cameo against RM I think. IIRC, he was used as a winger.

 

[Lomar1o]

you people who don't want coutinho are prolly the ones that wanted cuadrado (THAT GOD HE ISN'T HERE).

 

[Flavia]

you people who don't want coutinho are prolly the ones that wanted cuadrado (THAT GOD HE ISN'T HERE).

Cuadrado wouldn't play in Iniesta's position, but as rb... And who wanted him was Enrique.

 

[Lomar1o]

Cuadrado wouldn't play in Iniesta's position, but as rb... And who wanted him was Enrique.

i wasn't saying that he was gonna replace iniesta. but my god people actually wanted cuadrado at barca . and he would never play RB at barca as he is no RB. but that's a different story. i remember some people wanted bale as a LB and were angry we went for alba. people were happy we went for sanchez instead of hazard. i hope we dont miss out on coutinho, because we definitely gonna miss out on anyone else.

 

[Flavia]

i wasn't saying that he was gonna replace iniesta. but my god people actually wanted cuadrado at barca . and he would never play RB at barca as he is no RB. but that's a different story. i remember some people wanted bale as a LB and were angry we went for alba. people were happy we went for sanchez instead of hazard. i hope we dont miss out on coutinho, because we definitely gonna miss out on anyone else.

If he was signed, he was going to play rb, as that's what LE wanted. And he did play rb for fiorentina. Anyway, Coutinho is not the type of midfielder this Barça need, at all. We need a player like Koke or Verratti.

 

[Gasgas]

These are the players who fit as our CMs: pjanic, pogba verrati gundogan tielemans koke matuidi samper modric, thiago alcantara, kroos,
These are players who don't fit: kovacic, hazard, silva, mata, cesc
These are average/mediocre players who have no business being linked to barca whatsoever: coutinho, herrera, fellaini, ramires, fernando, banega, bender, cabaye, song

 

[DinhoR10]

I wouldn't say pogba fits as a CM, too attack minded.

 

[Lomar1o]

If he was signed, he was going to play rb, as that's what LE wanted. And he did play rb for fiorentina. Anyway, Coutinho is not the type of midfielder this Barça need, at all. We need a player like Koke or Verratti.

no he wasn't. just like bale was never supposed to play as a lb. they played in those positions and then they evolved and found better suited positions for themselves, thinking otherwise is just wrong. and if anyone plays cuadrado as a rb, or bale as a lb consistently it would be just as idiotic as playing puyol as a gk, just because he ONCE played in that position. cuadrado rb my ass. this is false.

p.s. i am not denying that we need koke and veratti type of player, i am all for that type of player too. but we also need an attacking midfielder who will provide the strikers with assists. and since i am more attack-oriented i prefer buying a player like that FIRST as we can cope with busi, raki, masche, xavi, sergi roberto, samper, rafinha, horrorovic. but our AM position is so weak.

 

[Flavia]

no he wasn't. just like bale was never supposed to play as a lb. they played in those positions and then they evolved and found better suited positions for themselves, thinking otherwise is just wrong. and if anyone plays cuadrado as a rb, or bale as a lb consistently it would be just as idiotic as playing puyol as a gk, just because he ONCE played in that position. cuadrado rb my ass. this is false.

p.s. i am not denying that we need koke and veratti type of player, i am all for that type of player too. but we also need an attacking midfielder who will provide the strikers with assists. and since i am more attack-oriented i prefer buying a player like that FIRST as we can cope with busi, raki, masche, xavi, sergi roberto, samper, rafinha, horrorovic. but our AM position is so weak.

It's not false. Just go and read all the news regarding Cuadrado to Barça. That was the position LE wanted him in, for the supposed formation he had in mind, which had to change because cuadrado wasn't brought. It was also one of the things preventing him from signing, apart from his fee. He didn't want to play rb, and LE wanted him for it.

LE doesn't use an AM on his setup, so bringing yet another AM would be a waste of money. That's not what's needed, for the current way Barça is playing.

 

[Stric]

What's happening with Iniesta is not a matter of bad form. It's a result of the way we're playing. The tactics and the usual lineup end up sacrificing the role he used to have on the pitch. We cannot play him the same way we used to and play with our current lineup and tactics at the same time. The heatmap of 11/12 and that season's results aren't the point. He was an absolute beast in 12/13, as well, and he played half of that season as the left winger. And we won the league with 100 points. Iniesta can shine in different roles, as long as that role isn't a subdued one. No one can shine in that kind of a role. The way we're playing now is a waste of his talent, but hey, if we win trophies, the system obviously works. It's not here to play every player in his best role possible.

 

[Flavia]

What's happening with Iniesta is not a matter of bad form. It's a result of the way we're playing. The tactics and the usual lineup end up sacrificing the role he used to have on the pitch. We cannot play him the same way we used to and play with our current lineup and tactics at the same time. The heatmap of 11/12 and that season's results aren't the point. He was an absolute beast in 12/13, as well, and he played half of that season as the left winger. And we won the league with 100 points. Iniesta can shine in different roles, as long as that role isn't a subdued one. No one can shine in that kind of a role. The way we're playing now is a waste of his talent, but hey, if we win trophies, the system obviously works. It's not here to play every player in his best role possible.

It's also a matter of his form. He hasn't been bad in every game. In some games he played really well, in others he didn't, in the same role.

 

[Stric]

It's also a matter of his form. He hasn't been bad in every game. In some games he played really well, in others he didn't, in the same role.

That type of inconsistency can also very well be a consequence of adapting to the new system. It's difficult to maintain consistency (even consistency in failure) while you're still getting used to playing a certain way.

 

[Flavia]

That type of inconsistency can also very well be a consequence of adapting to the new system. It's difficult to maintain consistency (even consistency in failure) while you're still getting used to playing a certain way.

Also who he's paired with. Iniesta and rafinha don't work well together. With Rakitic, Iniesta was playing well, most of the time.

 

[Barcaman]

He was rubbish last seson too under Tata. What was excuse then?