Arthur

[serghei]

Too bad one of the veterans doesn't have it instead of Arthur. We would've gotten rid of Valverde.

 

[KingLeo10]

Too bad one of the veterans doesn't have it instead of Arthur. We would've gotten rid of Valverde.

Rakitic is now a mainstay in the team again, dawg.

This feels like May 2019 all over again.

 

[BusiTheKing]

honestly wouldn't want a man who uses condoms on my team

 

[BusiTheKing]

I have honestly never found myself irritated at Arthur for not making a return run or not taking the opportunity to make himself available. Can't say the same for other midfielders, though, who hide in the shadows while their teammates suffer until a nice little space opens up where they can pop up and make a cute little pass.

If I have to look at Rakitic and Busquets next to each other against a quick and rowdy team again, I might not survive.

 

[serghei]

Rakitic is now a mainstay in the team again, dawg.

This feels like May 2019 all over again.

As long as Arthur survives and plays his minutes and starts against high-pressing teams I have no problems with Rakitic getting his minutes either as a starter or as a sub.

Rakitic is fine against most teams. His huge weakness is pressure-resistance. He has none and the big teams know it. If you let him play and don't press him, he is still a very good player.

Only 4-5 teams can really press us and beat us. Those are the teams against which you can't play Busi and Rakitic in a midfield 3.

 

[Jadentheman]

For sure, Arthur should not react and ride it out. This will blow over then only be relevant in jokes and memes online. His career should be fine. No need for an apology either.

 

[Vilarrubi]

As long as Arthur survives and plays his minutes and starts against high-pressing teams I have no problems with Rakitic getting his minutes either as a starter or as a sub.

Rakitic is fine against most teams. His huge weakness is pressure-resistance. He has none and the big teams know it. If you let him play and don't press him, he is still a very good player.

Only 4-5 teams can really press us and beat us. Those are the teams against which you can't play Busi and Rakitic in a midfield 3.

I feel like this is really obvious now, but not obvious enough for Valverde

 

[xXKonan]

I'm curious where this rumor even originated from.

La Sotana has a reputation of being a humor program than actual reporting the news kinda program. Their post-match ratings are pretty savage at times as well.

 

[Andresito]

As long as Arthur survives and plays his minutes and starts against high-pressing teams I have no problems with Rakitic getting his minutes either as a starter or as a sub.

Rakitic is fine against most teams. His huge weakness is pressure-resistance. He has none and the big teams know it. If you let him play and don't press him, he is still a very good player.

Only 4-5 teams can really press us and beat us. Those are the teams against which you can't play Busi and Rakitic in a midfield 3.

Any team can do it when we play away. Basically all 4 of the last opponents that knocked us out pressed successfully.

 

[messi2140]

I disagree. I feel like saying " Rakitic doesn't play well against teams who press" or "Rakitic is still a good player against the midtable and bottom teams in la liga" is just a nice way to say that Rakitic cant play against the elite teams. Because most of the big teams end up pressing Barca , especially away from Camp Nou.

And if that's the case why not give those minutes to the young players ?

 

[KingLeo10]

As long as Arthur survives and plays his minutes and starts against high-pressing teams I have no problems with Rakitic getting his minutes either as a starter or as a sub.

Rakitic is fine against most teams. His huge weakness is pressure-resistance. He has none and the big teams know it. If you let him play and don't press him, he is still a very good player.

Only 4-5 teams can really press us and beat us. Those are the teams against which you can't play Busi and Rakitic in a midfield 3.

Okay, but I feel this is overlooking the fact that Rakitic no longer has the legs to be a consistent starter. The decent - good showing of late is likely a combination of rest and motivation. Both would be lower if we let him weasel his way back into an 'assured' starting spot.

He should come off the bench or be in a strict rotation with Vidal and Busquets for that 3rd spot. Anything else is a step backwards.

 

[serghei]

I disagree. I feel like saying " Rakitic doesn't play well against teams who press" or "Rakitic is still a good player against the midtable and bottom teams in la liga" is just a nice way to say that Rakitic cant play against the elite teams. Because most of the big teams end up pressing Barca , especially away from Camp Nou.

And if that's the case why not give those minutes to the young players ?

Yes, can't play against the elite teams. But are there more than 5 of those, as I said?

Okay, but I feel this is overlooking the fact that Rakitic no longer has the legs to be a consistent starter. The decent - good showing of late is likely a combination of rest and motivation. Both would be lower if we let him weasel his way back into an 'assured' starting spot.

He should come off the bench or be in a strict rotation with Vidal and Busquets for that 3rd spot. Anything else is a step backwards.

Yes, he can't be a consistent starter, but except for a few select teams, he can start any game. I'd be fine with 50-50 distribution with him and Arthur for normal games. As long as Arthur starts the bigger games.

 

[Arnaez]

Arthur isn't some massive upgrade on Rakitic against the elite teams, he's also completely meh. He does some important things better and some important things worse.

 

[KingLeo10]

Arthur isn't some massive upgrade on Rakitic against the elite teams, he's also completely meh. He does some important things better and some important things worse.

Maybe we'd find out what he can do if the manager actually trusts him in important games such as Roma and Liverpool away.

Maybe he's a bust. But let him lay the egg in a CL KO tie like Rakitic has already done before we write him off.

For example, I've already written off Dembele as a bust. Coutinho too. They had their chances, Arthur hasn't.

 

[FCBfan22]

As long as Arthur survives and plays his minutes and starts against high-pressing teams I have no problems with Rakitic getting his minutes either as a starter or as a sub.

Rakitic is fine against most teams. His huge weakness is pressure-resistance. He has none and the big teams know it. If you let him play and don't press him, he is still a very good player.

Only 4-5 teams can really press us and beat us. Those are the teams against which you can't play Busi and Rakitic in a midfield 3.

Imo, there is more than this. For instance, you can't play Rakitić at RCM, if Bob is playing RB. Bob gets caught upfield and Rakitić needs to cover RB which is, considering Raki's speed, far from ideal. Any team with a fast winger blitzes past Raki and we have a 1 on 1 situation with Pique, the outcome of which is likely determined by the number of meetings Pique attended the week before.