Cesc Fàbregas

[Hamzah]

I've been wanting to try it for a couple of seasons now. Nobody seemed to care back then, but it allows for possession football while having more defensive cover.

The management is too conservative to try it though. I think what's more realistic and overall better solution is for the boys to stop having such a relaxed attitude in training and actually be focused and motivated for each match, and bring back the intense pressing. This way we keep the familiar and effective 4-3-3 where the best players play in the best positions. That's all down to tito.

If we did use 4-2-3-1 then messi would not be false nine anymore and would have to be the "striker". Unless we play him as the attacking midfielder, but we have no striker for that case. Also, one of iniesta or xavi wouldn't play. Kind of a mess really.

 

[mixer]

--------Valdes--------
Alves--??--Pique--Alba
-----Song--Busi-------
Fabs---Messi---Iniesta
----------Neymar-----

?? thoughts

 

[Hamzah]

Ok. Cesc isn't suited to the right at all. Swap him and messi around and it could work. Although our possession would be poor by our standards because there's no room for Xavi in the formation to keep the tempo running. Unless you drop song and play him next to busquets in an alonso role.

 

[Flavia]

--------Valdes--------
Alves--??--Pique--Alba
-----Song--Busi-------
Fabs---Messi---Iniesta
----------Neymar-----

?? thoughts

Neymar is no cf, he wouldn't work there.

-----Busi--Song----
-------Iniesta--------
Alexis(Cesc)-Messi-Neymar

 

[Hamzah]

Messi is no pure striker either. Overall I think it's best to keep 4-3-3. If we bring a centre back, only send one fullback forward at a time and our pressing then the defence is solved. In midfield Xavi needs to be managed so he's fully fit for big matches, and rotation will have to be good. The attack is fine now Neymar is here and we don't rely on messi.

In general we also need to be focused and motivated and not messing around in training like we did the past two seasons. If Tito can do all of this then there's no reason we can't win all the major titles.

 

[Deco 20]

--------Valdes--------
Alves--??--Pique--Alba
-----Song--Busi-------
Fabs---Messi---Iniesta
----------Neymar-----

?? thoughts

Neymar shouldn't play as a striker, Iniesta shouldn't be on the wing, Cesc definitely shouldn't be a winger.

Midfield and attack:

Neymar - Messi - Sanchez
Iniesta-Xavi
Busquets

 

[Jadentheman]

If anything Cesc and Neymar should be switched in positions with that formation. Have Cesc become the false 9

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Hamzah]

Cesc is not a false nine. He does an ok job for Spain though in that position because it's a 4-2-3-1 false nine and not a messi style 4-3-3 false nine,which is more difficult as there isn't three attacking midfielders always running up to support you and you can layoff to them.

He should be played as an attacking midfielder with players making runs in front of him, he picks them out with great passes. When he struggles its because the forwards are static and he's forced to play the sideways game hen he's really a vertical player.

 

[Sumlit]

--------Valdes--------
Alves--??--Pique--Alba
-----Song--Busi-------
Fabs---Messi---Iniesta
----------Neymar-----

?? thoughts

I think Barca need to seriously explore the CF option so they can deploy a pyramid formation to crack those tough defensive teams.

Something like:

----------CF---------
---Neymar--Messi----
-Iniesta-Busquets-Cesc/Xavi-
Alba--CB--Pique--Alves
------Valdes--------

 

[aaron101]

we can also try this attack:
Neymar-Fabregas-Messi

Fabregas as False 9 and Messi as Right winger. They can switch position if Messi is isolated on the right.

 

[mixer]

I think you take it too serious. It's only on paper. Messi starts in midfield and then he switches with Neymar and Ney goes to the left;

Ney---------Messi
--Iniesta--Cesc---
--Song---Busi----


--Ney-----------Alexis
--Iniesta----Messi-----
---Busquets-Song/Cesc

You know, it's a movable formation

 

[hardyboy]

--Neymar----Messi----------

---Iniesta----Cesc----Xavi----

------------Busi--------------

--Alba---????---Pique----alves--

 

[Hamzah]

--Neymar----Messi----------

---Iniesta----Cesc----Xavi----

------------Busi--------------

--Alba---????---Pique----alves--

Good idea, a 4-4-2 diamond, lets cesc play in the number ten, and everyone else in their positions too. Our fullbacks like to attack so width is no problem. Balanced formation too with all roles covered, I like it.

Tito is too conservative to try new tactics though, so it won't happen in real life.

 

[te amo barca]

Yeah, 4-4-2 diamond is actually a good idea for our squad. Iniesta as advanced playmaker, Xavi as deep-lying playmaker, Cesc a true number ten, Messi the trequartista and Neymar as poacher. That would be awesome.

 

[Co0ter]

Neymar shouldn't play as a striker, Iniesta shouldn't be on the wing, Cesc definitely shouldn't be a winger.

Midfield and attack:

Neymar - Messi - Sanchez
Iniesta-Xavi
Busquets

I agree that traditional line-up is whats best for us right now, but that's only because of what we have to work with. Some of you are holding onto Xavi blindly and not willing to admit that his form has dipped significantly the past two seasons- whether it be due to age, injury or both.

Xavi isn't creating opportunities like he used to, neither is he pressing or making as many runs. He can control the tempo of the game still quite a bit, as we can see clearly when he's in the game and when he's missing, but I'm not sure that alone is enough to offset some other overall more useful players.

We should have been giving either Thiago more time or been giving Cesc minutes in his position to make him comfortable in the midfield. Cesc is too slow for false 9 and he's definitely no winger. I still think a mobile, WC striker should of been brought in as CF and give Messi and Neymar freedom on the wings with Busquets being disciplined in the DM position....but hey, lets just keep beating a dead horse