Frenkie de Jong

[Horatio]

Here is a crazy theory , hear me out. Maybe he started looking tired more at the end of the game because he also had to do the job of the 2 grandpas he was playing with.

Arthur himself admits his fitness was an issue last season and it even prompted him to cut his holiday short to work on it this season:
https://www.google.nl/amp/s/tribuna.com/amp/fcbarcelona/en/news/3436098/

 

[messi2140]

Arthur himself admits his fitness was an issue last season and it even prompted him to cut his holiday short to work on it this season:
https://www.google.nl/amp/s/tribuna.com/amp/fcbarcelona/en/news/3436098/

Because he knows that he needs to put in the work that Rakitic and Busquets can't do ( If he even gets to play this year) . His fitness was just fine in the Copa and played the full games without any problems , he even was putting full sprints in dying moments of the game.

Or maybe Valverde's football is so high intensity that his fat body can't handle it , while the static football that Tite is playing suits him perfectly , who knows.

 

[mc_lovin]

Maybe he improved further after his first(!) season in europe? Maybe he got more professional after Neymars birthday? Too much variables. I just wish Valverde would have shown more faith after his dip in form.

 

[Hamzah]

Because he knows that he needs to put in the work that Rakitic and Busquets can't do ( If he even gets to play this year) . His fitness was just fine in the Copa and played the full games without any problems , he even was putting full sprints in dying moments of the game.

Exactly, if a box to box player (offensive workhorse) is paired with Arthur, and de Jong is the pivot, the midfield will have good balance. Arthur can conserve energy knowing he has two players next to him who can defend and cover ground.

In Brazil he has Casemiro next to him who is a a workhorse, tall, powerful, nasty. God combo for a double pivot.

In a three man midfield it’s better to have de Jong as single pivot, Arthur further forward helping to control the midfield and the box to box man next to Arthur.

 

[bastardo]

Imagine if guordiola was the manager. The improvement this guy would make would be unbelievable

 

[Horatio]

His fitness was just fine in the Copa and played the full games without any problems , he even was putting full sprints in dying moments of the game.

Or the three muscular injuries he picked up throughout the year could explain why he had to be kept eased into it.

Anyway Copa Rey stats dont prove much. They are all over the place. He has played alongside Raki and Busquets 90 min a few games. In a few he got subbed off, in others it was Raki or Busi getting subbed off. In a some he played along Raki and Vidal.

I am not saying I disagree with Arthur and either Raki or Busquets instead of both would result in a more balanced midfield. But so far there are signs that Arthur had trouble with the rhythym in Europe and it could explain why he was eased in more slowly, also considering he picked up three injuries.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Frenkie is studying the game even on the airplane. What a guy.

[tw]1160364521032179723[/tw]

 

[mc_lovin]

Hes too perfect, Jesus. His answer to what he likes to do in his free time as well (spoiler: work out). In before he gets murdered by our other players. For the watch.

 

[soul24rage]

man what a guy, I'm so happy he's in our team.

 

[jairzinho]

Hope he teaches Valverde some tactics.

 

[Horatio]

Frenkie is studying the game even on the airplane. What a guy.

[tw]1160364521032179723[/tw]

This aint even Frenkie putting in the extra mile. This is just normal for him because of his love for the game. Players in future will probably be scouted more on psychological metrics. See if they actually take the game seriously.

 

[messi2140]

Or the three muscular injuries he picked up throughout the year could explain why he had to be kept eased into it.

Here are the injuries Arthur had :
Muscular problems May 11, 2019 May 23, 2019 12 days
Hamstring Injury Feb 7, 2019 Feb 26, 2019 19 days
Tear in the abductor muscular Nov 25, 2018 Dec 10, 2018 15 days

His last injury was 3 weeks away for the Copa America which sidelined him for 12 days , and Tite didnt need 4 months to ease him in because he was injured (btw love how you lowkey moved the goalpost. First his fitness was bad , now its the injuries )



Or maybe Valverde is a piece of shit coach thats mediocre as fuck and has no idea what the actual fuck he is doing besides pleasing the senior players and letting them play every game.

 

[Horatio]

Or maybe Valverde is a piece of shit coach thats mediocre as fuck and has no idea what the actual fuck he is doing besides pleasing the senior players and letting them play every game.

Anything is possible. My point is just in the case of Arthur wouldnt be surprised if stamina ain’t one of his fortes.

And kind of shocked about your me moving goalpost remark. Only make sense that fatigued muscles pick up an injury faster.

And also makes sense that you dont let a player play 90 minutes after having come off an injury.

 

[xXKonan]

Still amazes me how Real didn't even enter the ring to try and get him.

Considering the decline of Modric and how Kroos is looking these days he would have been an excellent Modric replacement.

 

[DonAndres]

Still amazes me how Real didn't even enter the ring to try and get him.

Considering the decline of Modric and how Kroos is looking these days he would have been an excellent Modric replacement.

It was clear he was a special player even when he was a CB in 17/18. His dribbling success rate was 94% and he had the highest pass accuracy in all of Eredivisie. This was despite the fact that he basically lived on the tight rope of risk as a CB and played like freaking Beckenbauer

He's already drawn the praise of Ancelotti, Griezmann, Mbappe, Pirlo, Xavi, Allegri, and many others.

I think Frenkie will come to represent the exemplar of the modern regista. High workrate and mobility, can carry the ball anywhere, and can pass the ball anywhere/in any situation. We always assumed these types of players Pirlo/Alonso/Busquets need to be relatively static and disciplined in their positioning but Frenkie has a MASSIVE radius of action on the pitch. He basically adds an extra man to any situation whether you need to press/intercept/link up and he can do it on the left and right, not just strictly near the center. Whenever he initiates plays from deep positions he also builds up momentum and can carry an attack all the way to the final third.

The extra man in any situation, wherever we need him to be. That kind of effect is something few players have ever produced.