Frenkie de Jong

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Vilarrubi

New member
Just did his job tonight, nothing fancy. Our midfield flowed nicely, remember at times last season we’d get dominated in midfield a lot of games even at Camp Nou but our star players (mainly Messi) would get the win and it would mask over the problems.

Feel like we dominated completely tonight, there wasn’t a time where our midfield lost control, something stats cannot show either ;)
 

te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
Wish he tried to take on his man on the wing more today like Iniesta would. He has that dribbling ability in him as it was evident from his first games at Ajax. He tried once but failed, and then played it conservatively.
 

BarçaBarça

New member
Valverde trust him with his life, and he will play every game he can, as he should - good to see.

No other way to build relations than playing time - and his level is for everyone to see.
Great addition to our team, hopefully he will help us both get results and develop our play in a more exciting direction during the season.
 

JPM85

Member
He looked slugisch/tired in his movement to me. I think like 2-3 times in the game his direct opponent just turned away from him, in which he normally excels and takes over the ball. Not saying it was a bad game, because I believe he did a good job in covering empty spaces on the left side and attacking position.

Not even a really big issue, dude is in a new country, learning the language, getting to know his teammates and training will be at a higher level then used at Ajax.
Valverde just has to make sure he is getting rested enough, before he will get injured due to be too tired.
 

EdmondDantes

New member
He did his job tactically. In other games he will play more centrally and receive the ball more. The fact that he can fulfill a such role tactically and do well bodes well for him, and Barca.

Pretty much. You can't also overlook the fact he's in a new league and only getting started here.
 

DonAndres

Wild Man of Borneo
I absolutely disagree that he is restricted as a CDM and "unleashed" as a CM. In fact, at Barca I think quite the opposite is true especially under Valverde.

To say Frenkie plays like a Xavi role is somewhat lazy and trying to fit him 1:1 into something he isn't. They are both excellent at press resistance, ball progression, and dictating play, however they do it in different ways. Xavi plays more as an 'outlet' player, receiving the ball in traffic and higher areas in the pitch. He dropped back a lot, but a large part of Xavi's behaviors on the pitch came from him existing in those higher pockets of space under pressure. From there he'd receive passes from any direction, swivel around, and distribute it into any other direction.

FDJ tends to start plays from deeper positions, facing the opposition goal. He tends to drive forward more aggressively/vertically from deep positions and that's how he initiates a lot of his linkup and passing. His best plays tend to come from him "building up a head of steam" as he either dribbles or 1-2's his way up the pitch in either direction. That's momentum on the ball, and it's something he needs to do his work well. He also wins a LOT of duels/interceptions like that (starting deep and pushing up to catch them off guard) and did so against Napoli to assist a goal. He is good as an outlet because he has excellent awareness but he isn't quite as agile/technical as Xavi in the tightest of spaces and doesn't tend to do his best work in pockets like an outlet player.

Just look at his best performance against Napoli. He was used as a CDM/Regista, and played with TOTAL freedom and dictated the play wherever it was on the pitch. Since FDJ was often the first player making a run/pass out of the back, that gives him the power to dictate the quality of the entire attacking move from the very beginning. He broke the initial opposition press with dribbles or splitting passes, then he made followup runs and plays in support and also develops the attacking move further until its conclusion. From the CDM position he had total field vision of everything in front of him and made key runs forward (on either side, left or right) to set an aggressive offensive tempo.

On the other hand, we saw him play as LCM with Dembele for like 30 mins in one game. That was a pretty good performance and FDJ did make nice plays at LCM combining with Dembele, however he had fewer touches on the ball than he did as a pivot. We saw it again when Arthur/Coutinho came on in the next game and there was some unspoken positional switch and FDJ switched to the interior while Arthur was the pivot. FDJ had FAR fewer touches at LCM and our poor organization often left him isolated, with Coutinho totally abandoning the LW.

FDJ clearly had way more impact on the overall game and the level of our offensive play when deployed as a Regista style CDM. We need to stop this restrictive "Xavi role" or "Busquets role" type shackles. FDJ plays in the position of Busi but his style of play gives him freedom to roam offensively like Xavi does.

Said it 2 weeks ago. To me it was clear things would be this way since the 2 Napoli games, he is way more natural as a CDM regista. To play him higher up as a CM is putting shackles on him and not vice versa, as many predicted.

Maybe under a different coach this wouldn't be the case and it could be more effective, but under Valverde I just can't see it happening. I also think, no matter the coach, his best position will always be as a CDM. It's just everything his skillset and behavior on the pitch aligns with.

Build things around that and give him plenty of runners. Roberto, Griez, Alba are all great at this. Arthur would give him a valuable support system. Hell I think Frenkie would do wonders with a guy like Ansu out on the LW too who really looks way more active and innovative off the ball than Dembele. Technical players who thrive on linkup and heavy movement. Messi is like this too, but makes most of his runs AFTER his initial playmaking which can be more than enough if everyone around him is so dynamic.
 
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EdmondDantes

New member
Said it 2 weeks ago. To me it was clear things would be this way since the 2 Napoli games, he is way more natural as a CDM regista. To play him higher up as a CM is putting shackles on him and not vice versa, as many predicted.

Maybe under a different coach this wouldn't be the case and it could be more effective, but under Valverde I just can't see it happening. I also think, no matter the coach, his best position will always be as a CDM. It's just everything his skillset and behavior on the pitch aligns with.

Build things around that and give him plenty of runners. Roberto, Griez, Alba are all great at this. Arthur would give him a valuable support system. Hell I think Frenkie would do wonders with a guy like Ansu out on the LW too who really looks way more active and innovative off the ball than Dembele. Technical players who thrive on linkup and heavy movement. Messi is like this too, but makes most of his runs AFTER his initial playmaking which can be more than enough if everyone around him is so dynamic.

I've literally jut got done watching Mister Seitan's take on the match and he basically said the exact same thing. He says Barca's coaching staff are "killing him" by playing him in this position. Use him correctly (at CDM) and he will shine.
 

JohnN

Senior Member
De Jong looked kind of a non-factor today, as he played too far left. Not bad though, just played his part in a functional system.
Still looked good in possession and covered well.
Busquets, whatever people may say and despite his decline, is still a monster at intercepting balls high up the pitch and making amazing through balls. I hope De Jong can fill that role, as his best position seems to be a CDM.
 

Raketa10

Senior Member
Still waiting for the "MAGIC" you all see. . . All I have seen so far are excuses.

What fucking Magic? What are you talking about? He is a DM. DM players are here to produce stability and fast transition and not MAGIC! Has Busi produced MAGIC during his prime? Some of you should stop comparing De Jong with Xavi or Iniesta, in that way you will only damage the player. He is not here to produce MAGIC. He is here to be a long term Busi replacement. In some way he is similar to Modric in some ways to Busi. His main strength is transition, basically getting ball from his own half to the opponents under pressure and deep playmaking. He is not here to score goals or provide some mesmerizing assists.

If Valverde keeps on using him as a LCM he will ruin him completely! An absolute blasphemy! Just put Busi on the bench you idiot and give him that DM spot!
 
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Raketa10

Senior Member
No not at all. This kid is a world class and above that he is a smart player. Problem is we have an idiot on the bench.
 

VN10

New member

psychotsek

Member
The kid has class. He stepped into the midfield and played like he has been with the team for years . I rarely get excited with a player but the little I've seen from him with Barca he seems like a turbo charged version of early days Rakitic.
 

jamrock

Senior Member
he won't play a DM with busquets here and i don't think that should be the case, busquets has at least 1 more year left in him, he was never a player that needed pace to be effective.

for this season.

I prefer


----------------Busquets

-----FDJ-----------------------+One

than

----------------FDJ

----Roberto/Rakitic---------+One


Because who ever that plus one will be ain't as good as busquets even in his current state.


for now busquets and frankie should be the first name on midfield and we rotate whoever plays with them on a needs basis.
 
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