Gerard Piqué

[Stric]

Pique hasn't been very reliable lately, but I can't shake the feeling that there's just something in his head that prevents him from getting to his (current) best level and maintaining that for a longer than 3-4 games. There was a period in the first half of this season where he was really, really good. Following his injury. He was bossing the defense, clearing out set pieces and shots with ease, and was just generally reliable, confident and in good form. When he's at his best, he's really one of the best CBs in the world right now. (In all fairness, there aren't many very good ones to choose from.) He can do it, but for whatever reason, he just doesn't most of the time. He has the ability, but his head is not in it.

 

[Deco 20]

It's not something that he's 'picked' up overnight. I've seen him make mistakes before but he usually had a younger and healthier Puyol to bail him out at times. Pique's best years were the times when he played alongside the more tactically, positionally and defensively aware LB Abidal and when Dani was an absolute beast every game, we also had Toure earlier to provide cover.

Look at Pique's marking of Rooney for United's goal in the Champions League final a couple years back, he's caught ball-watching and doesn't cover or isn't aware of Rooney's run into the box. He was at fault for the goal that United scored in the CL final a couple years back. So it's not like this guy didn't make mistakes. It's just that he had better players or defenders around him who were in better form at the time when Pique was doing well. Abidal has had his health problems and Dani is still great but not quite the beast that he used to be week-in-week-out. The team as a whole doesn't press with the same consistency as it used to and so therefore Pique is being exposed more. His so-called greatness was more a product of his environment and situation around him. Which doesn't mean that Pique is a bad defender or he was a bad defender, it's just that I never considered him to be quite as good as some people made him out to be. Put him in a team like United or some lesser side which doesn't have the ball as much and people would've had a much more different opinion of him and his career.

Actually he successfully played the offside trap, as the goal shouldn't have stood

 

[darthvader7888]

Pique was fairly solid on Tuesday the few times he was tested IMO. So were the rest of the defense (besides that brainfart by Masch), though they were a little last-ditch at times. Certainly a lot better than they've been for most of the season (especially last month). I don't remember Milan getting any good chances besides that Niang miss and that Robinho chance that Alba saved. Even when they were attacking for the last few mins (and we were parking the bus), I don't remember them creating a great chance (besides that Robinho one). I think the clean sheet will be good for the defenders' confidence. Especially Pique, who at times has looked like he could use it.

 

[CatalinR10]

New boots

 

[Andrew M]

Man, you have to be a pretty good defender to have those boots

 

[ShandyFFM]

To me it seems like he has lost a lot of pace and overall you Dont see him doing those clever moves when defending a ball when under pressure

 

[Cule4life]

Man, you have to be a pretty good defender to have those boots

or a overrated defender or a rich guy

 

[jamrock]

Pique is the business his mind just isn't in yet right now and that combined with the constant changes I'm defense doesn't help.

His positioning and reading of the game is second to none and his tall legs bails him out whenever those two fail him, and I dont know who said something about putting him in a man u team and he would be shown up, one thing I can promise he would look much better at man u than any of their defenders would here.

The only defender I would take over him when focused his chillini. Not even Mr I can run very fast thiago Silva, certainly not I look crap outside the Prem kompany.

Varane looks great but he is what pique is when focus and in a settled back four is, tall legs,great reading and positioning

 

[Cule4life]

Pique over Thiago silva?

 

[Ode to Django]

Pique is the business his mind just isn't in yet right now and that combined with the constant changes I'm defense doesn't help.

His positioning and reading of the game is second to none and his tall legs bails him out whenever those two fail him, and I dont know who said something about putting him in a man u team and he would be shown up, one thing I can promise he would look much better at man u than any of their defenders would here.

The only defender I would take over him when focused his chillini. Not even Mr I can run very fast thiago Silva, certainly not I look crap outside the Prem kompany.

Varane looks great but he is what pique is when focus and in a settled back four is, tall legs,great reading and positioning

If you ever watched him for AC Milan you'd never be saying this, unbelievable stupid.

Far far better than any defender in Serie A, especially Chiellini

 

[Meitux]

no way Thiago Silva is worse than Pique he has all the attributes of a true cb and he has speed and also he can jump way higher than pique even he is 9 cms shorter...

 

[0n0mat0p0eia]

Now Silva and Pique side by side, that would've been some combination. <salivates thinking about it>

 

[abual3bed1]

Pique on form is on the same level with Silva.

 

[Andrew M]

I don't know why people cream over Silva on this forum

I have seen him make plenty of errors. I take Pique every time.

 

[Galning]

I don't know why people cream over Silva on this forum

I have seen him make plenty of errors. I take Pique every time.

I partially agree. For some reason it is "cool" to pretend like Silva is a defending God compared to other defenders.
But then again, some also think saying Neygoat & swag is cool