Gerard Piqué

[Indignado]

Pique will probably pick up a yellow card and thus miss the final anyway, should we, by some miracle, get there.

Who fancies a Song-Masch cb partnership for the final?

I don't care as long as we make it.

 

[hellsangel1]

Nothing to do with his partners. Once he's dragged out wide he loses the 1 on 1 almost every single time, even against the most average players. That first goal is a trademark "how to get past Pique" move. Take him on 1 on 1 in wide positions, accelerate towards the goalline and that's it - you're free to cross. Remember: even Bojan did the same to him. Pique's too slow on the turn and not aggressive enough to prevent that move.

This Pique is the real Pique. So don't expect him to be "back" anytime soon. Because the version of Pique where he looked like "Piquenbauer" when he had nothing to do all these years under Pep with the whole team pressing like maniacs was the false Pique.

Excellent post. This is something that those who want to 'put him with the right player alongside him' don't seem to understand how often he loses 1 on 1 situations. Pique is really slow on the turn and slow on his feet and his lack of awareness as a defender is also pretty alarming (look at the first goal that Bayern scored). It's extraordinary how opposing players that aren't blessed with a great deal of pace or ability can get past a supposed top-level defender like him so often (you mentioned Bojan as well in the second leg of the Milan game). The fact is that he's been below-par for 2 seasons now and let's no forget that he played alongside Abidal for the most part last season and Busquets in front of him who had his best season at Barca last year. So all those who seem to point to his supporting cast seem to forget his performances last season as well.

Barca sold WPOY Ronaldinho after 2 below-par seasons (in fact his second-last season wasn't that terrible but you could already see some trends develop) and I think the same needs to be done with Pique. I don't think you can be average or below-par for the most part of 2 seasons at a top club and still deserve to be a starter. I think he can be a useful player on the bench or as the 3rd choice CB but I'm not sure that Barca can afford to keep a player like him on the bench or if it would be better to cut ties with him.

 

[jamrock]

Now the question one must ask themself is how often did he get beat one vs one with a balance defense around him, in those first three years no one could turn him, he was always well POSITIONED, because he didnt have to go out of his position to cover all sort of space,.

How often did Walter the wall Samuel get beat 1 v 1 at Madrid in a unbalanced defense, now how about at Roma and inter, thinking thinking light bulb, exactly.

 

[Stric]

Absolute beast so far. Fast, reliable, focused.

It's all in the mind.

 

[Ursegor]

Superb finish.

 

[Deco 20]

Imperial first half, unlucky for the own goal, couldn't do anything for the third. Our best player today.

 

[evilhita666]

While he was good, it was too little, too late, if you ask me...

 

[Flavia]

Imperial first half, unlucky for the own goal, couldn't do anything for the third. Our best player today.

If only he was like that all season. good to see his problem is concentration. Maybe now he'll get his stuff together.

 

[Deco 20]

While he was good, it was too little, too late, if you ask me...

Well he saved 2-3 sure goals, without him it could've been a manita

 

[Meitux]

with those tackles he didnt become good for me,also the own goal was really stupid he could just clear the ball but he missedkicked it...

 

[evilhita666]

Well he saved 2-3 sure goals, without him it could've been a manita

I didn't deny that...

I mean in terms of the whole season... This was his best performance of the season, yet it was nothing to write home about, and the only redeemable thing is that he helped that we didn't let in even more goals in a 3 - 0 defeat...

 

[fcbdna]

Joint Barcelona man of the match with Batra and Song. Had an brilliant show tonight.

 

[ricknattery]

No player can function with the wrong system. He has his shortcomings but he has gone from not having much job (since everyone was pressing like madmen during Pep's 3 first seasons) to being completely exposed by the whole defensive system (with Tito not correcting the lack of a partner and destroying Pep's pressure when we did not have the ball)

 

[FCBarca]

Joint Barcelona man of the match with Batra and Song. Had an brilliant show tonight.

Plus, he scored

 

[rivaldo10]

He allways shined when the system worked infront of him but now that it dosent anymore we see how good he really is.