ebieymjunior
Senior Member
Will probably have to keep on saying this over and over again: Pique is overplayed! Don't play a defender for the fact that he's a "senior" player, it badly affects the dynamics of the team. Rather play those that are motivated and/or motivated to learn. The thing about defending is that it's all about communication and motivation. Unlike other units, defense is a unit in which players are totally dependent on each other (offside traps, one fullback moving forward and the other staying back, etc.) and there needs to at least one to coordinate. Up until his injuries that player was always Puyol - hence why he was made captain at a very young age (not because of seniority!). The great thing about Puyol is that he also motivated the players, which, unfortunately, I don't see Xavi doing (and Puyol doesn't really make excuses for bad play - he shouts at the players because of that).
Somehow I really think people still underestimate Puyol's role in the team. He's not known to play with his brains, because he has a big heart, but he's one of the most intelligent defenders football will ever see. His positioning, reading, timing, drive and especially sense of coordination (and he knows how to motivate the team) is what set's him above all the other modern defenders. I haven't seen any Barca CB play like that, except Bartra - and he's not utilised much...
The truth is it doesn't matter (AT ALL) how similar or different CBs are, as long as there's good communication between the two, and one can coordinate the defense.
I'd say for now
- move Mascherano to DM
- play Bartra much more often, and Montoya too (making his defending the priory, and not so much the going forward), especially when Alba is playing
- play Pique much less - overplaying leads (especially in his case) to complacency and injury. Players don't like not playing and they will never refuse to play, but it only benefits the player
And in the summer
- sell Song
- buy 2 CBs, one for rotation and another as backup
- Don't mind selling Alves, cause (no matter what anyone says) I think Montoya can do well and if they let him go, it'll be Thiago 2.0, which hopefully won't happen
- if Alves is sold, buy a new RB - Gregory van der Wiel (PSG) or Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax)
Somehow I really think people still underestimate Puyol's role in the team. He's not known to play with his brains, because he has a big heart, but he's one of the most intelligent defenders football will ever see. His positioning, reading, timing, drive and especially sense of coordination (and he knows how to motivate the team) is what set's him above all the other modern defenders. I haven't seen any Barca CB play like that, except Bartra - and he's not utilised much...
The truth is it doesn't matter (AT ALL) how similar or different CBs are, as long as there's good communication between the two, and one can coordinate the defense.
I'd say for now
- move Mascherano to DM
- play Bartra much more often, and Montoya too (making his defending the priory, and not so much the going forward), especially when Alba is playing
- play Pique much less - overplaying leads (especially in his case) to complacency and injury. Players don't like not playing and they will never refuse to play, but it only benefits the player
And in the summer
- sell Song
- buy 2 CBs, one for rotation and another as backup
- Don't mind selling Alves, cause (no matter what anyone says) I think Montoya can do well and if they let him go, it'll be Thiago 2.0, which hopefully won't happen
- if Alves is sold, buy a new RB - Gregory van der Wiel (PSG) or Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax)
