Ivan Rakitić

[Professor Chaos]

We're not using full potential of Rakitić. He won't be like Xavi, never. He should play as DMF.

I prefered Kroos, then came Rakitić. It was good at the beginning but it getting worse and I'm starting to regret we didn't get Kroos. It will hurt much more with over time.

 

[Amiga73]

If Kroos was played on the wing and had to cross to Messi he would achieve the same result.
When Rakitić is played through the centre he heads and can score from outside the box, he is a goal threat unlike Iniesta, Xavi or Busquets.

Against Real Madrid it was 4 midfielders of Madrid against 3 midfielders of Barcelona, most times it was Marcelo and 4 midfielders vs 3 Barcelona midfielders, of which 2 are slow. No matter how good you are, if your attackers don't help defend you will get outnumbered in midfield. In the games of the past the 2 wingers for Barcelona would help press, this no longer happens and teams can walk through Barcelona's midfield.

 

[evilhita666]

Why do people get the impression he is a DM? He is an AM with considerable workrate...

 

[linetty]

 

[DinhoR10]

When he's in his actual position playmaking he's been great, with Busi/Xavi/Iniesta next to him his pitfalls in his short passing game are made up for. Lucho just needs to figure out what to do with the RW, as of the last couple games whenever Suarez is on Messi becomes RW and it seems to work out much better for us but We havent faced a team with a strong LW with Messi on the wing (We did last year against Real and that helped since Marcelo couldn't enter the attack) but things have changed and I dont know if Alves can handle himself against the likes of Ronaldo anymore.

 

[Siberia]

I still have a lot of trust in him. You can say anything u want, Rakitic is a top midfielder. Imo he played much better with Iniesta than with xavi or rafinha.

 

[serghei]

Why do people get the impression he is a DM? He is an AM with considerable workrate...

Maybe for a Sevilla type team he is an AM. For Barca he's not good enough to play there. He should play as a CM, even box to box. His play might be suffering because of Lucho's poor tactics, because if what I'm seeing now is his true level, it's not good.

 

[Behrox]

Maybe for a Sevilla type team he is an AM. For Barca he's not good enough to play there. He should play as a CM, even box to box. His play might be suffering because of Lucho's poor tactics, because if what I'm seeing now is his true level, it's not good.

yup he's been playing there since the start of the season. Oh wait no he hasn't he's been playing RDM instead while Alves goes cross hunting on the RW

 

[Kohe321]

He has been great so far IMO. Now, if only Lucho could play a midfield that allows for more creativity and interesting passing options, I think he'd really start to shine.

 

[André]

Top player. Love him. Look at those performances, and he also has to cover Alves. What a hard worker.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Player Focus: Rakitic's Waning Influence in Enrique's New Barcelona

 

[KingMessi]

Drop Alves, and that problem is solved. Alves shouldn't be starting week in, week out anymore. Adriano/Montoya would allow for Rakitic to contribute more in midfield.

 

[Andrew M]

I've seen plenty of him in Sevilla and he is great.

 

[Denyoo]

I like him, he just might need a little more time to adjust properly. I would expect him to play a much stronger second half of the season. A little bit like Modric did at Real.

 

[DinhoR10]

I like him, he just might need a little more time to adjust properly. I would expect him to play a much stronger second half of the season. A little bit like Modric did at Real.

This. I remember when modric was called a flop because he was constantly played out of position and in a system that didnt suit him. Let rakitic do his thing and spray long balls/ charge forward from deep and he'll be great.