Ivan Rakitić

Ursegor

Ursegor

World Champion
footyfan said:
Unfair comparison. Cesc is being asked to press Modric while Rakitic is being asked to contain Iniesta in his own box with a lot of support near him. Watch either of Iniesta vs Sevilla or Messi vs Sevilla videos for evidence of what happens to Rakitic when he tries to press. There's also a lot of evidence for Fabregas winning the ball during his time at Arsenal.

Anyway, I understand these are just examples - but on how many occasions will Rakitic be asked to contain like in that gif while playing for Barca?
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All the time after we buy Cuadrado. :pep:
 
Antimilan

Antimilan

New member
Ursegor :lol: unbelievable. You will be bitterly surprised I guess with the season coming. It is also easy to imagine you were this excited when Fabregas first signed for Barca.
 
footyfan

footyfan

Calma, calma
Ursegor said:
All the time after we buy Cuadrado. :pep:
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lol

Rakitic will have a better coach in terms of defensive organization and fitness, that's for sure. I'm curious if he will be played alongside Xavi and Iniesta like Cesc, or if he will replace one of them. I still can't see Xavi being benched for big games. I followed Rakitic a lot during his time at Schalke, and he's definitely a lot better off as an attacking midfielder, or even cutting in from the left. Played deep at Sevilla to utilise his long passing skills and to cover for injuries.
 
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Ursegor

Ursegor

World Champion
Antimilan said:
Ursegor :lol: unbelievable. You will be bitterly surprised I guess with the season coming. It is also easy to imagine you were this excited when Fabregas first signed for Barca.
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I wasn't and many many Barca fans weren't either. I remember very well that a large chunk didn't understand what we needed him for when Thiago was coming through. You can even see it in old Youtube comments: "We have Thiago, we don't need Cesc." While Iniesta was only 26. Pep masked those problems with 3-4-3 for 1 season. After that it went downhill. Not good enough to control the midfield without Xavi but too big a name to be left out completely so we destroyed our shape by moving Iniesta, Neymar and even Messi all over the place to fit Cesc in somewhere. The more knowledgable people also knew that he was never going to replace Xavi as he morphed into a goalhanging CAM in the EPL a long time ago.

I don't say Rakitic is going to be a guaranteed success (although I have a feeling he will). However Cesc has been a guaranteed flop for 3 seasons. And yes, I still don't care about his padded goals and assists against fodder. When Pep apparently wants to sell him, Tito benches him in big games, Tata can't live without 34 year old Xavi in big games and Lucho is giving the okay to sell Cesc then it's high time to cash in and move on. We can live with Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Rafinha, Xavi, Mascherano/Song. It's not as if Cesc ever made the difference and made himself indispensible.
 
Vilarrubi

Vilarrubi

New member
Wow! Can't believe there is belief that Cesc is faster than Rakitic.. I'm not saying Rakitic is fast but Cesc is DEFINITELY the slowest Barca player on the pitch when he plays.
 
Ursegor

Ursegor

World Champion
Hamzah said:
Nah. He hated him before he even played a single minute. Never praise only criticise.
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lol I don't hate him. Why do some people take it so personal when people criticize players? I even praised him heavily at some point. Though gladly people aren't digging those old posts up or I'd look like DonAspas. :VdB:
 
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