Ivan Rakitić

[Topolino]

He was pretty good before the int break aswell... or as we say... he was good before the new haircut.

 

[Messi983]

Really? Douglas, Bartra, Munir, Adriano, Alves and Ter Stegen are pure quality if you ask me...

Maybe we should play MAtS in midfield with his great passing skills.

But yes, bench yesterday was just... (I don't even find a word). I'd still bring in Alves for Roberto and Munir for Neymar though.

 

[FC B]

Very poor game from him, maybe the worst match made since joining Barca.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I don't think he was that bad .but he had 3 chances if I counted probably and he should have done better than that

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

He is obviously fatigued. Look at the man, he looks dead tired. He ran too much for MSN through these 2 years.

 

[Jefecito]

He is obviously fatigued. Look at the man, he looks dead tired. He ran too much for MSN through these 2 years.

He ran for Messi and Alves, nothing to do with Neymar and Suarez.

 

[Jamie Cal]

Come to think of it, he did really well to get in the box and manufacture the chance on his left against Valencia. Out of all our chances, that was the only one where Diego Alves was really good and didn't just make the save because of poor finishing.

 

[Ripsta]

Signed up just to vent my frustrations with him. Hard working player, but he's got the turning circle of a 747, and he rarely ever passes forwards. Slows it down, passes sideways or backwards. He's also taking up the attacking positions Messi should be in when in the final third. He's a good backup to have, but when the front three aren't on form he's exposed big time. Iniesta can at least run with the ball, but the midfield in general need to learn to pass quicker, and be more direct.

 

[El Flaco]

Rakitić's goal vs. Deportivo La Coruna

[gfy]DearAnimatedAngelwingmussel[/gfy]

 

[iniesta_8]

unfortunately the goal is missing at the end

thx anyways!

 

[Barcaman]

Signed up just to vent my frustrations with him. Hard working player, but he's got the turning circle of a 747, and he rarely ever passes forwards. Slows it down, passes sideways or backwards. He's also taking up the attacking positions Messi should be in when in the final third. He's a good backup to have, but when the front three aren't on form he's exposed big time. Iniesta can at least run with the ball, but the midfield in general need to learn to pass quicker, and be more direct.

Welcome!

GL replacing him with a same work horse (for Messi) that also has Iniesta's vision and flair.

 

[JackaL]

He showed some good signs yesterday. We need him for the last games. Having seen Xaviniesta & Busquets for years, one might think Rakitic is slow (dribblings and turnarounds). Yes, compared to Iniesta he might be slow, but Rakitic is so important for this Barca team. His understanding of the game is worldclass. Remember last year's CL semi final against Bayern, before Messi's second goal, how he deliberately slows down the game, passes the ball back and the regrouped triangle manages to draw 3 of the Bayern players. He receives the ball again, 3 Bayern players are out of the game, he sees Messi, passes, and Messi writes history.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/9SKWV_a5mMk?t=567[/youtube]

 

[Sea_of_Frost]

Signed up just to vent my frustrations with him. Hard working player, but he's got the turning circle of a 747, and he rarely ever passes forwards. Slows it down, passes sideways or backwards. He's also taking up the attacking positions Messi should be in when in the final third. He's a good backup to have, but when the front three aren't on form he's exposed big time. Iniesta can at least run with the ball, but the midfield in general need to learn to pass quicker, and be more direct.

The guy is too tired. Physically and mentally.

 

[Antimadridista1]

You can't have a player with Xavi's passing and Rakitic solidity. He provides well-needed muscles in midfield and I'm happy to have him in our squad.
I don't think that any other player in the world could do a better work at his position for the moment (apart from Modric and Verratti but both are impossible to buy).

 

[Ripsta]

The guy is too tired. Physically and mentally.

I think part of it is that he's being limited in his play. His first thought when he gets the ball is 'Who can I pass it to in defence'. He was never like that at Sevilla.

You can't have a player with Xavi's passing and Rakitic solidity. He provides well-needed muscles in midfield and I'm happy to have him in our squad.
I don't think that any other player in the world could do a better work at his position for the moment (apart from Modric and Verratti but both are impossible to buy).

That's what Busquets should be for. I don't think Verratti would be impossible to buy either, he'd be a substantial improvement on Rakitic.