Ivan Rakitić

[Neymessi]

^^ If you ask me then changing the coach without changing the midfield is going to hardly have much effect. People seem to be putting every blame on lucho but tbh players are at a lot of fault too when you can't make basic passes or make unforced errors all the time which a coach can't have a fault in. Specially the midfield. And a new coach isn't suddenly make so many average midfielders to gems. I may be having an unpopular opinion here but fixing the midfield mess takes precedence over replacing enrique. And that doesn't mean I don't want Lucho sacked.

 

[Mido]

I would have no issue at all letting Rakitic and Arda go to have Thiago Alcantara and Verratti instead. But that seems to be wishful thinking at the moment...

 

[MIXA]

Even though the game was won, I think that we would have performed even better if Rakitic had played in midfield instead of Roberto.

I can't understand why he has been spending so much time on the bench. It's not as if he is much worse than all the other midfielders. If Enrique truly treated all his players equally then Iniesta should be sitting on the bench just as often as Rakitic.

 

[Dado]

It should be noted that he still has not signed the contract extension.

He wated a raise and to go from 4 mil to 4,5 mil a year never felt to me is the thing he wanted.

 

[Barcaman]

I think he will. He probably knows Lucho will be gone next season.

 

[JamDav1982]

Although limited time he looked better when came on vs Atletico he played quite well.

IF Lucho goes with this formation he could fit in quite nicely to right of a diamond four and not have to always be in defensive positions to primarily act as a defensive player.

 

[Barcaman]

Sampaoli would play him next year, I am sure.

 

[El Flaco]

Yesterday, Rakitic had an interview in Grant Wahl's Planet Fútbol podcast.

It's 36:39 minutes long, but the interview starts at 3:32 minute mark.

Rakitić talks about his early life, coming to Sevilla, extending his Barça contract etc.

 

[God Serena]

^^ If you ask me then changing the coach without changing the midfield is going to hardly have much effect. People seem to be putting every blame on lucho but tbh players are at a lot of fault too when you can't make basic passes or make unforced errors all the time which a coach can't have a fault in. Specially the midfield. And a new coach isn't suddenly make so many average midfielders to gems. I may be having an unpopular opinion here but fixing the midfield mess takes precedence over replacing enrique. And that doesn't mean I don't want Lucho sacked.

Our midfield is at least better than many of the La Liga teams that outplay us. Giving us a world class midfield under Lucho would probably not change things. If a no-name manager in the bottom of the table can get his no-name players to outperform the likes of Iniesta, Busquets, and Rakitic, replacing our manager should be priority, over replacing the midfield.

 

[snowy]

Man i have heard it all now .. players who are 27 and 28 years old are "old" because of their dna. damn lol

Not nearly as bad as the fashion catwalk scene. Passed 21, you graduate to granny land and you might as well adopt a Shi Tzu to guide you on the Sears Secret Senior runway. And if you make it to oh lordy lord... 22, datz it! your number's up. Just eat a bullet after your post-meal barf cuz you're no longer old, you're a cadaver. Forget juicy China signings, it's off to the morgue or medical research labs. Footballers have it easy.

Dur dur d'être un top mo

 

[BBZ8800]

Our midfield is at least better than many of the La Liga teams that outplay us. Giving us a world class midfield under Lucho would probably not change things. If a no-name manager in the bottom of the table can get his no-name players to outperform the likes of Iniesta, Busquets, and Rakitic, replacing our manager should be priority, over replacing the midfield.

Our midfield is technically better than 90% of La liga teams.

But, in terms of stamina, pace, energy and running, imo, this trio (Iniesta-Busi-Raki) is a midtable level.
Add Messi who don't run into this, and Roberto at RB who is lost both in attack and defense, and you already have 5 players (half of a team) who either can't run, won't run, are slow as turtles or are lost on their position (Roberto).

So, Lucho is guilty because he picked these players.
But apart from that, these players (when they play together) are causing a lot of problems against teams who can run and press.

I would dare to say that the current Busi-Iniesta-Raki trio is one of the slowest La Liga midfield combos.
If not the slowest...

 

[God Serena]

Our midfield is technically better than 90% of La liga teams.

But, in terms of stamina, pace, energy and running, imo, this trio (Iniesta-Busi-Raki) is a midtable level.
Add Messi who don't run into this, and Roberto at RB who is lost both in attack and defense, and you already have 5 players (half of a team) who either can't run, won't run, are slow as turtles or are lost on their position (Roberto).

So, Lucho is guilty because he picked these players.
But apart from that, these players (when they play together) are causing a lot of problems against teams who can run and press.

I would dare to say that the current Busi-Iniesta-Raki trio is one of the slowest La Liga midfield combos.
If not the slowest...

Don't worry, man. This is why we bench Rakitic for Gomes.

 

[Raketa10]

Good game today.

 

[CatalinR10]

roketic <3

 

[xXKonan]

Good game overall.

I think maybe in this setup he can play better and more freely when you compare his old role in the 4-3-3.