Ivan Rakitić

BBZ8800

BBZ8800

Senior Member
He gave an interview now, and a journalist asked him: "What were you thinking about while walking to take the 5th pen?"

Raki: "I was walking slowly and thinking about my 2 daughters" :worthy::worthy:
 
serghei

serghei

Senior Member
He looks good at this World Cup. We should try to use him better in our midfield. Instead, we play exactly like this slow Spain team did today. No directness, basically forcing teams to put every player behind the ball, sometimes as if we actually want them to set up in trenches. Then we moan we couldn't score but we played well and had possession. No fucking kidding. This is not what possession football is about. It's about creating chances with the ball, not about using the ball passing it around with no incisiveness.
 
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Luftstalag14

Luftstalag14

Culé de Celestial Empire
serghei said:
He looks good at this World Cup. We should try to use him better in our midfield. Instead, we play exactly like this slow Spain team did today. No directness, basically forcing teams to put every player behind the ball, sometimes as if we actually want them to set up in trenches. Then we moan we couldn't score but we played well and had possession. No fucking kidding. This is not what possession football is about. It's about creating chances with the ball, not about using the ball passing it around with no incisiveness.
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I think it is because he did not have a lot of defensive duties with Croatia like he does with us. His positions are much more forward with Croatia. With us he drops so deep and has to cover a lot of ground in the back.
 
BBZ8800

BBZ8800

Senior Member
Luftstalag14 said:
I think it is because he did not have a lot of defensive duties with Croatia like he does with us. His positions are much more forward with Croatia. With us he drops so deep and has to cover a lot of ground in the back.
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He was a Cdm often during this match.
Especially after Cdm Brozovic left the field and more attacking Kovacic stepped in.

So, imo, it is not only about defense.
Barca just plays differently.

serghei said:
He looks good at this World Cup. We should try to use him better in our midfield. Instead, we play exactly like this slow Spain team did today. No directness, basically forcing teams to put every player behind the ball, sometimes as if we actually want them to set up in trenches. Then we moan we couldn't score but we played well and had possession. No fucking kidding. This is not what possession football is about. It's about creating chances with the ball, not about using the ball passing it around with no incisiveness.
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Yes, Barca and Spain both "force and invite" teams to park 2 buses.
And then we need Iniesta type of players to TikiTaka them through 10 men around the box.
Then players like Raki are "bad" because they can't play well and fast in tight spaces against parked buses.

Under Lucho, when we played more direct in 2015, and in Croatian NT team, he is way better because he doesn't have to play in tight spaces and he can play some long balls and direct actions.

If we are planning to play a slow, sideway-passing possession game like Spain, then we should surely sell Raki, and just play Arthur, Thiago and similar.
On the other hand, if we are planning to evolve and slightly speed up our game, Raki could be useful for 2 more years.
 
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Joan

Joan

Well-known member
BBZ8800 said:
He was a Cdm often during this match.
Especially after Cdm Brozovic left the field and more attacking Kovacic stepped in.

So, imo, it is not only about defense.
Barca just plays differently.
Click to expand...

It's true what you say about playing styles, but wanted to add to this.

Luftstalag is right. In the 2nd half he mostly played as a DM and didn't have that much of an impact. He's obviously a CM, and a good one.

Also, debunks a myth that he can't play in a midfield trio. But it needs to be adjusted.
 
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