Ivan Rakitić

[JackaL]

It's funny how erratic people rate players these days, one day they are useless shit, the other day the best in the world... I think Modric is among the best midfielders in the world and clearly showed his edge within the last years, topping it with a superb performance at the WC. I love Rakitic and how far he came, he was always kind of underrated, people never expected him to come this far. He is not one of the best though... Love how he improved his game when he first started at Barca, topped it with a CL win and was great in that game too. But I guess he won't get better at this time, so one clearly has to consider how he can optimally contribute to this team and whether his time has come!

 

[George_Costanza]

He was good but don't overrate him now. Probably among my top 10 players in this WC

Hazard
Mbappe
Modric
Kante
Pogba
Coutinho
Kevin de Bruyne
Ivan Perisic
Courtois
Rakitic

 

[Devils]

Rakitic a top 3 midfielder...

That said, he was fantastic this tournament and he's the type of player that any team would like to have. The fact that we got him for like 18m was a steal.

I've said it before in the past and I will say it again, Rakitic is a big asset to have in midfield, but not the type of player you want to build a midfield around.

He's a brilliant worker and has a fantastic attitude, but also has quite a few limitations. Big asset, but we need to have a star midfielder(s) that helps get the best out of Rakitic and vice-versa.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Great tournament, was also barça's most consistent midfielder last season.

 

[Question17]

Talk about knee-jerk reactions

It goes both ways. For every post with hyperbole like that there is an even larger group of people here who think that every time he puts on a barca jersey is a blight on the club's history, that his good periods were just him free riding on the work of better players ( alvez,...) . They are just keeping quiet because they don't have a lot of ammunition at the present, but they will be back and they will be celebrating when he leaves the club.

 

[henias]

Here's the thing. I like Rakitic as a player very much, but honest question, can he co exist with Busquets? Both are slow type players and Busquets simply cannot play a double pivot.

I would still try 433 with Rakitic as a CM but we are playing heavy possession and Rakitic simply cant and seldom play forward passes under so much pressure. (Maybe it's EV's problem, idk) Coutinho is not as good as retaining the ball as Iniesta if he plays CM and might invite more pressure for Rakitic. He also needs to be more creative without Iniesta.

Unless we drop Busquets but I dont see that happening. Busquets is still a world class CDM. Might Arthur be better for us? I dont know. We'll see.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

Here's the thing. I like Rakitic as a player very much, but honest question, can he co exist with Busquets? Both are slow type players and Busquets simply cannot play a double pivot.

I would still try 433 with Rakitic as a CM but we are playing heavy possession and Rakitic simply cant and seldom play forward passes under so much pressure. (Maybe it's EV's problem, idk) Coutinho is not as good as retaining the ball as Iniesta if he plays CM and might invite more pressure for Rakitic. He also needs to be more creative without Iniesta.

Unless we drop Busquets but I dont see that happening. Busquets is still a world class CDM. Might Arthur be better for us? I dont know. We'll see.

Busi has played Dp with Xabi Alonso for spain . I don't see any problem in it

 

[Joan]

Busi has played Dp with Xabi Alonso for spain . I don't see any problem in it

That's true. But Busquets was somewhat different back then. Younger, less of a playmaker. He was a clear-cut DM.

Now, he's not. I do believe it'd be best for Busquets if there were some runners around him.

 

[henias]

Busi has played Dp with Xabi Alonso for spain . I don't see any problem in it

I still feel Busquets work better as a complete pivot. He needs a CM with a good work rate though and a double pivot he is restricted by someone stuck to his side and cannot fully dristribute the ball with more options in front and both Busquets and Rakitic need to cover huge grounds as flexible double pivots(attack and defend), and more likely to crumble while playing heavy posession.

Plenty of times the midfield got overrun even with the double pivot and cannot maintain possession well. Notably the 4231 against Levante.

 

[BBZ8800]

Here's the thing. I like Rakitic as a player very much, but honest question, can he co exist with Busquets? Both are slow type players and Busquets simply cannot play a double pivot.

I would still try 433 with Rakitic as a CM but we are playing heavy possession and Rakitic simply cant and seldom play forward passes under so much pressure. (Maybe it's EV's problem, idk) Coutinho is not as good as retaining the ball as Iniesta if he plays CM and might invite more pressure for Rakitic. He also needs to be more creative without Iniesta.

Unless we drop Busquets but I dont see that happening. Busquets is still a world class CDM. Might Arthur be better for us? I dont know. We'll see.

That is true.
But...

If we play Busi+Raki, then they are too slow.
But if we play Busi+Thiago+Coutinho, that defense sucks for 2018' level.

So, if you can find a Cm who is faster than Raki, a better playmaker, plus an equal defender, then you found a right guy.

If no, you will just trade a player with one set of cons with a player with another set of cons.
Probably with equal (or worse) results.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

 

[BBZ8800]

He will probably get a longer rest and won't play in the first preseason friendlies.

When he won't play, we will get some hints: how a midfield without him looks in a creative part and how it looks like in a defensive part.

 

[wisconsincule]

He will probably get a longer rest and won't play in the first preseason friendlies.

When he won't play, we will get some hints: how a midfield without him looks in a creative part and how it looks like in a defensive part.

Was thinking this same exact thing. I hope he takes a long holiday. Not only because he deserves it but I’d like to see how our team looks with our new signings (Arthur and anyone else we may sign in the midfield)

 

[khaled_a_d]

I still feel Busquets work better as a complete pivot. He needs a CM with a good work rate though and a double pivot he is restricted by someone stuck to his side and cannot fully dristribute the ball with more options in front and both Busquets and Rakitic need to cover huge grounds as flexible double pivots(attack and defend), and more likely to crumble while playing heavy posession.

Plenty of times the midfield got overrun even with the double pivot and cannot maintain possession well. Notably the 4231 against Levante.

I don't think this is true, and tbh I am having doubts about Busquets being a"complete pivot" as the only DM, last season it has been clear that age started to catch him (to my own surprise)
With the ball, Busquets has been as good as ever, no doubt about it, but in defense he has been more liability, Busquets in many times was no where to be found in counter attack, has lost many balls he tried to win that he used to get couple of years ago. last year I think Raki had better positioning and ability to close spaces against opponents. Busquets himself need some protection tbh.
Both are 30 years old now and will need rest, hopefully Arthur will be able to still as many minutes from them and hopefully make himself a starter one day

 

[eaman]

I think I saw rakitic make more creative forward passes during the world cup than I did the whole of last season for barca