Ivan Rakitić

[Arizona Scott]

I just saw that you would've given Rakitić a pay rise. At 31...

Giving Busi a bigger contract was a mistake IMO and giving Rakitić a pay rise would be another. That's why our wage structure is fucked.
e
He was a great servant, but just can't play as an interior anymore. He is good at DM, but at CM, we have other better options.

I just saw that you would've given Rakitić a pay rise. At 31...

Giving Busi a bigger contract was a mistake IMO and giving Rakitić a pay rise would be another. That's why our wage structure is fucked.

He was a great servant, but just can't play as an interior anymore. He is good at DM, but at CM, we have other better options.

Barca has a huge wage bill because they have more value in their roster than any other club. I wold suggest a small modest raise for Rakitic for 1-2 years, yes. A raise to Alba however is more urgent. Most all the clubs truly competitive for the big prizes have similar wage issues. Maybe with an exception of Atletico--but then you have to play football like them. If Rabiot integrates quickly, and they spring for De Jong who also similarly shows quickly he can adapt to Barca, at that point they might have better or at least younger/comparable options where it might be worth selling Rakitic. I do think he is the most critical midfielder to the current squad (really co with Busi the only 2 clearly on the teamsheet), but that could change with the right moves. Might be sacriledge, but if Pep wants Busi for 100mil, for the sake of the club that would be hard to pass on as well.

 

[Cule4life]

Seems that Rakitic isn't just banging Valverde.

Slutting his way to the top

 

[Cule4life]

Seems that Rakitic isn't just banging Valverde.

Wait a minute is that why he died his hair blonde?

 

[messi2140]

Wait a minute is that why he died his hair blonde?

They do say blondes have more fun

 

[Joan]

[tw]1082999984344186881[/tw]

Deep Progressions – Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes.

Rakitić 7th. Interesting stat.

 

[te amo barca]

My man Rakitic destroying the narrative of a conservative and a safe player. Plus actually the only midfielder to try long balls in this side, yet nicknamed the backpass maestro by the experts of Barcaforum (though this moniker has also been/is used for Gomes and Arthur).

 

[KingLeo10]

I'm suspicious of any list that doesn't have Messi in the top position in the attacking third.

 

[serghei]

I'm suspicious of any list that doesn't have Messi in the top position in the attacking third.

List is about volume, not quality. Messi doesn't do volume work, due to his lower workrate.

 

[Joan]

That's about progression into the final third. Messi's up there, but it's normal midfielders dominate the list.

 

[Gnidrologist]

He was a great servant, but just can't play as an interior anymore. He is good at DM, but at CM, we have other better options.

Tbh he was always a DM for us. He simply cannot fulfil duty of proper interior, never could, which is why he was only great part of the team with uber attacking MSN at its peak, where we basically needed two defensive mids to offset the uber attackiness of attacking trio. Now that our offense has gone back to full Messidependencia, he's become useless and not because he's tired or old. Just don't have appropriate creative skills to contribute in the buildup play. He had his use, when 90% of goals were created and scored by 3 forwards, but is just a deadweight in system, where we are back to Messi creating everything and raw Dembele making occasional miracle, while Suarez has become a slow, but still somewhat clinical point man.

 

[George_Costanza]

[tw]1082999984344186881[/tw]

Deep Progressions – Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes.

Rakitić 7th. Interesting stat.

So Thiago is second missing .1 for the first spot, and most people here thought he was average. Where the fuck is Coutinho?

Also no David Silva, KDB and Hazard? I really doubt this list unless it's for deep-lying CMs or DM but then you see Messi and Neymar in this list.

 

[Arizona Scott]

So Thiago is second missing .1 for the first spot, and most people here thought he was average. Where the fuck is Coutinho?

Thiago is a good player. Do I think he is better than Rakitic and Busi, no I do not. Thiago doesn't offer a great deal defensively and also misses a lot a games due to fitness.

All in all, would have been nice to keep Thiago, but he wanted to leave. Further I doubt it is worth the cost in transfer fee and wages to get him back, the younger and historically healthier Rabiot for a free sounds a lot better to me.

Coutinho doesn't play much and even less centrally, so who knows? Would need to go back to EPL stats his last year playing regularly.

 

[Barcaman]

Sorely missed against Levante.

 

[YodaMaster]

[tw]1082999984344186881[/tw]

Deep Progressions – Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes.

Rakitić 7th. Interesting stat.

I saw these stats here and on Twitter showing how often he brings the ball in the final third and people be like "oh see how creative and offensive Rakitic is ?" lol. Stats don't mean shit. First thing: Rakitic is by far the most used midfielder by Valverde. He played twice more than Vidal and Arthur and he plays lower than Busquets on the pitch, between Lenglet and Piqué. That means he has litteraly no choice but to play forward at this point. A simple pass to Arthur/Vidal or Semedo is considered a pass into the final third when team is in possession.

Stop giving such importance to stats, they lie most of the time.
When you watch a Barça match, you can clearly see that Rakitic is a ghost offensively and far from being a workhorse defensively because of his poor mobility. Which means he has nothing to do in the starting 11 everytime.

Guess what ? Stats could show that Ter Stegen does more forward passes per game than Messi.

 

[Cule4life]

[tw]1082999984344186881[/tw]

Deep Progressions – Passes, dribbles and carries into the opposition final third per 90 minutes.

Rakitić 7th. Interesting stat.

Kroos is on top. No need to read any further

Just shows you need to actually watch games and not just check whoscored the next day like BBZ does.