Do you realise how much you've changed your narrative these past few months? It's pretty amusing to see.
The last few years it's been "height", "physicality", "workhorse" needed for the CL... you got your every wish last season, you got the tallest, most defensive, most conservative football, least like Tika-Taka, Roberto RB... etc it's only now after Liverpool you've stopped mentioning all that lol
I didn't stop mentioning it.
But for the majority of 25 years of watching Barca in a CL, we played with light midfielders.
And we were losing all the time (until Pep).
And then, since we always had ONLY physically light players, I thought that our ONLY problem is=add some height and muscles.
In the last 2 years, we really did get height and muscles and we were equally as shit as Barca in 90s and prePep.
So, I didn't actually move from physique, but I have figured out the same as in Roberto vs Semedo debate:
1. Roberto is good in attack, bad in defense
Then we though, let's try the opposite, with Semedo, it will surely work better:
2. and then, Semedo is good in defense and bad in attack.
And on larger samples, it is almost as equally as bad which one plays.
We need something different, or BOTH attack and defense for a RB.
So, regarding height, it didn't work in these 2 seasons, this is why I want a mix of Barca's DNA and some physicality.
Further, I have realized over years that we need to make a distinction between La Liga and a CL.
I was always watching a CL and I was obsessed with physique, because we lacked it.
And then, for years I thought that the same principles apply for La Liga.
But no.
For La Liga, you can really play with any midfield and you will probably win La Liga.
So, a lack of height or muscles is not a problem at all in La Liga.
It is a problem against Liverpool though (imagine Busi-Arthur-Puig trio vs current Liverpool).
In short:
1. a recipe is different for La liga and a CL
2. in La liga we can survive with very light and technical players. Not in a CL (it doesn't mean that we have to play EV's way, though)
3, but still, even in La Liga we can't go full retard with let's say Arthur-Puig-Coutinho midfield.
Even in La liga, we need at least SOME degree of defending, and at least 1 guy who can actually tackle the ball and win an aerial duel here and there
So, for the last few years, we usually had "too light" midfield and I wanted at least 1 workhorse.
While today, for the first time ever, people basically want 3 pivots in midfield, who are all more oriented towards defending and getting the ball out of our own half.
So, in terms of balance: the same as how we can't play with 3 light midfielders, or with a trio Paulinho-Raki-Gomes, well, we can't play with 3 pivots either.
Especially in La Liga.
Busi-Frenkie-Arthur might work in a CL, since different rules apply there.
In numbers, for La liga today, I am leaning towards combinations like:
2 light players and 1 Raki
While in a CL:
1 light player and 2 Rakis, or 1 light, 1 middle ground player and 1 Raki.
Also: we always need at least one defensive minded midfielder.
And at least one attacking minded.
At least one very technical guy.
But also at least one workhorse guys etc. So BALANCE.
** After Anfield, I added mental strength, bravery, motivation, leadership into a formula also.
When you sum it all, I see zero balance in Busi-Frenkie-Arthur.
That is the same player cloned three times, more or less.
So tbh do I think Rakitic's goals are that important in La Liga? No. You didn't either till recently (Cheat code Messi)
Do I think we could win La Liga without Rakitic in the starting lineup? Yes.
Is it better that our young players get more game time so they get used to Barca/La Liga etc, especially Frenkie and Arthur? Yes.
Is it better Rakitic is out of the starting lineup because that means Valverde won't use him in big CL games because he sees him as indispensable?
YES!
I have replied to Serghei, I think.
And I think that I should stick to it.
This topic reminds me on Dembele's topic.
For 3 Months we had to read how he is a pure gold.
And people who were against him were insulted and bullied.
Then matches came and there is no need to even visit Dembele's thread, since even hard core supporters are giving up on him due to his deadly flaws.
So, I think that you people are doing the same here.
Arthur this, Arthur that. And no one can name 3 matches against smaller teams when he was good in the last season.
He was good against RM, Tottenham and similar, when the opponents were running at him.
Remember Espanyol at home, Sociedad at home, CDR final.
Whenever we needed goals, he was subbed off right away.
So, let's wait for the first matches and first Arthur's matches against parked buses.
If you were right, and he will fit perfectly, my bad.
Let him play.
If he will play the same as in his whole career against parked buses, well, then we'll go back to this topic and continue.
The same as how Konan said: there is one Rakitic in stats, who looks awesome. And a real Rakitic on a field, who looks average.
The same is for me.
I know one Arthur, whom I am watching in matches and who has a looot of big flaws for our level.
And then I see some other dude Arthur in your posts. A total footballer, good against all opponents and a perfect fit for any lineup.
So.. let's take a pause from this debate for a few weeks.