Ivan Rakitić

[Sidewinder]

His time is over. He better be sold in the winter, can't lose arthur because of this oldie.

 

[Rory]

Rakitic was acceptable in the home leg against Liverpool last season, that's not the issue here. The issue is if Valverde regains confidence in him again and starts him in a tough CL away fixture where the opposition presses high. Then we are FUCKED.

That's my main issue. Valverde sees a player play well and goes "Well he'll play that well in any given circumstance." Shows he has a complete lack of ability to pick players based on the likely tactics of the opponent

 

[Vilarrubi]

Which renders him useless.

Exactly. Rakitic didn't put some game changing performance in yesterday, Messi did. Rakitic was just okay. Arthur, Roberto, Alena etc could have played instead of him and we'd have still won, it's Camp Nou. The danger is letting him regain his place and playing in away CL fixtures and by him playing not allowing players like Arthur develop and cement his place. Arthur is our future, Rakitic is most definitely the past.

 

[Vilarrubi]

That's my main issue. Valverde sees a player play well and goes "Well he'll play that well in any given circumstance." Shows he has a complete lack of ability to pick players based on the likely tactics of the opponent

Yeah that's sort of what the dumbfuck did after the first leg against Liverpool... our midfield was average, Liverpool dominated at times and had chances but he saw the 3-0 result and played the exact same midfield away at Anfield. Didn't take into consideration that we needed to retain possession more, deal with the high pressing of Liverpool, transition the ball well etc just some low IQ, no tactics decision and played the same midfield.

 

[JohnN]

We all go back to that game against Liverpool. It was so bad that nobody can forget the stupid decisions and terrible display. Imagine what our players will feel like if we go against them there again with EV as the coach. That alone is enough justification for EV to just leave.

 

[serghei]

Ideally neither Rakitic or Busquets should be a starter. Most teams are starting to build their midfield around athletic players, and while Arthur isn't an athletic specimen, he's better at pressing, running/tracking back and recovering than both of those players.

We desperately need some pace and athleticism in defence and midfield in general.

Yes, but we lack that player for now. So one of Busi/Rakitic/Vidal has to start.

 

[serghei]

He was generally solid. Best part was that interception and loop pass to Busi who flick it to Leo. 6 would be more fitting though.

Otherwise, you'd have to give Leo his signature 10 and Jadon a 9. His goal and 2nd attempt were wicked. His final quick touch 1-2s and movement and cross-bar shot was amazeball

Yea, Messi was a 10 for sure, and Suarez was an 8, De Jong an 8, Stegen an 8. Everyone else was 7-6 for us.

 

[BBZ8800]

In Croatian media there is an article about how Messi apparently loves to play with Rakitic.

Apparently, before a match against Borussia, when he found out that Rakitic is a starter, Messi told him: "Let's just play our old game, how we always used to play."

 

[vinni]

Yeah that's sort of what the dumbfuck did after the first leg against Liverpool... our midfield was average, Liverpool dominated at times and had chances but he saw the 3-0 result and played the exact same midfield away at Anfield. Didn't take into consideration that we needed to retain possession more, deal with the high pressing of Liverpool, transition the ball well etc just some low IQ, no tactics decision and played the same midfield.

I suspect Valverde rated Rakitic’s experience over Arthur’s press resistance. It was hard to tell if Arthur would be good or bad in that match. Arthur did play well in some bigger matches last year but never played in CL semi final before. Unlike Raki, who have played many high stakes matches in the past. Anfield needs to be taken in concideration as well. Who knows how Arthur would have reacted in that shit hole.. Beside that, if i remember correctly, Arthur was a bit out of form since he had been injured.
I think your right in that Arthur’s qualities was better for this match but its a tough decision all things concidered.

 

[Zidane82]

In Croatian media there is an article about how Messi apparently loves to play with Rakitic.

Apparently, before a match against Borussia, when he found out that Rakitic is a starter, Messi told him: "Let's just play our old game, how we always used to play."

Presumably Rakitic is the one spreading that story

 

[CatalinR10]

Apparently, before a match against Borussia, when he found out that Rakitic is a starter, Messi told him: "Let's just play our old game, how we always used to play."

So Messi just being on goat mode and Rakitic almost costing Barcelona some goals ?


Yeah sounds like how they used to play dawg.

 

[KingLeo10]

The ever so skeptical, always distrusting BBZ now NAIVELY and AUTOMATICALLY trusts a Croatian media article that favorably paints the CROATIAN Rakitic.

Lmao. DAWGS.

 

[Havesaks]

Didn't Messi make several gestures of annoyance towards rakitic last season, when the latter kept playing backwards and sideways?

 

[mc_lovin]

Yeah, which is quite normal though.


Thinking about Rakitic: BBZs whole babysitter theory is certainly one of the the worst things I have heard, but I have to give Rakitic that hes probably our best player at structuring the midfield right now. Busquets-Arthur-Frenkie kind of looks disorganised and chaotic. I thought Busquets as a fixpoint would be enough, but Arthur (who plays too advanced) and Frenkie (whos rather adventurous) need better understanding where to be.

Rakitic does that well because hes slow as fuck though. With experience and coaching (yeah...) theres hopefully a good chance we will get them to a decent level, because individually Rakitic will get ***** at the first sign of decent pressing.

 

[CatalinR10]

Nice pass to Oblak from Ivan ,,scores like Lampard " Rakitic.


Or was that supossed to be a shot ?