Ivan Rakitić

[KingMessi]

Yep. I remember thinking; If he is so slow and lazy at 19, he won't make it just riding on his hype and talent.
Something great happened in Sevilla.

Let's hope something similar happens to Deulofeu there.

 

[DinhoR10]

Let's hope something similar happens to Deulofeu there.

It seems to be happening already.

 

[Antimadridista1]

It seems to be happening already.

We'll be able to judge next season

 

[eye-switcher]

Very bad perfomance, completely invisible, stayed with the ball far too long.

 

[Sumlit]

I don't think he played badly. He got caught a bit for the first goal, but someone should have been in that far post, he was trailing his man. Aside from that, not a great performance by any means, but was not bad, IMO.

 

[dakt]

Poor vision tonight...almost every ball goes to defense, mistakes...I wouldn't put him in big games such as this. Good thing that Xavi is still here.

 

[Barcaman]

Not a good game. Should have cleared that header from Veratti.

 

[eye-switcher]

Poor vision tonight...almost every ball goes to defense, mistakes...I wouldn't put him in big games such as this. Good thing that Xavi is still here.

No i thought he was better, i hope it was a one off.

 

[Sumlit]

Not a good game. Should have cleared that header from Veratti.

I disagree. Rakitic was covering the zone in the middle of the box, and the ball went beyond the far post. Iniesta and Alba lost their mark and left not one but 2 players get in position.

I also don't blame MAtS much. He tried to cover the ball because no one was there to cover it. Maybe he would have had a better shot to stop it if he stayed, but that was a team set piece defensive fail.

Here's the gif. Notice Iniesta and Alba get bamboozled.

 

[eye-switcher]

I disagree. Rakitic was covering the zone in the middle of the box, and the ball went beyond the far post. Iniesta and Alba lost their mark and left not one but 2 players get in position.

I also don't blame MAtS much. He tried to cover the ball because no one was there to cover it. Maybe he would have had a better shot to stop it if he stayed, but that was a team set piece defensive fail.

Here's the gif. Notice Iniesta and Alba get bamboozled.

The blame is on Mats here to be fair when you see you cant reach the ball, the number one thing you should Always do as a goalie is to get back in goal, instead he tried to follow the ball which misplaced him terrible. Too bad.

 

[Sumlit]

I don't blame MAtS too badly. He did get caught in no man's land, but the ball was going to a wide open man. The chances he stops that header even if he stays under posts are not too high. The markers lost their mark.

Smaller players need to body and block their mark if they cannot beat them aerially. That was a poor mark that left 3 players open in the far post.

 

[dakt]

I'm starting to think that defensive role (DM) could suite him more. Damn, I got too used to Xavi and I don't see that creativity in him. Doesn't look very confident.

 

[Kerrybai]

Bad game but he was given a very tough task tonight. He wasn't helped by the other midfielders at all tonight, they play too far apart to link up.

 

[dakt]

Bad game but he was given a very tough task tonight. He wasn't helped by the other midfielders at all tonight, they play too far apart to link up.

Iniesta.

 

[Andrew M]

I'm starting to think that defensive role (DM) could suite him more. Damn, I got too used to Xavi and I don't see that creativity in him. Doesn't look very confident.

He isn't as creative as Xavi, but he is not meant to be the Xavi replacement.