Jonathan Dos Santos

[Bojan_rnr]

Iniesta never played DM, nor Xavi, nor Pep, nor Jonathan dos Santos, nor Pirlo ! They all played deep laying playmakers. It's a completely different role, with different requirements of skills, and entirely different tactical setup.

 

[JAMAIN]

Iniesta four seasons ago when he was playing behind Deco and Xavi who were first choice, played DM under Rijkaard as Edmilson and Motta were injured...he was good for a couple of games. Sport said we have our new Makelele...but Iniesta was destined for better things.

 

[jamrock]

Iniesta did play Dmed and he was great their for a while

 

[Myrmecophile]

Iniesta did play Dmed and he was great their for a while

Yep, didn't he also play at left-back one time under Rijkaard? I seem to remember that.

 

[Aryagorn]

Iniesta is probably the modern day Luis Enrique

 

[Metaphysical]

iniesta is short and lithe. jona is short (although not really, he's average height) and stocky, with broad shoulders.

plus iniesta's best attributes are in total contrast to what is needed at DM. meanwhile jona's best attributes slot in perfectly for a DM.

 

[Trequartista]

I would go for saying that he would be a great defensive midfielder if he plays with another one in a double pivot like the 4-2-3-1 formation but I dont know whether he will be good or not as a lone DMF in a 4-3-3 formation.

 

[iced1776]

iniesta is short and lithe. jona is short (although not really, he's average height) and stocky, with broad shoulders.

plus iniesta's best attributes are in total contrast to what is needed at DM. meanwhile jona's best attributes slot in perfectly for a DM.

How well can he tackle?

 

[10Rivaldo]

I dunno, but you don't even need to be great at tackling to be a DM in our system.

 

[Trequartista]

I think if we dont sign a DMF this summer,we will have Romeu,Thiago,JDs all around,IF Busi is out or if he needs some rest,we may choose Romeu if we keep the 4-3-3 formation,if not,we can play JDS or Thiago beside Xavi,Thiago played in a more deeper role at the U-19 Euro,JDS is playing as a defensive midfielder now,Signing no more players this summer is not a good idea but its not a bad idea though,but still,I would sign a new defensive midfielder.

 

[tk_TommyKim]

Iniesta is probably the modern day Luis Enrique

Well said, haha.

 

[Barcaman]

Don't let the baby face fool you. He may not be 6'2 or 6'3(1.90) like Busquets and Toure, but he's 5'11(180) like Pep, has a big wide body, and he's taller tha Marcos Senna(who's a good def mid for his height 5'9 1/2 (175).

This is from Sport.es

Pep has used him normally on the interior, but yesterday like in Nuruega, he made him repeat as a '4'.

When Pep has assured that he will be looking to the youth if reinforcements don't come in, he doesn't say just to say, but he says it with a conviction that the football from the youth has a lot to offer to the first team. Pep demonstrated this again by placing Dos Santos as defensive midfielder, in the same position that he played versus Valerenga.

The Mexican fulfilled and did it well, offering a new version of what this position can be for the blaugrana team. Doing it with the same idea about the game, but with different characteristics. Dos Santos doesn't have the same physical build as Busquets or Yaya Toure, but offers different things.

He played the first half in midfield and gave a taste of velocity and feeling. Certainly, Jonathan is not a type of player that while try to complicate things in excess by his actions and is practical, something that is vital to being in front of the defense and to construct attacking football for the team. By his boots passed a great deal of the game to the guys of Pep Guardiola in the first half, in which he tried to attack when he could and did it with sense. Keita replaced him in the second half.

Even though his natural position in Athletic is in the interior, either on the left or on the right, the manager is trying him in a new position in which he more than fulfilled the task that was given.

He demonstrated tactically that he is one of the best players in the cantera and that he knows the system to perfection, developing himself from the top down. Jonathan knows that he cannot compete with Busquets physically, but he can with position and movement(circulation?).

Guardiola demonstrated that even though reinforcements are not there, he has players in excess that can cover every position in the first team should there be an absence. Besides the options of Busquets or Keita, who he values as a pivot, the youth offers many alternatives. Dos Santos is one of them and in Seoul he demonstrated that he's ready.

Nice post!

The baby face absolutely did fool me, I had no idea he was that tall.

Same here.

 

[samg85]

I dunno, but you don't even need to be great at tackling to be a DM in our system.

I think don't think he meant slide tackle, but tackle as in sticking your foot in to dispossess the guy. At least, that's what I thought he meant.

 

[iced1776]

It was, but I also think its what he was talking about. Its kind of silly to say that you don't need to be great at tackling to be a DM in a more attacking position. We need somebody who can clog the middle of the field and stop counter attacks or else we will constantly be caught defending with only 2-3 people.

 

[Nani17]

Has he got the tackling ability to play the role, or would he be like an Anderson who has the energy and tenacity to play it but restrains him?