Jordi Alba

[DonAK]

Alaba is a lot better than Alba right now.

 

[Hamzah]

Tbh it's only his final ball that needs work, just get his head up and get those low crosses in.

Also lahm is miles ahead if every other fullback when he plays there. He is two levels above the next player.

 

[DonAndres]

What do you expect from a crosser, when the target is Messi, Iniesta, Neymar and co?

It's not just about crossing though. He could easily make a good cutback pass or send a low ground ball into the area. He doesn't need to just overlap at the final moment as well, there were plenty of times in 12/13 where he and Iniesta would have jizz-worthy linkups when the Don drifted to the flank and Alba went in to give him an option. Their chemistry together helped us a lot in creating space or transitioning forward to make an attack, even when they did it deep. For example:

Linking up like this gave our players space to release into and move the ball around. It was a common occurrence in 12/13 and that's why the left flank was one of our best attacking weapons. Now he stays almost glued to the touchline and passes inside from there instead of making smart inside runs that help us create space for goalscoring chances. He's much more predictable and easy to stop.

 

[anguy]

Tbh it's only his final ball that needs work, just get his head up and get those low crosses in.

Also lahm is miles ahead if every other fullback when he plays there. He is two levels above the next player.

Lahm is better, but I see him primarily as RB. But as LB Jordi has in fact very little competition (Alaba maybe).

 

[anguy]

It's not just about crossing though. He could easily make a good cutback pass or send a low ground ball into the area. He doesn't need to just overlap at the final moment as well, there were plenty of times in 12/13 where he and Iniesta would have jizz-worthy linkups when the Don drifted to the flank and Alba went in to give him an option. Their chemistry together helped us a lot in creating space or transitioning forward to make an attack, even when they did it deep.

Linking up like this gave our players space to release into and move the ball around. It was a common occurrence in 12/13 and that's why the left flank was one of our best attacking weapons. Now he stays almost glued to the touchline and passes inside from there instead of making smart inside runs that help us create space for goalscoring chances. He's much more predictable and easy to stop.

Firstly, he should stay near the touchline to provide the width. We used our LW's more as wingers before, now Neymar is inside forward. They can't all play in the middle. Also I noticed that it's Neymar who is the primary link up problem. He often holds the ball too long and then loses it when trying to pass to Alba.

Despite being predicable I believe Alba is our main offensive threat aside from attacking trio, do you agree with that?

 

[DinhoR10]

It's not just about crossing though. He could easily make a good cutback pass or send a low ground ball into the area. He doesn't need to just overlap at the final moment as well, there were plenty of times in 12/13 where he and Iniesta would have jizz-worthy linkups when the Don drifted to the flank and Alba went in to give him an option. Their chemistry together helped us a lot in creating space or transitioning forward to make an attack, even when they did it deep. For example:

Linking up like this gave our players space to release into and move the ball around. It was a common occurrence in 12/13 and that's why the left flank was one of our best attacking weapons. Now he stays almost glued to the touchline and passes inside from there instead of making smart inside runs that help us create space for goalscoring chances. He's much more predictable and easy to stop.

Im going to assume its Lucho telling Alba to stay wide to create more width something left over from his Messi as 10 tactics where we had no wingers.

 

[DonAndres]

Firstly, he should stay near the touchline to provide the width. We used our LW's more as wingers before, now Neymar is inside forward. They can't all play in the middle. Also I noticed that it's Neymar who is the primary link up problem. He often holds the ball too long and then loses it when trying to pass to Alba.

Despite being predicable I believe Alba is our main offensive threat aside from attacking trio, do you agree with that?

I'm not saying Alba should go up and take Neymar's space (which is essentially that of a LWF), just that when we are building up in midfield we lack the numbers and outlets to properly transition forward. For all of Alves' extreme faults, he provides this linkup in moving forward from the right flank. Alba giving width in the final third is important, but he needs to quit it with the strictly linear vertical runs that are right at the touchline. Moving in and out to provide passing options and create new lanes is necessary to play the way we're "trying" to and work our way forward from buildup. Alba's attacking contribution shouldn't just begin and end with a late overlapping run and blind cross. He should be an extra midfield presence too.

I won't fully agree that Alba is our main attacking threat aside from the trio. That would be the Alvessi tandem. As a lone performer Alba has done better than Alves but his overall attacking game in connection with his teammates doesn't provide the same penetration that Alves+Messi chemistry does. I will agree that Alba is 4732904832904720x superior to Adriano though.

 

[Alik]

WTF are you talking about? He has been absolutely amazing this season. He had one poor game, the first one against PSG. He's the main reason why our left flank is so dangerous compared to right. He attacks relentlessly, provides critical width and more important is that he somehow manages to come back in time too, contrary to Alves. He's probably one of the best, if not the best left fullbacks in the world right now.

I'm a big Alba fan. Whilst he hasn't been bad this season, he hasn't been as good as in 12/13 where he was imo the best LB.

 

[Behrox]

great performance from the chipmunk tonight was all over the pitch and a beast defensively even in headers

 

[FC B]

Great effort today with good results. This guy could run forever.

 

[KyletheMuslim]

Boundless energy from Jordi today

 

[linetty]

Good game, the whole backline been pretty good

 

[BBZ8800]

Good game, the whole backline been pretty good

Good game maybe defensively.
In attack, he doesn't offer almost anything.

And when he tries something in attack, it is either extremely predictable, or "wtf move" like that action when he ran out of the field with the ball in the 1st half.

 

[pacp_96]

Good game maybe defensively.
In attack, he doesn't offer almost anything.

And when he tries something in attack, it is either extremely predictable, or "wtf move" like that action when he ran out of the field with the ball in the 1st half.

Its predictable but he has some nice interchanges with Neymar on that side when he overlaps.

 

[linetty]

Good game maybe defensively.
In attack, he doesn't offer almost anything.

And when he tries something in attack, it is either extremely predictable, or "wtf move" like that action when he ran out of the field with the ball in the 1st half.

Well, to be fair to him, I don't think even Mourinho's Chelsea was ever as defensive as this Atleti team.

He linked up well with Neymar and that's what I expected of him, not much he could do against airbus. Not even Messi could have done anything, marked by at least two player for the whole game.