Luis Enrique

[DonAK]

What about Van Gaal then? Not good enough either?

Van Gaal's team has a clear system and they are playing quite well with it as well although it still need a lot of work defensively since they are very vunerable at the back.

Lucho have now some breathing/thinking time during this International Break to fix things.

 

[Alarcón]

Van Gaal's team has a clear system and they are playing quite well with it as well although it still need a lot of work defensively since they are very vunerable at the back.

Lucho have now some breathing/thinking time during this International Break to fix things.

A clear system? Their system is "pass the ball to Di María". They won exactly 1 game this season with more than 1 goal difference, and they have 16 points in 11 matches. Thanks but I'll take our current situation over their clear system.

 

[KingMessi]

Van Gaal's team has a clear system and they are playing quite well with it as well although it still need a lot of work defensively since they are very vunerable at the back.

I don't think they really have a system yet. Granted their defense is all in the hospital but still. Their system, at least for now, is to hope that one of Rooney, Falcao, Di Maria, etc. saves the game.

 

[Sumlit]

I still think all these calls for his sacking are extremely premature not to mention nearsighted. Sack him and what? Go with an assistant coach for the remainder of the season? How's that going to help? Then do another coaching search next season, with a transfer bad in place, with this board still in power?

Lucho needs to be given time to work through the issues. We cannot have this reactionary impulsive drive to fire a coach every time things are not going perfectly.

In a way, I see what he is trying to accomplish. He doesn't have a prime Xavi and Iniesta to focus around, but he does have the most talented forward line in the world. A forward line who quite possibly has scoring and creativity in equal measures. So he is transitioning the team from a midfield centric team to a forward centric team.

The problem is he has set up the team so much around the forwards, that he has totally disrupted the midfield and effectively broken the team in half. He is yet to find the balance in which he still gets a forward centric team, but still has a supporting and structured midfield.

Quite frankly, I think the team needs to move towards a more defensive structure. I know this is not what Barca fans want to hear, with the pedigree and mandate to play total football and all, but I just don't think they have the midfield players anymore to dominate playing like this. The talent gap in that midfield from 4-5 years ago to right now is pretty significant.

With a creative and self-sustaining forward line like the team has right now, a more defensive and supporting structure I think will work best; and no, I don't mean midfielders defending wings. I mean fullbacks defending wings, and midfielders defending the midfield. Less creative and controlling midfield, true, but more structure, harder to break down, more recuperating, and allowing the forwards to create for themselves with freedom.

IMO this is how the team needs to look in attack:

and like this while defending:

 

[Flavia]

@OptaJose
1 - Barcelona's MFs have recorded only one assist in La Liga this term; Real Madrid's MFs have 17


We now have Suarez helping Messi, but this no-midfield setup is hurting the team's creativity.

Regarding the sack of Lucho, he won't be sacked by this board. Only an early cl exit and many losses in a row in the league would warrant that. But I'd like him to be because I don't think he's learning from his mistakes. He'll keep playing this no-midfield setup, he sounds pretty convinced this is the way forward. Luckly we have enough individual talent to finish 3rd in the league, the players will keeping bailing us out, like against almeria.

 

[Alarcón]

Of course our team is attack-centred but there is also a massive difference in quality between our midfield and Madrid's. They have 4 creative midfielders in Isco, James, Kroos and Modric, while we have - well, who do we have? Iniesta has been off-form the entire season, and now he got injured. Iniesta recorded 7 assists last season. Xavi 2, and Busquets 1. I hate to admit it, but the substantial difference in midfield between this season and the last one is Cesc who had 13 assists last season, mostly playing in attack nonetheless. Tactics play a big part but if you look at the bigger picture, the painting was already on the wall, and you can't only blame Lucho's tactical set-up for this.

 

[Flavia]

Of course our team is attack-centred but there is also a massive difference in quality between our midfield and Madrid's. They have 4 creative midfielders in Isco, James, Kroos and Modric, while we have - well, who do we have? Iniesta has been off-form the entire season, and now he got injured. Iniesta recorded 7 assists last season. Xavi 2, and Busquets 1. I hate to admit it, but the substantial difference in midfield between this season and the last one is Cesc who had 13 assists last season, mostly playing in attack nonetheless. Tactics play a big part but if you look at the bigger picture, the painting was already on the wall, and you can't only blame Lucho's tactical set-up for this.

Lucho got the players he wanted. They didn't get kroos because of roberto/rafinha/whatever. I'm not counting xavi and busi. But lucho is wasting Rakitic. He is a better player than what he's showing. He has 0 assists to his name, this season. And the final ball is one thing he can do well. Iniesta can do better too. And that is on the "system".

 

[serghei]

@OptaJose
1 - Barcelona's MFs have recorded only one assist in La Liga this term; Real Madrid's MFs have 17

Embarassing stuff.

They didn't get kroos because of roberto/rafinha/whatever

Not signing Kroos was another mistake. Just as not signing Modric, or Isco. at not wanting Kroos because we have Roberto and Rafinha, who are both nothing special.

 

[Sumlit]

Barca's midfield has been on a steady downward spiral for a while, and you're right Alarcon, it is not just down to tactics. Talent, aging and poor form are also strong culprits.

Last season I argued a lot with people here how the midfield needed some serious overhaul, and many scoffed at me. I liked the Rakitic purchase, but I always thought of Rakitic as a Keita type of player, not a centerpiece type. For a while there he looked like perhaps he could be more than that, and maybe with a better midfield structure he could be, but I still felt this midfield needed another big addition even before this season started. I felt the team need 2 new CM buys.

Iniesta is also a troublesome entity. I love Iniesta, but he has always been injury prone and now is pretty up there in age. He also had a down year last season and this year looks no different, perhaps worse even. So injury prone player, 30 years of age, in what looks like a 2nd consecutive irregular playing season, this is worrisome.

Midfield is in flux, and yes tactics are a problem, but they are not the only problem.

 

[Sumlit]

Oh btw, that lone midfield assist for Barca's midfield came from Busquets. Zero assists from creative mids this season in La Liga.

 

[serghei]

Signing Rakitic would've been excelent if not for the sale of Fabregas. As it was the case, we lost in quality, as I'm sure everyone would agree Cesc is a higher rated midfielder than Ivan. The thing is we crippled the team to buy Suarez. Our transfer window was pay big for Luis Suarez and buy low cost on the other positions. Simple as that.

 

[Ursegor]

Signing Rakitic would've been excelent if not for the sale of Fabregas. As it was the case, we lost in quality, as I'm sure everyone would agree Cesc is a higher rated midfielder than Ivan.

I disagree.

 

[serghei]

I disagree.

Of course. I knew that. :beer2:

 

[Flavia]

Signing Rakitic would've been excelent if not for the sale of Fabregas. As it was the case, we lost in quality, as I'm sure everyone would agree Cesc is a higher rated midfielder than Ivan. The thing is we crippled the team to buy Suarez. Our transfer window was pay big for Luis Suarez and buy low cost on the other positions. Simple as that.

Cesc wanted out, so he was going either way. The problem was not signing Kroos. And also the way Lucho is using the midfielders. Neither cesc nor Kroos would be playing well under this crazy setup, anyway.

 

[Sumlit]

Signing Rakitic would've been excelent if not for the sale of Fabregas. As it was the case, we lost in quality, as I'm sure everyone would agree Cesc is a higher rated midfielder than Ivan. The thing is we crippled the team to buy Suarez. Our transfer window was pay big for Luis Suarez and buy low cost on the other positions. Simple as that.

I didn't mind the Cesc sale. Cesc was never going to be what Barca wanted and needed him to be. He has too many flaws in his game. Chelsea and Mourinho have structured a team around him to cover his flaws and allow his creativity, which is his strong skill no doubt, and very strong it is, to shine. When you watch Chelsea play, Cesc in enveloped in a cocoon of protection from all sides. He would have never had that at Barca and would have needed to perform a much more complete game which I don't believe he is capable.

The team needed to buy another quality midfielder and whether chose not to, or did not have enough money because of Suarez, the fact of the matter was they did not, and now we're suffering for it. On top of the mess that is the midfield right now tactically.