Luis Enrique

[Andrew M]

I think Lucho has to be given credit for attempting to evolve the way the team plays. Getting the same group of players to play the same way we did under Pep hugely difficult. It would just be watered down version of that team. The players are being presented with a new challenge with his tactics. I admit that I'm baffled a lot of the time and I'm not convinced by the performances but let's see where we're at by the end of the season.

Good point. The teams we face will have to think more about how they play us too

 

[mssarm]

I think Lucho understand that traditional Barca formation is very well studied and big clubs have the talented players to shut down Barca's game. So Lucho is using the traditional formation against lesser clubs because with the players we have it's easy to win, but with the bigger clubs we stand no chance with our traditional formation. That's why Lucho's is going trough this experiments to find what is the next step for Barca. I'm sure we will continue to see the 4-3-3 against mid table teams, but not with big clubs. I think with major clubs he's going to use very close to what we played against PSG. Surprisingly Lucho kind of doesn't care for RB position(No Alves renewal, Montoya is leaving, Douglas is a joke). I wonder if it has something to do with the formation he got in his mind.

 

[DinhoR10]

I'm not quite sure why you think that picture seems positive? No players between PSG's midfield/defence leaving Suarez entirely isolated. It is so easy for D. Luiz to keep Suarez away from the ball unless Suarez actually takes runs back into midfield, which he should'nt really do that often. However, i like the fact that Pedro and Neymar are standing so wide creating much space.

If we actuelly were to play this system on a regular basis, we should find a way to incorporate most of our best players. For me, there is simply not space for Iniesta in a 3-4-3. In that formation i would play something like this:

Barvo
Pique - Masch - Bartra
Pedro - Rackitic - Busquets - Alba
Messi - Suarez - Neymar

Maybe Xavi for Rackitic, but i don't think he is physically up for the task for 90 minutes.

With the way Busquets has been playing recently this wouldn't work, none of the players provide a passing engine in midfield and Rakitic will be busy covering for Busi in a midfield that is all width and no control. Also without rafinha/iniesta all our attacks will be funneled down the wings unless Messi comes across and then everyone on this forum will cry "IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF MESSI". This would work against parked busses but not against a top team.

 

[mssarm]

We don't have replacement and can't buy one neither as things stand right now. What message this sends to other La Masia kids? Just year ago he was renewed till 2018 and now is 4th choice after Alves who is leaving, Douglas who isn't even footballer and Adriano who will be injured sooner or later. Our defense isn't good enough to play with 3 defenders. Our midfielder is long dead so we can't hide our bad defense with passing ball sideways all match. Pep use to do that a lot cause he had good midfield. Back in 2009 we played CL final with Yaya Toure as CB. Could we do it now? Hell no cause our midfield is non existent. Montoya doesn't bomb forward like Alves so he could at least provide some protection in the defense. Montoya might not be next Iraola but he sure as hell is better than Douglas and Adriano together.

Yes it is big freaking deal.

But hey if this transfers brings dark clouds over Luchos head I'm happy. The sooner he leaves the better for everyone.

I think he is sending very good message to La Masia kids, because he is using lot of La Masia graduates-way more than Tito and Tata combined. Again, if the coach feels he doesn't need a particular player - no point to keep the player. Same way the club board should make sure that the coach gets the player he wants. That's the general rule that every club follows. What he is going to do without Montoya and Alsves? I don't know, but I'm sure he has something in his mind.If he is doing something that you and I don't understand, that doesn't mean he is stupid. We will judge him at the end of the season.

 

[hamad138]

One thing is for sure, he has huge balls changing tactics 20min before the game

I think hes getting better


I think hes doing the same as pep completed in bayern. They dont have a formation, theyre unpredictable. They change formation during the game, and dont have a real formation. Bundesliga coach already said it, they cant prepare well against bayern, because they dont know what pep is trying to do.

Hope it works for us too

 

[DonAndres]

3-4-3 is a creative way to mask our flaws but only if done correctly which he didn't truly do against PSG. I read that he might try it again? We'll see where he's going with this. All I'm hoping for is that we actually settle into one effective system instead of a successive myriad of them.

 

[Ursegor]

He's already improved from winning La Liga games with low scorelines and late goals to scoring 5 in the last 2 home games against respectable teams (Sevilla, Espanyol), from losing "big games" to winning 3-1 against PSG in a must win game, even if it wasn't full on domination and the team showed great character under him to snatch a last second winner at the Mestalla. He's also got Messi back to old Messi form as the season progressed. Whether that's a coincidence, down to his tactics with Suarez upfront or his fitness regimen I don't know. But that's good enough for me for now. Oh, and did I mention that set piece defending has improved? At this point last season teams like Valencia and Sevilla were killing Barca on set pieces. All he needs to do now towards the business end of the season is draw the correct conclusions regarding performances of players like Mathieu, get Busquets and Iniesta back into form and Suarez should also naturally improve with time. Even if he's decisive his touch is heavy right now. Then I'm satisfied, don't think the squad has much more potential than that.

 

[Jay Jay]

I think that we just have to play regular 4-3-3 with Bartra on right back (Abidal role). With that, Rakitic wouldn't have so much defense task and we would have our midfield which we don't have now.
Another good thing about that is height, Bartra, Pique, Mathieu, Rakitic, Busquets and Suarez.

 

[mssarm]

He's already improved from winning La Liga games with low scorelines and late goals to scoring 5 in the last 2 home games against respectable teams (Sevilla, Espanyol), from losing "big games" to winning 3-1 against PSG in a must win game, even if it wasn't full on domination and the team showed great character under him to snatch a last second winner at the Mestalla. He's also got Messi back to old Messi form as the season progressed. Whether that's a coincidence, down to his tactics with Suarez upfront or his fitness regimen I don't know. But that's good enough for me for now. Oh, and did I mention that set piece defending has improved? At this point last season teams like Valencia and Sevilla were killing Barca on set pieces. All he needs to do now towards the business end of the season is draw the correct conclusions regarding performances of players like Mathieu, get Busquets and Iniesta back into form and Suarez should also naturally improve with time. Even if he's decisive his touch is heavy right now. Then I'm satisfied, don't think the squad has much more potential than that.

I don't think the squad is far from being great. There's nothing better compared to our front line. Defense is not great, but has the potential: Pique is better than last year(bench helped), Bartra is making great progress, we still have Vermaelen who might perform well after surgery. The problem is the midfield:If the ban for the summer is lifted Barca will probably buy Koke regardless how expensive he is. If the ban stays , Lucho is going to suffer more and promote B players faster.

 

[linetty]

He's already improved from winning La Liga games with low scorelines and late goals to scoring 5 in the last 2 home games against respectable teams (Sevilla, Espanyol), from losing "big games" to winning 3-1 against PSG in a must win game, even if it wasn't full on domination and the team showed great character under him to snatch a last second winner at the Mestalla. He's also got Messi back to old Messi form as the season progressed. Whether that's a coincidence, down to his tactics with Suarez upfront or his fitness regimen I don't know. But that's good enough for me for now. Oh, and did I mention that set piece defending has improved? At this point last season teams like Valencia and Sevilla were killing Barca on set pieces. All he needs to do now towards the business end of the season is draw the correct conclusions regarding performances of players like Mathieu, get Busquets and Iniesta back into form and Suarez should also naturally improve with time. Even if he's decisive his touch is heavy right now. Then I'm satisfied, don't think the squad has much more potential than that.

:beer2:

More of these instead of mindless abuse towards the manager, please.

 

[Alik]

He's already improved from winning La Liga games with low scorelines and late goals to scoring 5 in the last 2 home games against respectable teams (Sevilla, Espanyol), from losing "big games" to winning 3-1 against PSG in a must win game, even if it wasn't full on domination and the team showed great character under him to snatch a last second winner at the Mestalla. He's also got Messi back to old Messi form as the season progressed. Whether that's a coincidence, down to his tactics with Suarez upfront or his fitness regimen I don't know. But that's good enough for me for now. Oh, and did I mention that set piece defending has improved? At this point last season teams like Valencia and Sevilla were killing Barca on set pieces. All he needs to do now towards the business end of the season is draw the correct conclusions regarding performances of players like Mathieu, get Busquets and Iniesta back into form and Suarez should also naturally improve with time. Even if he's decisive his touch is heavy right now. Then I'm satisfied, don't think the squad has much more potential than that.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

This game wasn't Lucho's fault, but here we go

 

[Devils]

What a joke this manager is.

You don't let a fucking 8 year old drive a Ferrari do you? Well that's the equivalent to letting Lucho lead this team.

 

[KyletheMuslim]

He seems to have regressed tactically today

 

[DonAK]

This draw can prove to be very, very costly....