That's the thing though, Xavi doesn't have to play a full 90. It can go either way, start him and hope that he creates a few chances that we score from and in the 2nd half bring in Rakitic to sure up the MF and give us some steel and defensive cover. OR, you bring him in to kill games off with possession 60-65th minute which is what Lucho has mainly been using him for this season. Either way, he is doing more than Iniesta does and it brings more of a dynamic to our midfield with the variance between him and Rakitic. The only game he should go 90 for is like the CL final or CdR final though, he doesn't have to nor should he go 90 when we have Rafinha or Rakitic who can save his legs once the game is killed. If we managed him like this, we could get another 2-3 years out of him with him not playing International football.
I think if you want to see a double pivot midfield, a few things. A) the duo should be Rakitic-Busquets so we have some creativity through the center and honestly that role would suit Rakitic better than the babysitting role he has as the RCM and B) I'd want a three back system rather than a 4-2-3-1. My biggest gripe with that shape is that neither Iniesta nor Neymar have the defensive skills or mental tenacity for that kind of role because the outside wingers in the 3 have increased defensive responsibilities in that role or it will get exposed with either of them on the outside.
Observe Fig. 1:
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This shape suits our style more and while it looks fancy and really offensive, its actually more defensive and direct than the 4-3-3 we play now. A three back system is fluid and adaptable and especially in a 2nd half situation where Lucho wants to sure up and solidify the midfield, this would be a good variance. No Xavi, Iniesta or Mascherano and that's because particularly Rafinha has the mobility and work rate to track back and cover the right side off the ball and is good enough on the ball to recirculate possession in a crowded midfield and would work in that shuttler role much better than either Iniesta or Xavi. I also prefer Rakitic to Mascherano through the center because, again as previously stated, more creativity and Rakitic has enough heart and legs in him to track back and cover behind Busi if he ever gets caught.
Now observe Fig. 2:
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This is how it would look in the defensive phase and as you can see, when everyone tracks back, it plugs a lot of space for teams to move the ball and hurt us. The only space is outside and with Bartra, Mathieu and Pique collapsing into the box, it would take an incredible ball to beat all three of them and the GK. That MF 4 could tighten up and absorb pressure then explode forward on the counter, a la Madrid's 4-4-2 against Bayern. Also, MSN would have a field day on the counter with this setup. Juventus run a system like this and while they exploit and master the defensive attributes of this shape, with our ability on the ball, we could exploit the offensive side of it.
The 4-3-3 with Messi as a RW will work better next year if we get a tempo CM to play next to Rakitic or Iniesta but shifting to a shape like this would cause teams a lot of headaches for teams who want to clog the midfield and press.
