Luis Enrique

[gatsu]

Now that Messi is out for two months, we will finally see if he have what it takes not as coach but as pure tactician, he can say what he wants in press conference but without Messi our classic animation/play style will never work, Messi's influence is on a completely different level, not only the offense but also the midfield will be largely affected.

It is a must to rethink the role of some key players and try tactical alternatives, even if the schedule is not a hard one, we can no more be content with simple subs.

Lucho is the coach of the best team in the world, being able to provide some tactical innovation is a minimum.

 

[Barcaman]

You are being unfair. We're been very unlucky with injuries and had a helluva schedule so far plus those extra 3 matches we had to play in super cups.

If we didn't have Messi, there would have been some other talented player albeit inferior.
Problem is, on top of injury problems and stacked schedule we also can't count on Arda and Aleix (who would be great as RW) due to FIFA ban.

 

[Stric]

People didn't think it was unfair to judge when it was Tata dealing with injuries to his squad...

 

[Ini8]

People didn't think it was unfair to judge when it was Tata dealing with injuries to his squad...

Well, he didn't win a Treble to give him the benefit of the doubt nor a transfer ban to deal with. The thin squad he already had got thinner over the summer with Xavi and Pedro leaving.

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

It really is frustrating that all three players who Lucho could call on to replace Messi are unavailable atm. That's why I think Lucho should maybe play around with a different shape while Messi is gone to make up for the creativity void we are going to have with him gone. I have two shapes/line-ups in mind:

[formation=barca,6]
Ter Stegen/Bravo
0-0-0-Mascherano-0-0-0
0-Piqué-0-0-0-Mathieu-0
Alves-0-Raki-0-Busi-0-Alba
0-0-0-Iniesta-0-0-0
0-Suarez-0-0-0-Neymar-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[/formation]

We need to play more direct and for me, the key is going to be Iniesta. His creative spark is going to be needed more in the final third and unfortunately, we don't have anyone else who can be a 10 nearly as well as Messi and Iniesta atm. The current 4-3-3 has Iniesta deeper for more control with Messi being the playmaker in the final third, so this formation makes it easier for Iniesta to have more freedom.

A 4-4-2 diamond could do similar with a more conventional defensive shape but it would lack a bit of width:

[formation=barca,6]
Ter Stegen/Bravo
0-0-Piqué-0-Mathieu/Bartra-0-0
Alves-0-0-Mascherano-0-0-Alba
0-Raki-0-0-0-Busi-0
0-0-0-Iniesta-0-0-0
0-Suarez-0-0-0-Neymar-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[/formation]

Our rotation team keeps the 4-3-3

[formation=barca,6]
Ter Stegen
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-Bartra-0-Mascherano-0-0
Roberto-0-0-Busi-0-0-Alba
0-0-Raki-0-Iniesta-0-0
0-Munir-0-0-0-Neymar-0
0-0-0-Suarez/Sandro-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[/formation]

I'm just concerned we will lack creativity with Messi gone in our current setup and some new shapes, I think, would help the team a lot during Messi's absence. Getting Iniesta forward with less defensive work will make it much easier for him and the team offensively.

 

[Neymessi]

What did you expect from injury plague team that Lucho had right now?

Why did we play double pivot at home vs las palmas and not against celta?Sent munir in only to be subbed after for munir when had won the match.Anyone of suarez and ney could have been subbed as they did not need to play 90 min.Not that I am mad or anything but his decisions are many times crazy.

 

[Ustari]

Because experimenting with the tactics and players selection is better against weaker opponent rather than the tougher ones? You know that Suarez and Neymar don't like to be substituted especially when the score is still tight?

 

[Mido]

[formation=barca,6]
Ter Stegen
0-Piqué-0-0-0-Mascherano-0
Roberto-0-0-0-0-0-0Alba
0-0-0-Busquets-0-0-0
Alves-0-0-Rakitic-0-Iniesta-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-Neymar
0-Suarez-0-0-0-0-0
[/formation]

 

[Mido]

[formation=barca,6]
Ter Stegen
0-Piqué-0-0-0-Mathieu-0
Alves-0-0-0-0-0-Alba
0-Busquets-0-0-0-Mascherano-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Rakitic-0-0-0-0-0-Iniesta
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-Suarez-0-0-0-Neymar-0
[/formation]

Sorry for spaming *

 

[gasgas]

..........................bravo
..sergi r.......pique...............mathieu.............alba
........busquets...................masche
...............rakitic............iniesta
........suarez..................neymar

 

[Mido]

I don't wanna sound controversial for the sake of it, but I do believe that Messi and Rafinha's injuries might be blessings in disguise if the team and the staff react accordingly.

The loss in terms of quality is considerable and our lack of depth really concerning BUT

- it is a unique opportunity to incorporate some youngsters to the team.

- We can become a lot more unpredictable and try a whole range of new tactics. Basically, every small game will have to be experimental

- Now we'll really have to be less "Messi-dependant" if we were

What really concerns me is that we do not have true leaders on the pitch yetz. Sorry for all the Mascherano friendlies, but he never showed me anything to assign him this role. Don't get me wrong, I do like him as a player , but his shouting on the pitch seems to be overacting to me. I wanna have Busquets as our new team leader.

Enrique must be also excited. Now he can prove that Barca's succes last year wasn't just due to MSN as some football pseudo-pundits claimed.

 

[Flavia]

I don't wanna sound controversial for the sake of it, but I do believe that Messi and Rafinha's injuries might be blessings in disguise if the team and the staff react accordingly.

The loss in terms of quality is considerable and our lack of depth really concerning BUT

- it is a unique opportunity to incorporate some youngsters to the team.

- We can become a lot more unpredictable and try a whole range of new tactics. Basically, every small game will have to be experimental

- Now we'll really have to be less "Messi-dependant" if we were

What really concerns me is that we do not have true leaders on the pitch yetz. Sorry for all the Mascherano friendlies, but he never showed me anything to assign him this role. Don't get me wrong, I do like him as a player , but his shouting on the pitch seems to be overacting to me. I wanna have Busquets as our new team leader.

Enrique must be also excited. Now he can prove that Barca's succes last year wasn't just due to MSN as some football pseudo-pundits claimed.

I really, REALLY doubt Enrique is excited about losing his best player. He's mot likely concerned and worried, as Messi is a huge loss. The team has quality to do well without him, but it's really far fetched to think a coach would be excited to lose his best player.

 

[Mido]

I really, REALLY doubt Enrique is excited about losing his best player. He's mot likely concerned and worried, as Messi is a huge loss. The team has quality to do well without him, but it's really far fetched to think a coach would be excited to lose his best player.

My bad... I'll put it like that : I think that he is the kind of person who, very often, tries to capitalize on the positive aspects of an overall negative situation.

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

I don't wanna sound controversial for the sake of it, but I do believe that Messi and Rafinha's injuries might be blessings in disguise if the team and the staff react accordingly.

The loss in terms of quality is considerable and our lack of depth really concerning BUT

- it is a unique opportunity to incorporate some youngsters to the team.

- We can become a lot more unpredictable and try a whole range of new tactics. Basically, every small game will have to be experimental

- Now we'll really have to be less "Messi-dependant" if we were

What really concerns me is that we do not have true leaders on the pitch yetz. Sorry for all the Mascherano friendlies, but he never showed me anything to assign him this role. Don't get me wrong, I do like him as a player , but his shouting on the pitch seems to be overacting to me. I wanna have Busquets as our new team leader.

Enrique must be also excited. Now he can prove that Barca's succes last year wasn't just due to MSN as some football pseudo-pundits claimed.

no disrespect to you, but most of this is nonsense, much won't want his best players injured, he certainly won't look to try new tactics, i do worry about some people on here

 

[Mido]

no disrespect to you, but most of this is nonsense, much won't want his best players injured, he certainly won't look to try new tactics, i do worry about some people on here

He can't rely on Munir and Alves and always play in the classical 4-3-3 system. To compensate Messi's injury and bring the energy he brings he'd need at least two players : - one to control the pace of our attacks and another that can break down our opponent's (left) flank. Since we don't have Xavi nor Pedro to implement these ideas I expect Barcelona to play a more "center-oriented" game with formations similar to false 4-4-2 or even a 5-3-2.

Alves is an excellent player but his style is complentary to Messi's but certainly not replaceable. He brings a different kind of energy.

I expect Barca to play a little bit like under Tata Martino : a slow-paced build-up relying on a dense midfield.

If Lucho wants to stick with the classical 4-3-3 he#ll have to suffer a tremendous loss of quality and I think he knows it a lot better than us.

If Lucho switches to another system, or at least adjusts the 4-3-3, the team would have t oget accustomed to a new styl but the loss in terms of quality would be less concerning.

Since we have Mathieu, Mascherano, Piqué, Vermaelen and Bartra, I would really like to see how Barca would play in a very offensive 5-3-2 system with either Mascherano or Piqué joining the attack. We'll certainly have less possession and suffer more against big teams but our defense would a lot more solid.