Luis Enrique

[serghei]

I agree with you that 1 full back should always be behind the ball but I still maintain that neither of them is a good defender, PSG were very dangerous even when both full backs were in defense and almost every attack came from their right because Lucas was totally owning Alba. Alba makes up for his defensive deficiencies with speed, which is of course a good thing, but when he's put against players as fast as him he gets exposed. Either that or he is just extremely inconsistent which would be even worse.

True, but Lucho should've made sure that didn't happen. The fact that PSG managed to get Lukas in 1 on 1 with Alba so many times is already a failure on our part. Moura and Pastore can be difficult to handle for any team if you let them run at you with the ball.

In a pure 1 vs 1 situation the attacker has the edge. The point is to either a) keep more men in defence to double team the fullback and make the 1 vs 1 a 2 vs 1 - in which case the attacker's job becomes much harder -, or b) own the midfield and cut the connection to Moura or Pastore. We didn't do any. Our CM area was OWNED by Matuidi, Verratti and Motta.

 

[Flavia]

They could start, but they can't attack at the same time. And that's exactly what they did against PSG. Lucho is showing some mistakes that go beyond the lack of experience. I'm starting to wonder if he's good enough to coach such a complex - from all points of view - team as Barca.

Since we got Alba for Abidal, the defense is lacking. The balance is gone. When facing a fast player(lucas, robben) alba gets lost. Playing the 2 of them is not a good decision.

Sorry but I can't help myself thinking that we sold in the summer two highly rated players, a creative playmaker in Fabregas and an explosive wing player in Alexis. Two months later and we suffer in those exact same spots. 2-3 years ago we had Thiago, Cesc and Xavi, 3 playmakers right there. Now we have just an old version of Xavi, and no Cesc and no Thiago.

I really don't think cesc or thiago would be playing well, as wide as the midfielders are playing now. Neither Cesc nor Thiago have Rakitic's energy to cover the grounds Ivan is covering.

I'm really not a fan of this midfield setup, with them covering for the FB's, playing too wide and far from each other, and leavng Busi with a lot of ground to cover. Maybe when Suarez is playing this will start to work, but I'm not really convinced, so far. Lucho's insistence in having the fb's creating seems a bad idea to me. Maybe if cuadrado was here, but he isn't.

@euleri 15 min
v PSG Rakitic played 28 passes to Alves & only 3 to Iniesta. Xavi came on- played 7 passes to Alves & only 1 to Iniesta. MF-broken in 2

This here is absurd, imho.

 

[serghei]

I really don't think cesc or thiago would be playing well, as wide as the midfielders are playing now. Neither Cesc nor Thiago have Rakitic's energy to cover the grounds Ivan is covering.

Of course not. That's the main reason Cesc was sold. Lucho plays Messi in Cesc's best position. That won't work because Messi, as brilliant as he is, doesn't have the required workrate to be a midfielder. He is going to overplay Messi and he will probably fail. If Messi has an off day, based on this arrangement, we are in deep trouble, because there's no one else creating or making plays besides Leo.

But, if he changes this arrangement, and makes the midfield look like a trio again, he's gonna find he needs a playmaker. He brought in Rakitic specifically for this type of midfield formation: Busi covering the DM alone, Raki and Iniesta providing cover for the fullbacks and Messi taking care by himself of the whole AM area. When he finds out that Rakitic isn't a playmaker, and our recent performances seem to suggest we need just that, he will regret having sold Cesc. That's my prediction based on how things stand right now.

Let's hope that Suarez is good at finnishing crosses, because from this kind of tactis, we're gona see a lot of them.

 

[Irish_Cules]

That''s a pretty shocking stat there Flavia. I knew it was bad but that's just unacceptable. To have midfielders who are exceptional at passing/linking up not playing with each other is crazy.

 

[serghei]

This here is absurd, imho.

:smiley_scared: It is, and Lucho doesn't seem to realize it.

We are playing only on the wings. Our ball distribution is 80% on the wings. We're playing exactly how the opposition wants us to.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

Our main problem right now is that we are missing any fluidity in attack. The formation is extremely static and that causes Busi and Iniesta to play badly. They are used to players (especially Xavi) to move towards them in midfield, leave their positions if necessary and make quick short passing combos possible.
Also the fullbacks have almost no options to play quick 1-2s and get behind the defense or get the ball to the CM, who can play it forward, switch flanks etc.

It helps with keeping a solid shape which makes defending easier but against teams who park the bus well (Malaga) or have great individual quality and a good match plan (PSG) it makes us rely only on Leo and Ney in attack. This makes it really difficult to win such games.

We are early into the season and Lucho should get time to work and execute his plans but I hope he will change the approach in attack.

 

[MagIX]

1) We are the lowest team in Europe. In defense, Alba-Alves-Mascherano, and in front Pedro-Messi-Neymar (Iniesta). Not counting the players on the bench. Average: 1.70m.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate

2) we are the less physically strong team in europe. Too many featherweights in our team.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate.

More and more often the opponents can stop us or overcome us simply because they are physically stronger or taller, not because they are technically or tactically better. Shoulder to shoulder, physical duel, aerial duel, tackle, we always lost it.
Corner: it is sadly funny/ridiculous to see e.g. Alba vs strong player tall 1.85m

 

[Flavia]

But, if he changes this arrangement, and makes the midfield look like a trio again, he's gonna find he needs a playmaker. He brought in Rakitic specifically for this type of midfield formation: Busi covering the DM alone, Raki and Iniesta providing cover for the fullbacks and Messi taking care by himself of the whole AM area. When he finds out that Rakitic isn't a playmaker, and our recent performances seem to suggest we need just that, he will regret having sold Cesc. That's my prediction based on how things stand right now.

I don't think that would be a problem. Rakitic can be a playmaker, and there's also Iniesta, Rafinha. Cesc was never a good fit for Barça for different reasons, and that wouldn't change now.

1) We are the lowest team in Europe. In defense, Alba-Alves-Mascherano, and in front Pedro-Messi-Neymar (Iniesta). Not counting the players on the bench. Average: 1.70m.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate

2) we are the less physically strong team in europe. Too many featherweights in our team.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate.

More and more often the opponents can stop us or overcome us simply because they are physically stronger or taller, not because they are technically or tactically better. Shoulder to shoulder, physical duel, aerial duel, tackle, we always lost it.
Corner: it is sadly funny/ridiculous to see e.g. Alba vs strong player tall 1.85m

There are players to change that. But Lucho is the one that needs to want to change it.

Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Vermaelen; Rakitic, Busi, Iniesta; Neymar, Messi, Suarez, and it's a tall and strong team.

 

[serghei]

I don't think that would be a problem. Rakitic can be a playmaker, and so there's also Iniesta, Rafinha. Cesc was never a good fit for Barça for different reasons, and that wouldn't change now.

We dissagree about Cesc, I think he was underused in his time at Barca, but maybe Rakitic can be a playmaker - the jury is still out for me on this one. The thing is, the system needs some adjusting. And pretty significant adjustments. IMO, Cesc is a better playmaker (passer) than Rakitic, while Rakitic is faster and better defensively.

 

[MagIX]

There are players to change that. But Lucho is the one that needs to want to change it.

Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Vermaelen; Rakitic, Busi, Iniesta; Neymar, Messi, Suarez, and it's a tall and strong team.

Exactly: Lucho.

I like your 11 starter. And i would like to see Mascherano finally in midfield.

 

[Alarcón]

1) We are the lowest team in Europe. In defense, Alba-Alves-Mascherano, and in front Pedro-Messi-Neymar (Iniesta). Not counting the players on the bench. Average: 1.70m.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate

2) we are the less physically strong team in europe. Too many featherweights in our team.
Too unbalanced, totally disproportionate.

More and more often the opponents can stop us or overcome us simply because they are physically stronger or taller, not because they are technically or tactically better. Shoulder to shoulder, physical duel, aerial duel, tackle, we always lost it.
Corner: it is sadly funny/ridiculous to see e.g. Alba vs strong player tall 1.85m

Our average height yesterday was 1.78m, that of PSG 1.81m. Do 3 cm really make that much of a difference? It's also funny that you cite Alba as an example because he only had massive problems with 1 player, and that's Lucas who is 1.73m

I believe that we've been through this argument numerous times; thinking that football let alone our playing style revolve around height or physical strength is, plain and simply, wrong.

Exactly: Lucho.

I like your 11 starter. And i would like to see Mascherano finally in midfield.

Funny because Mascherano is 1.75m

 

[Flavia]

We dissagree about Cesc, I think he was underused in his time at Barca, but maybe Rakitic can be a playmaker - the jury is still out for me on this one. The thing is, the system needs some adjusting. And pretty significant adjustments. IMO, Cesc is a better playmaker (passer) than Rakitic, while Rakitic is faster and better defensively.

Only way I could see Cesc working here would be by benching Messi. Playing Cesc behind Suarez. I can't see Cesc working in a midfield like Barça's, then or now. Too slow and can't defend, 2 major qualities for Barça's midfield.

 

[MagIX]

Our average height yesterday was 1.78m, that of PSG 1.81m. Do 3 cm really make that much of a difference? It's also funny that you cite Alba as an example because he only had massive problems with 1 player, and that's Lucas who is 1.73m

I believe that we've been through this argument numerous times; thinking that football let alone our playing style revolve around height or physical strength is, plain and simply, wrong.



Funny because Mascherano is 1.75m

?

You miss the point.
PSG ? did i talk about the match vs PSG ?

Mascherano 1.75m ? with Pique, Mathieu, Vermaelen in defense, no problem Mascherano 1.75m in midfield. But Alba-Alves-Mascherano in defense IS a problem.

 

[serghei]

Only way I could see Cesc working here would be by benching Messi. Playing Cesc behind Suarez. I can't see Cesc working in a midfield like Barça's, then or now. Too slow and can't defend, 2 major qualities for Barça's midfield.

A double DM pair Busquets - Mascherano would take care of the defensive part. And Messi should play in a more advanced position. Neymar - Messi - Suarez with Fabregas behind them and Busi - Mascherano double pivot. If I had Fabregas that's how I would play. Iniesta could also work there but he's not a CAM.

 

[Flavia]

A double DM pair Busquets - Mascherano would take care of the defensive part. And Messi should play in a more advanced position. Neymar - Messi - Suarez with Fabregas behind them and Busi - Mascherano double pivot. If I had Fabregas that's how I would play. Iniesta could also work there but he's not a CAM.

Problem with that formation is Cesc could get in Messi's way, and the team'd be too narrow. Also, benching Iniesta. He is off form now, but Iniesta is a much better player than Cesc. And as time passes, Messi will drop deeper and deeper anyway. Cesc did the right thing by leaving.