Malcom
- Thread starter Jair Ventura
- Start date
vlad
New member
Play him on the LW where he sucks and then justify it to send him to the stands again. Genius
He did it on purpose
you are genius
Cule4life
The Culest
If he didn't do it on purpose it means he's tactically clueless. Doesn't help his case either way
gregorrin10
Senior Member
Play him on the LW where he sucks and then justify it to send him to the stands again. Genius
Locked into the stands until the New Year. And he's not even his fault, it's just like you said. He's a pure RW, and should be played there, today was the perfect chance, if Valverde wanted to play Messi, which wasn't a good idea at all (should've been subbed in for the last 20 minutes or so, and i suspect the team would react better too, instead they were too complacent, expecting Messi to deliver the win all by himself right from the start and right away after his injury again), he should've put Suarez on the bench or even at LW, even though he's shit there obviously, but at least he's right footed, so he's some kind of a goal threat still.
I've been saying it and i'l keep on saying it, play Malcom when you play Messi in the center, or when he doesn't play at all. Dembele-Messi-Malcom, we should see that attacking trio, or you know at least Suarez on the left today, since we didn't have anyone better on the bench with Coutinho and Dembele both out.
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BBZ8800
Senior Member
So, wait, let's take a look at it slowly:
1. we have the best player in our history, Messi, who occupies a place somewhere around the center and on the right. So, no one can play there because they will be in Messi's way
2. we have one of the best Cfs in the world, Suarez, who can play successfully only in the middle as a "9"
3. and the only free spot is a LW for Coutinho, Dembele and Malcom
And now, you have a new kid Malcom, about whom nobody knows how good is he, and you would like to see him on the right side, with our 2 world class attackers, Messi and Suarez playing outside of their best position.
So, let's ruin 2 proven players (their positions) so that a questionable kid could play.
Sounds like a plan. Barcaforum's plan, though.
serghei
Senior Member
Man has a point here. I believe Messi's best position is RW, but I also believe Messi should be rotated. He is not young anymore. He could sit some games out. Would not play him in Copa at all except maybe in semis and final if we get there. Would rest him 4-5 games in La Liga too.
We can also rest Suarez, which would mean Messi plays false 9 and Malcom/Dembele slide on the right.
Problem is Valverde is incapable of making these adjustments. Would basically play Messi and Suarez as starters non stop.
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FCBfan22
Senior Member
Ok, I understand what you are saying there, but why does then Suarez fill in as a RW most of the time, while Messi is drifting to the centre? If we want to use the "play the players in their best positions" argument, we need to watch what's happening on the field. And the players aren't sticking to their positions (especially Messi and Suarez), which makes our attack left-side heavy. When that happens, we have a LW, Messi in some kind of CAM/False 9 role and Luis as some kind of right ST.
Joan
Well-known member
I don't like him there (vide supra), but to have a fluid front line lots of time's needed. Messi and Suarez have it, Malcom still doesn't (nor it's possible). Basically, you need structure. Going with Suarez (lf) Messi Malcom wouldn't help. Might've been better for him.
Ah, I forgot, the reason I wrote this post. Where would've you played him?
FCBfan22
Senior Member
I would actually go with the 4-4-2/4-3-3 hybrid from last season. Playing Malcom/Dembele as RM/RW, who are very advanced when we attack. Messi as a RST when we defend. Our shape would change to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 when we attack, depending on what Leo does. If he drops in front of the box, we go with 4-2-3-1, if he goes to the centre Suarez acts as LST and Messi as false 9.
And before somebody says that it wouldn't work, we would at least have someone to give us some width on the right side of the pitch. Currently we only have Roberto, who is often getting caught in the final third.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Imo:
Messi is worth like 2 creative players.
All other players are worth as 1 creative players.
Some are worth as 0 creative players since they aren't too useful around the box and in the box (Arthur and Rakitic, for example).
When we had Iniesta, we had Iniesta+Alba on a left=2 creative/attacking players around the box
And Messi+Dembele on the right=3 attacking players there (2+1)
Now, without Iniesta, we have no one on the left.
Arthur plays there and he is way more defensive minded and less creative than Iniesta.
So, in this season, we have:
Alba on a left=1 player
And Dembele/Malcom+Messi in your formation=3 players (Messi is worth as 2 players)
So, in your formation, our left side would rely only on Alba.
Arthur is too defensive minded and the closest player to Alba is Suarez who struggles with first touch and simple passes.
So, when "stupid" EV plays Alba+Dembele/Malcom/Coutinho on a left and Messi in the middle, center and on the right, we actually have:
2 players on a left (Dembele and Alba)
And 2 players on a right (Messi who is worth for two), helped by Roberto.
So, in some way, this tactic is actually the most balanced tactic when you are comparing left and right side.
Also, if you add Roberto on the right into the mix, who is offering more build up around the box and in the box than Arthur on the left, then we would have this in your formation:
On the left: Alba
On the right: Messi+Dembele+Roberto
1 vs 4 players (again, if Messi is worth as 2 players).
Now, if you'll ask: why have we bought Malcom then who is more suited to the right side?
Well, that is a whole different question.
I have no idea.
The answer is probably: low risk, high potential reward.
If he'll make it=awesome.
If not=an investment was worth a shot.
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FCBfan22
Senior Member
In theory yes, in practice, no. Messi spends more than 60% of playing time in the middle, so you have Roberto isolated again. He needs to compensate for the lack of RW and gets often caught in the final third, which leaves Rakitić having to cover pacey LW's (not really ideal). Also, you left Coutinho out of your equation (intentionally?), since in the setup I proposed, he would be playing a mixture of CM and AM, who can also deift to LW if needed.
Basically, this is it (here I'll use Dembele, Busi and Arthur, those three spots could also be occupied by Malcom, Vidal and Rakitič):
Attacking:
----------Suarez--------Dembele---
Alba-------------Messi--------------
------Coutinho--------------Roberto
--------------------Arthur-----------
-----------Busquets-----------------
Defending:
--------Suarez----Messi-----------
Coutinho-----------------Dembele
----------Busquets-Arthur--------
Alba-----------------------Roberto
Currently, our attack with those players looks like this most of the time (If Cou played CM, just to use same players):
------------Suarez---------------------
-Dembele--------Messi----------------
Alba---------------------------Roberto
--------Coutinho------Arthur----------
----------------Busquets---------------
Basically, this is it (here I'll use Dembele, Busi and Arthur, those three spots could also be occupied by Malcom, Vidal and Rakitič):
Attacking:
----------Suarez--------Dembele---
Alba-------------Messi--------------
------Coutinho--------------Roberto
--------------------Arthur-----------
-----------Busquets-----------------
Defending:
--------Suarez----Messi-----------
Coutinho-----------------Dembele
----------Busquets-Arthur--------
Alba-----------------------Roberto
Currently, our attack with those players looks like this most of the time (If Cou played CM, just to use same players):
------------Suarez---------------------
-Dembele--------Messi----------------
Alba---------------------------Roberto
--------Coutinho------Arthur----------
----------------Busquets---------------
Well...
Coutinho is right footed, and Alena is not an attacker.
I agree with the rest though...
Malcom didn't play too well but how on Earth EV thought that poor old Munir will be the saviour this time???...
Complete brainfart. What I meant is that apart from Coutinho there are a lack of options for that left side. Dembele is the closest match to be OK there. Denis would be fine if he had confidence and an end product. Alena is an extremely attacking midfielder so I can see him giving a lot from the attacking right position, hence mentioning him. But again left footed.
On yesterdays game. With Messi back from injury your never going start at RW if your Malcom, Dembele or even Cristiano Ronaldo. But what could of been done is switch around the front 3 to bring Malcom back into the game more. Malcom to the right, Suarez to the left and Messi upfront. There is no harm in interchanging the front trio to find solutions, and it is something that we always done. Messi was having a bit of a stinker himself.
But the subs of Valverde made sense, Munir was able to cut in and Vidal gave vitality to the midfield and the ability to arrive from the second line in the box.
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Potroh
New member
Mostly agreed.
But Messi rather spends 70-80% of time in the middle and he is better being there (as his solos coming from the right line do not really work anymore). The problem is the lack of an Alves type & quality player in the right. Semedo could learn that soon, specially that there is presently no other solution. I just guess but probably EV is the one who doesn't know how the Alves-Messi pair used to play in the right...
Therefore I'd drop Roberto and go for Semedo, but giving him very different instructions.
I think the only thing EV "invented" is the inverted "W" formation in the back when Stegen is trying to find a free defender or midfielder. That made the bringing-out phase even slower than it used to be. Some strange souls would say it is "tiki-taka" but it is not, because that represents changing triangles with a single touch of the ball, whereas the present "system" shows the players handling, pushing, changing foot and THEN passing, which is nothing else but a waste of valuable time.
Otherwise your first "diagram" is the only logical solution, but Coutinho should only be behind Alba if playing against a wall.
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