He’s potentially one of the best in his position in the world. He has everything in his locker, other than confidence and synergy with the team, which is understandable when he’s new to the team, and Valverde is playing him irregularly or hauling him off at HT.
Roberto is excellent and I believe he should be a first choice in the side too, but as a CM, not a RB. Valverde, as well as previous managers seem to want to play him everywhere other than in his natural position, despite excelling there when he gets the rare opportunity to.
———————————————Ter Stegen
Semedo(Roberto)———-Pique(Mina)——Umtiti(Verm)———-Alba(Digne)
—————————————-—Busquets
————————Roberto————————--Iniesta/Coutinho
Dembele———————Messi————Suarez
Rakitic, Paulino, Alena, Arnaiz, Paco should be rotation options for the midfield and forward positions.
I’d get rid of three of 4 of Gomes, D Suarez, Vidal, Deulofeu.
Roberto can sit alongside Busquets when needed, or can bomb forward when needed. He’s perfectly capable of doing both.
It’s a balanced lineup. Why won’t Valverde try it?
Because:
1. Semedo is questionable in defense
2. Roberto will bomb forward and leave holes behind him for slow Busi who is alone in midfield, since you have attacking Roberto and weak Semedo on that side (not to mention Dembele who can't defend)
3. Iniesta/Coutinho are weaker defenders than Rakitic, Paulinho, even Gomes
4. Dembele can't defend
5. Messi doesn't want to defend
6. Luis is an attacker
Since Mats is a GK, we would basically have 4 players (and Roberto) and in this lineup who can defend.
And do you know what would happen?
= classical Lucho's 433 Barca with not too much defending, too many egos on the field, without strong (4 men) midfield and with weak defense.
Against Chelsea, Psg, Juve, Atletico we would face probably 20 deadly counters per match and we would look like 13 years old kids in midfield.
What you posted is not the most balanced lineup.
But actually the most "shiniest" lineup where:
1. Semedo plays as a RB because he is shiny and attractive on paper
2. Roberto plays as a CM because he can make attacking solo runs from time to time. He is more "attractive" in attack than Rakitic/Paulinho/Gomes
3. Iniesta/Coutinho are here
4. dribbler Dembele is here
5. Messi is here
6. Luis is here
The only worse (or less balanced) lineup than this one would be a lineup with Coutinho-Iniesta-Messi-Luis-Dembele together on a field.
That would be an ultimate disaster in terms of allround team's balance.