Sergi Roberto

[FinBarcelonafan]

Not sure if it's lack of playing or his defensive game has dropped another level.

 

[Jakabor]

Under NO circumstances should he start vs Villarreal.

 

[vuji_31]

Well at first goal Mingueza was off the pitch. It was situation 3 vs 2. Someone from the midfield should come to help them.

 

[evilhita666]

He was trash... I know he's rusty, but still, quite a bad game...

 

[te amo barca]

We don't need him anymore. Have better upcoming options at every position he can play (Emerson, Dest, Mingueza, Nico, Ilaix, etc.).

 

[DonAK]

Tbf he just came back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Under NO circumstances should he start vs Villarreal.

This is true. I prefer Dest.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Tbf he just came back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

True but I feel like his time as a starter should be over. He is fine sub though.

 

[fergus90]

I hope Koeman is brave enough to tell him he's getting a reduced role, one of the captains or not. Dest has his weak points by Roberto is nowhere near good enough just to walk straight back in and start every game.

 

[jairzinho]

I hope Koeman is brave enough to tell him he's getting a reduced role, one of the captains or not. Dest has his weak points by Roberto is nowhere near good enough just to walk straight back in and start every game.

Hope the club is brave enough to tell him he is getting reduced wages when his contract is renewed. That money could be used elsewhere.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

Makes sense to get him in the rotation because we have tough weeks ahead. Thought that Sergi provided much energy down his side and made constant runs to open up the right flank.
Could have been more aggressive in defense though. E.g. in the 2vs3 situation before the equalizer. It was difficult but not impossible to do a better job there.

 

[kattanib]

Underwhelming

 

[Andresito]

I speak from experience after having had the same injury as him during my days. It takes a couple of months, maybe close to half a year to regain bravery after pulling your main leg's quad.
Especially after relapsing when hitting a cross. It stays in your head.

You can see that he holds back. He uses his left foot more often and there isn't much power in his right footed passes.
In 50/50 duels he doesn't go in fully either. He lacks robustness in his body, not that he had much before.

Excuses aside, I think it's over for him as a starter for Barca. He was on his way down even before the injury.
Emerson would be a fine replacement to battle with Dest at RB.

 

[BusiTheKing]

Even if he hits top form, there's no way he's up for that role in a 3-5-2 where so much of the attacking burden falls on the WBs to penetrate their side in runs or dribbles.

We basically need a winger that knows how to defend. That's the point of the system.

 

[xXKonan]

There's no reason why he should be even remotely starting games in this final stretch.

He's been out since the first half of the season, and only just got back. Things have changed quite a bit since the new year, we are playing with a 3 man defense with Wingbacks with a group of players that got accustomed to it. We can't just throw Roberto out there who as I said has been out for months and expect him to do well.

I was annoyed when Koeman shoved him in the starting lineup and sure enough, he played like someone who had been out for months.