Sergiño Dest
- Thread starter DonAK
- Start date
Total waste of resources having a 34yr old tracking back and forth down the right flank, especially the only real offensive weapon the team has. He hardly ever did this, even in his prime, not going to happen now. Previous managers in the main employed Rakitic, Vidal, Roberto etc to do teh donkey work. It's not going to change. You know this so basically on the wind up.If you want him dropped then fair enough that's your perogative. BUT, I'm afraid you'll find Koeman won't have him doing this, only when he can.
If you want him dropped then fair enough that's your perogative. BUT, I'm afraid you'll find Koeman won't have him doing this, only when he can.
If you're replying to me you've totally misunderstood what I've said. Messi needs to help him out in an attacking sense. He was left isolated to take on multiple players, something Messi and maybe Neymar could manage to get through but very few other players could. Therefore, Dest needs the player who is on the RW to be available to combine with.
Okay, fair enough, can't argue with havig someone to work with in attack. Although I'll say this, by overloading the left & centre he was often left with space on the wide right with opportunities to attack his man, which I'd thik is a good thing with his qualities. Of course if we're not seeing 40 yard diagonals to switch play he's always going to have an extra defender to overcome but that's really not unusual, and especially from an outfit determined to sit with their whole team behind the ball. As you know, Messi has rarely stayed wide right, and that's been the case for a long time, ad when he has it has typically been the RM that has dropped in to cover that side if the full back is pushing on. I don't really see a problem on that side tbqh. It won't chaneg until Barca improve their playmaking quality in the middle of the pitch. That won't happen until they recruit someone else and or Messi leaves.
Richard.H
Senior Member
If you want him dropped then fair enough that's your perogative. BUT, I'm afraid you'll find Koeman won't have him doing this, only when he can.
The main difference is that in the past his benefits far outweighed his lack of defensive work on that right flank. He was so dangerous that no opposing team dared to attack too much on the left flank in fear that Messi would have more space. If they did you had the likes of Rakitic, Alves, and to some degree Vidal and Roberto putting in a shift.
Now there's basically near zero benefit of playing him alongside someone who does all the dirty work for him. His dribbling, shooting, and passing, which were the things that took him to GOAT conversations, are not there. Without this he's offering almost nothing to the squad. Even a season ago you could count on Messi to absolutely destroy the likes of newly promoted sides and other lowly La Liga teams. Now even this is not guaranteed.
I'm not going to argue with you that Messi isn't performing how he used to in seasons gone by. But to say Messi is '...offering almost nothing to the squad', is laughable, it really is. The stats tell you otherwise and hell, even an objective eye will tell you that he's the main creative force in the team. Why spoil it with comments like that, you just won't be taken seriously. Anyway, I think the reasons for Messi's reduced output are pretty obvious, to most!
Of course it's better to be able to attack up both flanks but It's by no means a given, even for the best of teams. Forcing Messi to stay out right in the hope that once in a while he can combine with Dest to set up a chance or two for generally misfiring forwards isn't in my books worth it. It's been tried over the past 18months and inevitably Barca create fuck all.
And then we're back to the beginning again.
malvolio
Senior Member
pretty much this. not a disaster, but nothing special either. he does show enthusiasm and attacking intent, but otherwise he's average. take away the 4 CL games against Ferencvaros and Kiev and i can't think of any standout performance from him.
He was pretty good vs Madrid.
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
He's not going to be great as long as he's playing without a winger in front of him. Can't expect him to beat two men on that right hand side, all alone. He had better games vs Ferencvaros and Dynamo because he was playing with Trincao.
serghei
Senior Member
Yea, it's been like that for years with that RB spot. If we keep leaving him all alone there on a 15m radius, his offensive output will drop, because he'll have few teammates to get into combinations with. And people will start to say he's crap.
JerseyAddict
Well-known member
Was he strictly instructed not to cross?
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
Without Braithwaite, who would finish the cross?
evilhita666
Barçapocalypse NOW!
He is one of the few who can hold his head high...
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