Sergio Busquets

[Andresito]

Quotes from Araujo thread:

I watched the second goal again and it was definitely his fault. He had to see that Alonso arrived to cover Muller and after Christensen came out on Musiala, he should have started towards Sane at the same moment.
In addition, in my opinion, one of his worse matches recently. He looked somewhat insecure to me, the opposite of how he usually looks.

Definitely his fault. Caught ball-watching and when Sane got the ball at speed, it was already over.

The more you see the replay the more it becomes clear.

Look at our defensive shape. Since when do we defend in a 4-4-2? Who's our right sided CF in the top left of these images? That's right, the special one who ventures off to press their LCB.

 

[Messi983]

9 tackles+interceptions from this guy yesterday, 2nd player in Barcelona on 5 and then a couple on 4.
6 passes into the final third, Kounde had one more than him but otherwise no one with more than 4.

This just show how misleading judging players performances based on stats can be. Prefer to trust my own eyes.

Yeah, he was ok (compared to what we're used to see from him in tough away CL games in last 5-6 years) in 1st half but overall still not on required level and big liability for the team.

 

[Porque]

Quotes from Araujo thread:




Look at our defensive shape. Since when do we defend in a 4-4-2? Who's our right sided CF in the top left of these images? That's right, the special one who ventures off to press their LCB.

One of those cases that in the midst of a positional adherance.
that Bayern exploited the space.

The first WTF is what is Busquets doing there and why. I haven't rewartched the play in it's entirety to know why he was caught up there.

Then the second question what are the roles Xavi has assigned. Perhaps Busquets has liberty to "press" (I use that term lightly) with Gavi and Pedri set to form a double pivot. In that case it's quite a simple scenario to defend. If the DMC is caught upfield (think of a counter starting with the DMC breaking the lines to cause surprise as Frenkie does easily) then the two other CMs would move back as a double pivot as the DMC is effectively in the AMC space. So we're positioned 4231 in defensive phase regardless of which midfielder advances.

It's the same as when Gavi is tasked with pressing high (and I use that term strongly) that if the opponents surpass Gavi then the DMC and CM also form a double pivot. So nothing different structurally if everyone knows the roles and to cover each other.

So yeah, Busquets shouldn't be there which is the first breakdown as the midfielders are not positioned for it, and then the lack of partnership in the two CBs is the second breakdown giving that huge running line.

To summarise- it's all Frenkie de Jongs fault.

 

[Messi983]

To summarise- it's all Frenkie de Jongs fault.

Frenkie's and Koeman's.

These Dutchies, what good have they ever done for the club?

 

[Raketa10]

PLEASE bench him already!

 

[malvolio]

Nice that Dembele, the fucker who put them on the counter, is just watching on like he's on IMAX or something.

There is a case to discuss here about the positioning though. Is Xavi instructing him to press that high? And even so, we had one man advantage in defense on that counter. Rest of the players got folded easily.

 

[khaled_a_d]

There is a case to discuss here about the positioning though. Is Xavi instructing him to press that high? And even so, we had one man advantage in defense on that counter. Rest of the players got folded easily.

It is too repetitive to not be, since Xavi came we saw Busquets doing it a lot.
Even if it was Busquets idea, after first 10k times it happened you would expect coach to tell him stop doing it, and you would think Busquets is smart enough to listen.

As for the Goal, it was a collective fail if team effort, although Busquets slow legs are most frustrating ones to watch

 

[Bobo32]

Yeah he was out of position for the goal where Bayern dribbled through all the rest of the players, the eight ones behind the ball between the images. Sometimes it happens, watch any game between 2008 and 2015 and see the same thing sometimes, with him or with Puyol, Mascherano, Alves, Abidal or Pique being out of position after pressing - it didn't always lead to conceded goals, and it is not doing much arguing from one goal like this.

There was a lot of talk back then about Barcelona taking a step forward to press rather than a step backwards when losing the ball and how crucial it was for their play both defensively and offensively. The first worry is to put pressure on the ball, for the rest of the team to follow. Pedri and Frenkie are both doing the opposite of this, always falling, especially watch how Frenkie interpret the dmc role and falls between the CBs rather than keep the structure in the last game.

In the first half especially, Barcelonas pressing game worked very well however, and as I reported, Busquets was able to get the ball back to the team twice that of any other Barcelona player (obviously with the help of the good pressure from those in front of him).

I see a lot of you writing about "roles" and about the "duty of a dmc" etc, and I think it misses the target, Barcelona should strive for more "total football", more fluid roles. Busquets is still very stationary and reliable most of the time.

 

[malvolio]

Yeah he was out of position for the goal where Bayern dribbled through all the rest of the players, the eight ones behind the ball between the images. Sometimes it happens, watch any game between 2008 and 2015 and see the same thing sometimes, with him or with Puyol, Mascherano, Alves, Abidal or Pique being out of position after pressing - it didn't always lead to conceded goals, and it is not doing much arguing from one goal like this.

There was a lot of talk back then about Barcelona taking a step forward to press rather than a step backwards when losing the ball and how crucial it was for their play both defensively and offensively. The first worry is to put pressure on the ball, for the rest of the team to follow. Pedri and Frenkie are both doing the opposite of this, always falling, especially watch how Frenkie interpret the dmc role and falls between the CBs rather than keep the structure in the last game.

In the first half especially, Barcelonas pressing game worked very well however, and as I reported, Busquets was able to get the ball back to the team twice that of any other Barcelona player (obviously with the help of the good pressure from those in front of him).

I see a lot of you writing about "roles" and about the "duty of a dmc" etc, and I think it misses the target, Barcelona should strive for more "total football", more fluid roles. Busquets is still very stationary and reliable most of the time.

As usual, a more level take from Bobo. Most others look at Busquets being in the opposition halfyand go ape shit.

At that moment we were chasing the game and repetitive ball losses by best winger ever Dembele killed our rythim..

People should make up their mind on who we are and what we want. Better to stay back in numbers a la Atletico just to make sure we don't concede? It's not like we didn't have numbers in defense in that particular instance.

 

[Respekt_III]

lol. yes the slowest player on the pitch should "run" up to try recover possession up the field top take by you and bobo.
Fuck me there are times when you have to sit back and when you do decide to press it has to systematic and prevent the passing lanes (press traps anyone?). Busquets is the last person who should be pressing forward as he has 0 recovery and doesnt really cover the passing lanes when he goes awol like that.

Also the pressing game was a shambles it was just that Bayern were very poor in possession rather than the pressing being very effective as they were still able to play through it fairly easily. You and bobo can love sterile possession that does fuck except put people to sleep and still ends up with the team losing... The rest of us would prefer the team to be purposeful in possession and not have to carry a washed player who can no longer cope at the highest level.

Also blame anyone else other than the legends eh, can't say its not unexpected.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I see a lot of you writing about "roles" and about the "duty of a dmc" etc, and I think it misses the target, Barcelona should strive for more "total football", more fluid roles.


Busquets is still very stationary and reliable most of the time.

Those 2 don't work together though.
Fluid roles and total football needs a lot of dynamism rather than stationary, ton of switches too.
Busquets current stationary state is the opposite of total football essence.

 

[Kul_z]

This cant be real. Like, for fuck sake he's past, done, whatever terminology you want to use. Imagine blaming a winger for losing balls trying to do his job, and defending this slowpoke ancient turtle for being out of position because he's pressing. Damn, id like to see what he would do with the ball if he regained it that far up with no one except lewa. He would turn and pass it 30/40 m backwards. Good output. Either won a ball or leave a landing strip of space.
He was more or less decent in first half, but im tired of knowing for 5,6 years in a row that he cant have a perfect game anymore, he would brainfart in some moment and it would cost us in high stakes games

 

[CatalinR10]

This cant be real. Like, for fuck sake he's past, done, whatever terminology you want to use.

You are clearly wrong since there's a lot of people still calling him the best DM in the world on twitter

 

[mc_lovin]

Took a break after the Bayern match, but I suppose it's all his fault?

You can over-analyze and blame literally anyone - see the pictures above. The team played a fine game (Busi included minus his first minute fuck-up) and lost to a corner. Shit happens.

Lewy, Dembele and Raphina all deserve more flak.

 

[Horatio]

Took a break after the Bayern match, but I suppose it's all his fault?

What break? Game was two days ago.