Sergio Busquets

[Neeraj]

I think it's a bit simple. For our earlier team, where we had a solid passing game, those small triangles, one touch passing, quick movement etc., he was the best player in the world for us at that position. He was never quick, he was never strong, he was never good at most of the 'normal' CDM requisites. . He was a player that was extremely specialized with respect to his attributes.

As our midfield has slowly deteriorated, it's not surprising he looks terrible. With the way we are playing right now, we are using nothing he is good at, and need all the other things like stamina, pace, physical presence to stop people on his own, etc.

So till we get back to the old system (which may never happen), I think he is going to be a liability. It's not more complicated than that, I hope our coaches see it the same way.

 

[Zangash]

I have a point, it may be different to yours but it's clearly there. His lack of pace is very worrying, he offers little to no protection to the defence and can only play at a good level if the other midfielders baby sit him.

Your point is he is slow. Me pointing out that putting out someone faster wouldn't solve anything under Lucho's tactical setup generated this response:

It probably won't but it would save us the embarrassment of watching him trying to run back with one of the opposition attackers. It's a mismatch if ever there was one.

There is no point made here. You even actually agree with me, but you don't care, because he's slow, and you don't like it. He doesn't need other midfielders to babysit him, he needs other midfielders to play as an actual fucking midfield. Having them drift out wide to cover for fullbacks who already provide very little in an attacking sense anyways, with one of them actually handing possession to the other team every time he gets the ball and for some reason receiving praise from Lucho for it, Busquets not being fast is not the problem.

Once again, I'm waiting for you to make an actual point that extends further than "He's slow! He needs babysitters!"

 

[Ini8]

Probably should have made the move to Bayern. His qualities are of very little use in this system.

They'll be in for him when Alonso retires.

 

[Flavia]

He said he has no physical problems today; Then, he is off form, and can't play solo dm in this "system". Too much ground to cover, and he just can't do it.

Sergio Busquets: “This has only just started”

ROGER BOGUNYÀ
11/03/2014 13:17

“This has only just started” claims the FC Barcelona midfielder, who knows that there is still a long season ahead
“We've had a bad week" he accepted. "What we want to do now is turn things around"

Sergio Busquets has used his Monday morning press conference as call for calm, and insists that it’s too early for people to start jumping to conclusions about the team. “This has only just started” he said. “We were leaders a week ago, now we’re not. Let’s hope we can turn this around because that’s the whole squad wants”.

Painful losses to Real Madrid and Celta amounted to what Busquets admits has been a poor week, so “it’s only normal that there’s some debate and for people to analyse things through a magnifying glass. When you lose you have to improve because there are clearly things you’re not getting quite right. We are always self-critical, whether we win or lose. We have keep working to improve, there’s nothing else we can do.”

The Catalan also believes that the game with Ajax presents an ideal opportunity to start making up lost ground. “Hopefully we can put an end to this poor run” he said. But he hasn’t forgotten that Barça lost 2-1 a year ago in Amsterdam. “They came out strong and were all over us at the start of the game” he remembers. “With the sending off and our goal, everything changed. I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

He also rejected the suggestion that he’s having groin trouble. “They’re all rumours” he insisted. “I’m fine. I did have an injury in that area, but I’ve been fine for some time now. I’m just doing a few preventative exercises”.

 

[Truthist]

Your point is he is slow. Me pointing out that putting out someone faster wouldn't solve anything under Lucho's tactical setup generated this response:



There is no point made here. You even actually agree with me, but you don't care, because he's slow, and you don't like it. He doesn't need other midfielders to babysit him, he needs other midfielders to play as an actual fucking midfield. Having them drift out wide to cover for fullbacks who already provide very little in an attacking sense anyways, with one of them actually handing possession to the other team every time he gets the ball and for some reason receiving praise from Lucho for it, Busquets not being fast is not the problem.

Once again, I'm waiting for you to make an actual point that extends further than "He's slow! He needs babysitters!"

If you read my first post which was yesterday I believe then it's you that actually agrees with me. I said the system is effecting his performances performances so what do we do. Shall we just carry on giving him a free pass and blame the system or look for an alternative.

I think if we play Mascherano there then the system might effect his performances too BUT do I think Mascherano has a better chance to succeed? Absolutely.

We can blame the system and there is a problem there no doubt, BUT if you're losing every one vs one duel and struggle to even track your nearest runner (which I have seen a lot with Busquets, this season ) then sorry, questions need to be asked. Forgive me for going OTT but it is what I see.

 

[Zangash]

If you read my first post which was yesterday I believe then it's you that actually agrees with me. I said the system is effecting his performances performances so what do we do. Shall we just carry on giving him a free pass and blame the system or look for an alternative.

We should look for a new system. As I've said before, if you just stick a faster CDM in that role, he will struggle too, because the system forces the CDM to be isolated. His speed has nothing to do with the fact that Lucho's tactics in midfield are dogshit.

I think if we play Mascherano there then the system might effect his performances too BUT do I think Mascherano has a better chance to succeed? Absolutely.

We'd still lose. If we dropped Busquets in our next three big games in favor of Mascherano we'd lose each and every one of them, and then you'd be on the hunt for yet another scapegoat.

We can blame the system and there is a problem there no doubt, BUT if you're losing every one vs one duel and struggle to even track your nearest runner (which I have seen a lot with Busquets, this season ) then sorry, questions need to be asked. Forgive me for going OTT but it is what I see.

The losing one on one duels can be chalked up to poor form, which he clearly is in, but as far as failing to track his runner, that is once again the fault of Lucho's tactics, and if we were to put Mascherano in midfield in the same circumstances we'd find ourselves slightly more stable defensively but we'd quite literally have a 0 in our midfield (Ironic, considering not long ago we could boast about having the best midfield in the world and arguably in history) and our front line would have to rely on long balls (Somewhat similar to the game vs Celta) to get any supply, which as we've seen, was not effective.

 

[eye-switcher]

Still poor but atleast he tried alittle today, it was quite embarassing when he Went on his lone pressing assignment and his passing that everyone is commending him for is not there anymore. Still today was mini improvement.

 

[Chong Li]

I liked his second half, he looks much better when he doesn't have to cover the whole center by himself.

 

[CatalinR10]

he was better today

 

[te amo barca]

pwned that Serero guy

 

[Egert]

Good performance

 

[Truthist]

I thought he played well today and his one touch passing was eye candy.

He's very good in a congested midfield, it's when he gets isolated that the problems arise.

 

[Flavia]

He was not poor today. Played much better. Maybe that knock to his head woke him up.

 

[Alarcón]

Still poor but atleast he tried alittle today, it was quite embarassing when he Went on his lone pressing assignment and his passing that everyone is commending him for is not there anymore. Still today was mini improvement.

Passing is not there anymore? I'm sorry mate but did you watch the game?

 

[linetty]

He was very good tonight.