Messigician
Senior Member
He clearly can't play 2 matches a week. And him and Rakitic shouldn't play together. Everybody can see that except the guy calling the shots
Ummmm except they can. They're not exactly old either of them and in their prime.
When playing 4-3-3 for it to be successful the midfield need to fulfill 3 important roles.
The first is an advanced playmaker to drive forward and create chances which is what Iniesta did for us and the role Coutunho can fulfill so we have that covered.
The next is a supporting deep playing playmaker who helps out in the attack but also helps control the tempo of the game.This is what Xavi did and what Arthur and Rakitic do.
Lastly we have a defensive mid like Busquets who also controls the tempo of the game but sits in front of the defence rarely supporting attacks but breaks up play.
Busquets and Rakitic do not have the same roles anand Rakitic is not a defensive mid he is a deeplying playmaker.
With Mascherano gone we have no one who can play CDM, Vidal is a box to box mid like Paulinho and is unique in that respect.
The mids we have to play successful are as follows
Coutinho/Vidal Rakitic/Arthur
Busquets
Abd that is not up for debate, the people saying Busquets and Rakitic cannot play together do not understand football like we do.