Sergio Busquets

[BBZ8800]

Yes, Busi is a player who can play at his best only in a specific system. The problem is that at Barcelona we should be playing that system. Not the 'park the bus and hold for dear life' that Valverde had us playing vs Roma and Liverpool.

Of course the decline is also evident, so it's unlikely he's ever going to be world class again.

In the last 2 Months, people are answering: a player XX would be awesome under Pep.
I have said a few times, teams were playing football for years without Pep and Klopp.

Today it sounds as if all other managers are shit and unless if we are coached by Pep and Klopp=we are dead, poor Dembele won't improve and nobody will watch football.

Regarding Barca's style, Busi was meh in Lucho's tactics.
Imo, Busi would be shit in Rijkaard's tactics, and Rijkaard would pick someone like Rakitic, Mascherano and similar to play a CDM, and other 5 attacking players will be responsible for a build up.
A CDM would be responsible to counters and interceptions and only for some passes here and there.
Under Van Gaal, Busi wouldn't play either.

So, basically, where can Busi play?
Only if we return Pep back or if we hire some Pep wannabe who will blindly do everything the same as Pep.

There is a difference between Barca's way and Pep's way.
Busi is a perfect example of that.
He is Pep's type of a pivot, not "Barca's" type of a pivot.

People usually laugh at my remarks about height, but before Busi, our last few CDMs were:
Edmilson 1,86
Motta 1,87
Marquez 1,84
Cocu 1,85
Davids 1,69

Only Cocu was a somewhat skinny guy, but nowhere close to Busi.
So, CDMs before Busi were a good old, classic CDMs who were usually tall, strong and awesome in defending. Plus, they were decent with a ball, but nowhere near Busi's level (but Busi sucks in defending, pace, strength and aerial battles).

I liked Edmilson during Rijkaard.
He was a CB for Brasil and a CDM for Barca.
He didn't move well off the ball like Busi, of course.
But he was a strong tower, who was making tons of interceptions and dirty fouls. He was tall but very fast (preventing counters).
And yet, he had a nice technique (not like Busi, of course) and he was scoring golazos, scissor kick goals and similar.

With a classical physical (and yet somewhat technical CDM), you are losing some build up, but you are getting a better defense.
Now, if you have enough of creative players in a team, then you can survive with that.

 

[serghei]

In the last 2 Months, people are answering: a player XX would be awesome under Pep.
I have said a few times, teams were playing football for years without Pep and Klopp.

Today it sounds as if all other managers are shit and unless if we are coached by Pep and Klopp=we are dead, poor Dembele won't improve and nobody will watch football.

Regarding Barca's style, Busi was meh in Lucho's tactics.
Imo, Busi would be shit in Rijkaard's tactics, and Rijkaard would pick someone like Rakitic, Mascherano and similar to play a CDM, and other 5 attacking players will be responsible for a build up.
A CDM would be responsible to counters and interceptions and only for some passes here and there.
Under Van Gaal, Busi wouldn't play either.

So, basically, where can Busi play?
Only if we return Pep back or if we hire some Pep wannabe who will blindly do everything the same as Pep.

There is a difference between Barca's way and Pep's way.
Busi is a perfect example of that.
He is Pep's type of a pivot, not "Barca's" type of a pivot.

People usually laugh at my remarks about height, but before Busi, our last few CDMs were:
Edmilson 1,86
Motta 1,87
Marquez 1,84
Cocu 1,85
Davids 1,69

Only Cocu was a somewhat skinny guy, but nowhere close to Busi.
So, CDMs before Busi were a good old, classic CDMs who were usually tall, strong and awesome in defending. Plus, they were decent with a ball, but nowhere near Busi's level (but Busi sucks in defending, pace, strength and aerial battles).

I liked Edmilson during Rijkaard.
He was a CB for Brasil and a CDM for Barca.
He didn't move well off the ball like Busi, of course.
But he was a strong tower, who was making tons of interceptions and dirty fouls. He was tall but very fast (preventing counters).
And yet, he had a nice technique (not like Busi, of course) and he was scoring golazos, scissor kick goals and similar.

With a classical physical (and yet somewhat technical CDM), you are losing some build up, but you are getting a better defense.
Now, if you have enough of creative players in a team, then you can survive with that.

We are supporting Barcelona. This usually says something about the football we like. We surely didn't start supporting this club for parking the bus, or playing italian 0-0 football. So, of course the refference point is entertaining managers with pleasant styles, like Pep, Klopp or others, not Allegri, Mourinho, Valverde.

Players are tought at La Masia to play in a certain way, and the senior team should play in that style. Or else what's the point? One should never forget their identity.

There is no difference in Barca's way and Pep's way. Pep played the style he learned inside the club. He was a Barcelona youth player, senior player and captain, then manager. Everything he learned, he learned it inside the club. The style was given to him by the club, and he perfected it, and gave it back while building a super-side.

Busi in his best form and his best years would play and do very well in most possession based teams. Yes, he would've been weaker on defensive transition compared with a more physical and better at tackling player, but he would've compensated that with better passing, and more vision in positional attacks. Busi, style wise, was and is not very good in counter attacking teams that plan to defend.

 

[El Barcelona]

Could a more possession system help Busi? yes, it can but it's clear his legs are on the wane and he's struggling more and more on the defensive side.

To be fair in his case he's been regularly playing top-level football since he was 19 years old wasn't injured a whole lot and rarely was rested as well especially at his current age. that stuff just starts to take its toll and He was never the most athletic guy out there.

Indeed compared to other cdm's his defense duties are not good enough anymore.

 

[kattanib]

Pep or EV are not the only two options.
In "middle" options, Busi is still meh, imo.

He can be at his best ONLY in Pep's team and only surrounded by Xavi.

I don't mean to rude towards Busquets, but to me he is one of those players who is world class ONLY when everything is perfect:
1. when we have a coach who is playing to his strengths
2. when he have a system which relies on his strengths
3. when he has perfect teammates

When you are missing only 1 of these factors, Busi is turning into a meh player.

For example, Frenkie looks like a kind of a player who could play in 442, 451, 433, 352, 4231, in all formations.
He could be a CB, CDM, CM, CAM.
What you have with Busi? He can play well only in a possession based 433 with a lot of movement and with perfect teammates.

Further, crappier players than Busi, like Van Bommel and Edmilson could have played in several different top clubs, in several different systems and formations. And on several different positions (Van Bommel a Cdm and a Cm, Edmilson a Cdm and a Cb)
With Busi, can you imagine him in any other club except at Barca... and of course, in Pep's teams?

He would be meh at RM.
He would be horrible at AM.
Bayern? Meh.
English teams? No way.
Italy? Meh, the same as playing with Rakitic and Vidal.

So, to some extent, Busi is a player who can play in only one team, in only one formation and with a specific type of teammates.
If one factor is gone, he is struggling.

And as others said, he is not Messi and he is not worth changing the whole team only so that he could play well.

Regarding CDMs, I hope that our next CDM will be a classical CDM and not Busi's type, who can play in only one (Pep's Barca) formation/system.

Fair points. I think regardless Busquets plays as a starter next year or someone else does (Frankie for instance if that is where he will play), that will not solve our real issue. What will solve it is the process of selecting who to play at CDM, why and how .. the manager. As long as it is EV then honestly it seems like we can only hope, but it is a false hope. We might win but we wont be playing at our optimum nor managerial decisions be made based on what is right not tough choices will be taken (like Klopp subbing out Ferminho early on and putting Origi in the final; that was a non emotional non bias no favoritism type of choice)

 

[kattanib]

We are supporting Barcelona. This usually says something about the football we like. We surely didn't start supporting this club for parking the bus, or playing italian 0-0 football. So, of course the refference point is entertaining managers with pleasant styles, like Pep, Klopp or others, not Allegri, Mourinho, Valverde.

Players are tought at La Masia to play in a certain way, and the senior team should play in that style. Or else what's the point? One should never forget their identity.

There is no difference in Barca's way and Pep's way. Pep played the style he learned inside the club. He was a Barcelona youth player, senior player and captain, then manager. Everything he learned, he learned it inside the club. The style was given to him by the club, and he perfected it, and gave it back while building a super-side.

Busi in his best form and his best years would play and do very well in most possession based teams. Yes, he would've been weaker on defensive transition compared with a more physical and better at tackling player, but he would've compensated that with better passing, and more vision in positional attacks. Busi, style wise, was and is not very good in counter attacking teams that plan to defend.

This is a very important point as well. The tiki taka style can be redeemed in one way or another and it is part of the reason many fans support the club. We as a club have a style, and also have some heritage. A manager that does not respect that and a board that allows for such a thing are not evolving our football, they disrespecting and destroying the clubs heritage and should be replaced asap. Evolution is building on something but the core remains there.

 

[cris29]

He can play in games where we don't get pressed aggressively, will allow De Jong to be rested for big games. However, we have a coach who believes your midfielders should play 100% of the minutes.

 

[Barcilliant]

NO FUCKING WAY BUSQUETS SHOULD EVER PLAY A CL GAME FOR BARCA AGAIN.

NO WAY.

He is finished. He does not suit Valverde's style, the players around him aren't suited to his game and he's even slower and weaker then before.

If we are playing 433 the three best midfielders are De Jong, Vidal and Arthur. Puig, Alena and Roberto on the bench. I would take Roberto over Busquets nowadays. He'll, I'd even take Parejo over Busquets nowadays.

Busquets was great from 2009 - 2013. After that he has been going downhill.

 

[FCB1987]

Busquets is definitely on the his last legs, but I'm curious to see how he would do with Messi back at False 9 and Suarez dropped in certain matches. I think having Messi at right wing screws our midfield over more than we probably realize. I doubt it's entirely coincidental that Busquets and Rakitic looked a lot better vs Inter and Madrid in October when Messi was injured.

 

[JerseyAddict]

[MENTION=22956]FCB1987[/MENTION] this is the thin ice you are on

 

[Zidane82]

NO FUCKING WAY BUSQUETS SHOULD EVER PLAY A CL GAME FOR BARCA AGAIN.

NO WAY.

He is finished. He does not suit Valverde's style, the players around him aren't suited to his game and he's even slower and weaker then before.

If we are playing 433 the three best midfielders are De Jong, Vidal and Arthur. Puig, Alena and Roberto on the bench. I would take Roberto over Busquets nowadays. He'll, I'd even take Parejo over Busquets nowadays.

Busquets was great from 2009 - 2013. After that he has been going downhill.

That’s simply not true .. the fans would have let him know if he’d been playing poorly for SIX years !!

 

[Leo_Messi]

Despite being a club legend and a canterano it is painfully obvious that Busquets is no longer the same old Busquets. It has been apparent for at least 2 seasons IMO. A lot of that obviously has to do with Valverde, our current "tactics" and "playing style". Nevertheless old age takes no prisoners. Especially not if you like Busquets never were the quickest footballer (to put it mildly) to begin with, even at your prime, nor a physical beast.

Busquets has been performing poorly for the national team as well in recent years. The last 2 tournament (2016 and 2018) were way below his usual level.

In any way due to Busquets's unique abilities and status, I would take him over a similar has-been in Rakitic without a doubt. Even more so when Rakitic (apparently) has a host of clubs that are interested in him.

In any case, to be fair, neither of Busquets nor Rakitic deserve a starting spot. In my book the likes of FDJ and Arthur should be starting whenever ready and the last midfield position should be taken (ideally) by a more offensive minded midfielder in Ruiz, Harvetz, Pogba, Milinkovic-Savic etc. (I am just name-dropping).

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

He really was the glue that held everything together. With his decline, the effect on the team has been dramatic. It won't be easy to find a player to fill his boots.

 

[Zidane82]

He really was the glue that held everything together. With his decline, the effect on the team has been dramatic. It won't be easy to find a player to fill his boots.

Maybe Arthur ?

Great to see Arthur and Coutinho linking/swapping possession in Brazil’s midfield last night . Also they both went on a few fast darting runs .
Looks promising

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

Possibly. Certainly more likely than De Jong.

 

[serghei]

Since Xavi declined and left in 2015, De Jong - Arhtur are the best technical movers and great possession players he's had next to him. Now we'll see if Busi is really finished or not. If Valverde allows it of course.

I'd start the season with Frenkie - Busi - Arthur trio and go from there.