Thiago Alcantara.
Cesc Fabregas.
Sergi Samper.
Sergi Roberto.
All have been (rather lazily..) labeled the heir to the throne soon to be vacated by Xavi Hernandez Creus of FC Barcelona. No one has the exact same playing style, and of those four the one I feel that was most fit for his /spot/ at FC Barcelona was the one we let go for an insanely low sum.
Cesc Fabregas.
Sergi Samper.
Sergi Roberto.
All have been (rather lazily..) labeled the heir to the throne soon to be vacated by Xavi Hernandez Creus of FC Barcelona. No one has the exact same playing style, and of those four the one I feel that was most fit for his /spot/ at FC Barcelona was the one we let go for an insanely low sum.
I'm a huge fan of Samper. Huuuuge. I actually have a crush on him, and his strange galloping ways. However, I don't see him as the heir neither. And Sergi Roberto is just an entirely different player altogether. I love Roberto's ability to be in the right place defensively, whether lucky or with good anticipation. He's excellent at stealing the clearances high up the pitch, can make some decent runs...but can't really do much else outside of that. I don't think he has much of a future in the FC Barcelona XI.
This leads us to the question? Who is the heir? Well, you see, I think it's more of a shift in legacies than an heir to the throne. The player to step up in midfield is none other than our newly minted #5, Sergio Busquets.
This leads us to the question? Who is the heir? Well, you see, I think it's more of a shift in legacies than an heir to the throne. The player to step up in midfield is none other than our newly minted #5, Sergio Busquets.
I haven't been the biggest fan of Javier Mascherano as a CB for a short time now, and it's obvious he still has DM tendencies. The slide tackles, mostly, and just the general thought that he HAS to break up the play so far up the pitch. However, as the World Cup has shown, he is still quite a formidable DM and I think that's where he needs to play. How can this be achieved? There are a few options.
Ignore the front 3/back 4, as nothing is set in stone, Alves may leave, Suarez suspended, etc. But there are a few routes. We could use a double pivot for the big games, or just have Masche protecting the back 4 as well.
But what my question is about is going forward. Next season (or as early as January as Xavi is rumored to leave) I think we need to move Busquets from the defensive hole further forward. Maybe even as far as the attacking hole. Not a 10, per se, but in defense swallowing up the clearances near where the 10 plays offensively for Barca.
Masche is set to play DM in important matches, but in ones we expect to control we can see Samper get some time as a deeper distributor. Busquets can move forward, and be the first high presser, releasing Messi who as we all know, needs to save his energy for quick bursts with the ball, not chasing it.
Xavi can play the big games, still, but he needs rest. No more than 90 minutes a week, and by that I mean he can play 70 here, and be on the bench for a further 20 during the week if we need to bring him on to close out a game.
Samper is the future gem of FC barcelona, and is far more heralded than when Busi came through. Busi is just a maniac. I don't think there's a cleaner distributor of the ball in world football. His uncanny ability to just suck defenders in before laying off a seemingly easy pass; pure magnificence.
But what my question is about is going forward. Next season (or as early as January as Xavi is rumored to leave) I think we need to move Busquets from the defensive hole further forward. Maybe even as far as the attacking hole. Not a 10, per se, but in defense swallowing up the clearances near where the 10 plays offensively for Barca.
Masche is set to play DM in important matches, but in ones we expect to control we can see Samper get some time as a deeper distributor. Busquets can move forward, and be the first high presser, releasing Messi who as we all know, needs to save his energy for quick bursts with the ball, not chasing it.
Xavi can play the big games, still, but he needs rest. No more than 90 minutes a week, and by that I mean he can play 70 here, and be on the bench for a further 20 during the week if we need to bring him on to close out a game.
Samper is the future gem of FC barcelona, and is far more heralded than when Busi came through. Busi is just a maniac. I don't think there's a cleaner distributor of the ball in world football. His uncanny ability to just suck defenders in before laying off a seemingly easy pass; pure magnificence.
What I propose is a sort of triumvirate of midfielders. We'll have to wait and see if Enrique uses Iniesta on the left in big games, like his predecessors. But going forward;
DM:
Mascherano
Samper when games call for more control, other teams aren't really attacking, etc.
MCr:
Busquets
Xavi when *fully*fit
Rakitic
MCl:
Iniesta
Rakitic
Rafinha (who I haven't seen enough to write about but seems a pearl)
Personally don't rate Rakitic too highly, but he was purchased for a reason, so I'm sure he'll get plenty of playing time. I would prefer to give any minutes Song would warrant to Samper. But, if need be, Song plays far better when he has a defense minded player behind him. He didn't play too poorly when given a role higher up the pitch as his insane lack of positional awareness isn't as exposed then.
And at the 10 it depends on what the club wants.
When Suarez suspension is over I hope to see Messi there. But before that any of Iniesta, Rafinha, Rakitic, or even Busquets could see time there. Of course this doesn't take into accounts players such as Roberto, Afellay, Denis Suarez (!), Halilovic, etc. This is mostly because this is the future I would love to see, and I can't tell who are the future signings, or if there will be a transfer ban, etc.
DM:
Mascherano
Samper when games call for more control, other teams aren't really attacking, etc.
MCr:
Busquets
Xavi when *fully*fit
Rakitic
MCl:
Iniesta
Rakitic
Rafinha (who I haven't seen enough to write about but seems a pearl)
Personally don't rate Rakitic too highly, but he was purchased for a reason, so I'm sure he'll get plenty of playing time. I would prefer to give any minutes Song would warrant to Samper. But, if need be, Song plays far better when he has a defense minded player behind him. He didn't play too poorly when given a role higher up the pitch as his insane lack of positional awareness isn't as exposed then.
And at the 10 it depends on what the club wants.
When Suarez suspension is over I hope to see Messi there. But before that any of Iniesta, Rafinha, Rakitic, or even Busquets could see time there. Of course this doesn't take into accounts players such as Roberto, Afellay, Denis Suarez (!), Halilovic, etc. This is mostly because this is the future I would love to see, and I can't tell who are the future signings, or if there will be a transfer ban, etc.