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On January 14 2013 07:16 haitike wrote:
I have a big crush with Iniesta. He is pure magic. This game against Malaga, He has astonished me (again).
Barcelona this year is fucking insane. 55/57 points. The team hast lost 2 points in 19 matches of league. And his playstyle is a lot more fun to watch that last year.
Athletico Madrid with 44 points, any other season they would have been a title contender, and probably they would be in 1st position.
PD: Betis coach, Pepe Mel is a great coach.
Iniesta is easily the best player on the planet right now and should've sealed at least 2 Golden Balls out of 4 Messi recieved, but of course he won't because he is bald, scores less goals and has much lesser marketing value among 12-year old football shirt purchasers. Every game Andres is on he makes like 5-8 beautiful, 40-meter passes I doubt Messi - who is, of course, gosu at his own account - will ever be capable to make with similar accuracy. Besides, Iniesta's ball control is at least comparable to Leo's and he contributes much more to defensive side of Barcelona, so in terms of 'bonjwaness' (ugly word, I know) he is on absolute top. If only more people appreciated more complex features of the game than just setting sick goalscoring records...
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United Kingdom16710 Posts
On January 14 2013 20:35 popzags wrote:Show nested quote +On January 14 2013 07:16 haitike wrote:
I have a big crush with Iniesta. He is pure magic. This game against Malaga, He has astonished me (again).
Barcelona this year is fucking insane. 55/57 points. The team hast lost 2 points in 19 matches of league. And his playstyle is a lot more fun to watch that last year.
Athletico Madrid with 44 points, any other season they would have been a title contender, and probably they would be in 1st position.
PD: Betis coach, Pepe Mel is a great coach. Iniesta is easily the best player on the planet right now and should've sealed at least 2 Golden Balls out of 4 Messi recieved, but of course he won't because he is bald, scores less goals and has much lesser marketing value among 12-year old football shirt purchasers. Every game Andres is on he makes like 5-8 beautiful, 40-meter passes I doubt Messi - who is, of course, gosu at his own account - will ever be capable to make with similar accuracy. Besides, Iniesta's ball control is at least comparable to Leo's and he contributes much more to defensive side of Barcelona, so in terms of 'bonjwaness' (ugly word, I know) he is on absolute top. If only more people appreciated more complex features of the game than just setting sick goalscoring records...
That's just your personal opinion. It is a great shame that Iniesta hasn't won a Ballon d'Or, but Messi has deserved every single one he's received. And I think most people do appreciate the 'complex features' of the game and Iniesta's mastery of it. It's just that they value goals/assists more, because that's what ultimately wins games and trophies.
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Iniesta is much better actress than Messi as well, another thing going for him.
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On January 14 2013 21:00 Telcontar wrote:Show nested quote +On January 14 2013 20:35 popzags wrote:On January 14 2013 07:16 haitike wrote:
I have a big crush with Iniesta. He is pure magic. This game against Malaga, He has astonished me (again).
Barcelona this year is fucking insane. 55/57 points. The team hast lost 2 points in 19 matches of league. And his playstyle is a lot more fun to watch that last year.
Athletico Madrid with 44 points, any other season they would have been a title contender, and probably they would be in 1st position.
PD: Betis coach, Pepe Mel is a great coach. Iniesta is easily the best player on the planet right now and should've sealed at least 2 Golden Balls out of 4 Messi recieved, but of course he won't because he is bald, scores less goals and has much lesser marketing value among 12-year old football shirt purchasers. Every game Andres is on he makes like 5-8 beautiful, 40-meter passes I doubt Messi - who is, of course, gosu at his own account - will ever be capable to make with similar accuracy. Besides, Iniesta's ball control is at least comparable to Leo's and he contributes much more to defensive side of Barcelona, so in terms of 'bonjwaness' (ugly word, I know) he is on absolute top. If only more people appreciated more complex features of the game than just setting sick goalscoring records... That's just your personal opinion. It is a great shame that Iniesta hasn't won a Ballon d'Or, but Messi has deserved every single one he's received. And I think most people do appreciate the 'complex features' of the game and Iniesta's mastery of it. It's just that they value goals/assists more, because that's what ultimately wins games and trophies.
This is also just your personal opinion, and I would've argued about Messi's winning 2010. Sneijder deserved it more probably then. Do agree with you on people rating higher goals/assists, but people often tend to overlook or forget teamplayers, people who sacrifice themselves to make those goals possible. One of the prime examples would maybe be Carrick, Gattuso (in Milan) and so on. People know that they are good players, but underestimate their importance to the team.
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Well, I think that nobody underestimate players like Iniesta and Xavi (and I would add Busquets, I think he is the best defensive midfield of the world). Everyone knows that they sacrifice a lot and It is because them that Barcelona play that almost perfect football. Everyone here know how great they are and nobody underestimate them.
I'm a iniesta fan, he is my favourite player and I would like to see him winning Ballon D'Or. But Messi 4 trophies in a row are well deserved. He is just out of this world. He scores a lot, yes (91 goals in one year, lolwut). But he also create lot of goal assists to the team (last season he was the second assister of "La liga" only surpassed by Ozil, and this one he is right now the third). He participate in almost all Barcelona goals. He is a monster and deserve all ballon d'or He has, despite I love Iniesta.
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Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
Saying Busquets is the "best defensive" midfielder in the world is not right. I am sorry but he has no physicality to his game at all, put him in a game in the prem in the role he does for Spain/Barca and he would get eaten alive, by the pace and physical attributes of the league. Even Bundesliga would eat him up in that department too. He might be a good "passer" for that position but for christ sake is he not "the best" in the world at it, no where near.
Makelele is probably the best defensive midfielder there ever was, as that was his job and his "role" (numerous makelele roles made in the premiership because of him) he defends first, gets the ball back then plays it off to a player who can distribute it better than he can. Busquets does the same thing but without the strength that is needed in other leagues/other games.
I haven't watched Barca for a few weeks (since christmas break) but i can be pretty confident in saying he only performs well in the league and have yet to see him dominate a champions league tie in that position. Come to think of it i don't know how much effect he has on Spain as an international team in that position either.
He is a great player for Barcelona, he does well for them in that position in the domestic game. On a global world level? I think it is still "jury out" on whether he can do it anywhere, in any team.
Also i will never forget when he got that Inter player sent off the way he did...He dives more than anyone else too, and for his position he shouldn't do that.
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so where do you think guardiola will coach next season? there seem to be a lot of options
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Well, opinions are different. Maybe your are right and He would not be so great in other leagues, I dont know. But I still think He is the best organizer that a team can have in that position, and that he is one of the most important player in Barcelona, when Song or another player play instead of him the team is much worst.
Anyway, I agree with you that Makelele was the best defensive midfield that I have seen. Florentino Perez made a Big Big mistake selling Makelele and firing Del Bosque just after Madrid won the league in 2003. After that year the team has been in a decline. So I agree, Makelele was the best I have seen in that position.
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Once Van Gaal gets fired because he insults someone at the dutch FA, the job of dutch manager will fall to Ronald Koeman so that leaves Guardiola for the Feyenoord job! A team made out almost entirely of youth players with a foreign player carrying the team, sound familiar? Guardiola can return the glory of the 70's!
Seriously though. I honestly have no idea where Guardiola is heading. Man City and Chelsea are amongst the candidates, but neither team I feel really suits him. Or Maybe he'll be the one to rebuild Milan? Or will this season be the end for Arsene Wenger?
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On January 14 2013 22:40 flexgd wrote:
so where do you think guardiola will coach next season? there seem to be a lot of options
I'd say Bayern or somewhere in England
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Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
Can't really judge Song in that position just yet though, he hasn't been at Barca long and got given much game time and he was good in that position for Arsenal.
Like i said too, he does well in the league and being champions of Spain and being a very good player in that team is always a plus, and all the medals/trophies he has to his name would make any player jealous (2x Euro 1x World Cup 3x ChampsLeague)
On Guardiola watch...
Chelsea
Bayern
Man City
Arsenal
Is the only likely places he will end up IMO. In that order too
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On January 14 2013 22:34 Pandemona wrote:
Saying Busquets is the "best defensive" midfielder in the world is not right. I am sorry but he has no physicality to his game at all, put him in a game in the prem in the role he does for Spain/Barca and he would get eaten alive, by the pace and physical attributes of the league. Even Bundesliga would eat him up in that department too. He might be a good "passer" for that position but for christ sake is he not "the best" in the world at it, no where near.
Makelele is probably the best defensive midfielder there ever was, as that was his job and his "role" (numerous makelele roles made in the premiership because of him) he defends first, gets the ball back then plays it off to a player who can distribute it better than he can. Busquets does the same thing but without the strength that is needed in other leagues/other games.
I haven't watched Barca for a few weeks (since christmas break) but i can be pretty confident in saying he only performs well in the league and have yet to see him dominate a champions league tie in that position.\
uhh what ?
Hes basically a younger version of Xabi Alonso without the 40 metre pass England needs so much.
Xabi alonso did just fine.
He does lack raw footspeed that effectively means if his positioning is even remotely off Barca get creamed on counters.
Hell even if it isnt off and theres enough space Ive seen guys just blitz him.
He is also a very very underrated tackler. Granted he needs a system but defensive midfielders dont need to be cavemen.
He gets alot of flak for the playacting which is all deserved so he might not get as much credit for how good he really is.
Oh and Makelele was at his best never as good as a Patrick Vieira and thats just one premier league player I can point out, I can understand fanboying it, but atleast be smart about it. Its like saying Hasselbank was best striker ever in PL.
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Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
No because that has nothing to do with "fanboyism". Maekele was better at Madrid, when haitike remembers him and agrees with him being the best player in that position.
A DEFENSIVE midfielder is not a player who can ping a 40yard pass to feet. It's a player who can TACKLE and breakdown play, and then restart it quickly for his team. Alonso did not do that much of the "defensive" aspect to his game at Liverpool, that was Mascherano. Masch would break down the play and then offload the ball to Alonso, then Alonso would do the rest, start the play or even go direct and ping a wonderful 40 yard pass.
Busquets does the one side of a defensive midfielder well, the keeping the move going, has good feet, and can spot a pass. What he has yet to prove if he has the physical strength of (we will use Viera as u rate him higher than Makelele) a Viera who could do his job in any league and any international game as he proved. Busquets can only prove this if he does what Makelele did and left to join another league and be as dominant in that team as he is in Barca's but saying that i stand by saying i don't see him dominant many midfields in the champions league, let alone for Spain. He is normally the first player to be subbed for Spain for a reason.....
Also your point about he doesn't have pace...nor did Makelele or Viera, they were world class due to positional sense, another quality a defensive midfielder MUST have, especially a "world class" one.
You didn't provide any point as to why you think Busquets is better apart from saying "he is a young Alonso without the 40yard pass to feet", thus that makes him shit.....as without a 40yard pass in his locker, Alonso is shit. Many Spanish people will also agree on that statement.
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Alonso is way overrated, 40yard pass or not.
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i'm not gonna discuss busquets as the best DM in the world, but bringing him on the same level as iniesta and xavi is just incorrect, imho.
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On January 14 2013 23:29 Pandemona wrote:
No because that has nothing to do with "fanboyism". Maekele was better at Madrid, when haitike remembers him and agrees with him being the best player in that position.
A DEFENSIVE midfielder is not a player who can ping a 40yard pass to feet. It's a player who can TACKLE and breakdown play, and then restart it quickly for his team. Alonso did not do that much of the "defensive" aspect to his game at Liverpool, that was Mascherano. Masch would break down the play and then offload the ball to Alonso, then Alonso would do the rest, start the play or even go direct and ping a wonderful 40 yard pass.
Busquets does the one side of a defensive midfielder well, the keeping the move going, has good feet, and can spot a pass. What he has yet to prove if he has the physical strength of (we will use Viera as u rate him higher than Makelele) a Viera who could do his job in any league and any international game as he proved. Busquets can only prove this if he does what Makelele did and left to join another league and be as dominant in that team as he is in Barca's but saying that i stand by saying i don't see him dominant many midfields in the champions league, let alone for Spain. He is normally the first player to be subbed for Spain for a reason.....
Also your point about he doesn't have pace...nor did Makelele or Viera, they were world class due to positional sense, another quality a defensive midfielder MUST have, especially a "world class" one.
You didn't provide any point as to why you think Busquets is better apart from saying "he is a young Alonso without the 40yard pass to feet", thus that makes him shit.....as without a 40yard pass in his locker, Alonso is shit. Many Spanish people will also agree on that statement.
I didnt provide any point as to why Busquets is better because I dont think hes better. Hes not even close, thats rubbish. Did I say it ?
I do believe however that you are severely under rating him. Hes got other terrible flaws we all know what they are and they are annoying and at times even sickening but for the most part I tend to ignore that if I see someone just playing well. Other people might not. Im not supposed to be his friend or like him to appreciate things he does well.
I dont know what you mean by Xabi Alonso not being a defensive mid and Masch being one. So what if Xabi Alonso played with double pivots alot.
Defensive midfielder doesnt mean your just supposed to chase the ball around and clock people.
You value breaking up the play alot but I can tell you right now, that in the purest sense a defensive midfielder does not have to be a battler to be a good defensive mid. And its battlers that require "strength and ruggedness." that really depends on how your team plays. Not every team needs a Roy Keane, not even the current side at the club he used to play for. That should be evident enough.
Busquets can tackle just aswell as anyone. Xabi Alonso also doesnt get any credit for how good he is because if you ever see him its because he made an aweful tackle that was absurdly late belying his age and lack of pace.
I do not believe you need cavemen as defensive mids anymore. Break up play doesnt involve chasing down passes like an annoying runt which is the quality I'm seeing you value alot here.
Just so its a bit clearer to me, when you say positioning what do you mean by it ?
The reason Busquets lacking pace is a problem is because unlike Vieira or Makelele his team bombs forward often leaving him to plug half the field by himself. You can be the best in the world positioning wise but if an attacker has half the pitch and a yard of pace on you hes just going to kick it by you and run you out of the game.
So that considered he does a decentish job. As for him being the first player subbed. I dont even know where you got that or what thats supposed to mean.
So to my point. No he wouldnt be as good as he is in other leagues perhaps. But that is not for us to decide because he hasnt been to those other leagues. Maybe he turns out great, maybe his skillset advances to one that will allow him to play in those leagues. We dont know that ?
I can tell you this though the things he can do well, that translate everyhwere in football no matter where you are playing , your backyard or the Nou.
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Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
On January 15 2013 01:15 Rebs wrote:Show nested quote +On January 14 2013 23:29 Pandemona wrote:
No because that has nothing to do with "fanboyism". Maekele was better at Madrid, when haitike remembers him and agrees with him being the best player in that position.
A DEFENSIVE midfielder is not a player who can ping a 40yard pass to feet. It's a player who can TACKLE and breakdown play, and then restart it quickly for his team. Alonso did not do that much of the "defensive" aspect to his game at Liverpool, that was Mascherano. Masch would break down the play and then offload the ball to Alonso, then Alonso would do the rest, start the play or even go direct and ping a wonderful 40 yard pass.
Busquets does the one side of a defensive midfielder well, the keeping the move going, has good feet, and can spot a pass. What he has yet to prove if he has the physical strength of (we will use Viera as u rate him higher than Makelele) a Viera who could do his job in any league and any international game as he proved. Busquets can only prove this if he does what Makelele did and left to join another league and be as dominant in that team as he is in Barca's but saying that i stand by saying i don't see him dominant many midfields in the champions league, let alone for Spain. He is normally the first player to be subbed for Spain for a reason.....
Also your point about he doesn't have pace...nor did Makelele or Viera, they were world class due to positional sense, another quality a defensive midfielder MUST have, especially a "world class" one.
You didn't provide any point as to why you think Busquets is better apart from saying "he is a young Alonso without the 40yard pass to feet", thus that makes him shit.....as without a 40yard pass in his locker, Alonso is shit. Many Spanish people will also agree on that statement. I didnt provide any point as to why Busquets is better because I dont think hes better. Hes not even close, thats rubbish. I do believe however that you are severely under rating him. Hes got other terrible flaws we all know what they are and they are annoying and at times even sickening but for the most part I tend to ignore that if I see someone just playing well. Other people might not. Im not supposed to be his friend or like him to appreciate things he does well. I dont know what you mean by Xabi Alonso not being a defensive mid and Masch being one. So what if Xabi Alonso played with double pivots alot. Defensive midfielder doesnt mean your just supposed to chase the ball around and clock people. You value breaking up the play alot but I can tell you right now, that in the purest sense a defensive midfielder does not have to be a battler to be a good defensive mid. And its battlers that require "strength and ruggedness." that really depends on how your team plays. Not every team needs a Roy Keane, not even the current side at the club he used to play for. That should be evident enough. Busquets can tackle just aswell as anyone. Xabi Alonso also doesnt get any credit for how good he is because if you ever see him its because he made an aweful tackle that was absurdly late belying his age and lack of pace. I do not believe you need cavemen as defensive mids anymore. Break up play doesnt involve chasing down passes like an annoying runt which is the quality I'm seeing you value alot here. Just so its a bit clearer to me, when you say positioning what do you mean by it ? The reason Busquets lacking pace is a problem is because unlike Vieira or Makelele his team bombs forward often leaving him to plug half the field by himself. You can be the best in the world positioning wise but if an attacker has half the pitch and a yard of pace on you hes just going to kick it by you and run you out of the game. So that considered he does a decentish job. As for him being the first player subbed. I dont even know where you got that or what thats supposed to mean.
I always support your points of view Rebs, so please never take any of my posts as attacks or ludacrist fanboy stuff! (Don't know if you were, just saying this out of respect!)
I guess the main difference we have is that we value the word defensive midfielder different. I see David Luiz type of midfielder, the Defensive midfield type. Viera like you mentioned as well, an excellent example of a strong, good passing, organizing midfielder.
But you only know Barcelona for having Busquets in the side in that position, imagine if they had a young Makelele in that position or even a Viera in that position, would Barca still be as vulnerable to counter attacks as they were then? Watching Chelsea and Real when Makelele was their i know for sure Maka always used to break down counter attacks before they started with well timed tackles or even (many occasions) deliberate fouls and took a yellow card for it.
Guess on that point we will never know.
The box to box aspect or "chasing" down players as you call it, is a value of a centre midfielder, maybe that is just me and my English mentallity of what i have been bought up watching, but if your not closing down a player, they are going to hurt you. Not matter if your Barcelona,Bayern or Madrid, if you let people at the highest level have time and space they will punish you. I know Barca like to close down together in units, but when you lose the ball you can't do that "straight" away, you need a defensive mid to either A organize, like Viera would or B a Makelele to take a foul and stop the attack dead, i have never seen Busquets do that sort of thing.
Busquets for his postion seems way out of place on every counter attack against Barca. He is always way to far up the pitch for me, being more of the Quarterback, to close to the opponents, helping spray the ball from side to side. Instead he should be alot deeper, not 20 yards away from the Striker. When teams counter Barca, Busquets is not in the right position.
Lets take this "one" video of the Chelsea goal, i know it is not clear, but Busquets is the first one to close down Lampard after he tackles Messi...Look how he "defends" Source
Other than that, i am not saying he is a bad player, i agree that he has two great feet for passing, and he links up the play well for Barca, giving the ball to either Xavi/Iniesta or even straight to messi. But what i think he lacks is strength/defensive play and a tackle. For me he is a just a less visionary Pirlo, but still good.
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On January 14 2013 20:35 popzags wrote:Show nested quote +On January 14 2013 07:16 haitike wrote:
I have a big crush with Iniesta. He is pure magic. This game against Malaga, He has astonished me (again).
Barcelona this year is fucking insane. 55/57 points. The team hast lost 2 points in 19 matches of league. And his playstyle is a lot more fun to watch that last year.
Athletico Madrid with 44 points, any other season they would have been a title contender, and probably they would be in 1st position.
PD: Betis coach, Pepe Mel is a great coach. Iniesta is easily the best player on the planet right now and should've sealed at least 2 Golden Balls out of 4 Messi recieved, but of course he won't because he is bald, scores less goals and has much lesser marketing value among 12-year old football shirt purchasers. Every game Andres is on he makes like 5-8 beautiful, 40-meter passes I doubt Messi - who is, of course, gosu at his own account - will ever be capable to make with similar accuracy. Besides, Iniesta's ball control is at least comparable to Leo's and he contributes much more to defensive side of Barcelona, so in terms of 'bonjwaness' (ugly word, I know) he is on absolute top. If only more people appreciated more complex features of the game than just setting sick goalscoring records...
Oh please. Messi is the best player of all time. There's a reason why all the commentators are worshiping him every time he touches the ball. They are watching history in the making. He's deserved all 4 Ballon d'Ors he got.
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On January 15 2013 01:43 Pandemona wrote:Show nested quote +On January 15 2013 01:15 Rebs wrote:On January 14 2013 23:29 Pandemona wrote:
No because that has nothing to do with "fanboyism". Maekele was better at Madrid, when haitike remembers him and agrees with him being the best player in that position.
A DEFENSIVE midfielder is not a player who can ping a 40yard pass to feet. It's a player who can TACKLE and breakdown play, and then restart it quickly for his team. Alonso did not do that much of the "defensive" aspect to his game at Liverpool, that was Mascherano. Masch would break down the play and then offload the ball to Alonso, then Alonso would do the rest, start the play or even go direct and ping a wonderful 40 yard pass.
Busquets does the one side of a defensive midfielder well, the keeping the move going, has good feet, and can spot a pass. What he has yet to prove if he has the physical strength of (we will use Viera as u rate him higher than Makelele) a Viera who could do his job in any league and any international game as he proved. Busquets can only prove this if he does what Makelele did and left to join another league and be as dominant in that team as he is in Barca's but saying that i stand by saying i don't see him dominant many midfields in the champions league, let alone for Spain. He is normally the first player to be subbed for Spain for a reason.....
Also your point about he doesn't have pace...nor did Makelele or Viera, they were world class due to positional sense, another quality a defensive midfielder MUST have, especially a "world class" one.
You didn't provide any point as to why you think Busquets is better apart from saying "he is a young Alonso without the 40yard pass to feet", thus that makes him shit.....as without a 40yard pass in his locker, Alonso is shit. Many Spanish people will also agree on that statement. I didnt provide any point as to why Busquets is better because I dont think hes better. Hes not even close, thats rubbish. I do believe however that you are severely under rating him. Hes got other terrible flaws we all know what they are and they are annoying and at times even sickening but for the most part I tend to ignore that if I see someone just playing well. Other people might not. Im not supposed to be his friend or like him to appreciate things he does well. I dont know what you mean by Xabi Alonso not being a defensive mid and Masch being one. So what if Xabi Alonso played with double pivots alot. Defensive midfielder doesnt mean your just supposed to chase the ball around and clock people. You value breaking up the play alot but I can tell you right now, that in the purest sense a defensive midfielder does not have to be a battler to be a good defensive mid. And its battlers that require "strength and ruggedness." that really depends on how your team plays. Not every team needs a Roy Keane, not even the current side at the club he used to play for. That should be evident enough. Busquets can tackle just aswell as anyone. Xabi Alonso also doesnt get any credit for how good he is because if you ever see him its because he made an aweful tackle that was absurdly late belying his age and lack of pace. I do not believe you need cavemen as defensive mids anymore. Break up play doesnt involve chasing down passes like an annoying runt which is the quality I'm seeing you value alot here. Just so its a bit clearer to me, when you say positioning what do you mean by it ? The reason Busquets lacking pace is a problem is because unlike Vieira or Makelele his team bombs forward often leaving him to plug half the field by himself. You can be the best in the world positioning wise but if an attacker has half the pitch and a yard of pace on you hes just going to kick it by you and run you out of the game. So that considered he does a decentish job. As for him being the first player subbed. I dont even know where you got that or what thats supposed to mean. I always support your points of view Rebs, so please never take any of my posts as attacks or ludacrist fanboy stuff! (Don't know if you were, just saying this out of respect!) I guess the main difference we have is that we value the word defensive midfielder different. I see David Luiz type of midfielder, the Defensive midfield type. Viera like you mentioned as well, an excellent example of a strong, good passing, organizing midfielder. But you only know Barcelona for having Busquets in the side in that position, imagine if they had a young Makelele in that position or even a Viera in that position, would Barca still be as vulnerable to counter attacks as they were then? Watching Chelsea and Real when Makelele was their i know for sure Maka always used to break down counter attacks before they started with well timed tackles or even (many occasions) deliberate fouls and took a yellow card for it. Guess on that point we will never know. The box to box aspect or "chasing" down players as you call it, is a value of a centre midfielder, maybe that is just me and my English mentallity of what i have been bought up watching, but if your not closing down a player, they are going to hurt you. Not matter if your Barcelona,Bayern or Madrid, if you let people at the highest level have time and space they will punish you. I know Barca like to close down together in units, but when you lose the ball you can't do that "straight" away, you need a defensive mid to either A organize, like Viera would or B a Makelele to take a foul and stop the attack dead, i have never seen Busquets do that sort of thing. Busquets for his postion seems way out of place on every counter attack against Barca. He is always way to far up the pitch for me, being more of the Quarterback, to close to the opponents, helping spray the ball from side to side. Instead he should be alot deeper, not 20 yards away from the Striker. When teams counter Barca, Busquets is not in the right position. Lets take this "one" video of the Chelsea goal, i know it is not clear, but Busquets is the first one to close down Lampard after he tackles Messi...Look how he "defends" SourceOther than that, i am not saying he is a bad player, i agree that he has two great feet for passing, and he links up the play well for Barca, giving the ball to either Xavi/Iniesta or even straight to messi. But what i think he lacks is strength/defensive play and a tackle. For me he is a just a less visionary Pirlo, but still good.
Yeah I suppose its what you value more. Honestly even a Makelele would struggle when you have half a pitch to cover and say for example a Falcao bombing past you. (Makelele would probably get close enough to foul him. Busquets would be lying in the dirt) still.
BAs for teams countering Barca. Thats just how they play. No player on the planet or in history can account for some of the ways they just decided to forget they need to defend.
I think hes got a really hard job and he does it well enough.
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Busquets has another sorta secret skill that makes him one of the best defensive midfielders, he's by far the best tactical fouler I've ever seen, and he never makes it look like a blatant tactical foul so he rarely gets yellow cards for them, but he's always got just a tiny little bump or trip "accident" that breaks up other teams' attack momentum when it could be the start of something dangerous.
Barcelona overall does it a lot, they have the best fouling skills, but Busquets is the master. He has huge defensive value just in a different way than bruisers, and he's nothing like Pirlo who has like no defensive presence at all, I wouldn't even call him a defensive mid, his regista play is basically only about being on the ball or an option to receive the ball.
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EPT
