It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

[itisrising]

Very, very few players are 'complete'. We can view it as a weakness or, as I recall Gerard Houllier saying, a blend of strengths. If we play DS, Gundo and Rodri in a midfield 3, it is pretty clear that we have a weakness to a counter-attacking pace based team. Each player has massive quality but they do not complement each other. Play Rodri, BS and KDB and the difference is vast.

I agree that 'complete' players are hard to come by and it isn't even what should be demanded per se. We have the prototype in Fernandinho; that's the model of player that has been key in that role. What we're saying about Rodri is to cover weaknesses that have been fundmental to our defensive game for years; we need to cover his lack of pace, poor-average pressing game, ability to break up transitions, positioning, defensive reading of the game. All of which were attributes of Fernandinho's. So why exactly should the position be to cover his weaknesses as opposed to actually purchasing a player that has them as strengths? The key question is are Rodri's qualities for the side enough to offset his deficiencies?

 

[better dead than red]

Yaya was better when Ferny did all the spade work !
We need a twin pivot of Rodri and a DM with an engine and we will get the best out of both for the benefit of the forwards & defence.
CTID

Wilfred Ndidi is the man you seek. And he tackles like a motherfucker. Too bad Leicester would want 10 thousand million dollars for him.

 

[dadnlad]

hope to god peps reading this thread

 

[Steve Coppell’s 33 Days]

hope to god peps reading this thread

Jo sóc

 

[Dicko69]

Rodri is class he might lack pace but his quality isnt in doubt.

 

[Larry Stranger]

I said it in another thread, but although Dinho was great he had Delph/Zinch inverting next to him in midfield. Even why we could win games with Gundo as the #6. It was good stopping things going through the middle, but why both Delph and Zinch looked out of depth and people saying they're not left backs when he had to defend against counter attacks out wide.

This past season Mendy and Zinch was high and wide on the wing with Sterling inverting along with Dave central. So Rodri had a lot more space to try to cover along with neither of them getting back quick enough to help out against counter attacks. Rodri would be much better with someone like Aké inverting alongside him. We also won't have Dave who didn't have the legs to help press when the ball was lost.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

No not really but Pep have seen up close how effective Fernandinho is and how much he protects the back four. Ferna has been instrumental for us so logic tells me Pep should have looked for a younger version of him, a defensive midfielder at first and a great passer of the ball as a secondary attribute.

Fact is, Rodri didn’t bring any defensive cover whatsoever and for his pricetag and the position he is meant to fill, it’s definitely concerning for me. On the other hand, it was his first season. Hopefully he’ll get it right this season.

Rodri is a deep-lying playmaker rather than a defensive midfielder. His job isn’t to run around putting out fires anymore than Xabi Alonso’s was at Bayern. He’s there to transition the ball first and foremost.

Obviously he is expected to weigh in with his share of interceptions and tackles (and headers, in Rodri’s case) but we don’t play with a shield in front of the back four.

Should we? Quite possibly, yes. But if Pep hadn’t inherited Fernandinho he wouldn’t have signed him

 

[1961_vintage]

Wilfred Ndidi is the man you seek. And he tackles like a motherfucker. Too bad Leicester would want 10 thousand million dollars for him.

Reminds me a lot of our Ngolo. Still irritates that we let him slip through our fingers.

 

[Marvin]

Rodri is a deep-lying playmaker rather than a defensive midfielder. His job isn’t to run around putting out fires anymore than Xabi Alonso’s was at Bayern. He’s there to transition the ball first and foremost.

Obviously he is expected to weigh in with his share of interceptions and tackles (and headers, in Rodri’s case) but we don’t play with a shield in front of the back four.

Should we? Quite possibly, yes. But if Pep hadn’t inherited Fernandinho he wouldn’t have signed him

Sergio Busquets played for Pep at Barcelona.

 

[argyle]

I said it in another thread, but although Dinho was great he had Delph/Zinch inverting next to him in midfield. Even why we could win games with Gundo as the #6. It was good stopping things going through the middle, but why both Delph and Zinch looked out of depth and people saying they're not left backs when he had to defend against counter attacks out wide.

This past season Mendy and Zinch was high and wide on the wing with Sterling inverting along with Dave central. So Rodri had a lot more space to try to cover along with neither of them getting back quick enough to help out against counter attacks. Rodri would be much better with someone like Aké inverting alongside him. We also won't have Dave who didn't have the legs to help press when the ball was lost.

Interesting.

Hope you're right.