^ Cuadrado/Alves instead of Rakitic and that lineup is probably spot on. Although not exactly in that shape. Iniesta in midfield and Nerman on the wing for sure. Basically what I posted a few days ago.



^ In this lineup Cuadrado makes a lot of sense where Alves is playing.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

Winter is Coming wrote:We were practicing a 3-2-3-2 formation

Dat lack of width
H
Personally dont see it working against park the bus teams almost everyone

Agreed. That has absolutely zero width.

Assuming that we play 3 at the back and with the existing players, I think the best bet would be something like this.

MATS
Bartra Pique Mathieu

Busquets
Alves Iniesta
Rakitic
Pedro/Deulofeu Suarez Neymar

Basically 3-4-3 with a diamond midfield.I dont like the 3-4-3 with flat midfield or the 3-2-3-2 for one simple reason.
There are no natural triangles.As Cruyff says,triangles are the best way to keep possession and pass the ball forward and no other formation creates more natural triangles than the 3-4-3 with the diamond midfield.
As soon as you make the midfield flat,the triangles disappear, passing and maintaining possession becomes more difficult.Same with the flat 3-2-3-2 mentioned above.
My formation keeps the beautiful 3-4-3 shape and ensures that all the key players are in their preferred positions.Alves in midfield adds that extra bite and pressing that we lack and he is a great passer so we dont suffer in possession.
Also when needed can easily switch to 4-3-3.Alves goes back,Rakitic drops next to Iniesta and we have our normal 4-3-3.

The thing is, having a back 3 of Matheiu Pique (New CB/Bartra) with the right wing back of Alves sounds nice and dandy, because we pretty much play that way anyway and is an improvement with size and speed from what we had last year. BUT...we all know Alba is gonna start...which screws it all up.

So instead of having this...

-------------Mats
------NewCb--Pique--Matheiu
Alves

We will actually have this..

------------Mats
------NewCb--Pique-Alba
Alves

With Alba wanting to run forward to attack...which is really what our problem has been since Alba came in. We went from having Abidal who would stay back, and Busquets also falling back to keep our back 4 in tact when Alves ran forward all game. to having BOTH our full backs running forwrad to attack, leaving us completley open to get countered on the wings. Plus it doesn't help that once Puyol started getting injured that we never went out and got a proper replacement for him (and it looks like we still won't)

Alba and Cesc have to be the 2 WORSE signings we have done in the past 5 years. Just for the simple fact that they were the 2 that probably single handidly started the demise of our wonderful era. And it's not there fault, its the management who brought them in.


Another gripe about this formation is I don't like depending on Busquets and Masch to flow the game forward and link up between the back and the front line. I see us having allot of 1-0's with that line up (either for ur or for them)

Pep and lucho attending a meeting at UEFA Elite Club Coaches

The pressing, it's sometimes back, sometimes not:

http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-divisi%C3%B3n/15/blog/post/2062210/barcelona-and-luis-enrique-bring-back-the-press-to-devastating-effect

"Right now, the pressure we put opponents under comes and goes like the Guadiana River," said the 44-year-old Enrique, dipping into his special lexicon. "But we want it to be less irregular, more consistent".

I'm so happy he's saying this. It means we've lots of room to improve, he's seeing it and he's working on it.

...

Why is Enrique rotating centerbacks more than he is the fullbacks?

I know, Montoya is quite poor (at least to me) and if someone told Douglas actually isnt a footballer player I wouldnt be that surprised. But Adriano isnt injured and since the heart thing hasnt been as far as I know.

Alba and Alves are playing alot of minutes (joint 6th) in the league, which surprises me considering neither are actually playing well.

Because for once we have high quality CB options and he needs to determine who the best pair is, which is not immediately obvious, whereas there is little debate about the FBs and depth.

Also Adriano is made out of glass so I would be hesitant to play him as well.

I understand why he is rotating CB's, but I more meant why isnt the fullbacks being rotated equally so.

Sure, we know quality wise Dani Alves is the best rightback at the club. I think there is an open debate on Alba and Adriano, I dont know who is better and even if I sway towards Adriano, its close.

Also Adriano can play on the otherside (if Montoya and Douglas are deemed not good enough) and Mathieu is obviously capable at leftback and we dont need him in the center so desperately when we have Mascherano, Pique and Bartra.

Adriano has a thigh injury right now and is training individually. Don't know since when he has that.

Alves doesn't get called up for Brazil under Dunga so he gets rest this way which means he can play all games for Barca.

Yeah I think I cursed him, it happened today.

Came here to post just that. The most predictable news:

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/detail/article/adriano-troubled-by-thigh-niggle

part of the interview of Dani Alves
----------------------------------------
Dani Alves also praised the impact of Luis Enrique and his new system, which fired the team up to first position without yet conceding a goal. The 31-year-old believes that Barça are on the verge of a new era. “I think Luis Enrique is even a bit tougher than Guardiola when it comes to training. That’s what makes the team work, makes it have coordinated movements. That’s how you achieve success. Players in Barca are great, but we need someone who shows the way and tells us where to go.”

“I have the feeling that we’re making a new Barca. I believe a lot in work, in dedication, in being well-prepared. And we have the best people for that. I live the season with tremendous excitement because of the way things are being done.”
--------------------------------------------

To go from Guardiola to this scrub
Guy got schooled the entire game.
It was clear after 5 minutes what was wrong and yet he does nothing all game.Guy deserves to be sacked after this game.

Still willing to give him a chance, but its clear its been Messi/Neymar connection carrying us this season. I haven't really been impressed by Enrique, from defensive point of view we barely have been tested till PSG and Madrid, and both times he got it wrong. We also signed a few CB + Bravo and Rakitic who adds defensive side to our game, so nothing to do with Enrique tactic wise.

This game itself, Roberto for Iniesta? Pedro for Suarez? Such poor subs.

So, yeah i share the same sentiment. Two tough games, two bad losses. Two might be a coincidence, if it happens the third time, it proves Enrique is not the guy for tough opposition!

Why doesnt he have a defensive plan? I dont understand what he is thinking.

No adjustments and the wrong starting line up to begin with.

I think the PSG game was worse, but its close.

To defend effectively,a team either presses relentlessly from the front or it defends in numbers.
You cant get away with doing neither against the big boys.Schoolboy stuff and yet he gets it wrong.Whats worse,he doesnt correct it the entire game.
Tata had his faults.But he was far better tactically than this.With an inferior squad he did much better against the big boys.Though we couldnt beat Atletico,they were close affairs and almost always draws.I can only imagine the massacre if Enrique was in charge against Atletico and Madrid last season.

How can we press relentlessly when 5 of the 10 outfield players are 30 or older, 2 are lazy creative types and 1 has been out for 4 months?

While true, i think u guys should calma tbh.

Bankz wrote:While true, i think u guys should calma tbh.

this 100%

i find it a bit funny really with the members here, not all but majority hated tata for playing the very predictable lineup, me included, but he got results (in the classicos etc)

luis enrique comes along plays the players most of us want then we complain and say it was lack of thinking on his part

two losses this season two away from home, it happens lets wait and see it out till the end of the season.

Donuts wrote:

luis enrique comes along plays the players most of us want then we complain and say it was lack of thinking on his part

two losses this season two away from home, it happens lets wait and see it out till the end of the season.

What players? Who wants Mascherano and Pique in the starting line up? I dont want Suarez playing either.

Also, what's it got to do with players? This is a tactical discussion. What are we waiting till the end of the season for?

If the gameplan isnt right now, why isnt it ok to say so?

It wont matter if its 1 week, 1 month or 1 year from now...if the team doesnt have a clear gameplan which makes sense, we wont win.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:How can we press relentlessly when 5 of the 10 outfield players are 30 or older, 2 are lazy creative types and 1 has been out for 4 months?

Its much more feasible than getting 2 of Suarez, Messi and Neymar to get goal side of the fullbacks.

Donuts wrote:

Bankz wrote:While true, i think u guys should calma tbh.

this 100%

i find it a bit funny really with the members here, not all but majority hated tata for playing the very predictable lineup, me included, but he got results (in the classicos etc)

luis enrique comes along plays the players most of us want then we complain and say it was lack of thinking on his part

two losses this season two away from home, it happens lets wait and see it out till the end of the season.

the funny thing is tata did the exact opposite and got bashed for it..our defence has been very solid, better than 90% of what teams have out there. we conceeded 3 against this madrid so what? Its not like we didn't conceed 3 against them last season..this team has only conceeded in one game out of 9 games this season ffs..As for the attack, neymar has turned into some goal scoring monster this season which was something we couldn't enjoy under tata last season, so arent we grateful for that too? This season has been neymar and messi saving our *bleep* asses every single week, even suarez is yet to feature too, so, its not the end of the world..well if u ask me, i prefer to win against all the scrub teams (which constitutes about 85% in a league btw) and win the league title, than boss the 'big' teams and end up loosing like tata..yes, we lost against madrid fair and square, but thats football, there'll always be a shift in power at some point to be realistic. All lucho needs to do now is sort out the midfield and we're good already..this result not withstanding, barca will walk the league tbh..although like i said last week, suarez shouldn't have started and the subs where questionable at best..