Mascherano to the Chavs?

[Count Orduck]

According to an ex-pat friend of mine in Spain (who used to support Chelsea , but now supports Real since he's out there ) there are whispers in the Spanish press that Mascherano is unhappy with the bit-part role he has at Barcelona and is open to a move back to England to be a first teamer in a Champions League team. It seems Benitez might have had a word when he was at Chelsea, and that Mascherano might be Stamford Bridge-bound. Probably bollocks, mind you. I've not seen it anywhere else. Wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibilty, though, and I actually think he'd do well there. He's a Mourinho type of player, and is strictly better than that useless feck Mikel in pretty much every way. Has Jojojo heard anything like this?

On a side note, I wasn't sure if this deserved its own thread, but couldn't find a "general transfer spaculation" thread.

 

[shaggy]

Midfield crisis at barca.

 

[TheRisingSun]

Am I the only one who finds internet forum "nicknames" for teams such as "Chavski", "Manure" and "Spuds" properly cringeworthy?

 

[FCBarca]

Everything the player has said for a few years now reflects similar - he's very happy at the club. Of course, another CB into the fold would certainly spell less minutes for him and in a WC year, no less. So it makes sense on many levels and, frankly, I'd be happy to profit on his sale but seems unlikely. Just a gut feeling though

 

[Relevated]

Fabregas is joining us so he can get loads of minutes now.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

I still haven't understood why Barca converted him into a centerback rather than actually signing a real centerback.

 

[Varun]

Midfield crisis at barca.

Will worsen once we get Fabregas.

 

[Everest Red]

Spuds, Citeh, and Manure are all horrible. Chavs is alright, but Chavksi is awful. Call them CSKA South London or something, it far more original and less juvenile.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

I still haven't understood why Barca converted him into a centerback rather than actually signing a real centerback.

When you see Mandzukic and Martinez (yes I know he played in defence for a bit for Bilbao) in defence for Bayern in the coming years, it'll be more apparent.

 

[TheRisingSun]

Spuds, Citeh, and Manure are all horrible. Chavs is alright, but Chavksi is awful. Call them CSKA South London or something, it far more original and less juvenile.

I'm a Chelsea fan so perhaps I'm biased against it, but I just find it a bit of a divvy nickname. Especially getting called it up Wembley Way by a load of Liverpool fans in Rockports and Lacoste trackies.

 

[FCBarca]

I still haven't understood why Barca converted him into a centerback rather than actually signing a real centerback.

Meanwhile I struggle to understand how he's ever played in midfield

They want ball playing centerbacks so converted DMs work well. Even Piqué played as a DM for Zaragossa

 

[Siorac]

Meanwhile I struggle to understand how he's ever played in midfield

They want ball playing centerbacks so converted DMs work well. Even Piqué played as a DM for Zaragossa

He's a shite CB but he was a good ball-winning "hardman" at Liverpool. He just doesn't pass the ball well enough for Barcelona. As a CB though, well, that's just ridiculous. Only side in the world that can afford to play him there are Barcelona. The guy isn't even 180 cm...

 

[FCBarca]

We're speaking different languages when you cite his 180cm as a reason he can't be a CB

Puyol is 178cm

 

[Count Orduck]

He's a shite CB but he was a good ball-winning "hardman" at Liverpool. He just doesn't pass the ball well enough for Barcelona. As a CB though, well, that's just ridiculous. Only side in the world that can afford to play him there are Barcelona. The guy isn't even 180 cm...

It's that "hardman" side that saw him thrive in England the first time around, and might yet again. I don't think he's proved a success at Barcelona -- far from it -- and it's not an impossibility that he's considering going back to a country and a style of football he knows he excels at. What do our resident Chelsea fans think? Would you want him?

 

[Siorac]

We're speaking different languages when you cite his 180cm as a reason he can't be a CB

Puyol is 178cm

Yeah, well, Puyol would probably be mediocre at best for most other teams as well. Y'know, teams that don't have 75% possession every game and thus their defenders actually have to defend sometimes. But Puyol is still taller than Mascherano, a far better header of the ball and he is actually a defender, with a defender's positioning and anticipation.

Mascherano is a ball-winning midfielder who can play at CB at Barcelona because Barcelona's defence is rarely under pressure. Yaya Touré was good at CB for Barcelona as well and he's no defender either. But the idea that Mascherano is better at CB than midfield is ridiculous.

 

[FCBarca]

Well, my point was that at Barcelona, the most treasured attributes for a CB to possess do not include height above 180

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

Well, my point was that at Barcelona, the most treasured attributes for a CB to possess do not include height above 180

So is being crap at defending a "treasured" attribute for a CB.

Honestly you lot were the most vulnerable "top team" defensively. Terrible especially on the counter. As was exposed ruthlessly by Bayern.

 

[Revan]

Yeah, well, Puyol would probably be mediocre at best for most other teams as well. Y'know, teams that don't have 75% possession every game and thus their defenders actually have to defend sometimes. But Puyol is still taller than Mascherano, a far better header of the ball and he is actually a defender, with a defender's positioning and anticipation.

Mascherano is a ball-winning midfielder who can play at CB at Barcelona because Barcelona's defence is rarely under pressure. Yaya Touré was good at CB for Barcelona as well and he's no defender either. But the idea that Mascherano is better at CB than midfield is ridiculous.

A younger Pyoul wouldn't look mediocre in any team on the world. He was a great defender.

Franco Baresi who is mentioned my many as the best central defender of all time was only 1.76m. Fabio Cannavaro who won the Ballon D'or was about the same. So, in short you're absolutely wrong. Height is a bonus obviously, but it's not mandatory for a CB to have a great height because some of the best CB ever were under 1.8m

 

[Siorac]

Well, my point was that at Barcelona, the most treasured attributes for a CB to possess do not include height above 180

It's a bit like United's central midfield policy: the list of most treasured attributes for a United CM doesn't include "actually being a CM". Same at Barcelona: it seems that defenders don't have to be good at defending.

 

[Theon]

A younger Pyoul wouldn't look mediocre in any team on the world. He was a great defender.

Franco Baresi who is mentioned my many as the best central defender of all time was only 1.76m. Fabio Cannavaro who won the Ballon D'or was about the same. So, in short you're absolutely wrong. Height is a bonus obviously, but it's not mandatory for a CB to have a great height because some of the best CB ever were under 1.8m

Yup, Passarella was 5 ft 8 as well and Ayala was pretty small - both world class

 

[Siorac]

A younger Pyoul wouldn't look mediocre in any team on the world. He was a great defender.

Franco Baresi who is mentioned my many as the best central defender of all time was only 1.76m. Fabio Cannavaro who won the Ballon D'or was about the same. So, in short you're absolutely wrong. Height is a bonus obviously, but it's not mandatory for a CB to have a great height because some of the best CB ever were under 1.8m

Puyol was a good defender, never a great one.

But yeah, I'll give you that: if a defender is actually good, has a good positional sense, anticipation, is a good reader of the game then height isn't that important. And yes, Baresi and Cannavaro are great examples of that.

However, if you stick a defensive midfielder in there, who isn't actually good at defending then he should at least be tall. Like Carrick. Who's also a much better "defender" than Mascherano, even though he's still not very good there.

 

[Sarni]

Yeah, well, Puyol would probably be mediocre at best for most other teams as well. Y'know, teams that don't have 75% possession every game and thus their defenders actually have to defend sometimes. But Puyol is still taller than Mascherano, a far better header of the ball and he is actually a defender, with a defender's positioning and anticipation.

Mascherano is a ball-winning midfielder who can play at CB at Barcelona because Barcelona's defence is rarely under pressure. Yaya Touré was good at CB for Barcelona as well and he's no defender either. But the idea that Mascherano is better at CB than midfield is ridiculous.

That's insane, Puyol at his best was one of the best centre halves in the world.

 

[Revan]

Yup, Passarella was 5 ft 8 as well and Ayala was pretty small - both world class

Two other good examples. Ayala was one of the best players at headers I have ever seen. Heinze did a good job there too.

Puyol was a good defender, never a great one.

But yeah, I'll give you that: if a defender is actually good, has a good positional sense, anticipation, is a good reader of the game then height isn't that important. And yes, Baresi and Cannavaro are great examples of that.

However, if you stick a defensive midfielder in there, who isn't actually good at defending then he should at least be tall. Like Carrick. Who's also a much better "defender" than Mascherano, even though he's still not very good there.

I think that he was a great one, and he wouldn't be the captain and the main defender at Barca for a decade or more if he wasn't. When he played, even Pique looked world class.

Mascherano has been good at defense for Barca, but year, he never was or will be a great defender.

 

[FCBarca]

It's a bit like United's central midfield policy: the list of most treasured attributes for a United CM doesn't include "actually being a CM". Same at Barcelona: it seems that defenders don't have to be good at defending.

 

[MrMarcello]

The CB height debate... isn't the height more important in leagues that utilize crossing (i.e. England) far more than leagues that do not (i.e. Italy/Spain)?

It's also worth wondering how some players would handle other leagues, especially leagues that tend to play a direct, quicker game versus a relaxed, possession based game. The Italian game has always been defensive minded. I never got to see Baresi play - did he have/lack pace? Great on the ball? Great at reading the game?

Rio would excel in any league, as would Maldini and Nesta (in their primes). Cannovaro was crap at Real and his height would have been exposed in England. Gary Neville didn't play CB permanently because of his lack of height - would have he played CB in Italy or Spain?