Is Sergio Busquets world class?

World class

He's good and a big part of Barcelona's set up. Obviously there are doubts of whether he can replicate that elsewhere.

He's still very good though regardless.

paperbackwriter wrote:A benchmark for a world class player is that he should be able to improve (possibly drastically improve) almost any team if he were to play for them.

Do people think Manchester City would be a better team with Busquets in midfield? Real Madrid? Milan? Manchester United? Bayern Munich? Arsenal?

If you were to replace Lucas in Liverpool with Busquets I think they'd be a worse side.

As Gudjohnsen said, I think Busquets is perfect for his role in Barcelona but he's not a WC footballer who would be able to improve most teams in the world.

Busquets is better than any midfielder at City,Madrid,Milan,United and Arsenal.
And he would vastly improve those sides if he went there.
What most people dont realize that he doesnt necessarily have to play DM if he wont to other club.
He will be an excellent creative central midfielder at other clubs.He is technically brilliant,arguably the most technical midfielder outside of Barca.His passing is excellent.
Exquisite first touch and ridiculous close control.
If I was asked to pick a player to replace Xavi for us,I would pick Busquets ahead of Fabregas,Thiago etc.Busquets is that damn good.
The only thing lacking in his game is acceleration.He has zero acceleration.If he had decent acceleration he would be unstoppable.

Ignoring the system argument, Busky is quite frankly, a really good player, hell, he is a great player but I honestly can't call him world class. Not to do with butthurtology or being a stinky Madridista but simply I don't see what is so "world class" about him but I do enjoy and respect his football quite a bit. And I think he'll fit into quite a bit of top sides more easily than most think.

He should go to man united.

Fletcher and Biscuits in a 4-4-2

Nah he should stick with 3 man midfields, he's still not that mobile regardless of his technical skills

Javi Martinez would be a better fit for Man Utd I think

A stint in the EPL with old man SAF as the manager would certainly cut out the theatrics by a considerable amount...

It's time to get out of the stereotypes about what DM are supposed to be life. There are many different types of players for each position of the game, and DM is no exception.

Busquets is world class at his position, that much is a proven fact. He doesnt have to be fast for that, and saying that he cant be as good playing for a different style of football is pure BS.

bhends wrote:Nah he should stick with 3 man midfields, he's still not that mobile regardless of his technical skills

Javi Martinez would be a better fit for Man Utd I think

Carrick isnt that mobile and yet he does well for United.
Busquets would have no trouble playing the Carrick role.

I think Busquets can and does play in a 4231..which isnt really different to Man Utd´s 4411.

alexjanosik wrote:

bhends wrote:Nah he should stick with 3 man midfields, he's still not that mobile regardless of his technical skills

Javi Martinez would be a better fit for Man Utd I think

Carrick isnt that mobile and yet he does well for United.
Busquets would have no trouble playing the Carrick role.

There's a reason Carrick doesn't get time anymore unless injuries necessitate...Now that Man Utd plays a 4411 with Rooney in the hole rather than a 451 with Rooney alone up front a CM has been sacrificed and Carrick isn't mobile enough to play in a 2 man central midfield (unless injuries necessitate)

Occasionally we see it in Europe but the pace of the game is slower outside England...which brings me back to my original point

The Franchise wrote:I think Busquets can and does play in a 4231..which isnt really different to Man Utd´s 4411.

Defensively Utds 4411 is similar because Rooney does so much work on that end so I don't think that would be a problem, agreed..

I would be more concerned going forward...Rooney runs a lot but he is still far from a midfielder and I think having Rooney ahead is very different from his current experience with 4231's (with someone like Silva, Xavi, or Fabregas ahead of him)

Although Utd is clearly a bit of an outlier because of what SAF seems to be trying to do with really athletic CMs that don't fit into traditional attacking/defensive roles so they probably arent the best example, but they're the only top team I can think of off the top of my head that plays the closest thing to a 442

Agree, both posts.

I think overall, if someone other then Barca had Busi they would be wise to let him do what he does best because he that good at that.

On Man Utd though, I like the fluidity they showed when Cleverly was playing and while they dont play a very tactial game it was very entertaining.

But I think Sir Alex would be wise to go with 3 men in midfield in the bigger games, at least away from home.

They can be a little open sometimes and while many dont like Carrick, when he plays he fills the space in between the lines and Man Utd can press or sit back without a change in personale.

I quite like Carrick as a player, the main problem is that playing the 3 man midfield that best utilizes his skills requires Rooney to play alone up front, and I much prefer him in the hole as a player

Cleverley is clearly the future of Man Utd's midfield, but I still think they are searching for the proper partner...Anderson, while he upped his game while playing with Cleverley, isn't the answer long-term solution in my opinion (although I think he is somewhat underrated as a player)

Yeah, I like Carrick too. There arent that many who do though lol

But yeah, your right, with 3 men in midfield Rooney becomes a lone striker rather then a number 10.

I think when Utd play 3 in the middle, they should forget the direct wing type style and focus more on the control of the game and possession. That way you can still have Rooney dropping into the hole (like Messi does) and leaving nobody up front and overloading the opposing midfield 4 v 2 (against a 442 of course).


Not sure who will be the long term player to go with Cleverly. Its hard to say.

Previously, Sir Alex went with a runner-passer model in midfield but with Cleverly being different to the other options it clouds things a bit.

Carrick is the English Gago......

Good at setting the tempo, extremely good passing range etc etc

But put him under any kind of pressure and you render him pretty much useless.

bhends wrote:I quite like Carrick as a player, the main problem is that playing the 3 man midfield that best utilizes his skills requires Rooney to play alone up front, and I much prefer him in the hole as a player

Cleverley is clearly the future of Man Utd's midfield, but I still think they are searching for the proper partner...Anderson, while he upped his game while playing with Cleverley, isn't the answer long-term solution in my opinion (although I think he is somewhat underrated as a player)

carrick is the best deep lying playmaker in the prem. the thing is he is exposed by our formation and the pace of the prem. he looks imperious in Europe when he isn't as closed down as heavily. Scale performance springs to mind. I feel busiest would have exactly the same problem except he sits deeper. Tom is by far the most dynamic mf we have, he gives us the vertical movement that Xavi gives barca. The pace we miss in the final third without him is embarrassing considering he only played 4 games.

By the criteria I used busquets is a WC player. Consistency, ability, trophies. His intercepting abilities is amazing.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:Carrick is the English Gago......

Good at setting the tempo, extremely good passing range etc etc

But put him under any kind of pressure and you render him pretty much useless.

That is very true, cant argue with that. I think he has more defensive skill then Gago though..or maybe just physically bigger so can do more.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:Carrick is the English Gago......

Good at setting the tempo, extremely good passing range etc etc

But put him under any kind of pressure and you render him pretty much useless.

This. People that don't understand football just come out and say he is a bite mf without knowing his job. The problem as u stated is the. That's why he looked incredible against schalke because he was under no pressure. Looked like Pirlo! XD

jibers wrote:

bhends wrote:I quite like Carrick as a player, the main problem is that playing the 3 man midfield that best utilizes his skills requires Rooney to play alone up front, and I much prefer him in the hole as a player

Cleverley is clearly the future of Man Utd's midfield, but I still think they are searching for the proper partner...Anderson, while he upped his game while playing with Cleverley, isn't the answer long-term solution in my opinion (although I think he is somewhat underrated as a player)

carrick is the best deep lying playmaker in the prem. the thing is he is exposed by our formation and the pace of the prem. he looks imperious in Europe when he isn't as closed down as heavily. Scale performance springs to mind. I feel busiest would have exactly the same problem except he sits deeper. Tom is by far the most dynamic mf we have, he gives us the vertical movement that Xavi gives barca. The pace we miss in the final third without him is embarrassing considering he only played 4 games.

By the criteria I used busquets is a WC player. Consistency, ability, trophies. His intercepting abilities is amazing.

Wilshere? Modric? and probably some more that are debateable.

Carrick best deep lying playmaker?

Only at Arsenal we have three at Arteta, Wilshere and Ramsey who are miles better.

And then you have likes of Adam and Henderson.

Etc etc...

highburied wrote:Carrick best deep lying playmaker?

Only at Arsenal we have three at Arteta, Wilshere and Ramsey who are miles better.

And then you have likes of Adam and Henderson.

Etc etc...

Ramsey is a better player but he is'nt better as a deep lying playmaker i agree Arteta and Wilshere are better tho.....

Adam is debateable but no way in hell is Henderson better.

Everytime I see Henderson he plays wide right.

Wilshere and Ramsey arent better than Carrick at being DLP.

Arteta and Modric are better ...

Well then again EPL CM quality sucks donkey balls Compared to other leagues..