Victor Von Doom 258 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Hm. Maybe I'm just v biased ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike 12,049 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I'll politely disagree. All 4 are anchormen. Firstly, if you don't count them as anchormen then there are very few in the world good or bad. Matuidi isn't a box2box midfielder. Ramires and Pogba are B2B players. Matuidi hangs back a lot of the time during PSG's attacks to provide stability and breaks up attacks very well. That's an anchorman all over - protecting the back 4. Schweinsteiger I can see how people would think he's a B2B but that's only because he's so damn good that he managed to shield and protect the back 4 as good as anyone else and get forward to get involved up the other end too. He's primarily an anchorman for me though.As for Pirlo and Xabi Alonso, they're classic examples of anchormen. They protect the back 4 but have great passing visions on top of that. Pirlo is probably the best long passer in the world still, doesn't change the fact that they're still anchormen and their primary job is protection of the back 4. Busquets is very good at a short, quick passing game in and around the oppositions box and Matic has a great long through ball on him. They're both very good passers of the ball too but likewise they're both still anchormen primarily.It's all about the primary role. In today's game the top players (like the ones I mentioned) have to be very good at their primary role and also offer elsewhere around the park whether it's incisive/intelligent passing or goal scoring.I'll disagree also. My definition of an Anchor man is different. I see an anchorman is a player that not only stays back but whose first job it agressively defend and win the ball back, their second job is to give the ball quickly to more creative players and retain posession. But that is just arguing semantics. Mascherano, Mikel, Javi Martinez, Makelele, Deschamps: the water carrier. That is a anchorman. I'm not saying the anchoramn can't be creative but having creativity is a very low priority.Alonso and Pirlo's job isn't to protect the back four at all. It's to start attacks from deep. Pirlo in particular plays like Xavi, he even said so himself in his bio. He said he likes to look for space move, receive the ball, find space, pass and continue this pattern. This is what I see Pirlo doing, very average as a defender. Amazing technical and creative ability. I wouldn't rely on either Xabi or Pirlo to protect a defensive line. Xabi had Khedira at Real (they still leaked goals regardless) and Pirlo has Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio doing a lot of the dirty work for him. Pirlo had Gattuso and Ambrosini at Milan, Alonso had Steevee and Mascherano at Liverpool.What you explained Bastian to be is the exact definition of a B2B midfielder, thanks for proving that point for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneMoSalah 8,892 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 In what aspects is he not better exactly?Busquets positioning is definitely better, his use of the ball is better, his general football understanding is probably better (if you get what I mean, he can see what's going to happen a few passes before others and read the game very well - although that sounds like a load of crazy bullshit the way its worded haha), offensively Matic edges Busquets but I've seen Sergio play excellent passes from a deeper position, in front of the center backs, taking out maybe 3 or 4 players out at a time (he did it against Man United a lot of times in the CL final and also numerous occasions against Real Madrid IIRC, just one ball took out numerous players and turned their midfield around) that Matic hasn't really done. I don't see how everyone thinks Busquets is shit now a days (not aimed at you in particular mate just a lot of people seem to have changed their tune towards him lol), hes still one of the finest midfield players in European football. Don't get me wrong I am a big big fan of Matic but I don't think hes better than Sergio Busquets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iseah100 5,612 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Still don't like him. He's overrated, made for a system, take him out of it and he'd be shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the wes 7,212 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Busquets signed a new deal with barcelona thank god i would hate to see him at chelseahttp://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/427742/DONE-DEAL-Chelsea-Man-Utd-Sergio-Busquets-commits-future-Barcelona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUMB 189 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I'd rather die than watch this CUNT playing for Chelsea. Fuck you sergio you little diving shitty cheating ballerina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Skipper 20,609 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I'd rather die than watch this CUNT playing for Chelsea. Fuck you sergio you little diving shitty cheating ballerinaWow. Relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUMB 189 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Wow. Relax.I was actually laughing when I was writing this. But I really hate that guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illmatic 901 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 One of the most overrated players of the last years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cfchoo 4 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 One of the most overrated players of the last years.disagree. He is the cliche d*****bab but he's good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas Lion 1,223 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 One of the most overrated players of the last years.Not really. He's probably the most technical defensive midfielder in the past 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS 93 14 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Don't think I've seen a player who has such a 50/50 split when it comes to rating him.I agree with iseah100 ... I rate him but just don't think he'd look good under any other system than the one he's used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Skipper 20,609 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Not really. He's probably the most technical defensive midfielder in the past 15 years. Matic says hello. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas Lion 1,223 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Matic says hello.Technically superior than Busquets? Highly debatable as Busquets doesn't rely on power, speed, and physicality as other defensive midfielders do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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