Is Rijkaard an idiot?

Etoo must be doing Rijkaard some serious favors to get the kind of playing time he is getting. Etoo has been more than suspect since his return last year and yet he is seeing substantial playing time. Etoo cannot finish, dribble, receive passes, make passes, or otherwise in a manner reflective of his old-self. He needs to be traded.

Take today's game against Racing. He plays the entire game despite the fact that he took not shots, had no assists and lost the ball SEVEN times. Messi gets substituted despite being the most threatening player on the field. For that matter, Ronaldinho did very little either. Henry enters the game in the second half, takes shots, including one on target, wreaks havoc on the defense and is far more active than Roni or Etoo.

Rijkaard may be riding the coat-tails of great talent. His formation needs to reflect not only the talent he has but the way his players are playing. How about a 3-5-2? Abidal-Milito-Zambrotta, Roni-Iniesta-Marquez-Deco-Xavi, Henry-Messi. Etoo could be traded to bolster the defense or midfield.

Let Etoo earn his way back into the starting line-up through a serious change in attitude and productive play.

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At the end of last season, I read a quote in a Spanish Newspaper from Rijkaard, which aluded to problems in the dressing room between E'too and Ronaldinho. Further a quote from another player, i don't remember who, which said that the technical disipline was poor.

Ronaldinho controls the attack for the most part and he did not play well the second half of last season and he was pathetic in the World Cup. Maybe the problem is Ronaldinho or Rijkaard.

I agree that Messi is a first class forward, reminisent, IMO,of George Best.

I haven't seen the game yet, just read the accounts in a Barcelona paper.