1 - Marc-Andre ter Ansplant

[olivis]

Xavi turning into a bum at record pace.

Imagine being a twerker for MATS of all people. I can understand maybe Messi or Iniesta if they were here. But MATS???

Mats, Dest, De Jong, Dembele... Xavi has been licking mediocre bums lately

 

[Andresito]

Relax. He's doing his best to increase the confidence in the squad.

What the fuck is he supposed to do. He's playing with the cards he's been dealt, there are no others, not with our economy.

 

[KingLeo10]

Relax. He's doing his best to increase the confidence in the squad.

What the fuck is he supposed to do. He's playing with the cards he's been dealt, there are no others, not with our economy.

Confidence has to be tempered with realism.

Heaping public and unrealistic praise on a GK who repeatedly costs us CL ties (or at the very least has a high part in it) is not a good look for someone wanting to change culture.

We've had so many of these coaches who are simply happy to "play with the cards they've been dealt". We need an overhaul and Xavi was supposed to have more of a spine than Setien or EV or even Koeman.

 

[Windhook]

Calma. Xavi does the Pep talk on his players to boost their confidence. Pointless to bash your own players in front of the media. I'm sure Xavi has his own opinion on them, but for now he has to work with what he has. The treatment of Luuk de Jong in training is an example, it looked good but Luuk didn't feature against Espanyol

 

[serghei]

I wouldn't read too much into statements like these. Managers will never bad mouth their players in the press and will 99% of the time speak in laudatory terms about them. It's irrelevant.

 

[serghei]

We should maybe learn a bit from the fans on Camp Nou. They were behind the team and Xavi vs Espanyol, came in big numbers knowing the team is struggling.

Yes, it's a tough time, yes we had to defend against our much inferior rival at home, but you gotta get behind the team and get past this period. Better times will come. It's just football in the end. Remember, Liverpool went 30 years without a single league title . 1 in 30 fucking years. This is nothing.

Other than those damn injuries, the worst parts of the team are also those that we can't do anything about: finances. I like both Laporta, and Xavi, and like many of our youngsters. We're in better shape right now with Laporta and Xavi.

The other options were unrealistic. This is the only direction that we can pursue. What were the other options? Building the team around 35 years old Messi and paying him a salary we can't afford? Putting the team in more debt for some short-term gain with that CVC deal? There is no other way.

Making smart cheaper buys, getting rid of dead weight like Coutinho and such, developing La Masia players, working on our fitness and professionalism, recovering our injured players, and maybe looking after them better, try to work our way up in the league table, phase out at least one veteran more please (make it Pique). Not much else to do.

 

[Bobo32]

Confidence has to be tempered with realism.

Heaping public and unrealistic praise on a GK who repeatedly costs us CL ties (or at the very least has a high part in it) is not a good look for someone wanting to change culture.

We've had so many of these coaches who are simply happy to "play with the cards they've been dealt". We need an overhaul and Xavi was supposed to have more of a spine than Setien or EV or even Koeman.

How should the overhaul be done? Should he start to play Neto out of nowhere (because he didn't cost CL ties as he wasn't good enough to play) and publicly criticize ter Stegen?
I really can't understand how this keeper could be singled out for any CL loss, if this is the reason he shouldn't be praised, it makes me question the critique even more.
I think he'll be a very succesful keeper for a very succesful Xavi lead Barcelona team for a few years.

 

[Rory]

Get what you’re saying Serghei but this is a forum not a stadium. If we were all there I’m sure 99% would be supporting every players pass and getting behind them regardless of what happens on the pitch.

Same Camp Nou crowd have whistled plenty of players over the years btw

 

[Windhook]

We should maybe learn a bit from the fans on Camp Nou. They were behind the team and Xavi vs Espanyol, came in big numbers knowing the team is struggling.

Yes, it's a tough time, yes we had to defend against our much inferior rival at home, but you gotta get behind the team and get past this period. Better times will come. It's just football in the end. Remember, Liverpool went 30 years without a single league title . 1 in 30 fucking years. This is nothing.

Other than those damn injuries, the worst parts of the team are also those that we can't do anything about: finances. I like both Laporta, and Xavi, and like many of our youngsters. We're in better shape right now with Laporta and Xavi.

The other options were unrealistic. This is the only direction that we can pursue. What were the other options? Building the team around 35 years old Messi and paying him a salary we can't afford? Putting the team in more debt for some short-term gain with that CVC deal? There is no other way.

Making smart cheaper buys, getting rid of dead weight like Coutinho and such, developing La Masia players, working on our fitness and professionalism, recovering our injured players, and maybe looking after them better, try to work our way up in the league table, phase out at least one veteran more please (make it Pique). Not much else to do.

Amen. Great post.

 

[serghei]

Get what you’re saying Serghei but this is a forum not a stadium. If we were all there I’m sure 99% would be supporting every players pass and getting behind them regardless of what happens on the pitch.

Same Camp Nou crowd have whistled plenty of players over the years btw

Yea, but it's not like in the past where we had lazy stars. IMO, most players are really trying hard, it's just that we have no money and our best offensive players are all injured. I can respect that. I want us to dig deep and fight hard, don't moan about long-lost days of MSN and such, and don't give up.

I expect us to put up a fight vs Benfica tomorrow and never give up. We really need to get back the working hard mentality of the team. It's very valuable, even if the quality is not here atm in many positions.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Xavi turning into a bum at record pace.

Imagine being a twerker for MATS of all people. I can understand maybe Messi or Iniesta if they were here. But MATS???

Nah, he can say whatever politically correct statements about his players as he wants.
If next season he is starting MATS, under same performance, under same GK coach, then he can only blame himself for all humiliations and fans anger on him

 

[JamDav1982]

Xavi is trying to get confidence in team as they crumble under pressure too often when game gets tight but there is clear hypocrisy on here as if Koeman said same words for same reason folk would be foaming at the mouth.

 

[Windhook]

Xavi is trying to get confidence in team as they crumble under pressure too often when game gets tight but there is clear hypocrisy on here as if Koeman said same words for same reason folk would be foaming at the mouth.

In terms of press conferences/media statements Koeman was the same - defended the players, but visibly showed some nerves on the youngsters like Mingueza, Dest and freezing Puig forever.

 

[KingLeo10]

Xavi is trying to get confidence in team as they crumble under pressure too often when game gets tight but there is clear hypocrisy on here as if Koeman said same words for same reason folk would be foaming at the mouth.

This.

 

[JamDav1982]

In terms of press conferences/media statements Koeman was the same - defended the players, but visibly showed some nerves on the youngsters like Mingueza, Dest and freezing Puig forever.

Visibly showed nerves?

What does that even mean?

Puig he didnt rate. Simple as that.