3 - Alejandro Balde

[JamDav1982]

Gavi at AML in 22/23 seasons and what brought technically.

Goals/Assists: 6.. Same as FDJ from DM
Expected Assists: 14th
Key Passes: 9th
Passes into Final 3rd: 14th
Progressive Passes: 14th
Through Balls: 11th
Pass %: 17th.. scarily low considering how little he was producing any danger on it as above.,
Progressive Yds Passing: 23rd
Long Passes Completed: 22nd
Involved in Passing moves that led to a shot: 12th
Involved in Passing moves that led to a goal: 13th
Progressive Carries: 13th
Succesful Take ons: 8th

Only answer is to write of those as 'stats' and ignore they actually show how his technique impacted the game.. or claim 'not his job'.. it is the job of anyone at AM in Barca team to show a lot more quality than that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Gavi was asked to play a specific role between the lines, opposed to Frenkie for example, who never left his feel good positions. People can't seem to appreciate that and look at stats. Xavi knew better.

Absolute nonsense as per usual.

FDJ has been used in far more positions than Gavi... interior, DM box to box, single DM.. CB.

Been levels above Gavi techincally every time.

FDJ in that season before Xavi changed formation was clearly ahead of Gavi and playing at higher level by time it happened.

'Gavi was asked to play a specific role'.... reality was he was there to press when other team had it and when Barca had it he was given freedom to move inside and become a 4th midfielder to try and influence game in positive way.. he was just very limited at it on ball as stats show.

If the 'specific role' Gavi was given at AML was to avoid ball and do next to little with it on any techincal level then that is worse.

 

[mc_lovin]

He was playing tucked in on the left with zero space, creating space for others and leading the press. We were a vastly better team with Gavi around, despite these stats saying he's a bum... how can that be? Maybe you are not seeing something.

 

[JamDav1982]

He was playing tucked in on the left with zero space, creating space for others and leading the press. We were a vastly better team with Gavi around, despite these stats saying he's a bum... how can that be? Maybe you are not seeing something.

Haha.. yes that is called and AM.. that is area he was in and was technically not able to do much.

He had freedom to move about more than that though

How are Barca a 'vastly better team' with Gavi?

What is that based on?

Can see it fine.. stats back it up.. techincally he lacks and best can come up with is 'it was his role'.

'Creating space for others and leading the press' there are elements of that are true.. but also he was bang average at best techincally on the ball and he was allowed more freedom than you make out to drift inside and increase numbers.

 

[Masetro10]

He was playing tucked in on the left with zero space, creating space for others and leading the press. We were a vastly better team with Gavi around, despite these stats saying he's a bum... how can that be? Maybe you are not seeing something.

Because there are stats. See Ozil

Then there is eye test. See Iniesta

 

[JamDav1982]

Because there are stats. See Ozil

Then there is eye test. See Iniesta

Yes Ozil if technically one of the top midfielders in the last 20 years.. and stats back it up.

Strange argument to try an make that one.

Want me to compare Iniestas stats compared to Gavis? You really dont. Iniesta had a ton of positive stats for Barca and also contributed vastly more in build up.

 

[Masetro10]

Yes Ozil if technically one of the top midfielders in the last 20 years.. and stats back it up.

Strange argument to try an make that one.

Want me to compare Iniestas stats compared to Gavis? You really dont. Iniesta had a ton of positive stats for Barca and also contributed vastly more in build up.

One wins the other did not win much in comparison even with his stats advantage is the point.

 

[JamDav1982]

One wins the other did not win much in comparison even with his stats advantage is the point.

No.. Ozil was without doubt one of the most techincal midfielders on the ball in last 20 years and stats show it.

He lacked in many, many more areas compared to Iniesta and played a different role.

There is no relevance to this debate on Gavi.. stats can easily see what Ozil was a top player at and what he lacked.

 

[mc_lovin]

Yeah, let's compare a 17/18 years old midfielder to an all time great like Iniesta Could do the same with Xavi vs. Frenkie.

Comparison to Ozil says it all though. If you think they play remotely the same position (am) you guys are clueless.

 

[JamDav1982]

There we go... circle of Gavi argument.

'Gavi is the best'.....

Shown he isnt.

''Gavi is 18 what do you expect'?

Same every time.

No there is no comparison to Gavi v Iniesta... whooshed over your head that one.. the point is stats can be used to show how good he was technically.. so to use stats argument here is futile.

Compare Xavi to FDJ if you like.. would have no impact on any point made.

Xavi is the greatest CM of all time.. stats show it.

 

[mc_lovin]

There we go... circle of Gavi argument.

'Gavi is the best'.....

Shown he isnt.

''Gavi is 18 what do you expect'?

Same every time.

Well, he's excellent and yeah, he's still extremely young, which is obviously a factor... let's revisit this in a year or so. No point going in circles (I know you love this).

 

[JamDav1982]

Well, he's excellent and yeah, he's still extremely young, which is obviously a factor... let's revisit this in a year or so. No point going in circles (I know you love this).

No he is far from excellent technically.. needs to improve on that a lot.

Can easily revisit in a year... same was said a year ago I believe.

Gavi was bang average at start of this season and blown up to be much better than was.. lets see if his level jumps on the ball compared to other seasons.

A years time more likely to be.. 'injury impacted season lets revisit in a year'.

If he plays well and shows it visually and can clearly be seen in documented impact on ball etc will be delighted to agree he is a top player technically.

As for age.. some of us have been saying for long enough he is still young and lot to improve on.. while others argued how good he was currently.

Have said for long enough he needs to calm down and have more awareness on the field...that should come with age and would go a long way to improving him on the ball.

Being in a frenzy to tackle anything that moves.. show lack of composure positionally when Barca have it and when on it should improve with maturing alone.. then he can start to show his technical level more and what he has.

 

[mc_lovin]

No he is far from excellent technically.. needs to improve on that a lot.

Not gonna lie, this point baffles me. How can you watch him and think he's technically average?

 

[JamDav1982]

Not gonna lie, this point baffles me. How can you watch him and think he's technically average?

Because of what he does on ball.. ability to open game, rang of passing, passing between lines, how often last season for example he was losing ball with poor touches under pressure.

I think he has more ability than shows though but he plays at 100mph and picks wrong options.. doesnt pause and see/make the correct pass to open game up enough etc.

Also linked in his 100mph approach which can be a positive and a negative.. he has too many games that pass him by when he is chasing shadows desperate to make and impact and not where team need him to be.

Again.. hopefully with age he can improve on it but still an issue.

 

[Porque]

Double pivot

Hope so.

I am not seeing it easy for him this year to establish himself in a 4231. More talented than Casado but way less tactical discipline for the pivot position for example. Which is normal given Casado has been there throughout LaMasia and Gavi was always an attacking player.

But works hard and stays injury free, probably the best bet for him. Hopefully Thiago can translate ideas better than Xavi.