6 - Gavi

[fergus90]

Rushing young players too early into the starting XI can stagnate their development. They focus on specific attributes that help them stay in the lineup and focus on what's needed for the team and what the coach wants.

The player should still be developing their overall game instead of being asked to hyperfocus on playing a certain role/style.

Exactly my reasoning when I said the club was still a midfielder short last summer window.

 

[Slevinn]

I like him but there is no way that he should be a starter this season if he doesn’t massively improve. Gundogan is a lot better if we play with 4 midfielders and if we don’t then Fati of Torres should play.

 

[Andresito]

You better be prepared for him to start on Sunday.

 

[delancey]

You better be prepared for him to start on Sunday.

Stubborn incompetence by Xavi.

 

[Masetro10]

Funny thing is Madrid fans spam how Gavi is trash so much that I think people are starting to believe it.

He is not a scorer. Never will be. He is not a high output player either and possibly won't be ever. He is a engine in the team and modern football is all about intensity. He is elite when it comes to pressing. That's his main value. Causing errors high up the pitch and leading to chances. You can see this being a major factor as recently as Spain vs Italy in the Nation's League. Gavi created that first goal with the press but didn't end up with any stat.

TLDR If you are judging him based off fancy through balls or scoring goals. You don't know ball.

 

[serghei]

Rushing young players too early into the starting XI can stagnate their development. They focus on specific attributes that help them stay in the lineup and focus on what's needed for the team and what the coach wants.

The player should still be developing their overall game instead of being asked to hyperfocus on playing a certain role/style.

Spot on. Plus, this much presure and such insane expectations are just too much for these teenagers, and pressure can get overwhelming quickly if your body and mind are not mature enough.

The pressure should fall on the shoulder of seasoned players in their prime, not 16-19 year old kids. But other than De Jong and some class oldies, not much to rely on.

I'd say this is the biggest problem at this club in terms of the current squad. Rushing talented players out of disperation because the finances are shite.

They should take a step back. Stop building up every new kid in the media, and force comparisons with the likes of Iniesta, Xavi etc. These kids need to know that they have not done anything to merit such high praise yet. The jury is still very much out if they become world class players in the future or not. Some of them likely won't.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Funny thing is Madrid fans spam how Gavi is trash so much that I think people are starting to believe it.

He is not a scorer. Never will be. He is not a high output player either and possibly won't be ever. He is a engine in the team and modern football is all about intensity. He is elite when it comes to pressing. That's his main value. Causing errors high up the pitch and leading to chances. You can see this being a major factor as recently as Spain vs Italy in the Nation's League. Gavi created that first goal with the press but didn't end up with any stat.

TLDR If you are judging him based off fancy through balls or scoring goals. You don't know ball.

He's not actually good at the art of pressing, he is just a lunatic that runs at anything that moves, which naturally forces errors but also leaves huge holes in defense and means when he gets on the ball he is too tired to do anything.

If you want a ball winning midfielder there are better ones out there... That win the ball back more whilst not getting dragged all over the pitch.

His actual skill is in technical ability, which he seems to use less and less of.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Rushing young players too early into the starting XI can stagnate their development. They focus on specific attributes that help them stay in the lineup and focus on what's needed for the team and what the coach wants.

The player should still be developing their overall game instead of being asked to hyperfocus on playing a certain role/style.

True. You articulated it very well.

He has focused more on 'passion' and 'intensity' which is high floor low ceiling play, rather than actually developing top level technical skills in the long-term.

Years are gonna pass and he'll end up no better than when he started.

 

[JamDav1982]

Funny thing is Madrid fans spam how Gavi is trash so much that I think people are starting to believe it.

He is not a scorer. Never will be. He is not a high output player either and possibly won't be ever. He is a engine in the team and modern football is all about intensity. He is elite when it comes to pressing. That's his main value. Causing errors high up the pitch and leading to chances. You can see this being a major factor as recently as Spain vs Italy in the Nation's League. Gavi created that first goal with the press but didn't end up with any stat.

TLDR If you are judging him based off fancy through balls or scoring goals. You don't know ball.

He doesnt press as well as you make out and is often bypassed/leaves holes.
See him at CM.... it is even more obvious.
Flying into anything the moves is not clever pressing.
FDJ and Pedri press ball better.

 

[Porque]

Well the good thing is he can learn/improve to be an effective presser.

And people wouldn't complain about his output right now if he was more involved in possession. Even if it is 5-10m quick passes to maintain tempo and intensity.

Problem is he has been way to passive when we have the ball last season. When he made his breakthrough while Pedri was out, he was playing much more balanced.

 

[ajnotkeith]

When Pedri was this age, he made the jump, channeling his technical talent into his gamestyle and is now a pretty polished product who plays like a pro.

Gavi instead of using that same talent they both have on the ball is spending development time doing a bad Gattuso impression.

Its salvageable if Xavi tells him he needs to see more work on the ball and less of the hard man act if he wants to be a starter.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Well the good thing is he can learn/improve to be an effective presser.

And people wouldn't complain about his output right now if he was more involved in possession. Even if it is 5-10m quick passes to maintain tempo and intensity.

Problem is he has been way to passive when we have the ball last season. When he made his breakthrough while Pedri was out, he was playing much more balanced.

Sometimes just seems like he gets so tired he can't do anything with the ball, lol. It's regular to see him falling over or stumbling around when he gets the ball or make tackles, like he is drunk.

Exhaustion from needless pressing.

 

[Porque]

Sometimes just seems like he gets so tired he can't do anything with the ball, lol. It's regular to see him falling over or stumbling around when he gets the ball or make tackles, like he is drunk.

Exhaustion from needless pressing.

You could be right, and certainly if he is playing every game.

It could also partly be a mental issue. If you are playing one way in the defensive aspect of the game, it is very hard to switch and play more relaxed (pausa) when you then have the ball. It is the complete opposite mentally.

I recall watching Kroos at Germany U17 and he was a jackrabbit, up and down the pitch dribbling the ball. He obviously matured alot and become a much more efficient player. Gavi will have to do the same.

You would expect that Xavi will be able to guide him. But then you would have expected Koeman to have a clue about coaching a defence.

 

[jamrock]

Some fans are setting themselves up to have some serious egg on their face with this one.

2nd seasons slum happens to pretty much every single young player.

To hear some be critical of him for "running around" and those people are also some of the biggest FDJ fans is funny af, because that's all he did for a good two seasons minimum with us.

To say he's young and needs to develop is a no shit Sherlock kinda statement, but some are going too far, we all know what he did his first season and even the beginning of last season.

Some of the criticism is just fans being salty, because we know why.

Ajno go easy, your post won't age well about this kid.

We signed gundogan, so Everything single midfielder at Barcelona is behind him, which means minutes will get affected, most likely will affect the youngest midfielder we have, that's no knock on his talent.

 

[JamDav1982]

FDJ is currently classes above Gavi on and off the ball and is one of the most intelligent if not most intelligent in the squad positionally.

Do better.

This 'second season slump' idea is a change of tune from those a year ago and only a few months ago claiming he was playing a lot better than he was... now? It was a 'slump'.

Gavi is behind Pedri, Gavi and Gundogan by a long way on back of last season.

Of course he will impove. It is hard to be much worse than was in many games last season.

He needs to get back to two seasons ago level and take it from there.

Less of this hardman act that some clap happy at and more abillty on ball and better decisions off it.