8 - Pedri

vegitot

Senior Member
Well, I have to disagree. I very much doubt that Koeman isn't instructing his players on how to make synchronized runs. That is something any coach managing U14+ will be telling his players.

How well a team does this depends much more on the particular culture and atmosphere pervading the squad. We've cultivated a culture dominated by the attitude of 'don't bother making those runs because it probably won't lead to anything'.

I think that a coach has the ability to influence it by way of shocks to the system, instituting something radical that shakes up the natural status quo order of the team. But just instructing your players to do something won't really do anything. Remember that half time speech footage of Valverde beseeching the team to increase the intensity? We still went out there any game with less intensity than any other top team in Europe. It's about team mental culture first and foremost.

This attitude we have is one that players internalize quickly and then start to propogate themselves with their body language. It becomes entrenched, self-perpetuating. With Pedri you get players who naturally default to the culture of the team. He's not really a guy that seeks to change this attitude. Someone like Frenkie, you could see pushing the squad to break their comfort zone. Coutinho did it for the first few months here but then succumbed to the complacency.

That's the nature of this thing. A positive team culture needs to be reinforced mutually, collectively. If player X starts making runs that call for a synchronized pattern to engage, and no-one else follows his lead, very soon that player X will stop making those runs too. Then when the next new signing Y arrives, player X will likely be one of those dissuading Y from making the same runs. What you need in this case is less subservient and more renegade players. That's why I don't think Pedri will change much. Yeah he's brilliant and calm and all that but as a team, we have bigger problems. (Maybe some of them will dissipate once Messi stops, that's another conversation).

Your whole post is about Pedri doesn't dribble. It is true that he didn't do it last season. But this was from many factors. Maybe due to not being 100% fit, maybe from coach's tactic. He was different in his first months here when he played with flairs.

Things are different in Euro. Who made most carries in final third in Euro??? Pedri. Who made most passes in final third??? Pedri. Who made most through ball??? Pedri. Who had highest xG action??? Pedri.

Conclusion: It depends on how the team, the coach wants from him.
 

vegitot

Senior Member
Pedri was just 16 years old when he was named in Las Palmas?s starting XI on the opening day of 2019-20. In the Segunda Divisi?n. Fast forward nearly two years and the precocious talent has just completed his first season at Barcelona and won the Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020.

To show how crucial coach Ronald Koeman considers Pedri to be, he played more matches than any other Barcelona player (52) in 2020-21 ahead of vitally important teammates like Antoine Griezmann (51), Frenkie de Jong (51) and Lionel Messi (47). He missed just one league game, making 37 appearances, becoming the youngest player to make this many La Liga appearances in the 21st century.

Across La Liga in 2020-21, only eight players were involved in more attacking sequences than Pedri (155), with the majority of his involvement in the build-up play for shots (60%).
 

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
Once gain, you fail to address a single point I was making and just fly off your own tangent. No, my post was not about how Pedri doesn't dribble.
 

vegitot

Senior Member
Once gain, you fail to address a single point I was making and just fly off your own tangent. No, my post was not about how Pedri doesn't dribble.

You are right that Pedri is someone who can adapt to club's culture and can change himself to fit whatever club want.
Saying Pedri will not change much is wrong.
 

vegitot

Senior Member
83 - Pedri Gonz?lez 🇪🇸 has completed more passes ending in the final third than any other player in the men's football tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (83). He was also the player with most passes completed in final third at EURO 2020 (177). Verticality. https://t.co/BD6tKPgsL6
 

Bobo32

Senior Member
That was a genius pass towards Rafa Mir though - lofted the ball towards noone on the left flank, hit the japanese guy in the back, and perfect through ball for Mir
 

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
83 - Pedri Gonz?lez ���� has completed more passes ending in the final third than any other player in the men's football tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (83). He was also the player with most passes completed in final third at EURO 2020 (177). Verticality. https://t.co/BD6tKPgsL6

I've got no clue what to do with 'passes into the final third'. Spain moves the ball up and down all the time. Does it count as a pass into the final third if he just passes it outside the defense perimeter to a full back or winger positioned high up the flank?

How many assists has he had in those two tournaments?
 

vegitot

Senior Member
I've got no clue what to do with 'passes into the final third'. Spain moves the ball up and down all the time. Does it count as a pass into the final third if he just passes it outside the defense perimeter to a full back or winger positioned high up the flank?

How many assists has he had in those two tournaments?

Zero assists but mostly because Spain's forwards messed up. He made most through balls in Euro too.
Funny that Pedri creates more chance in Euro 2020 than Iniesta in Euro 2008.
 

vegitot

Senior Member
Why didn't he have any assist in Euro??? Simple:

7.86 - Spain amassed an expected goals (xG) total of 7.86 from the open play sequences that Pedri was involved in at EURO 2020; the highest total of any player at the tournament. Blessed. #ESP #EURO2020 https://t.co/HD1x4P1e6z
 

FCBarca

Mike the Knife
Perspective

E8CO8dyUcAoOXQN
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top