Xavi was still absolutely top class in the 2012-2013 season. For instance, Squawka rated Xavi as the 4th best player in Europe that year (or the 2nd best if you look at per match rankings, behind Messi). His fall off happened the next year. He was still good, but he was getting less mobile.
8 - Pedri
- Thread starter FC433
- Start date
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Apparently that is untrue... Xavi was on his last legs and Thiago lied about why he left.
Xavi did decline a bit but still top class. Thiago simply didn't see himself can replace Xavi soon.
xXKonan
Senior Member
Xavi's was starting to decline around that time but he was still an elite CM.
Despite losing some of that mobility his decline wasn't as severe once you look back on it. Busi on the other hand, the dude fell off a cliff once he turned 29, and has gotten severally worse since then.
Despite losing some of that mobility his decline wasn't as severe once you look back on it. Busi on the other hand, the dude fell off a cliff once he turned 29, and has gotten severally worse since then.
Devils
Senior Member
Fabregas and Alexis were both "luxury' signing that were meant to help build on the CL winning team.
Instead, Pep tried to force them into the starting positions and ultimately dismantled a lot of efficiency we had with the that 2010/2011 dream team instead of building on it.
Looking back on it, we should consider ourselves fortunate to won as much as we had in the 2010-2020 decade. Our recruitment of players was nothing short of horrendous.
Villa, Suarez, Masch, Neymar, Alba, Rakitic, Bravo and Ter-Stegen, FDJ (?) are really the only the ones you could really call successful transfers looking back on it.
9 successful transfers over 10 years...LMAO.
Guess you could also consider Mathieu, Digne and Cillessen as successful back-up players but still doesn't change much.
Instead, Pep tried to force them into the starting positions and ultimately dismantled a lot of efficiency we had with the that 2010/2011 dream team instead of building on it.
Looking back on it, we should consider ourselves fortunate to won as much as we had in the 2010-2020 decade. Our recruitment of players was nothing short of horrendous.
Villa, Suarez, Masch, Neymar, Alba, Rakitic, Bravo and Ter-Stegen, FDJ (?) are really the only the ones you could really call successful transfers looking back on it.
9 successful transfers over 10 years...LMAO.
Guess you could also consider Mathieu, Digne and Cillessen as successful back-up players but still doesn't change much.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Pep bought Fabregas/Sanchez as tried to change formation to 343 which failed and reverted back to 433.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Not really. When Xavi was injured in Thiagos last season it was Thiago that took his position more than Fabregas.
Devils
Senior Member
Yeah the classic case of if it isn't broke then don't fix it.
I still hope that someday Pep comes forward as to why after Eto'o, Henry, Ibra and Villa that he thought it would be innovative to discard a #9 in the stating line-up for that 2011/2012 season. Yeah Villa got injured, but he was benched for Alexis for the most part from Sept-Dec.
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Xavi declined after the great 11/12 season, he was carried by younger elite players like Iniesta, Mascherano,Busquets, Messi etc.
He was mediocre in 12/13, not elite but we were winning on high and got Liga with record points.
Thiago was sold easily due to lack of vision tbh. We got a decent deal for him, and tbf with injuries he didn't really do well in Bayern until past few years, so you never know what could have happened if he stayed.
soul24rage
Senior Member
Yeah, I think what Pep needed at the time was a better plan B rather than changing plan A.
Joint record, thank you very much.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
The club were never going to promise Thiago a starting role that next season when Xavi was still the better player and such a legend. Would have been correct thing to do for future but was next to impossible.
feggydinho
Senior Member
Alexis was really good, just didnt fit our system (he bossed serie A with udinese and was Chile main player in their international tournament).
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Alexis is the kind of player that shines only in mediocre teams tbh. Teas that want top 4 finish but not title.
Not good enough to carry a good team, and not adapted enough to be in a team not built on him as one of its stars.
His only solid season here was lost one, thankfully it got us a decent deal.
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