Iniesta Ultra
Senior Member
Red panda! Smart, nerdy, tires easily and little lazy!
He looks out of breath in second halves. The run for the goal was golden. But then proceeds to keep the ball too long for no reason.
He improved physically in the off season. Then the season started and he lost it.
Club or the player himself needs to look hard into maintenance nutrition and training for these players expecting growth.
Admittedly not so simple when you have a World Cup In the middle and amigo culture to the sides.
Pedri says Xavi always askes him to take risk, take on opponents, run into the box, shoot.
My mate works in EPL and says a lot of the top coaches talk a good game but in reality it is not what they tell team to do. They are aware of their 'image' and how want to be perceived.
Example was one well known Spanish coach who was out gesturing to players to keep calm and pass ball.. all for show.. while his assitant was trying to get message on to pump ball long.
Xavi has a bit of that in him. Talks about 'obligations' and 'intensity' to play a certain way.. when in reality he often tries to manage games with slower tempo or go more 'defensive' when ahead. He did that v Espanyol and it didnt work. It worked v Atleti to an extent but they rode their luck big time.
With Pedri I wouldnt be surprised if Xavi says all these things to him but isnt what is intructing when game is on either.
League wise he is getting results to be fair to him but it is a turgid watch. As is La Liga as a whole. Looks poor tactically and dated.
Example was one well known Spanish coach who was out gesturing to players to keep calm and pass ball.. all for show.. while his assitant was trying to get message on to pump ball long.