Francesc "Tito" Vilanova

[Jaykob]

No way. we are in a transitional period and we are still coming away with the La Liga, we have been cursed with injuries and also the our decision not to reinforce areas such as our Centre backs has cost us (not getting a Centre back was in my opinion was suppose to be a tool to motivate players like Pique to show that he believes in him and the youngsters)

To attribute these performances to injuries and transfers is too simplistic imho. I watched nearly every game in la liga this year and the problems were evident from day one

 

[Stric]

To attribute these performances to injuries and transfers is too simplistic imho. I watched nearly every game in la liga this years and the problems were evident form day one

This is the truth. We have a huge lead in La Liga and will probably win it soon, but the problems we're having were there since the first round. The huge success we're having is very misleading in terms of our overall quality. Plus, Madrid was terrible for a good part of the season, which only helped us. And Messi bagged a billion goals before Christmas.

 

[Flavia]

May I ask what makes you so sure about that ? It's not that I want him to leave or something like that; but don't you see the potential of our board now going bonkers and look for a scapegoat ? And the rumours that Rosell himself wasn't really happy with the idea of making Tito the coach in the first place might tip the balance here.
I mean, simply from a 'political' standpoint, there have to be consequences. The board has to do, well... something.

They have unofficially confirmed already he's staying. They were only waiting to see if he's going to be healthy.

Puyol was here for the better part of the season, yet Tito the mastermind decided to (over)use him in all kinds of completely irrelevant matches, and Bartra played 79 minutes up until a few weeks ago. Abidal was out twice during Pep's era, as well, yet he managed to do without him. And he didn't have Alba around to play LB. Mascherano was bad early this season, and instead of benching him, Tito did nothing. Again, Bartra in the stands. Tito deliberately buys Song, a CM/CDM type of player, who has never ever been a CB, and decides to use him as CB instead of Bartra.

Yet it's Pep who's responsible for these problems.

Since I brought it up, just to clarify, Pep is not responsible for this. But this problem started while he was still at Barça. But Tito could have done something about it and didn't.

 

[ZenI]

I hope Tito recovers from his health issues but really think it would be the best for all parties if he resigns after this season.
If he stays another season the era of this great team really could be over.

I'd like to repeat what a lot of people here said, barca played alot better last season although there where early sings of decline which a attribute to lack of drive due to complacency.

To those who said the false nine is dead, it worked because other players exploited the space created by messi dropping deep, which is not happening this season, the wide players moved inside, which is not happening this season.

Pressing is a lot worse this season, the defence which may not include players with classical defensive attributes (eg,Mascherano ) worked because of the relentless pressing and the high line, most of the time penalty box defending was not needed because the ball was already won back in midfield.

Under Vilanova, the "hunting in packs" style of pressing is non existent,players press individually and the whole team plays deeper which allows teams to directly expose the defence which is a reason why they are looking so weak this year.


I truly hope the board does react, even though it is a difficult situation, firing a man who is fighting for his life, but something has to change.

As for new managers, maybe Villas-Boas would be an option, he would play a similar style while still bringing in fresh ideas.

Tell me about it, the false 9 worked under Pep because we had wingers capable of taking on defenders and scoring (and probably also instructed to do so). Also, with Alba and Alves being very attack minded our wingers have to defend much more. Another thing, you are completely right about the high/fast press in 'packs' - but teams are also learning how to get out of this press. Just look at Bayern today, they had both their fullbacks far down touching the lines - when worst came worst they played it back to Neuer who crossed the ball to one of the fullbacks, this was clearly rehearsed. Then it just took seconds to transport the ball to Ribery/Robben who had the flanks for themselves since Alves/Alba where somewhere else.
Anyway, the flanks sucked today (and most part of the season) - both wingers and fullbacks. Fullbacks should help midfield, not being higher up the pitch than our wingers. FFS, just start Pedro on RB and play Alves as forward, this will be much less confusing for everybody involved

 

[Jaykob]

Tell me about it, the false 9 worked under Pep because we had wingers capable of taking on defenders and scoring (and probably also instructed to do so). Also, with Alba and Alves being very attack minded our wingers have to defend much more. Another thing, you are completely right about the high/fast press in 'packs' - but teams are also learning how to get out of this press. Just look at Bayern today, they had both their fullbacks far down touching the lines - when worst came worst they played it back to Neuer who crossed the ball to one of the fullbacks, this was clearly rehearsed. Then it just took seconds to transport the ball to Ribery/Robben who had the flanks for themselves since Alves/Alba where somewhere else.
Anyway, the flanks sucked today (and most part of the season) - both wingers and fullbacks. Fullbacks should help midfield, not being higher up the pitch than our wingers. FFS, just start Pedro on RB and play Alves as forward, this will be much less confusing for everybody involved

I remember games under pep where Dani Alves was the highest player up the pitch, even though he was nominally lined up in defence, granted Abidal was playing on the other side who would move in central defence.

I don't buy the "teams have figured barca out " part. Modern managers study opposing teams extensively especially in the champions league, it's just that the barca style under pep requires full commitment, once you are not fully committed to pressing the team falls apart defensibly. Once you try to play some kind of barca light more cautions style it doesn't work with the current set of players.

 

[Badger]

As infuriated as I am with him tonight, I'd give him another season.

 

[Zebulun]

Imagine that, when everything was going wrong he sat there and didnt change a thing till the 83rd minute. TITO failed us today noone else.

 

[ricknattery]

As infuriated as I am with him tonight, I'd give him another season.

you give another season to someone proven and with credit. Tito has earned none since this is his first job as a manager. It would be like tossing a coin

 

[Flavia]

As expected, he's getting a lot of stick from the catalan press. Especially for not reacting and making changes. The ending of the season will be long...

 

[rivaldo10]

i hope we will get a new manager next season. After pep leaving we should got a new manager with new ideas and tactics because the style of play dosent work anymore.

 

[utility73]

If he has not done so yet, Tito should tell the Club if he will be fully fit and available at the end of the season at the latest.
If he will be fully fit again by then I'd think we should keep him because in my opinion he is definitely capable for this job when he is healthy.
But if not then the management needs to go looking for an appropriate coach immediately (If the club has not done so already anyway).

In any case the current situation is not tolerable and must not go on like this any longer.
There are many problems to solve and the apparent coaching vacuum is the most pressing one.

 

[spring]

If he has not done so yet, Tito should tell the Club if he will be fully fit and available at the end of the season at the latest.
If he will be fully fit again by then I'd think we should keep him because in my opinion he is definitely capable for this job when he is healthy.
But if not then the management needs to go looking for an appropriate coach immediately (If the club has not done so already anyway).

In any case the current situation is not tolerable and must not go on like this any longer.
There are many problems to solve and the apparent coaching vacuum is the most pressing one.

hey, he shouldn't go and play in the pitch! it was about ideas, thoughts, tactics! he doesn't need a healthy or completely fit body to take decisions!

 

[Cule4life]

It was baffling that he refused to make any changes to a side that desperately needed them until the 83rd minute, when the game was over. Tito's passivity and refusal to pull off a clearly unfit Messi or make some changes cost us the tie

 

[utility73]

hey, he shouldn't go and play in the pitch! it was about ideas, thoughts, tactics! he doesn't need a healthy or completely fit body to take decisions!

I didn't say anything about playing.
But he needs to be fit physically and mentally to able to his job as coach 100%.
Being coach of a top team like Barça is a very exhausting full time job and if the coach is not at his full health most of the time he cannot possibly do the job as good as need be.
So what I was saying is, that in my opinion it showed that Tito has not been able to do his job properly due to his condition.
While the club could live with this temporarily I think it would be very detrimental if it would go on like this for much longer.

Also, just in case, it is not the same situation as with, say, Abidal. Abidal is just one player in a squad of many.
As much as it hurt to not have this excellent player available for such a long time, a player is not the single point of player the position of a coach is.

I like Tito very much and I thought of him to be very capable of doing his job at this great club when he was healthy enough for it.
But in my opionion (yes it is a opinion) he does not seem to be capable of it currently.
This is not just a reaction to a single match like against Bayern yesterday. It is just, that the season is now most likely over for all practical reasons and the club should think about what to do with the suboptimal situation we currently have in the coaching department.

 

[utility73]

Coaching vacuum, the only vacuum is between your ears, yes he should have changed it but you must have a memory like a goldfish.

Don't know what you were going at with your derisive comment but it has absolutely no topical correlation with what I said.
(Should have changed what? And my memory lacking about what in relation to what?)