Frenkie de Jong

[serghei]

Let's see how the midfield displays versus Bilbao. They will defend and close down space as a block compared to Valencia and Napoli. And also will know how to hurt us. Exciting game, and test.

Yeah. Napoli sure made life easier for us with their disorganized and a bit lazy approach.

If we beat Bilbao and score again 3-4 goals, we can talk about being on a roll.

 

[Bobo32]

Well said.

The number of triangles and the angle of passing between players is going up both in terms of cadence and in terms of movement variation under Xavi. Now players position at an angle compared to their markers, as opposed to waiting behind them in their cover shadow in a static way. It's a big difference and it's the main reason why we create more chances lately. Players hide less, wait for the ball less, and are more active and energetic in providing varied passing options for their teammates.

It's the juego de posicion of Cruyff at work. In early state, and not as drastic as under Pep, but its components are starting to get clearer.

I don't think the improvement is drastic or steady, but yesterday improvements could clearly be seen, and it has been good in games prior too. Hope they can continue to build on it.

I think the key is the opposite though, the difference with Pedri in recent games (although he has been pretty bad lately) and Frenkie (who has been good) has been that they wait a bit more: they walk more. Then when the moment arrives, they go full out. Their timing and teamwork is better, and then they CAN hide for a bit in order to show when it is the right time to do so.

Cruyff said: "There’s only one moment in which you can arrive in time. If you’re not there, you’re either too early or too late."
Yesterday, for the first time maybe in Barcelona, I thought that Frenkie was largely arriving in time into situations.

 

[Andresito]

Pedri had a masterclass cameo against Valencia only a few days ago.

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Let's see how the midfield displays versus Bilbao. They will defend and close down space as a block compared to Valencia and Napoli. And also will know how to hurt us. Exciting game, and test.

Will be interesting to see how they'll approach the game tactically. They used to press very high and mobbed Barca's half with many players. I doubt they can do this now with Barca's new forward line. Fast attackers are cancer to that approach. They are asking for trouble if they press Barca like they did in last 1,5 years. Barca had no answer to that. SO FAR!

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Serghei is 100% right about his movement being better now under Xavi. I?ve seen literally every match from him at Ajax and many at the U21 also. There he usually just run to the ball but was 3 class above everyone so it got camouflaged. Even at Barca he did that. Not making smart moves to get the ball in between the lines. Just straight to it and we will see from there. He developed it recently. Now you see him anticipating on his teammates movements and understand what the next step will be in order to receive the ball. Study it and you will see the difference

Xavi: "Frenkie is a genius. I have seldom seen such a self-critical player as he is. He has high expectations of himself and that makes him better and better. At first he didn't understand exactly what we were asking of him. Now he understands, getting better and better. His performance speaks for itself."

Frenkie is a good example of how important a coach is. What an impact a manager can have. But that new ideas also need time! Great development by Frenkie in the last few weeks, but not by accident. A lot of work with the staff. A lot of physical work, a lot of analysis, a lot of talks, a lot of individual video sessions.

It is exactly happening what I hoped for and wrote here when Xavi got signed. I said I expect a big step forward from these young midfielders, that Xavi takes them to the next level. Everyone of them has already improved. Everything else will come with time.

 

[soul24rage]

Very happy to see him perform like this. Hope he can keep it up.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

What a goal it was. Guy should shoot more often from the distance.

 

[serghei]

What a goal it was. Guy should shoot more often from the distance.

I hope so. Hate midfielders who are scared to shoot from 20-25m. Plenty of goals are scored from that range.

 

[Bobo32]

Xavi: "Frenkie is a genius. I have seldom seen such a self-critical player as he is. He has high expectations of himself and that makes him better and better. At first he didn't understand exactly what we were asking of him. Now he understands, getting better and better. His performance speaks for itself."

Frenkie is a good example of how important a coach is. What an impact a manager can have. But that new ideas also need time! Great development by Frenkie in the last few weeks, but not by accident. A lot of work with the staff. A lot of physical work, a lot of analysis, a lot of talks, a lot of individual video sessions.

It is exactly happening what I hoped for and wrote here when Xavi got signed. I said I expect a big step forward from these young midfielders, that Xavi takes them to the next level. Everyone of them has already improved. Everything else will come with time.

Yeah I agree with these words of Xavi, and I was also looking forward to a better coach for these midfielders. I don't feel my analysis was as simplistic as "Xavi good midfielder - will coach midfielders well", but I thought he had the authority, knowledge, as well as the stubbornness to make these players change their style a bit. I think we saw hints of true improvement now in these two recent pretty open games.

I always thought Frenkie was very self-critical and willing to learn, but that he'd probably lose some of this with time, I think Xavis appointment was not a day early for Frenkie, a big gift for him! Nice to see him play well, but yes I too want to wait until closer games to judge the improvement.

 

[Porque]

[MENTION=7348]Bobo[/MENTION]

How many goals is this now from Barcelona midfielders?

Don't have the data in front of me right now because I'm on the move, but we surely must of surpassed already what the midfield produced in official games over Koemans whole tenure!

 

[JohnN]

Had lost faith on him this season, he looked lost. But lately he is doing exceptionally, I don't know what changed. Perhaps he had personal issues. Him, Pedri and busquets seem to gel great. A shame busquets is so old. Perhaps Nico can fill that spot once he matures.

 

[Porque]

Had lost faith on him this season, he looked lost. But lately he is doing exceptionally, I don't know what changed. Perhaps he had personal issues. Him, Pedri and busquets seem to gel great. A shame busquets is so old. Perhaps Nico can fill that spot once he matures.

He has a manager who knows how to unlock the intricacies of what to precisely improve on in his midfield game. It's one thing doing, another identifying but hardest to explain.

And of course, the training must replicate these aspects.

Xavi seems to know how to put his ideas into words, which is always an incredibly difficult thing to do, especially when you are naturally talented at something and "got it". Perhaps this was Koemans problem?

I always remember listening to Bernard Hopkins, one of the smartest boxers of recent history, yet he can't explain a lick of how to use his techniques

 

[BusiTheKing]

Well said.

The number of triangles and the angle of passing between players is going up both in terms of cadence and in terms of movement variation under Xavi. Now players position at an angle compared to their markers, as opposed to waiting behind them in their cover shadow in a static way. It's a big difference and it's the main reason why we create more chances lately. Players hide less, wait for the ball less, and are more active and energetic in providing varied passing options for their teammates.

It's the juego de posicion of Cruyff at work. In early state, and not as drastic as under Pep, but its components are starting to get clearer.

On the money. Our movement against Napoli was miles beyond anything we've seen under Valverde, Setien or Koeman.

The attitude is fundamentally different. For the first time in ages, we actually seem excited and eager to push on instead of tentative and anxious. This feeling I've had since 2016 that we basically enter any game already carrying a handicap is starting to dissipate.

We might not be world beaters but we seem more like a real team than we have in ages.

 

[BusiTheKing]

Something basic like having multiple open blaugrana shirts at all times, which was the standard under Pep, that just didn't happen under the last three coaches, even Lucho.

For years the vibe i've had about our mentality is that we've been doing things to avoid negatives, we move to avoid losing the ball, we score to avoid losing the game, we fight to avoid letting down the fans. It seems like an important switch has been turned, and we're now doing things to pursue positives, to win, to create something, to have fun.

We've been going into games to do what's required, to do the minimum of what's acceptable. A key characteristic of any great team is that they go for the extra.

 

[evilhita666]

Please keep it up, has been stellar lately...